See, it wasnâÂÂt 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 hasnâÂÂt missed a penalty and Luis Fabiano hadnâÂÂt insisted on targeting the belly of the keeper â even so, the Sevilla matador still managed to score twice.
"Yes!!! We scored a goal..."
In his first game since the Real Madrid-Chelsea-Manchester City imbroglio, Robinho was flying high. The new Citizen netted one and still managed to showcase some of his old tricks, to the complete joy of the many Brazilians present at the National Stadium in Santiago.
But back home, fans are still sceptical.
Brazil face Bolivia on Wednesday night at Rio de JaneiroâÂÂs João Havelange Stadium, dubbed Engenhão, the first Seleção match in the arena built for the 2007 Pan-American games.
Only 9,000 of the 29,000 tickets available to the fans had been sold by Tuesday. But the 60,000 stadium â which, by the way, already needs a refurbishing â wonâÂÂt be completely empty, since 15,000 tickets were taken in advance by CBFâÂÂs partner companies.
I wonder if those corporations will give the tickets to their best or to their worst costumers; after all, watching DungaâÂÂs Seleção has been a true ordeal lately.
The truth is that, at this exact moment, Brazilians are more interested in Madonna â the Material Girl will perform at the Maracanã and Morumbi in December, and the tickets for all of her shows sold out in hours.
Bigger than football in Brazil... what the hell's going on!?
Given the current popularity of the Seleção, someone should tell Madonna not to don the yellow CBF mantle, like she did on her last tour in 1993.
Thanks to the samba boys' latest performances, it has become a true boo magnet.
LetâÂÂs hope at Engenhão on Wednesday they finally give reason for the fans to clap. Madonna surely will.
