Emmanuel Adebayor Signs For Olimpia | Tim Vickery

The signing of the soon to be 36-year old may not be as mad as some say.

Emmanuel Adebayor Signs For Olimpia
Adebayor went from Istanbul Medipol Basaksehir FK to Olimpia in Paraguay (Getty Images)

The signing of the soon to be 36-year old may not be as mad as some say.

Flamengo Symbolise Change In Brazilian Football | Tim Vickery

The club has become arguably the biggest in Brazil thanks to success and several developments.

Flamengo Symbolise Change In Brazilian Football

The club has become arguably the biggest in Brazil thanks to success and several developments.

Thoughts On Olympic Qualification | Tim Vickery

Six teams failed to qualify for the 2020 event taking place later this year.

Thoughts On Olympic Qualification

Six teams failed to qualify for the 2020 event taking place later this year.

Top 5 Brazilian Footballers in the World Currently

Brazil is known as the home of great and talented footballers. Brazilian footballers have made their impact all across the world and they have consistently produced some stunning footballing talents year after year – the present generation is no different. The samba flavour is perhaps the most intriguing taste of football because it is the unadulterated love of the game that draws the Brazilians to the fields.

Brazilian teams were traditionally a benchmark for how football should be played. Sublime footballers like Socrates, Zico, Romario, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Rivaldo and Neymar are a testament to Brazil’s famous conveyor belt of talent. So, who are the best Brazilian footballers in the world right now?

Roberto Firmino – Liverpool and Brazil National team

Liverpool superstar Roberto Firmino has become the first Brazilian player ever to score 50 goals in the Premier League, the milestone was reached after his strike today.

There’s no doubting that Roberto Firmino is one of the best strikers in the Premier League now that the 27-year-old has become the first Brazilian to score 50 goals in England’s top-flight.

Philippe Coutinho – FC Bayern Munich and Brazil Nation team

Perhaps the best Brazilian midfielder in the world right now, Coutinho is finally at the level he wants to be right now. Coutinho started the season with Liverpool, scored 12 goals and had a further 8 assists for them and after transferring to Nou Camp, scored 10 goals and registered 6 assists for Barcelona. He finished the season with 22 goals and 14 assists.

Although ex-footballer Darren Anderton believes Coutinho has “not had a great time at Barcelona”, he’s still managed to achieve a lot during his time at Barca.

Marcelo Vieira – Real Madrid and Brazil National team

The Brazilian is, in many ways, an heir to the legendary Roberto Carlos and has a similar style of play. In fact, Marcelo had grown up idolizing Roberto Carlos and at Real, had the honour and privilege to play alongside his idol for a season. It was here that he learned to be like Carlos and eventually took his place a couple of seasons later.

He had 3 goals and 13 assists in the 2016/17 season and 4 goals and 11 assists in the 2014/15 season. The 15/16 season saw an uncharacteristic dip in goal scoring form, as he scored 2 goals and registered 4 assists, but in reality, goal scoring is just one of many strong qualities of Marcelo.

Casemiro – Real Madrid and Brazil National team

For Zinedine Zidane, Casemiro has been the backbone of the midfield and a fifth defender when needed. He is an enforcer of the highest quality and his presence benefits both his club Real Madrid and his country Brazil. He is hardworking, has extreme patience and is very determined on the pitch. He is also full of running all through the game, which means he covers a lot of ground and is almost everywhere on the pitch.

Fernandinho – Manchester City and Brazil national team

Pep Guardiola has collaborated with some of the finest players in football and when the Spaniard states that Fernandinho is one of the best holding midfielders he has worked with, you have to sit up and take notice. He is defensively sound, his tackles, ball recoveries and interceptions are integral to City’s style of play, but Fernandinho also has fantastic passing abilities, a wide range of ball skills and has a very good shot in him too. This makes him a vital cog in Pep’s system.

The Rise and Fall of Brazilian Football

Following the 1955 election of Juscelino Kubitschek as President, Brazil thrived. Charismatic and energetic, Kubitschek ordered a new federal capital to be built. Brasilia emerged on an empty plateau to capture the imagination of Brazilians and foreigners with its dazzling modernity.

The late 1950s and early 1960s saw the rise of Brazilian football. The game matched the capital’s global impact: the nation won the World Cup twice owing to the talents of Pelé and Garrincha. Brazilian writer Gilberto Freyre once likened Brazil’s football style to its landscape: “It is not the right angle that attracts me, nor the straight line, hard and inflexible, created by man. What attracts me is the free and sensual curve; the curve that I find in the mountains of my country … in the body of the beloved woman.”

Organization

In 1958, João Havelange was appointed the president of the Brazilian Football Federation. He oversaw the World Cup campaign, raising the game to professional highs. First, came the medical checks. The team was diagnosed with diseases and malnutrition and subsequently treated. In Sweden, 25 hotels were tested before choosing the base, all female employees were replaced with males.

The Roots of Success

These two exceptional triumphs left a legacy. Brazil could finally get rid of its “mongrel-dog complex”. It was now the football nation. This brilliance grew out of vivid local football culture, with fans, music, clubs, poetry, and prose. Back then, clubs gave Brazilians more than football facilities. They provided identity and community at a price affordable even to the poor.

Football was integrated into the local culture, and fans became known as “Twisted ones” – Torcidas. This referred both to their wild enthusiasm and the distinctive whirred handkerchiefs. Icons and banners were ubiquitous. The chanting was directed by supporters’ own bands. The two World Cups saw over 35 football-related tunes, which drew on the richness of Brazilian music.

The Decline

The early 1960s were unstable, with soaring inflation and polarizing political opinion. Football teams, from Pelé’s Santos to tiny ones, went on foreign tours. After the military coup of 1964, national football suffered, as the regime tried to shape it in its own image. The military controlled the Brazilian Football Federation and the Seleção, and a national championship was established. As a result, the World Cup campaign of 1978 proved remarkably uninspiring.

By the early 1980s, the economic boom was over. Citizens were hungry, and the crime rate shot up. Amid the disheartening turbulence, The Jules Rimet World Cup trophy disappeared forever. During the times of hyperinflation, it was probably melted down.

 

 

The Rise in Football E-Sports and Brazilian Teams Bringing Their Own Samba Party to The Electronic Field

The increase of electronic versions of sport, notably football, in the modern world is growing faster every day and with the introduction of modern internet and technologies will increase and Brazilian teams are taking on board the growing e-sport momentum and incorporating it into their own sponsorships and fans. The Brazilian Association of Games Developers, for example, say that more than 61 Million Brazilians are today participating online gaming either on a mobile app, internet or electronic games. The Brazilian National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES) estimated the industry generated 1.3 Billion $ in the year of 2018 alone and of course is still growing exponentially.

The following information outlined here demonstrates how Brazil’s football clubs are making sure they do not miss the goal on this ever increasing financial and fan base growing opportunity.

E-Football Sports

More than 800 million hours of games were being played in 2018 and overall Brazil has approximately 11.4 million e-sports viewers as a whole according to the Twitch platform with almost half of the audience in Latin America. This puts them on the ladder as the third largest market for consuming e-sports in the world to date just lagging behind the US and China according to Newzoo.

This being the case clubs clubs, brands and backers alike are all discussing the potential opportunities while at the same time trying to get their head around the next move. Of course, investors are also vying to get a piece of the action at the same time pushing the overall opportunity for money-making potential. Ronaldo, for example, has started investing in CBN e-sports Club who are their official e-sports team.

Brazil’s football clubs are also making sure they are well suited to the growth in the industry by creating their own competitive e-sports teams and going head to head with other nations in e-sports tournaments.

Clubs like Paris Saint Germain, Monaco, Valencia and other similar European teams have already now established their own e-sports teams to play against and to keep up with the trend and the financial rewards afforded by the modern day opportunities.

Increasing your portfolio in a football team is like any other asset growth system. Football clubs as a whole are all now following on with this trend by joining forces in increasing e-sports participation to increase the value of the prize funds they can create.

One of the best examples of this is The International Dota 2 championship which was initially organized by Valve back in 2017 which managed to gather funds in the amount of over 24 million USD in the total prize pool.

The final well bet backed winner on of this competition was the representative of Cruzeiro Esporte Clube, Henrique “Henrykinho” Mesquita, who received a trophy hand-delivered during a party that celebrated the best of the Brazilian championship 2017; he also won two tickets for the semi-final phase of Champions League 2017/2018; and a classification for the intercontinental stage of PES League Konami to boot.

Some of the legal issues currently facing the industry

Lawyers are currently considering the legal implications of the industry due to the growth of the overall e-sports industry and the legal scenarios and implications of the clubs. A potential sticking point is labor vs employment relationship one of which is the fact the players are often playing without formal contracts.

There is also a point of order where some of the “Players” are still legally considered as children under international law. Adding to this the use of their photographs and names are another legal sticking point and are currently being investigated as to whether or not this can continue in its current format but none the less there is no doubt both players and fans are ready and waiting for the next round of trials.

Overview

With this growing business opportunity there are many benefits as well as the outlined pitfalls so the jury is still “out” but at the same time, the industry is still making financial gains as the lawyer’s battle out the pros and cons. There is no doubt the end game will fall in the hands of the financial investors, clubs, players and such like the legal wrangling will still need to go on until the results are settled at this “stage of the game”.

Undoubtedly there will be many more questions and issues that will need to be sorted out but at the end of the day the e-sports business will continue to grow as a whole new financial tool for the sporting industry.

10 Best Brazilian Football Songs

Unlike in the UK, where the presence of football in the charts is generally seen as a joke (for every “Three Lions” there’s always a “Diamond Lights” or Kevin Keegan singing “Head Over Heels In Love”!), in Brazil there’s always been a healthy tradition of football being a theme within popular music, with some of Brazil’s biggest music stars writing many songs about the beautiful game. In Brazil, there really is nothing better than getting the full football package, watching the football, while playing a few top footy tunes and even betting on sports at the same time. On that note, here’s our selection of 10 of the best Brazilian football songs.

Jorge Ben Jor – Fio Maravilha

Sergio Santos – Samba e Futbol

Rappin’ Hood – Gol

Sérgio Mendes – Meu Mundo É Uma Bola

Chico Buarque – Futebol

Paulo Moura – 1×0

Wilson Simoninha – Aquele Gol

Trio Mocotó – Replay (O Meu Time É A Alegria Da Cidade)

DJ Dolores – O Medo do Artilheiro Na Hora do Penalti

Zeca Pagodinho – Hino do Botafogo

Once you’re finished listening to those why not get out for a bit of street football Brazilian-style, or if that’s not your kind of thing then check out our list of the best rated online casinos.

But, of course, when it comes to one of the classic Brazilian songs associated with football, it turns out it wasn’t even a song about football at all. “Mas Que Nada”, written by Jorge Ben Jor, but recorded by Sergio Mendes, proved the hit when it was used in a Nike TV commercial in 1998 prior to the memorable World Cup 1998 in which Ronaldo got sick in the final, and we all know what happened next!

The Thrill of Sport in the Brazilian Sun

Few countries hold sport in such high prestige as Brazil. From the religious experience that is the nation’s obsession with football, through the obsessions with MMA, surfing, capoeira, footvolley, tennis and so on and so on, there’s no better way to experience sport than under the warming Brazilian sun.

But it’s not just in the nation’s sporting stadiums that exciting games are played, as Brazil’s beautiful beaches play host to a variety of idiosyncratic ball sports, and its evocative backstreets regularly witness the playing of card games that could be at home in an upmarket gambling hall or even online casinos.

Yet, one game that you probably won’t see in Rio is a game of poker. This is because all casino games have been banned in Brazil since 1946, and despite recent initiatives to legalise gambling, the closest that many will get to experiencing casino gaming in the sun is to go global and check out the best usa sports betting sites, featuring all of the glamour of the big casinos from the convenience of a smartphone.

Maracana-Stadium

Brazil does allow betting on some horse racing events, but for a surefire way to enjoy a winning taste of the nation’s sporting excellence, then a trip to Brazil’s legendary Macarenã football stadium is a must. Not only does this massive stadium regularly pack in nearly 80,000 rabid football fans, but its specially-curated stadium tour is a must for any self-respecting fan of the beautiful game.

However, you can also visit Rio’s legendary beaches like Copacabana and Ipanema to check out how youngsters learn to play in that highly-recognisable Brazilian way. Plus a trip to the beach also reveals the idiosyncratic charms of the Frescobol traditional beach game, as well as Brazilian card games such as Truco and Buraco that could one day be appearing at an online casino near you!

Match-Fixing in Brazil and Football Betting Strategies

Football is without doubt one of the most popular sports in the world, with this high exposure leading to a huge amount of people trying to tap into the game for profit. While we might not have the capital to buy over a club, when we’re not getting involved with sports betting sites we can always turn to gambling on matches to earn extra cash for ourselves.

However, be prepared to put in the effort if you are in for serious profits. While you may be a big football fan and think that you know everything about the game, you should empty your cup before venturing into football betting. You need to know more than just the game alone. Of course, the basic rules of the game is a must know and the first thing to rule – just imagine trying to win big without knowing all the online real money casino rules – but more importantly, you need to understand how you can win your bets. The Internet will be your best friend in providing you with vital information and in some cases offer great betting systems which you can rely on. However, do test them out before raising your stakes. Instead of betting on matches involving your favourite teams, do the opposite! Specialise in a few teams and only bet when the game involves them. This is because it might be difficult for you to bet against your loved team and by concentrating on other teams, you are able to niche that area. After that, formulate your own strategy or learn from other experts to help you win consistently. What is most important is to practice responsible betting. Remember football betting is addictive and it’s hugely important to know when to stop, especially when you are on a winning streak.

And always remember to stay on moral grounds. Once you get into the habit of gambling it can be very easy to lose focus of your morals, potentially leading you into serious problems, as the 2005 match-fixing scandal in Brazil showed:

Máfia do Apito (literally The Whistle Mafia) is the story of a group of investors – who were not related to any Brazilian football club, who bribed referees Edílson Pereira de Carvalho (a member of the FIFA referee staff) and Paulo José Danelon to fix results according to what was determined by the betting websites Aebet and Futbet. The investors made a deal with Edílson Pereira de Carvalho to fix the results of the matches refereed by him, and then, the investors made million pounds bets on the betting websites. Edílson Pereira de Carvalho said that he agreed to receive R$10,000 (US$4,400) to fix the result of the Brazilian National Championship match between Juventude and Figueirense, and that he was paid between R$10,000 and R$15,000 per fixed match. Edílson Pereira de Carvalho said he accepted the money to fix the results only because he had a R$30,000 debt.

Once the scandal was published in Veja magazine in Brazil, Edílson Pereira de Carvalho was banned for life and Paulo José Danelon was removed from the referee staff of Paulista Football Federation. Later, on October 31st 2005, the São Paulo Footbal Sporting Justice Court’s First Disciplinary Commission banned for life both Edilson Pereira de Carvalho and Paulo José Danelon. Meaning they are prohibited from refereeing Paulista football competitions matches. Both Edílson Pereira de Carvalho and Paulo José Danelon face charges of fraud, conspiracy and crimes against the economy. The entrepreneur Nagib Fayad (nicknamed Gibão), suspected of commanding the gambling ring in Piracicaba was arrested on September 25th 2005.

Top 10 Greatest Brazilian Soccer Players Ever

Brazil is a country in South America, the continent renowned for producing some of the greatest soccer players the world has ever seen. The players include Pele, Diego Maradona, Alfred Di Stefano, Ronaldinho, Kaka, Ronaldo De Lima, and most recently, Lionel Messi. While some showed glimpses of being great players from a very young age, others, like Messi, had to be treated with peptides to achieve the desirable height required by soccer. Brazil has arguably produced the most players in the above list. In fact, no other country has produced iconic football players like Brazil. Italy, Germany, and Argentina have all been soccer powerhouses for decades running, but the United States has not matched Brazil in terms of producing soccer stars. Brazil’s teams, who dominated world soccer from the 60s up to 2002, have been mentioned as one of the greatest soccer sides ever. But who are the top 10 players in Brazil history?

1. Pele

Known as Edson Arantes do Nascimento in full, Pele is a retired Brazilian soccer player regarded by many as the greatest the world has ever seen. He helped his country win three World Cups, and perhaps the most notable memory of him is when he scored a hat-trick in semi-finals and a brace in the finals at just 17 years old. Many soccer stars who managed to see Pele play or played with him say that he was the best soccer player the world has ever seen. He is Brazil’s all-time top scorer, with 77 goals from 92 appearances, and he amassed over 1200 goals in his illustrious soccer career.

2. Garrincha

Garrincha joined Botafogo soccer club at 20 years old, and this was after he nutmegged Nilton Santos, one of the club’s stars defenders, in a training session. He had a collection of tricks, which were so entertaining that they made him a hero among soccer fans. His right leg was bent due to a surgery conducted on him to correct some physical deformities, but this did not stop him from amazing high speeds with a soccer ball. He was on the 1958 World Cup team, and was named the player of the tournament four years later. Brazil won the World Cup in both occasions.

3. Ronaldo

Ronaldo Luis Nazario De Lima is considered one of the world’s greatest players. Perhaps he could have had a high stake on the claim, were it not for a career marred with injuries. At 21 years old, heading into the 1998 World Cup, Ronaldo had already scored more than 200 career goals, had won a World Cup, and had also been crowned FIFA World Player of the Year. He won the golden ball in that World Cup, even though they lost to France in the finals. But perhaps the most notable moment was when he bagged eight goals to help his country win the 2002 World Cup.

4. Zico

This is another of the legends in the 80s generation. The player had already made a name at 18 years old, after he helped Flamengo claim the Copa Libertadores and the Intercontinental titles. He would then go on to win four Brazilian championships and seven state titles in a career spanning 16 years at the club. He played for the Flamengo over 800 times, managing to hit the back of the net over 500 times.

5. Socrates

The attacking midfielder is regarded as one of the best in his position due to his exceptional passing ability with both feet and his excellent ball distribution. He is famous for using the back heel pass, a technique he always used effectively. He was also a dangerous player, both in open play and set pieces. He spent six years playing with Corinthians, but fans of Fiorentina, Flamengo, and Santos had the opportunity to see this great player, a former Brazilian captain, grace the pitch.

6. Jairznho

Having won the 1970 World Cup with his country, this player, whose position of play was not quite defined, is regarded as one of the Brazilian greats. While at Botafogo, he played as a center-forward, and later moved to the right wing before playing as a second striker. He was the top scorer of the 1970 World Cup, hitting seven goals in six matches, cementing his status as one of the greatest players to have donned the Brazilian jersey.

7. Ronaldinho

He won the world cup with Brazil in 2002, and he is one of the Brazilian players who managed to have a successful career at club level outside of Brazilian soil. He played for Barcelona for five years, where he helped the club win two league titles and a champion league title. In early 2000, he was considered to be the best player in the world. His greatness can be attested by the fact that he won the FIFA World Player of the Year twice, in 2004 and 2005.

8. Romario

Having won the 1994 World Cup golden ball, a tournament in which his nation also triumphed, Romario has been praised for his extraordinary exploits on the field. His five goals in the 1994 World Cup were crucial in helping Brazil to be crowned the champions. His importance to the national team cannot be overlooked in that he managed to score 55 goals in just 70 matches. Injuries and indiscipline cases limited his World Cup appearances to just two, but he is still one of the greatest players to wear the Brazilian jersey.

9. Nilton Santos

This is the first defender to appear on the list. He is a great player who played for Botafogo, and he helped his country claim the 1958 and the 1962 World Cup titles. In addition to that, he also helped his country win the South American championship. Playing as a full-back, Santos amazed over 75 caps for his country. He also helped Botafogo win four state championships and two national titles.

10. Carlos Alberto Torres

Nicknamed “O Capitao” for the leadership role he played for his nation in the 1970 World Cup triumph, the wingback also scored a goal, which many consider being the best ever scored in a World Cup competition. Although he started his career at club level with Fluminese, it was at Santos where he managed to have great success. He spent eight years at the club winning two Brazilian championships, five state titles, and a South American Super Cup.