According to the latest news appearing in print media, the current foot-ball team of Spain is greater than the 1970 World Cup winning Brazilian soccer team. That current Spanish team is the champion of Europe is a true fact consecutively winning European Cup twice. That the current Spanish team is the current World Cup champions winning the trophy in 2010 in South Africa is also a true fact. But to compare the current Spanish national team to the mighty 1970 World Cup winning Brazilian team according to me is not correct.
If Portuguese forward Ronaldo was not a coward to take the first penalty kick in the semi-final against Spain in the recently concluded Euro 2012, it would be a Portugal versus Italy final and not Spain versus Italy. The highest paid footballer in the world Portuguese Ronaldo was a coward and because it was so he got afraid to take the first penalty kick. The jittery footballer cannot be called a world best. Pele, Zico, Socrates and Maradona were not cowards for such occasions and precisely because of this they were renowned as best in the world during their hey days.
Spain in this Euro reached to the final by luck and not by their hard work and sheer tactics though their short passing was a thriller for the spectators. And in the second half in the final, if it was not for 35 minutes of play with only 10 men in Italian side the final result would have been much different from what it was ultimately. To play almost for the whole second half without one key player in their side Italians were totally handicapped. The whole blame for this disaster should fall on Italian Manager who in the first place should not have utilised all the substitutes 35 minutes before the final whistle.
The 1970 World Cup winning Brazilian team according me consisted of super footballers, at least half the team consisted of football genii; they were so exorbitantly talented that such footballers since then and earlier were not seen in this world. In fact such persons come to this world only once in centuries. And by the way, who were these Brazilian footballers representing Brazil in 1970 Word Cup held in Mexico? Skipper and defender Carlos Alberto, defensive midfielder Clodoaldo, right midfield maestro Gerson, rowing and attacking midfield playmaker Rivelino, forwards Dr. Costao, Jairzinho and indomitable the great Pele. They were exchanging the ball with one another with mathemetical precision even in the air.
To compare to these great Brazilian footballers, I find none in the current Spanish team though in their custodian Casillas I find a great stalwart. Sergio Ramos in their defence, Alonso in the midfield and Fernando Torres in the forward line of Spain are good but not good enough to compare with any of the Brazilians of 1970 World Cup.
Going a step forward, I can rate 1982 World Cup Brazilian squad even better than that of 1970. Where else we can find players like Eder, Zico, Socrates and Falcao? They were playing football with geometrical precision and with angular passing of the ball. Their deep defenders were capable of moving up front and scoring wonderful goals. It was by bad luck that they lost to Italy where the miraculous boy Paulo Rossi of Italy created a miraculous hat-trick in their historic encounter in the quarter final. Later on the Brazilian manager Tele Santana said “Brazil had everything to win that edition of World Cup except Luck”. And that was exactly what has happened to Brazil against Enzo Bearzot managed Italian team.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.
