It's tango meets samba on the petrodollar stage
Brazil versus Argentina is the ultimate superclasico; so Sunday's Copa América final between the pair should be spectacular.
Marcela Mora y AraujoJuly 13, 2007 3:19 PM
After the World Cup both Argentina and Brazil appointed new managers for their national squads. In early September, both countries clashed at the Emirates Stadium in London. In order to maximise profits from friendlies both countries signed long-term deals with Russian companies. The new stadium was the perfect setting to make the most of their respective mass appeal.
Alfio Basile of Argentina took a few days' leave from his club commitments to fly over and 'meet' some players. Dunga, of Brazil, had played one friendly already. Brazil put three past Argentina and Basile shrugged of the defeat: "There was never much I would be able to do in two days," he said. "My objective is the Copa América".
In the car park inside the stadium, while some players meandered through the mixed zone, Argentinian officials chewed over the particulars of the result. "Who is Elano?" they asked, referring to the player who had struck first. Some hacks echoed the sentiment. This snippet serves to illustrate the fact that Brazil has a knack for delivering endless streams of young unkowns who can dance around established professionals with ease.
Fast forward to the Copa América final, which will be staged this Sunday in Venezuela. Both countries are to meet once again - and this a'int no friendly. Argentina v Brazil or Brazil v Argentina is the ultimate superclasico. Other than perhaps England, no rival means so much to Argentinians. Encounters on the pitch in one part of the world have lead to unsavoury explosive acts on the other, such as the time when Brazilian flags were burnt outside the embassy in Buenos Aires during Italia 90, and the knife attacks against Argentinians in Brazil during Mexico 86. A minority of morons misbehaving happens almost all the time around football matches, but in the case of these two giants of world football it serves to illustrate the fact that for both nations, the game is more than just a game.
"Football is the one area in which we can compete with the big nations of the world as equals," Daniel Passarella told me once, while he was manager of Argentina. Interestingly, Passarella had been appointed to replace Basile following the fiasco of USA 94.
Until Maradona's ephedrine incident killed the dream, Basile had put together a squad of traditional Argentinian passes and touches which had picked up the Copa America in 1993; for a while in the US they looked like they had what it takes.
Passarella's task, above all else, was to break away from the bad image left and reinstate a sense of order and discipline. Argentina have come a long way since then, picking up a string of World Youth Cups, Olympic successes and Fair Play awards to great national acclaim. In Brazil's case, they do not compete around the world as equals, but rather as superiors. 'Brazil' in football speak has almost become an umbrella term for "the beautiful game". Few teams emerge from the tunnel to face the joga bonito clan without a trembling sensation that they're on their way out of whichever tournament it may be.
The myth that Brazil only like to win if they play well is one I've never bought into personally, but that they often win is unquestionable. It is not without irony that this year the Copa América sees Brazil defend their trophy on the back of dubious penalties and defensive playing - at direct odds with joga bonito.
Dunga has been quoted praising Argentina in both the Brazilian and Argentinian press, and what we have heard over and over again in the UK is that Kaka and Ronaldinho are not there. Although Robinho has been in my view lethal, as has been Julio Baptista, and captain Gilberto Silva is a player of considerable pedigree (though he's out for the final), the consensus seems to be that their squad is in some senses a 'B' team. Yet still, they have made it to the last round, and without doubt are a force to be reckoned with.
Argentina, on the other hand, traditionally holders of the reputation of tricksters and rule benders, have been passing gently and with a big grin, hailed by even the most jingoistic British commentators as displaying "everything football is about". Argentinian papers have been pondering the significance of the hug and the chip, in a thoughtful, loving way and compiling lists of the 10 keys to success which include patience, group spirit, experience and knowing how to be loved.
Argentina's squad is full of world-class names, including 33-year-old Javier Zanetti and 32-year-old Juan Sebastian Veron, both returning to the national side after being left out of the World Cup. Juan Román Riquelme, who retired from international football after the summer, has also returned, enjoying a boost of confidence. Carlos Tevez is tirelessly charging on, sharing a room with the young darling of world press at the moment Lionel Messi. Javier Mascherano and Gabriel Heinze, essentially defensive players from the Premiership, have both been scoring goals. The captain and veteran Roberto Ayala stands firm in his position, and his aide Gabriel Milito relishes a future in Barcelona when the summer is over.
But they are sharing column inches with the Under-20s' achievements in the World Cup - 'El Kun' Agüero, Argentina's answer to Elano back at the Emirates in September, is celebrating his goal with arms spread out in flight on today's front pages. In April 1957, one of Argentina's most revered international sides, known as the Carasucias, won the tournament with the likes of Omar Sivori, beating Pele's Brazil. With the motto 'ganar, gustar, golear' (to win, to delight, to go goal crazy) the Carasucias are legendary, true Argentinian-style heroes.
Although this was by no means the only significant encounter between both countries, the half century since the event marks an anniversary worth remembering. It would be great if a new Carasucias emerged this year and beat Brazil with the magic and beauty they have been displaying so far. Brazil would retain their position as world giants and enter the annals of history with dignity, safe in the knowledge that all that happened in 2007 was that Kaka and Ronaldinho weren't there.
Home
