Wednesday 17 December 2008, 15:00
Every year, at the end of each season, it's the norm to see blanket media coverage of the national champions from early December, when the tournament ends, until Christmas at least. And if there’s not a natural catastrophe, already worn news about...
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Saturday 29 November 2008, 10:00
Ladies and gentleman, this Sunday we're all set to have a new champion in Brazil. Well, not exactly a new one since São Paulo FC, who are bound to clinch the title over the weekend, also won the tournament last year... and the year before that. The...
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Wednesday 19 November 2008, 11:00
I’ve mentioned before in this blog about the self-depreciating joke regarding the divine justice in Brazil . But when I adapted it to the football world, I forgot to note that, besides putting boneheaded directors and referees in charge, God granted us...
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Saturday 08 November 2008, 08:00
Only once in a blue moon does an incident like this come along... a player flashing a card at the referee. And it’s usually just a bit of fun. Paul Gascoigne once did it, after the man in black had dropped his cards , only the ref didn’t find it funny...
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Monday 03 November 2008, 15:00
When Sebastian Vettel’s Toro Rosso overtook Lewis Hamilton’s McLaren with two laps left of the Brazilian GP, I heard an unprecedented roar of celebration come through the window here in São Paulo – and my flat, I should add, is as far as Interlagos as...
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Friday 03 October 2008, 10:00
There’s two legends surrounding the origins of futsal, whose FIFA World Cup started this week in Brazil. The first dictates the sport was created in the 1930’s in Uruguay by Montevideo YCMA’s professor Juan Carlos Ceriani. The second tells that it first...
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Saturday 27 September 2008, 11:00
Down there in the South, there’s a small part of Brazil whose football was forged in the traditional Argentinian mould – a hard, physical game with strength over skills. It’s the Rio Grande do Sul state, and it has their own Boca-River-like die-hard hate...
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Sunday 21 September 2008, 13:00
September 19, 1993. 15 years ago. Brazil vs Uruguay at Maracanã, the last game of the 1994 World Cup qualifiers. Bolivia and Uruguay led the group with 10 points. Brazil had 9. A draw would kiss the then three-time World Champions' chances of reaching...
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Thursday 18 September 2008, 15:00
Lord almighty, I feel my temperature rising! Alopecic midfielder and old-timer Elvis fan Paulo Baier set the Brazilian championship alight last Saturday by leading Goiás to a 2-1 away victory at leaders Grêmio. Baier’s superb performance, which included...
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Friday 12 September 2008, 17:00
As I was saying last week , young Robinho was a true gem. Expectations were sky high in Brazil, the result of the two National Championships he delivered to Santos in 2002 and 2004. He was unanimously the country’s top football star. When Real Madrid...
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Wednesday 10 September 2008, 17:00
See, it wasn’t so hard was it? The 3-0 away win against Chile brought some much-needed lull days for Brazil, after weeks of turmoil following the Olympic fiasco. The Seleção played like they should, and the score could have been higher if Ronaldinho hasn...
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Saturday 06 September 2008, 08:00
Dunga’s Seleção can make history this Sunday in their World Cup qualifier match against Chile. Too bad it'll be for all the wrong reasons. If Brazil don’t score against Chile, it will only be the second time that the Seleção, in its almost centennial...
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Friday 05 September 2008, 16:00
Is it just me or do you all think that Robinho isn’t getting enough media coverage lately? I’ll take the opportunity to fill this unbelievable blank by throwing some personal opinions on the career of the new Manchester City star – something I have been...
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Thursday 28 August 2008, 19:00
Here in South America we have our own version of the UEFA Cup. It’s called the Copa Sul-americana – or Sudamericana, in Spanish, Conmebol’s official language – and this year its seventh annual competition started exactly a month ago, with the clash between...
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Thursday 21 August 2008, 17:00
Before Tuesday’s game against Argentina, I insisted that the Olympic semi-final was a win-win situation for us Brazilians. If we beat our arch-rivals from the south, fantastic. The unbeaten run against them would go on – and it’s been a while since Brazil...
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Friday 15 August 2008, 01:25
The Brazilian Championship reached its midway point in the season this week, with Grêmio clinching the symbolic 'winter' title. But, as most of the coaches have said, the 'real' championship only begins after August 31, once the transfer...
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Thursday 07 August 2008, 11:00
That’s life (that’s life), that’s what all the people say You’re ridin’ high in April, shot down in May. Fast-forward two months to July in the lyrics of the 1966 classic “That’s Life”, immortalized by Frank Sinatra, and you’ll have almost have Flamengo...
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Friday 25 July 2008, 11:58
After the clash against Palmeiras, São Paulo defender André Dias hit out against opponent Kléber, back in Brazil after three years playing for Dinamo Kiev. “The guy is in the wrong sport. I guess he should be a boxer. He isn’t playing football at all...
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Friday 18 July 2008, 17:35
“I wish this month ends soon.” To the unaware listener, Flamengo coach Caio Junior sounds like his squad is having a black July. But it’s nothing like that at all, actually the team from Rio de Janeiro is top of the league, something they haven’t accomplished...
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Monday 14 July 2008, 12:50
It’s been a week since Luiz Felipe Scolari gave his first press conference as Chelsea’s head coach. By now, the Brazilian gaffer should have already deciphered all of the Stamford Bridge club’s mysteries. In his own words, seven days was enough for him...
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Wednesday 02 July 2008, 17:44
If you listen to what the Fluminense folks have been saying for the past few days, a Brazilian win in Wednesday's Copa Libertadores final second leg at the Maracanã against LDU is as certain as death and taxes. It seems the 4-2 defeat in the Quito...
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Sunday 29 June 2008, 11:38
As Ronaldo knows only too well, life is full of surprises. For instance, we thought nothing could be worse than a Ronnie look-a-like starring in a porn movie . Well surprise, surprise... Andréia Albertini, one of the three transvestites caught with the...
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Wednesday 25 June 2008, 17:23
WARNING: THIS BLOG MAY CONTAIN A SPOILER! Ladies and gentleman, señoras y señores, after 136 games it’s finally time to find out who becomes the rulers of South America. Fluminense and Liga Deportiva Universitaria clash tonight in the first-leg of the...
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Tuesday 17 June 2008, 12:52
Italians all around the world are surely praying to God for a win against the French today. In this particular case, I wouldn’t trust such an important request to the Pope – the man is German and he’ll probably ask for a Romania win to see the two foes...
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Wednesday 11 June 2008, 15:20
There’s no need to explain to you British people how boring Brazil friendlies usually are. You’ve seen enough of them lately with London becoming the official capital of the samba boys' (drowsy) exhibition matches. Last weekend, however, I managed...
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Monday 09 June 2008, 00:00
Brazil’s version of the FA Cup - the Copa do Brasil - will come to an end this Wednesday when Corinthians and Sport do battle in Recife in the second leg of the final. Unlike its English equivalent, the Copa do Brasil is an extremely new tournament -...
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Wednesday 04 June 2008, 16:00
After another dismal performance previewing the Copa Libertadores quarter-finals – with three misses out of four – I humbly excused myself from trying to forecast the tournament's semi-finals. I’m sure you, faithful reader, noticed it and even though...
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Friday 30 May 2008, 17:39
After weeks of placid quietude, Edmundo has had another outburst. After missing a crucial penalty kick in the Copa do Brasil semi-final, our very own Animal shaved his head and announced his retirement on Thursday. I don’t remember what I had for lunch...
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Sunday 25 May 2008, 12:00
Early this week, coach Dunga announced Kaká was fundamental to his plans for the upcoming Olympic tournament in Beijing. But Milan’s answer came as rapidly and predictably as a 3am picture of Amy Winehouse falling over: no, no, no. Backed by Fifa’s ruling...
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Wednesday 21 May 2008, 16:32
After flunking big-time in the previews for the round of 16 – calling an impressive five matches out of eight wrong – here I am again to fearlessly entertain you with my so-called predictions of the Copa Libertadores, which closes its quarter-final phase...
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Sunday 18 May 2008, 15:00
Mexican football usually catches the fans’ eyes with a beautiful, exciting, offensive game. But historically it has led them to nothing but disappointment. With no major international crowns – except in the Concacaf competitions, where they play alone...
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Saturday 10 May 2008, 13:00
Back in the day when Ronaldo knew how to distinguish women from tranvestites, many ladies made their lives by capitalising on their flings. The careers of models Daniella Cicarelli and Raica Oliveira took off after short stints as Mrs. Ronaldo. Cicarelli...
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Wednesday 07 May 2008, 10:35
Ladies and gentlemen, the first part of Brazilian football season is over. Most of the major State tournaments ended on Sunday – which means we already have 14 newly-crowned champions around the country. Some of them you probably never heard of – for...
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Thursday 01 May 2008, 07:00
Do you remember the refereeing tandem Paulo César de Oliveira and Maria Eliza Barbosa, who let Adriano’s 'Hand of the Emperor' goal stand? Well, Palmeiras’ intervention prevented them to be considered for work on the São Paulo State final, but...
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Wednesday 30 April 2008, 17:32
Last year at the Minas Gerais State Championship final, Cruzeiro were pounded by their cross-town archrivals Atlético 4-0. It was supposed to be close game to call, so no one saw the ugly massacre coming – especially goalkeeper Fábio, who blacked out...
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Monday 28 April 2008, 10:25
Football lovers around the world, the group phase of Copa Libertadores – South America’s Champions League – is over, and the knockout phases begin in earnest tomorrow (Tuesday) at Lanus. So let’s preview the clashes in the ‘round of 16’ with the sharpest...
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Wednesday 23 April 2008, 10:05
They have a female monkey (with lipstick and, sometimes, high heels!) as a mascot and a spider under the goalposts. Welcome to the animal kingdom of Associaçao Atletica Ponte Preta, the oldest professional Brazilian side still in existence: 107 years...
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Saturday 19 April 2008, 11:45
Fourteen years after first talking about ending his career – following Brazil’s 1994 World Cup title – Romário finally announced he’s done with football at the launch of his 1,000 goals DVD project in Rio de Janeiro this week. The Noise from Brazil has...
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Thursday 17 April 2008, 16:27
A popular self-depreciating joke about Brazilians has God talking to a bewildered angel at the time of creation. Amazed by the natural wonders of Brazil, he approaches his boss to ask about a supposed unfairness of the man upstairs with the other countries...
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Friday 11 April 2008, 17:33
For more than 1000 reasons, we Brazilians don’t take the who-was-the-best quarrel between Pelé and Maradona that seriously. Few ideas in this century were dumber than FIFA's 2002 plan of granting the award to a player elected by a website poll. As...
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Monday 07 April 2008, 17:59
It’s injury time and your team desperately need a goal, either to even the score or to win it when only victory will suffice. Corner to your side. The goalkeeper meanders forward and joins the melee inside the penalty-area, trying to save the day by slamming...
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Wednesday 02 April 2008, 18:08
April 1st, 2008. On the All Fool’s Day, Santos bamboozled Bolivia’s San Jose at Vila Belmiro in the Copa Libertadores, drawing chuckles from a tickled crowd. The beautiful 7-0 trick came up just short of the record 1962 Santos 9-1 rout over Cerro Porteño...
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Wednesday 02 April 2008, 13:30
Fans of Brazilian football may have wondered why I haven’t written a single line on the fierce battle for the São Paulo State championship since this blog kicked off, late January. Sure, there was plenty of early action in the country’s leading regional...
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Thursday 27 March 2008, 17:44
In Brazil, when something is done just to keep up appearances, we use the expression para inglês ver – “so the Englishman can see it”. So, for example, you might say: “Did you see Michael Jackson is dating a 30-year-old woman?” And I'd reply: “Oh...
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Tuesday 25 March 2008, 13:30
“Pathetically easy. Next case.” That’s (US television series star) Dr Gregory House politely declining to look over the maladies of Brazilian football’s authorities. The symptoms and side effects of incompetence, amateurism and provincialism are so obvious...
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Tuesday 18 March 2008, 16:32
What do you get when you cross a Brazilian female football player with an American cheerleader? Meet São Paulo born, Chicago raised 17-year-old Leah Fortune, who plays left-back for the Brazil’s U20 football team and is one of the stars of the South American...
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Friday 14 March 2008, 17:33
Bernardo Gandulla was an Argentinian midfielder who landed in Rio de Janeiro in 1939, to play for Vasco da Gama. Despite being a much hyped player South of the border, he didn’t live up to his name in Brazil – in fact, his stint here would be short of...
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Wednesday 12 March 2008, 06:30
Early this year, Fluminense managed to sign three fantastic strikers for their return to the Copa Libertadores. Two of them, to the fans delight, were snapped up at the peak of their form from under the noses of their cross-town arch-rivals: Leandro Amaral...
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Thursday 06 March 2008, 09:59
It’s no secret in Brazil that Santos coach Emerson Leao has a serious beef against foreigners – especially Argentinians. He’s the one who, in 2006, scared away Carlitos Tevez and Javier Mascherano from Corinthians – for which both might be thanking him...
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Monday 03 March 2008, 19:56
It’s not only a player’s skills that amaze me. I’m also especially impressed by the enlightenment of some footballers who, when faced with trouble, look to their forefathers for counselling and guidance. Consider Adriano. Enduring, yet again, some off...
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Wednesday 27 February 2008, 10:16
Last week, Atlético Paranaense broke a 59-year-old club record in the Paraná State championship by winning 12 matches in a row. Flamengo seized the Taça Guanabara in an electrifying final against Botafogo with a last minute net, in a sold out Maracanã...
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Thursday 21 February 2008, 11:00
While the European powerhouses resume the battle for the Champions League this week, the prize they’re all after is taking a break in Brazil. The big-eared cup was exhibited in São Paulo last weekend, the first stop in its Latin America tour. Next Saturday...
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Thursday 14 February 2008, 16:56
In the aftermath of Ronaldo’s (latest) heart-breaking injury, newspapers in Brazil and around the world fill their pages with images of our buck-toothed ace lying on the San Siro ground, right hand on his left knee, screaming his lungs out in pain. It...
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Tuesday 12 February 2008, 17:53
Over the past decade, the consistent inconstancy of Rio de Janeiro’s big four – Flamengo, Vasco, Fluminense and Botafogo – has allowed some of the minnows to enter the spotlight in the race for the charming Taça Guanabara, the first phase of the Rio de...
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Thursday 07 February 2008, 12:22
The ace resigns from his job at Vasco. Things won’t be the same without the mighty Shorty around... Romario’s career has been a feast of talent, wit, excitement and goals – so it’s a fitting coincidence that its closure comes on the day that marks the...
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Monday 28 January 2008, 10:01
The Brazilian football season is just underway with the State Tournaments – the main attraction, the Brazilian Championship, starts only on May 10. And since the top teams are more concerned with the big thing, the minnows see this as a golden opportunity...
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Monday 28 January 2008, 09:33
Olá amigos, Just a quick but warm hello to welcome you to the all new FourFourTwo blog about Brazilian football. Straight from our headquarters in Sao Paulo, The Noise from Brazil plans to trumpet the good, the bad and the ugly from the land of the Beautiful...
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