National Team call-ups are dependent on first team playing time at the club level, and this rule of thumb is all the more true in World Cup years. Hence, the current predicaments of two Boys of Brazil/Femme-Football regulars: Robinho and Ronaldinho.
The talismanic 'Binho has been wont to perform up to his potential during his time in Europe. First, failing to consistently impress at Real Madrid and then bungling his way through a seventeen-month stint at Manchester City. 'Binho has moved back to the greener pastures of his boyhood club Santos in search of the form that will allow him to feature in South Africa. A triumphant winner in his debut versus Sao Paolo has gone a long way in validating that decision.
Faring somewhat better in the form department is FF fav Ronaldinho, whose resurgence at Milan has none other than the G.O.A.T. Pele calling for him to be included in Dunga's summer plans.
Yet, as the clamor for 'Dinho's inclusion in the the NT grows, quesions remain. Notably, the compatibility of Ronaldinho's style of play with that of the current Brazil squad is no longer a foregone conclusion. In the years since their disappointing 2006 performance, the Samba Kings play has been a little less samba-like, as Dunga has favored the deliberate tactical style of someone like Kaka to the free-flowing football that has characterized Brazil in years past.
So the question in 'Dinho's case now becomes whether he can complement his former Milan teammate or if this odd-couple's stylistic differences are just too much for the NT to overcome?
UPDATE: Apparently, Dunga is not to keen on our man 'Dinho, as the latter has just been left out of Brazil's final warm-up match against the Republic of Ireland. Perhaps the memory of 2006's playstation-fueled sexcapades has not been forgotten quite yet...
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