Again another Poll was conducted a few years back to select the best footballer of last century and the result was Joint Winners Pele and Maradona. If I was given to make my choice, I would surely rate Pele above Maradona because though Maradona was the best during his era yet definitely not as best as Pele. Pele was a full and perfect player using both his legs with equal ease, he was perfect in heading the ball in aerial duel, his brain worked faster than the spark of an electricity and his running speed like that of an Olympian sprinter – in fact when he retired from National Soccer Team, Pele could run 100 Meters in 11 seconds. When I ran 100 Metres in 11 seconds I was just a 17 year old kid while Pele was 35 year old father and still at that ripe age he was doing 100 Metres in 11 seconds means he was a sporting genius. Now coming back to Maradona, he was not a perfect footballer as he was lacking in some major required attributes namely he was only one legged footballer using his left foot only; Maradona was not heading the ball, hence in the aerial duel he was handicapped; Maradona was not a sprinter like Pele to create upheavals with his speed in the citadels of his opponents and unlike Pele, Maradona was hot tempered on the field even receiving a Red Card against Brazil in 1982 World Cup.
Seen in the picture an encounter between Kuwait and England in 1982 World Cup.
When Alfredo de Stifano and Ferenz Puskas played at the peak of their form, their exposure to the world was very limited and TV coverage was almost not existing either, they reached their playing crescendo in fifties reaching their zenith in mid fifties and lasting till the beginning of sixties. They both played more for their Club Real Madrid in their adopted countries where they were gifted with Spanish citizenship thru naturalization. They were scoring goals like anything from any angle and from any distance; they were a big headache for their opponents’ defenders. One writer said that while on the playing field they were communicating with each other not thru their tongues and not by sign languages but thru waves without even looking at each other. They were beneficiaries of science of Telepathy. Both reached their pinnacle together and both faded also together. Their records and their games one can know only by reading their histories
Seen in the picture above is Portugal's mighty Black Panther Eusebio in 1966 World Cup.
Best of the footballing nations are from South America where in their soccer one will find lot of skills and also geometry in their passing. The ianugural World Cup tournament in 1930 at Uruguay where only 13 teams participated thru invitations, according to some experts was the most skilful. Though South American countries are poor economically compared to Western European countries yet for soccer they do anything. Just like Cricket is life and death for many in India so too soccer to these South American Countries. Brazilian soccer is the most entertaining and most artistic among all in the World. Like Brazil no other country in the world plays soccer as skillful as Brazil do. It is not their coaches only who impart skillful soccer in the blood of their footballers at an early age but more than that it is in the genes of Brazilians to play skilful soccer. It is very natural for them to play geometrical soccer and because such soccer liked by the spectators, world love Brasilian soccer very much. And hence Brazil is become the darling of soccer lovers.
Brazil gained love, affection and goodwill from all around the globe only because of its entertaining and skillful soccer. This helps Brazil even to increase its political and financial clout all around the globe.
Brazil won World Cup 5 times but only twice they played most exciting and entertaining soccer. What Globe Trotters did for the ball with their magical hands in Basketball so Brazilian footballers did for the soccer ball with their magicial feet in 1970 and 1982 World Cup soccer tournaments. In 1970 World Cup just with his right foot Pele made the ball to do what he wanted to, except talk, so also the then prized bachelor Eder in 1982 World Cup with his left foot made the ball to take any turn near the opponent’s goal mouth and even into the net. In 1970 World Cup tournament some soccer analysts said that all time great players have played for Brazil in this edition, namely skipper Carlos Alberto Pereira, midfielders Gerson and Clodoaldo, attackers Rivelino, Dr. Tostao, Pele and Zairzinho who had the unique distinction of scoring a goal in every match he played in that edition. Soccer experts say such a dream team will never come again, later part it was coached by their ex national player and their World Cup winning member in 1958, Mario Zagallo.
Seen in the picture above is Maradona scoring his first goal against England with his head but with the Hand of God.
However, according to me the all time great Brazilian World Cup squad was that of 1982 coached by their soccer Maestro Tele Santana. This team consisted of all the dream boys in their forward line namely skipper Dr. Socrates, Zico, Serginho and Eder while the midfield was orchestrated by their maestro Junior singularly running throughout nonstoppingly like a horse and the defense was manned by all the defenders who could even move upfront and score goals. The ball control of these defenders was such that it was as good as that of their forwards. While leaving Brazil for Spain in 1982 World Cup tournament, at their Airport in Brazil they were hailed in advance only as World Champions but after losing against Paulo Rossi’s Brazil in an anti-climax manner they were still called as world champions while welcoming back, not for winning the World Cup but for playing the most entertaining and most skillful soccer as never seen in the past in any of the earlier World Cup Tournaments. Will such a dream team we ever get to see again? And what type of soccer Brazil will dish out in the forthcoming World Cup in South Africa starting on 11th June 2010? Will it be entertaining and skilful or will it be like European soccer – hit and run since many of the Brazilian players are Europe based playing for the European Clubs and used to play un-artistic European soccer? Brazil plays real soccer on the soccer field while Europe plays money on the soccer field. That is the difference between the European and South American soccer while African soccer resembles Brasilian but Asian soccer is still 25 years behind European.
Dr. Socrates - Medical Doctor - Skipper of Brazilian mighty squad of 1982 World Cup.
TO BE CONCLUDED.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.
