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For any sports aficionado, it is a testing errand to name his/her favourite team. Your mind rolls back to the time when you began to embrace the culture of sport at a young age and you begin to think about the greatest moments, the greatest players and teams that have left an indelible impression in your heart. Such is the impact of sport on fanatics like us and such is the affection and loyalty we have for the celebrated performers in the realm of sport. When I think about my favourite team, the first name that comes to mind is FC Barcelona, a team that plays football in a manner as majestic as its name but it doesn’t stop there; you have the United’s, the Chelsea‘s and the Madrid’s both past and present, who have carved a niche for themselves in the sport. Oh yes, the triumphant Indian cricket team that won the 2011 World Cup tournament also comes to mind. But then, I challenged myself to look beyond and after further introspection, it dawned on me that there was a team loved by millions all over the world for the brand of football they played; this was a team that defined Joga Bonito (play beautifully) as the benchmark of football. No prizes for guessing the team I’m referring to – the victorious Brazilian football team that won the World Cup in 2002 in style under the tutelage of Luiz Felipe Scolari.
Approach
In those days, Brazil was associated with beautiful football and this team of 2002 possessed all the elements that were synonymous with Brazilian football. Scolari was an inspired coach who lived by the principle that football is a sport to entertain and he has to be lauded for having roped in a perfect set of players who combined well to do just that – entertain and engage. Credit goes to the great Portuguese for giving the players the liberty to express themselves on the field without curbing their natural instincts. They moved the ball around cleverly, it was swift, stylish, witty and as a spectator, you could be assured of a bagful of tricks such as the shimmies, the dummies, the flicks, the back-heels, the elasticos and so much more.
With the success of this team, the level of football went up incredibly a few notches and watching these Samba boys in action was akin to poetry in motion. The understanding between the players was so good that it seemed like they had a certain degree of extrasensory perception between them since they knew exactly where their team-mates were positioned. Winning games was never a concern because they took to the field not just to win but to score goals by the bundle; such was their positive and offensive mindset. Most of the players in the team were resourceful and could take on different roles during the course of a game – one of the prime features that propelled this unit to super stardom.
Keeping their brilliance aside, here was a close-knit team that connected well with each other and the results are there for everyone to see. A happy team definitely yields success.
Awesome Foursome
With Cafu, Lucio, Kleberson, Edmilson, Gilberto Silva, Roque Junior and goal-keeper Marcos given the responsibility of doing the dirty yet fundamental job, the attacking quartet or the 4-R’s, as they were known – Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho and Roberto Carlos, took the world by storm with their trickery, vision, breath-taking skills, speed and flamboyance. Apart from being potential match-winners, here was a quartet who combined perfectly to score many a goal making the opposition defence look way too fragile and easy to confront. They ran through every opposition in the tournament with ease and put on a masterful show in the final against a strong German team.
If maestros Rivaldo and Ronaldinho orchestrated the midfield, the phenomenal Ronaldo was on fire and amongst the goals, and then you had the indefatigable Carlos who could play both attack and defence, constantly a looming threat to any opposition with his darting runs up and down the flanks. Moreover, the presence of Rivaldo and Ronaldinho was an added bonus because not only did they complete their task of creating opportunities, the duo could score goals at will.
One could argue saying they were pitted in an easy group (Turkey, Costa Rica & China) which allowed them to play a more open game but no matter what opposition you face, you have to ensure the ball goes into the net to secure a win and this team did that with consummate ease. As the tournament progressed, they just got better and knocked out one opposition after another on their way to win an unprecedented fifth World Cup title. Those were the glory days when they dominated the world of football in a manner only they could.
It was a feature rarely witnessed in the past and without a doubt, will never be witnessed again. Brazilian football today, has adopted a defensive approach to the game, and they don’t possess players of the calibre of the 4R’s who can win a match with that one exceptional moment of brilliance. It comes as no surprise that with a revamped approach to the game, they are not seen as a potent force in football anymore. Well, the team of ‘02 may not rank as the best Brazilian team ever but they captured the true essence of beautiful football and every time they stepped onto the field, it was entertainment guaranteed.
