Novidades do Brasil

I’m going to be posting a multi-part series. My objective is to interview web log writers (or football enthusiasts) from around the world and find out about football in their countries from an internal perspective.

I’m starting the series with web log writer Mauricio Teixeira from Brazil. He writes a web log called “Blog de Bola” and was kind enough to share some thoughts about Brazilian football, my thanks:

FC: What club in Brazil has impressed you the most recently?

MT: In the past three years, the most impressive club has been Santos.

After almost 20 years without a title, they formed a really strong team in 2002 with young players. In 2004, they won their second Brazilian title in 3 years. Home made players like Diego (now at FC Porto), Alex (PSV Eindhoven), Elano (Ukraine), Renato (Sevilla) and the show man Robinho were responsible for that success.

FC: Who are your top 5 players that are playing in Brazil right now?

MT: The top 5 players in Brazil right now:

5 - Giovanni (Santos)
4 - Fred (Cruzeiro)
3 - Ricardinho (Santos)
2 - Carlos Tevez (Corinthians)
1 - Robinho (Santos, recent transfer to Real Madrid)


FC: Why are so many Brazilian players responsible for innovating things in football?

MT: When a boy is born in Brazil, his first gift is a ball. Everybody in this country has a passion to football. More and more, at school or in the neighborhood, kids are challenged to make different stuff with a ball and you have to be creative to get a place in a team.

I think this is the main reason for the habit Brazilians have of creating new plays and reinventing the game.

FC: Who are some young Brazilian players that we haven't heard of yet?

MT: This is a difficult question because some players go to Europe even before they are old enough to drive.

An example is Anderson, 17 years old, from Gremio, the same club where Ronaldinho started. Anderson’s rights were sold to a bank in Portugal and will play for FC Porto next season. But another young player that seems to be the next sensation is Kerlon from Cruzeiro, a boy also 17 years old, who perform a new incredible play that he keeps the ball up on his head and runs.

Other players, not so young, with a great future are Fred (Cruzeiro), Cicinho (São Paulo - maybe Manchester United), Rafinha (Coritiba), Evandro e Fabricio (Atlético-PR), and Jo (Corinthians).

FC:Brazil has the situation of having so many good players. Should Brazilian players like Alex and Deco naturalize and play for other countries?

MT: I’d like to say that 'having too many good players to choose from' is a problem, but a great one.

I don't like the idea much of Brazilian players naturalizing and playing for others countries; really only if they have a huge affinity with that country.

Alex, that plays for Japan, is a good example. He lives in Japan, speaks Japanese and always played in J-League. But, if the naturalization is almost a deal, like if the country is a club and hires the best players, I don't see it as a good thing. Recently, a country tried to 'hire' Ailton to play. I think FIFA should not allow, or a player should at least prove 5 years or more of residence in the country.

See a list of all the interviews published so far

*note: please email if you'd like to conduct an interview (over email) or if you know the name of a weblog in your country.