Top 10 youngsters playing in Brazil

Colo-Colo v Santos - Copa Santander Libertadores 2011

And the winner is.... (photo: Getty Images)

I have finally finished the most complex piece of work in this blog’s history: a list of the top 10 youngsters playing in Brazil. In order to compile the list, I have followed countless rumours and leads, gone through player dossiers, match reports, television footage, trawled the state championships, lower leagues and youth divisions up and down the country, interviewing coaches, fans and scouts alike. All in the hope of finding the best up-and-coming talent in Brazil in order to report to you, this blog’s readers. Continue reading

Santos take first leg lead to Brazil in Libertadores quarter final

Alan Patrick (Getty Images)

Santos beat Once Caldas in Colombia 1-0 thanks to a goal from Alan Patrick who only played due to the injury to Ganso. Zé Eduardo was once again utterly useless up front for Santos. Watch out Genoa fans: you have signed a donkey! Continue reading

State Champs: stuck with the wrong match

Grêmio and Leandro (left) got the better of Internacional (Jefferson Bernardes, VIPCOMM)

The afternoon got off to a terrible start with the news that Corinthians would be wearing jerseys with their mothers’ names on the back as a Mother’s Day tribute. I needed to call on all my powers of concentration to get this shockingly lame marketing gimmick out of my head and focus on the important afternoon of football ahead, starting 16:00 local time. And what an afternoon it promised to be: Corinthians vs. Santos, Internacional vs. Grêmio and Atlético Mineiro vs. Cruzeiro to name just a few of the mouth-watering ties. Continue reading

Libertadores: Santos scrape through to quarter finals

America (MEX) v Santos (BRA) - Santander Libertadores Cup 2011

Teflon-hands Rafael had a good game (Getty Images)

Santos put in all-hands-to-the-pump performance and clung on to their first leg lead in tense and dramatic fashion to beat América from Mexico 1-0 on aggregate. They now progress to quarter finals of the competition where they will probably face Cruzeiro and their deadly marksman and intimidatingly named…… Wallyson. Continue reading

Libertadores: Can anybody stop Cruzeiro?

Another Libertadores win for Cuca, Cruzeiro and co (Washington Alves/VIPCOMM)

It’s hard to keep up with Brazilian and South American football these days with the games coming thick and fast. The Libertadores knock out phase is upon us at the same time as the State Championships are coming to a conclusion. Not to mention the Brazilian Cup which is reaching its later stages too. But that’s no excuse so let me give you a quick rundown of the Libertadores action so far this week. Continue reading

Transfer latest: Ganso and Seedorf to Corinthians?

Could be going to Corinthians (Getty Images)

Corinthians are stealing the show in the transfer market rumours space at the moment. Their ambitious (and annoying) president Andres Sanchez is up for re-election later this year and a few big name signings would do his hopes no harm at all. Continue reading

Ganso wants to quit Santos and play in Europe

Ganso wants to play in Europe (Getty Images)

Paulo Henrique Ganso has told Santos that he wants to quit the club and move to Europe. Local media say that Inter Milan (coached by a Brazilian, Leonardo) are favourites to sign the 21 year old.

After prolonged contract negotiations, it had seemed, three weeks ago, that Ganso was ready to sign a new deal at Santos. This was widely reported in the local media and this blog. However, while salary was not an issue (Ganso would earn approximately GBP 40k per week versus his current wage of less than a quarter of that), Ganso was not happy with the release clause in the contract and this was the main sticking point. Continue reading

Ganso stars on injury comeback

Ganso makes his Santos comeback after 8 months out through injury

Ganso salutes Santos fans (Bruno Miani, UOL Esport)

Paulo Henrique Ganso is back! After more than 200 days out with a serious knee injury, the 21 year old playmaker made his comeback yesterday in the São Paulo State Championship coming on as a halftime substitute for the hapless Diogo against Botafogo-SP. Continue reading