Beautiful game in a beautiful scenario: Beach Soccer

Brazil indeed looks a beautiful country with beautiful football to match my brazilian friend. I’ve got to visit Rio one of the days and check out some of these glorious places.

Playing football on the beach!!Ive tried it a number of times myself on the coast myself and boy is it difficult. No wonder you offer the finest players the world has seen.

Posted from  United Kingdom

Yes, it’s really hard to controll the ball and when you watch the good teams playing you see that the ball is in the air most of the time. It’s a real show of skills!

Is this a World Cup Blog or a Playboy beach model search blog. Lets get back to talking about futbol and why Brasil will not win the world cup this year.
Viva Argentina and go USA.

Posted from  United States

Todd didn’t like the girls in bikini… for my taste, I like the girls better that football.

Tell me Todd Why Brazil will not win the world cup?

Posted from  United States

Brazil will not win because of lack of hard workers on the team and because they are to loyal to Ronaldo. In the big games Ronaldo does not have the speed and determination to finish This will put Brasil at a big disadvantage should they play Italy or Argentina. I believe that Argentina, Italy or England will win. Those three teams have the talent that Brasil has and I believe for this World Cup they have more desire. Also dont forget about Holland.

Posted from  United States

Ok Todd I Agree with you about Ronaldo but don’t forget that that Brazil is not only Ronaldo. Ronaldinho, Kaka, Robinho are players who make the diference e believe if Ronaldo as you said will not play well Parreira has Adriano. Remember the confederation cup when Brazil without Ronaldo won Beating Argentina 4×1…Brazil today is a better team tha in 2002.

Posted from  United States

This confederation cup thing is a joke. That was Argentinas B team. There whole defense was not there. Crespo did not play, Messi did not play and if you will recall three weeks before Argentina blew Brasil away in the World Cup qualifier. It was 3-0 at half and that was with both teams at full strength. My point is that if the coach starts Ronaldo in a big game in the knockout stage it might be to late by time he inserts Adriano. Brasils group is so easy that Ronaldo will do fine in the group stage and that might lead to him playing and starting in the knockout stage. I just think that Brasil is going in a little over confident. The talent level of Brasil will not overwhelm team like Argentina or Italy. Look at Argentina that could have an offense of Messi, Aimar, Riquelme and Tevez. Those are some pretty talented guys as well and if Brasil in sitting there with a fat overweight Ronaldo up front it could cost them the cup.

Posted from  United States

Todd loves to talk about the qualifying games and their victory over Brazil. Just don’t forget we won 3:1 over Argentina during that same competition.

Any doubts about the qualifying facts? Take a look at the statistics and final standings:

http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/t/stats/index.html?zone=sam

http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/t/group/index.html?zone=sam

Tood If Argentina was B team in the Confederation Cup so did Brazil. Remember Ronaldo, R. Carlos Cafu were out. About Messi First, I Thing he is a Great Player But that time he wasn’t palying for Argentina In fact even in Barcelona because hes in the bench. Just to refresh your memory Brasil also beat Argentina 3×1 in the same tournment. About the over confidence I agree with you but believe me these Players are not naive and they know that in the next Cup wiil be everybody against Brazil, I’m not trying to say that the Brazilian team is unbeatable because no team is
but believe this is one of the best teans ever in Brazil

Posted from  United States

Euler, Your ‘what?’ link under your beach soccer post has still got me laughing. MAN, is that funny. I’ve been to Brazil 4 times now and beach Soccer is a way of life there…what do the poles think they know about it…better yet what do they think they know about socceer in general.

Everybody knows it’s Croatia’s turn this year.

Posted from  Canada

The ‘what’ link still makes me laugh too… now, about the Croatia turn this year… not so easy. There are some other great teams too.

Hello Euler. The site “FIFA’s info about my country”, with the history of Brasil, says the first guy who set foot there was Pizarro and that Holland and Spain fought over Brasil, but eventually it was the portuguese who took it.

The portuguese were the first europeans in Brasil, as they were in many other places in this world (Japan, for example).

Any history book will tell you this.

The official discovery date was in 1500 by Pedro Alvares Cabral. Most historians agree that the portuguese were around before then and the biggest evidence is the treaty of Tordesilhas, by which Portugal and the combined kingdoms of Castilla and Aragon - which later became Spain - divided the world in 2.

Brasil was essential, around the late 1700’s, in helping Portugal in its crisis. Brasil became at that time the largest leather exporter to Europe and with the portuguese pioneers - os bandeirantes - gold mining started. Independence was given in 1822(much, much before than to the other colonies - 1970’s) and promoted by the portuguese prince D Pedro, who opposed the national policy.

Portugal has always had an excellent relationship with Brasil.

Everybody supports the Brasilian team in Portugal, as it’s felt as being partially ours from a nostalgic and sentimental point of view. Also because you don’t see Portugal frequently in WC’s. It is, for most people in Portugal, their second team.

In 1994 people celebrated, and suported, Brasil’s victory as their own (in most places).

Posted from  Netherlands

We feel the same way about Portugal. It’s like they are our older brother or something.

Of course Brazil was discovered by Pedro Alvares Cabral in 1500. Everybody knows that but the Fifa site.

We also know that some other European folks were here before, but they didn’t claim the land, so…

Holland and Spain tried to take Brazil from Portugal, but the Portuguese prevailed. Too bad nobody came to develop the country, just to get the resources (gold, for an example).

Our history in the Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazil#History

Thanks for putting the wikipedia site, Euler (obrigado cara). I’d REALLY love a Brasil vs Portugal final and POR taking the cup, of course. We all know what usually happens to Portugal, when they actually GO to the finals, but let’s keep the faith and humbleness. At least you’d get a match were both teams jogam muito bonito (play very beautifully)!!! If Portugal doesn’t win the WC (don’t laugh now, please), then my support goes to Brasil and Angola (who actually needs a bit more support than Brasil…)

Posted from  Netherlands

I was just trash talkin about Croatia. I do not think they really have a chance….but it’s nice to dream.

I would live to see Brazil Portugal in the final with Portugal taking it. I went to the Euro 2004 final and MAN they were robbed. Those Greeks…BAH!.

Posted from  Canada

It would be a great match!

Hey Euler, are you in Brazil?..Your posts come from Canada?..

Posted from  Canada

Hello Soze (Kaizer?). Thanks for your words. Unfortunatelly, the truth is that Greece outsmarted us… We deserved it but they took it. That’s life.

Good luck for Croatia. To beat Brasil - I think last time Portugal did win over Brasil was in 1966 - you need a cool mind and a lot of discipline.

Which rules out Portugal… We still lack that “champions cool”, because I don’t think we lack any technique at all…

Remember the match Brasil vs USA in 94… The americans made the brasilians swet, more than the dutch (OK US were playing home, but they are much stronger now) and they lost Leonardo with a red card, for the rest of the cup. Leonardo was an excellent left back…

Posted from  Netherlands

True words Pedro. You deserved it, they took it. Yeah, USA in 94 was detrmined, and now they are good. I believe they are going to the Semi’s…at least.

Portugal may not have the champions cool but they have heart. I think Portugal deserves it more than anyone else…well maybe Argentina. That Messi is incredible.

Posted from  Canada

Yes I am at Rio, Brazil. I never see my own little flag

Is it showing the Canadian flag? That’s odd.

Problem is, Soze, Portugal is in group D and Argentina is in group C. If we both go through, we might also meet… Anyway, if Portugal goes through, we’ll meet Agentina or The netherlands or Ivory Coast or Servia & M. As we say in Portugal, of all of these, call the Devil to pick one…

Just to put a bit of acid on the discussion, look at groups A and B and then look ate groups C and D… We know the rankings are bullshit but STILL, A and B have 2 out of 8 teams in the top 10. ENG (9) and SWE (6). Groups C and D have 4 out of 8. ARG (4); HOL (3); MEX (7) and POR (10). Not just any 4…

ARG and HOL need no introduction, Mexico is always there anyway so that’s gotta mean something and Portugal went runners up in last euro cup.

This means Germany has to worry about themselves, England has to worry about Sweden, Sweden has to worry about England, and next door in groups C and D it’s gonna be a killing field…

Posted from  Netherlands

SWE is 16. Sorry, Sorry… But it only makes my cases stronger anyway…

Posted from  Netherlands