Tales of 'Dinho and 'Binho

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...

Capello's Claim: Brazil Better than Spain?

In mid-November, England traveled to Doha, Qatar to face the boys from Brazil in an international friendly, which while unremarkable in the scoreline (1-0 to Brazil), was nonetheless notable for the locale (obvi money talks...though the Three Lions better hope that the idiot that negotiated their fee isn't in charge of their 2018 bid [score there: 400k v. 4 mil for the Canarinhos]).

Anyways, the main takeaway of the evening brought to us by Don Capello, who claimed in his post-match commentary that this Brazilian team was better than FIFA World #1 and current European Champions, Spain. This proclimation might not be so surprising given that his team was just on the losing end of the most comprehensive 1-0 defeat in recent memory (England managed perhaps one shot on goal the entire game), but the English manager's remarks highlighted another less publicized reality.

In the past 20 years or so, nutritional standards have improved significantly in Brazil. Thus, as Dunga has pointed out, national team players and the population at large have reaped the physical rewards of proper nutrition (i.e. increased physical strength and stature). No longer are the Selecaos merely a group of fleet footed wonder boys; they now have the athletic prowess and power to complement their fantastic footwork.

Just Because...

Greatest of all time?

World Cup Fever has struck us here at Femme-Football. We know it's a little early (there are, in fact, 233 days, 16 hours and 11 minutes, give or take, until kick-off, according to FIFA's official countdown), but fortunately we have found a (temporary) cure for our craving thanks to caughtoffside.com.

Which side would be your best World Cup team of all time? Does Brazil 1970 get the nod?

A Letter to Mr. Maradona

Referencing our earlier discussion of Maradona's managerial mishaps, we have decided to publish this open letter to him in hopes on behalf of all Albicelestes fans....

Dear Mr. Maradona, aka HRH Our Undisputed National Football Treasure:

Since we realize you might be familiar with the 12 step program and seeing that the national team is currently need of a similiar level of rehabilitation, we are presenting you with a list of suggestions (otherwise known as demands) to help our beloved Albicelestes qualify for South Africa. Wanna know the best part? Our rehab scheme has only one-third (that is less than half in case you didn't know) as many steps as the aforementioned program...so here it goes:

1. Swallow considerable pride (hey, we never said it would be painless...)
2. Call up Higuain already, and while your at it allow Milito to pry his rear end from the bench
3. More generally, abandon your mad plot to vindicate your vertically challenged brehtern (looking at you Tevez) and to validate your elderly squad selections (Veron? Heinze? Really Diego?)
4. We know it's a sensitive topic, but did we mention the height thing?

XOXO,

Your Adoring, Worshipful Public

Player Encyclopedia: Future Phenom, Present Prodigy, Historic Hotshot

Image via National Geographic

Look at that concentration.

Future Phenom: We knew it from the moment we laid my bleary eyes on you -- bleary, because of the 2 am wake-up we endured to watch the proceedings of Japan/Korea 2002 live -- but oh how you made it worth it...those free kicks (you remember, the one against England?)...that goofy smile...you made it all look so easy...sure the people at PSG warned us about your late nights, but you had such joy and innocence that we were wont to believe it...and plus everything started out so well at Barca.

Present Prodigy: Some people may question your listing here, especially in this "what have you done for me lately industy," but you were FIFA World Player of the Year...twice (in 2004 and 2005)...and even when all of those dumb commentators were talking up ol' golden balls and his free kicks (seriously, the man's pretty, but he ain't got skillz like you), you were leading Brazil to their second Confederations Cup title in 2005, while helping Barca to back-to-back La Liga titles and the Champions League crown in 2006...but then you got lazy, unmotivated and, well, a bit more than pleasantly plump (granted not to the "fat f%$!" level of Ronaldo, but still)...and they turned on you at the Nou Camp and you became a shadow of your old self with a reputation tanking faster than Emmanuel Ungaro's since they've signed Lindsay Lohan as an "Artistic Advisor."

Historic Hotshot (?): TBD - New chapter, new place? Here's hoping to another club giving you another chance because things aren't working so well at Milan. Let's be honest you could do with another "new lease on life"; you've never linked up well with Pato and Leonardo isn't exactly you're biggest fan. I'm gonna take a wait and see approach with you, and pray that you don't waste your talents like some other wayward compatriots (Corinthians *cough* Ronaldo *cough*)...I mean it would only really take you actually showing up (physically and mentally, that is) to redeem yourself, but that's all part of your master plan, right? Because you obvi learned, when you went all Hollywood, that everybody loves a good comeback.