Zico Calls For Return Of The Emperor, Adriano, To Brazilian National Football Team

Brazil football legend Zico advocated the return of Adriano to the Brazilian national football team in an interview with TV Record. Zico noted that Adriano was one of the few players who could change a game singlehandedly. Zico opined that Adriano could win the World Cup for Brazil and that, if he were the coach of the national team, he would lock Adriano in a room and tell him that had God-given gifts that few football players have. Also known as The Emperor, Adriano played in the 2006 World Cup alongside Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Kaka in a quartet known as the “fab four”. Widely known as the boy from the ghetto who never fully recovered from the 2004 death of his father, Adriano cuts a unique profile because of his size, strength, pace, left footed finishing ability and history of psychological problems. Zico also praised Neymar in the interview and suggested that, at this point, coach Mano Menezes should focus principally on the Olympics given that the Olympic gold remains one of the few trophies Brazil have yet to win.

Summary: Brazil Defeat Mexico 2-1

Brazil earned a dramatic 2-1 victory over Mexico on Tuesday thanks to late goals from Ronaldinho and Marcelo after conceding an own goal within the first ten minutes through David Luiz. The match displayed the comeback and fight of Brazil's team after going down a goal, away from home, to a young, pacy Mexican team. The friendly also highlighted the caliber of Brazil's fullbacks Marcelo and Adriano. For all of his critics, Mano Menezes's team is finally starting to take shape. A brilliant game from Brazil, particularly given that Dani Alves received a red card at the end of the first half.

Goals:
Mexico: David Luiz (OG), 10
Brazil: Ronaldinho 79, Marcelo 83

Zico resigns as Executive Director of Flamengo

Brazil soccer legend Zico resigned from his position as Executive Director of the beleaguered team Flamengo on October 1, citing an inability to get along with the club's management after just four months in his position. Flamengo have had 3 coaches in the space of the year and occupy the 15th position out of 20 in the Campeonato Brasileiro da Série A (Brasileiro), just one spot away from the relegation zone reserved for the last 4 teams. In a statement posted on his website, Zico remarked: "It is not possible to do what I want to do with Flamengo." "I've noticed that my presence has not been favorable and has caused discontent among a lot of people." "It's not possible for me to continue." He also cited attacks on his sons by his rivals as an additional reason for his departure. Club President Patricia Amorin tearfully addressed the media by lamenting Zico's departure and suggesting that head coach Paulo Silas would be dismissed in an apparent concession to one of Zico's demands.

Flamengo's 1-1 draw with Botafogo in the Rio derby on Saturday October 2 leaves them in 15th place in Brazil's Serie A, and renders head coach Silas's position all the more precarious. Jorge Luis Andrade and Rogerio Laurenco occupied the position of Flamengo head coach prior to Silas.

The most illustrious player in the history of Flamengo, Zico was central to its success in Flamengo's golden age in the early 1980s. The former star of the 1982 Brazilian national team and 2006 World Cup coach of Japan led Flamengo to victory in the 1981 Copa Libertadores, the 1981 Intercontinental Cup, and three national titles in 1980, 1982 and 1983. After a highly successful spate in Italy with Udinese from 1983-1985, Zico returned to Brazil to lead Flamengo to their fourth national title in 1987.

Despite winning the Brasileiro championship in 2009-2010, Flamengo have had a horrendous run of form related to the departure of striker Adriano to AS Roma, goalkeeper Bruno's suspension and imprisonment for the alleged murder of actress Eliza Samudio, differences of opinion amongst management and its revolving door of coaches.

The Hulk, The Beast and The Emperor: Nicknames in Brazilian Football (Part 2)

The Hulk
Givanildo Vieira de Souza, known as the Hulk because of the green suit he wore for Tokyo Verdy, in the J-League in Japan. Also nicknamed the Hulk for his physiognomic and bodily resemblance to the Marvel comic hero, The Incredible Hulk. The Hulk lived up to his name by losing his temper and assaulting a match steward in December 2009, incurring a 4 month suspension for his club team Porto in the process.

The Beast
Júlio César Baptista who currently plays for AS Roma as an attacking midfielder. Was used by Dunga as a replacement for Kaka in qualifying for the 2010 World Cup. Member of the 2010 World Cup team in South Africa. Known as The Beast for his strength and instinctive ability to find his footing amidst a tangle of defenders.

The Emperor
Adriano Leite Ribeiro, better known as Adriano, is an AS Roma striker for known for his physical strength. Nicknamed the Emperor for the way his power and strength commands submission from defenders. Member of the 2006 World Cup attacking quartet composed of Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Kaka and himself.

The King
Pele. Winner of the World Cup for Brazil in 1958, 1962 and 1970. The most complete player in the history of football. Scored over 1000 goals in his professional career, including 77 goals for the Brazilian national team. Known as the King because he widely believed to be the ruler amongst all football greats.

The Phenomenon
Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima, better known as Ronaldo, is the greatest pure striker of all time. At his peak in 1996 and 1997, Ronaldo averaged a goal a game and was virtually unstoppable by even the most disciplined defenders. Known for coming back deep into the center of midfield and running at the center of defenses with awesome speed, strength and dribbling ability. Nicknamed the phenomenon because he created a phenomenon in the world of football unseen since Diego Maradona. Two time World Cup winner in 1994 and 2002. Owns the record for the number of World Cup goals at 15. Scored 8 goals in Brazil's 2002 World Cup victory in Japan.

Mozart
Mozart Santos Batista Júnior, better known as Mozart, is a defensive midfielder for the Italian football club Livorno. Plays both a defensive and attacking midfield role. Known as Mozart for dictating the tempo of the game and orchestrating lethal counterattacks from a deep midfield position.

The Grave Digger
Jenílson Ângelo de Souza, better known as Júnior, played for Brazil in the 2002 World Cup, scoring one goal in Brazil’s 5-2 rout of Costa Rica in the group stages. Currently plays for Goias in Brazilian Serie A. Called the grave digger because he supplemented his income as a grave digger when he thought he was not going to make it in professional football. Junior is also known to have dug a grave for many a defender in Brazil with his dribbling skills on the left side of the field.

Tostao (the Little Coin/Penny)
Eduardo Gonçalves de Andrade. Brazilian striker and key member of the great team of 1970. Known as the little coin for his ability to turn through and around defenders. Scored 2 goals in Brazil's victorious 1970 World Cup campaign in Mexico.

The Goose
Paulo Henrique Chagas de Lima, commonly known as Ganso, is an attacking midfielder for Santos who recently suffered a torn ACL injury. Expected to play a key role in Brazil’s 2014 line-up in the attacking part of central midfield. Tagged by Socrates as the most gifted player in Brazil. Nicknamed the goose for his lanky gait and uncanny ability to shuffle by defenders.

The Animal
Edmundo Alves de Souza Neto, better known as Edmundo, is a retired Brazilian player who won the Campeanato Brasileiro Serie A for Vasco da Gama in 1997 with 29 goals in one season. Played on the 1998 World Cup team in France as a substitute striker. Called the animal for his volatile temper and habit of picking up red cards for rough play.

The Hulk, The Beast and The Emperor: Nicknames in Brazilian Football (Part 1)

Nicknames are part of the culture of Brazilian football more so than in other countries. The origins of calling Brazilian soccer players by a nickname instead of their given name remains somewhat of a historical and anthropological mystery. Many sports journalists argue that nicknaming enables Brazilian fans to connect to their players with a greater intensity of connection than through their given names. In a football culture that prizes individuality more than teamwork, nicknames enable Brazilian fans to enjoy a more focused form of admiration or idolatry with respect to their favorite players because fans are on a first name, friendship level basis with their players. That said, the practice of nicknaming in Brazil pertains not only to football, but all spheres of life in Brazil more generally. President Lula Inacio Lula da Silvo is globally known as Lula, for example. Similarly, in Brazilian corporate circles, it is common to refer to your boss by either a nickname or Mr./Ms. followed by a first name or a nickname.

Part of the popularity of the use of one name to refer to a person may simply involve the reality that Brazilian names often feature four names: two first names (one of which is usually the name of a saint), the mother's last name and the father's last name. One name is easier to deal with than four. And then are there other, more elaborate explanations of nicknaming amongst Brazil: that the gentry began playing the sport in the 1920s and 1930s, and when the aristocracy discovered its popularity, they wanted to play too, albeit without being identified with the gentry, thereby adopting one name that enabled them to preserve their anonymity. The practice spread to the gentry itself and eventually, almost all Brazilian football players took one name or, minimally, a transformation of their given name. Another explanation attributes nicknaming to the history of slavery in Brazil and its convention of referring to slaves by either their first name or their first name followed by the region in Africa from which they were imported.

In the context of Brazilian football, nicknaming occurs at two levels insofar as almost every player has a nickname of a certain kind.

The first level is simply a transformation of a player's given name into something else. Pele, Tostao, Romario, Bebeto, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Kaka are all nicknames, for example, admittedly, of different kinds and variations. In his autobiography, Pele claims not to know from where his nickname originated, although some scholars associate it with his childhood mispronunciation of his favorite goalkeeper, Bile. Kaka is the name coined by his younger brother Digao, for Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite, as a result of his inability to pronounce his brother's name "Ricardo".

For more on the history of nicknames in Brazilian football, see Futebol: The Brazilian Way of Life by Alex Bellos.

Part 2 features a particularly evocative selection of nicknames in the world of Brazilian football. The names in this selection titillate the imagination and create a bond between the fan and the player rooted in the fan's experience, outside of soccer, with names such as The Hulk, The Beast and The Emperor. The bold text in Part 2 denotes the nickname while the description that follows tells something about the player.

For specific examples of colorful nicknames in Brazilian football, see:
Bringing Back the Beautiful Game: The Hulk, The Beast and The Emperor: Nicknames in Brazilian Football (Part 2)

Neymar's Choice to Stay at Santos Inspires Hope for the Beautiful Game

Santos forward Neymar’s decision to snub Chelsea in favor of staying at his Brazilian club Santos signals that something new is afoot in world football. European clubs have traditionally had their choice of South American football players because of higher salaries and increased international publicity. But in this case, Santos successfully contested Chelsea's bid by raising Neymar’s compensation through a combination of increased salary and merchandising deals estimated at $1.2 million, annually. Neymar’s decision was considered a victory for Brazilian soccer because it allows him to develop his technical skills in a familiar environment that rewards player creativity, freedom and guile. The decision is also likely to encourage other Brazilian players to ply their craft in Brazil instead of venturing to Europe before their abilities have been more completely realized. Pele, Mario Zagallo and Brazil coach Mano Menezes all advised Neymar to stay at Santos, almost uniformly claiming that Neymar does not have the muscular physique required to flourish in Europe at the tender age of 18, amongst other reasons. Staying at Santos also allows Neymar to continue playing alongside the attacking midfielder Paulo Henrique Ganso in what many feel could become a partnership that will be replicated and feared in international football.

Speaking of the week's dramatic negotiations between Chelsea and Santos, Santos president Luis Alvaro remarked: "We've built a different possibility. We no longer accept the idea that we're an underdeveloped nation always at the mercy of the powerful European clubs." Neymar’s choice is likely to allow him to develop his dribbling and creative style of play as well as provide Brazil coach Mano Menezes with a powerful Santos platform to feed directly into the Selecao. More importantly, the Neymar-Chelsea-Santos drama reveals the power of South American football to resist the pressures of European capital to appropriate promising technical ability into drab but effective goal scoring machines. In recent years, European clubs have stifled the creative development of many promising South American players such as Robinho, Adriano and Juan Roman Riquelme, so Neymar's independent decision to remain in Brazil marks a small but important victory for attacking, creative and spectacular football.