Brazil battered by Germany: my reflections

The seleção are in a mess (Mowa Press)

The great Brazilian national football team are looking anything but at the moment. After being dumped out of the Copa America by Paraguay, the team were well beaten by Germany in an international friendly tonight. Continue reading

Santos lose three in a row with full strength team

Santos players and coaching staff look on as things go from bad to worse against Vasco (Getty Images)

How ironic this beautiful game can be. After overcoming all the odds to win the Copa Libertadores and São Paulo State Championship, Santos have all but thrown their Serie A title hopes out the window with three losses in the space of a week. Continue reading

Santos 4 5 Flamengo: Ronaldinho hat-trick

Ronaldinho magic (Wander Roberto/VIPCOMM)

The best game of the season so far and some commentators are even saying it was one of the best ever games in the Brazilian National Championship. Stars of the future, past and present, heroes, villains, dislocated shoulders, missed penalties, brilliant goals from free kicks, brilliant dribbles, clinical finishing, brilliant passing, poor defending and goalkeeping. This game had it all (except for a red card I suppose)! Continue reading

Corinthians bid for Tevez: where did all that money come from?

But how can they afford my wages? (Getty Images)

Corinthians’ bid for Carlos Tevez was truly sensational. A few years ago it was unthinkable that any Brazilian club could pay such a large transfer fee (between £40 and £50 million depending on who you believe) for any player. That’s not to mention his wages which are reported to be above £200,000 per week at Manchester City. The question is where did all this money come from? Continue reading

Copa America 2011: Brazil out

Fred struggles to control the ball against Paraguay (Mowa Press)

Brazil sensationally missed all four of their penalties in a penalty shootout against Paraguay as they crashed out of the Copa America at the quarter final stage. Unlike previous games at the competition, Brazil dominated the match from start to finish.   Continue reading

Brazil progress to Copa America quarter finals

Neymar scored two goals for Brazil against Ecuador (Mowa Press)

Brazil belatedly got their act together at the Copa America by beating Ecuador 4-2 thanks to an excellent second half performance. The result means Brazil finish top of Group B and will now face Paraguay in the quarter finals on Sunday. Continue reading

Disappointing Brazil draw with Venezuela in Copa America

Neymar is carrying Brazilian hopes at the Copa America (VIPCOMM)

Good and bad news readers. Good news first. Your favourite Brazilian football blogger was contacted by the BBC to comment on Brazil’s chances at the Copa America on their Sportsworld have your say radio show on Saturday afternoon. Continue reading

Santos win 2011 Copa Libertadores

Neymar - the best in South America (Getty Images)

Santos have won the 2011 Copa (it’s a disgrace) Libertadores. They beat Peí±arol 2-1 in the final second leg tonight. Unfortunately a mass brawl involving both sets of players, club officials and other unknown people ensued at the of the match. The Santos players accused the Peí±arol players of being sore losers but the Brazilian press later reported that the brawl started when somebody dressed stewards uniform hit a Peí±arol player for absolutely no reason. No matter who started it, everybody involved should be ashamed. What a disgrace! Why does this happen so often in Libertadores matches?  It happened after the final last year and in the match between Fluminense and Argentinos Juniors earlier this year. Continue reading

Libertadores final: difficult night for Neymar but advantage Santos

Neymar struggled against some tough marking (Getty Images)

After the drama of volcanic eruptions in Chile and the subsequent ash cloud that has covered most of southern South America, the Copa Libertadores final first leg finally got the go-ahead to be played on Wednesday night as scheduled.

In front of 60,000 screaming Peí±arol fans (including Diego Forlán), who put on quite a spectacle, Santos will be the happier of the two teams after they came away from the match with a 0-0 draw. Not a bad result at all for Neymar and co. especially because away goals count for nothing in the final, unlike previous rounds. Continue reading