Carlos Alberto: Brazil rely too much on Kaka
Reuters - Friday 02 April 2010, 16:46
RIO DE JANEIRO - Five-times champions
Brazil will go to the World Cup in June lacking the great
players needed to win the trophy and over-reliant on Kaka,
former skipper Carlos Alberto has told Reuters.
The ex-Brazil right-back also said England striker Wayne
Rooney was the best player in the world.
Carlos Alberto, 65, who led his country to their 1970
triumph and scored one of the tournament's greatest goals of all
time in the final, said the modern crop lacked the strength in
depth that marked previous campaigns.
"In past World Cups Brazil would leave (home) with four,
five, six great players - each one of them capable of winning a
World Cup single-handed," he said in an interview at his home in
Rio de Janeiro.
"It happened with Garrincha and Pele, then with Romario in
1994 and Ronaldo and Rivaldo in 2002. This has always happened."
Carlos Alberto said playmaker Kaka, who has been below his
best since his $92 million move from AC Milan to Real Madrid
last year, may have to shoulder much of the burden.
"Today Brazil are virtually dependent on Kaka and if Kaka
gets injured, what is going to happen?
"We do not have any other player able to turn a World Cup
match around and give the title to Brazil," said Carlos Alberto,
adding that Milan's Ronaldinho should be included in coach
Dunga's squad.
ROONEY THE BEST
He picked out Germany and England as potential dangers in
the June 11-July 11 tournament in South Africa with Spain, Italy
and South American neighbours Argentina also candidates.
"We have much to respect Germany for (in terms of)
tradition. I am very glad when I see Brazilian people talking
about England today because nobody talked about England before,"
said Carlos Alberto.
"The main thing for the English was when the federation
chose Mr (Fabio) Capello to coach the team because he brought to
the group Latin mentality.
"But they have a very good team and they have one player -
Wayne Rooney. In my opinion today he is the best player in the
world."
Carlos Alberto scored the fourth goal in Brazil's 4-1 rout
of Italy in the 1970 final in Mexico City, a superb angled
strike at the end of a flowing move that is widely regarded as
one of the best the World Cup has seen.
"I am still happy today when people remember those days and
that team, the goal I scored, the moment I got the cup. I get
extremely happy when I see people in Brazil, everybody with no
exception addressing me as 'captain'," he said.
"Nobody calls me by my name in Brazil - it is always
'captain'."
Follow FFT.com on Twitter
Join FFT.com on Facebook