Santos Defeats Penarol 2-1 in Copa Libertadores Final; Neymar and Pele in tears

Santos defeated Penarol 2-1 in Sao Paulo to win the Copa Libertadores championship for the first time since 1963 in a match that indelibly marked the arrival of Neymar and Ganso as major players in world football. Santos pressed the attack in the first half, with Elano, in particular, threatening the Penarol goal with his trademark curling free kicks. But it was Neymar and Ganso who stole the show in the first half with Ganso finding Neymar in an almost telepathic partnership that conjured up shades of Bebeto and Romario from the mid-1990s.

Neymar fittingly found the back of the net to open the scoring in the 47th minute after Ganso flicked a pass to Arouca, who subsequently found the spiky haired teenager lurking in his favorite position on the left flank near the mouth of the goal. Neymar dispatched the ball past the keeper's right with clinical precision to give Santos a precious lead after the home team had attacked in waves, largely on the basis of the creative vision of Ganso and Elano, playing behind Neymar and Ze Eduardo.

In the 69th minute, Danilo virtually put the match away after collecting a pass from Ganso while surging up the right flank. In a move that recalled Paulo Falcao's famous goal against Italy in the 1982 World Cup, the right back Danilo cut inside, took the ball on his left foot, and sent a lawnmower of a shot into the far left corner of the net. Durval netted an own goal in the 80th minute to make it 2-1, but the home team held on for a well deserved victory.

Neymar broke into tears after the final whistle and noted, soon after, "It's the happiest day of my life. I made history. We deserved this title, it's time to celebrate." Similarly, Santos's most famous player, Pele, celebrated with tears of joy after seeing his club team hoist the Copa Libertadores title for the first time in 48 years. The match broke into a brawl after the final whistle, but no players were seriously injured.

The 2011 Copa Libertadores final heralded an important shift in the geopolitics of world soccer because Neymar and Ganso have now made their mark on the footballing world by plying their trade in Brazil as opposed to Europe. Santos's victory sets new standards for excellence in Brazilian football and formally heralds the birth of a new generation of Brazilian players that are eager to take over the mantle of the Selecao from the likes of Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Rivaldo and Kaka. Now the question on everyone's mind is whether Neymar, Ganso and Elano can fire Brazil to victory at the Copa America given stiff competition from Argentina, the home team.

Santos advance to Copa Libertadores final for first time since 2003

Santos advanced to the Copa Libertadores final after a thrilling 3-3 draw with Cerro Porteno in the second leg of their semi-final match in the Copa Libertadores. Santos won the semi-final 4-3 on aggregate after having won the first leg 1-0 in Sao Paulo. Goals from Ze Eduardo, a Cerro Porteno own goal, and Neymar gave Santos enough of a cushion to withstand a late rally from the Paraguayan team featuring two goals in the last 30 minutes. Santos will now face either Argentina's Velez Sarsfield or Uruguay's Penarol in the final. Santos has not won the Copa Libertadores since 1963 although they are heavily favored now given their surfeit of young talent and the brilliant stewardship of coach Muricy Ramalho. Captain Edu Dracena will miss the final owing to a red card received in injury time.

Neymar and Ganso give Santos a 1-0 victory over America in Copa Libertadores

Neymar and Ganso combined to give Santos a gritty 1-0 victory over an America side that played defensive football with 9 men behind the ball. In the 39th minute, Neymar raced down the left flank before finding Ganso just outside the box. Ganso kept his head down and dispatched a bullet of a left footed shot to the goalkeeper's left to give his side the lead and a crucial victory in the first leg. Playing in Sao Paulo, America's defensive tactics were intended to stifle the creativity of Neymar, Ganso and company but the strategy backfired and ultimately proved unsustainable. Nevertheless, a 1-0 victory for Santos means the match is still wide open, particularly given that the next leg will be played at the Queretaro Stadium on May 3. Santos can now claim four consecutive Copa Libertadores victories and are improving with every match, even though they struggled to break down America's ultra-defensive formation. Pele's former club will be tough to beat given the 4-2-2-2 formation that coach Muricy Ramalho favors, with Elano and Ganso positioned behind Neymar and Ze Eduardo.

In other Copa Libertadores news, Cruzeiro beat Once Caldas 2-1 thanks to goals by Wallyson and Ortigoza.

Neymar's Magic Leads Santos into the Copa Libertadores Round of 16

Neymar's magic led Santos into the round of 16 in the Copa Libertadores where they will now face Mexico's America in the knock-out stages. With their backs to the wall in another must-win match to control their destiny, Neymar, Ganso, Elano, Danilo and company displayed their composure by carving out a 3-1 victory over the Venezeulan side Deportivo Tachira. Playing in Sao Paulo, Santos raced to an early lead thanks to a calmly taken goal by Neymar after receiving a finely threaded through ball from the left flank. Jonathon made it 2-0 for Santos minutes later in the 13th minute with a rocket into the roof of the net from the right flank. Santos then took their foot off the accelerator until Tachira's Gerson Chacon scored from a sublime free kick in the 69th minute to suddenly make matters more complicated by making the score 2-1, one goal away from a 2-2 draw that would fail to guarantee Santos a berth in the next round. But three minutes later, Neymar illustrated once again why he is one of the best strikers in the world by dribbling through a posse of defenders and crossing to Ze Eduardo, who in turn passed to Danilo. Danilo kept his composure in front of goal and hit the bottom right corner of the net to give the Brazilian team a 3-1 lead.

Santos have now notched three consecutive Copa Libertadores victories against Colo Colo, Cerro Porteno and Deportivo Tachira. They finished second place in Group 5 behind Cerro Porteno, who defeated Colo Colo 3-2. Santos and Cerro Porteno earned a total of 11 points while Colo Colo ended up on 9. Santos are now bursting with talent given the likes of Danilo, Leo, Elano, Ganso, Neymar, Danilo and Ze Eduardo all finding their form at the same time. That said, they may face stiff competition from defending champions Internacional and the in form striker Leandro Damiao, who scored yet again for his club in today's 2-0 victory over the Ecuadorian side Emelec.

Ganso stars in Santos's 2-1 Copa Libertadores victory over Cerro Porteno

Santos midfielder Paulo Henrique Ganso starred in Thursday’s Copa Libertadores clash against Paraguay’s Cerro Porteno. The number 10 set up Maikon Leite for the second goal and controlled the midfield like an “artist,” in the words of his coach Muricy Ramalho. Danilo opened the scoring for Santos in the 12th minute with a remarkable left footed strike from 30 meters. Three minutes after the second half whistle, Ganso displayed his vision by spotting Maikon bursting up the right flank and delivering the through ball for Santos’s second goal. Ramalho remarked that, prior to the match, he had instructed Ganso to forget both the crowds and his possible transfer to AC Milan or Inter Milan next season. The 21 year old heeded his coach’s instructions by bursting forth from midfield and pressuring the Cerro Porteno defenders to come out of their predetermined positions.

The match underscored the success of Ganso’s recovery from a torn ACL injury in his right knee sustained in August 2010. Ganso made his first start in professional competition on March 16, 2011 in a Copa Libertadores match against Colo Colo. This Thursday’s must win clash against Cerro Porteno illustrated Ganso’s creativity, intelligence and chutzpah. With Neymar, Elano and Ze Eduardo suspended because of their theatrics in Santos’s 3-2 victory over Colo Colo on April 6, Ganso’s presence in the Cerro Porteno match proved critical. Santos are now tied with Cerro Porteno for second place in Group 5 and remain in contention for advancement to the next stage of the competition.

This year’s Copa Libertadores features the reunion of the midfield-striker partnership between Ganso and Neymar that many Brazil fans hope will translate into a sublime pairing on the Brazilian national football team that parallels the understanding between Socrates and Zico in the early 1980s. Although Mano Menezes seems to have settled on Lucas Leiva and Ramires in midfield, the Selecao additionally needs a creative playmaker in the vein of Socrates or Kaka that can supply the ball to Pato, Neymar and company.

Tears in Brazilian Football: Ronaldo’s Love for Corinthians

The most striking thing about Ronaldo's retirement press conference is that he breaks down in tears only when discussing his career at Corinthians from 2009 to 2011. As the conference begins, Ronaldo’s shoulders are loose and his voice is almost jocular in tone. He makes some summary remarks about his wonderful football career and longstanding history of injuries. He thanks all the clubs for which he played, the coaches and players that mentored him and the sponsors that supported him throughout his career: Cruzeiro, PSV Eindhoven, Barcelona, Inter Milan, AC Milan, Corinthians, Ambev and Nike. And then, all of a sudden, his tone changes when he comes to Corinthians and his decision to leave Europe and return to Brazil. His eyes light up and he breaks into a smile as he mentions a breakfast in Rio de Janeiro with Andres Sanches, the President of Corinthians. After that breakfast, when he and the President shook hands, Ronaldo knew he would be playing for Corinthians. Had there been a blank contract, Ronaldo tells us he would have signed it.

So far, Ronaldo's affect has been either upbeat or mechanical in cycling through the list of thank yous to clubs and sponsors. But now, he turns to the Brazilian fans who supported him throughout his career:

"I want to thank all of the Brazilian fans that vibrated with me and supported me, who cried when I cried, who fell with me when I did."

Of all the Brazilian fans, Ronaldo goes on to thank the Corinthians fans, in particular, for their passion and commitment to the club. At this point, Ronaldo begins to struggle in reading through his pre-prepared remarks. The Brazilian number 9 who raced past defenders with a degree of explosive power unparalleled in the modern game stares at his speech for seconds at a time.

“I have never seen such an exciting crowd,” he says of Corinthians fans, a claim all the more remarkable coming from someone who has played all over the world. Sometimes, their fervor renders them aggressive, he notes, in an apparent gesture of forgiveness to the Corinthians fans for their violence and anger after their exit from the 2011 Copa Libertadores. Amazingly enough, Ronaldo goes on to apologize for failing to win the Copa Libertadores, as if he had the superhuman status to claim responsibility for the loss suffered by Corinthians in a team sport marked by all kinds of contingencies. But what moves him most, is the passion of the fans and the feeling of friendship bordering on family between he, the club and the club President. I cannot imagine having lived without Corinthians, Ronaldo says, both here and in reference to other interviews about his experience after returning to Brazil. "You are my brother," Ronaldo says about the Corinthians President. He pledges to be with the club for life in any way it desires, as if his passion for Corinthians has transformed into a life-long love affair.

At this point, the tears begin flowing to the point where he covers his face:

"You shall see me many times in the crowd cheering for Corinthians. I was even more emotional back there when I went to speak with (Are you sleeping there? [to one of his sons on his left])…As I went to speak with my team mates…For every minute and second I have shared with them, as I have always done, from my first day here, on the toughest moments, I will stand by them and protect them from any trouble. Now I will do it off the pitch. Perhaps a bit weakened as my strength has always been to respond with my playing on the pitch."

Here, Ronaldo pledges to protect his Corinthians teammates from trouble, albeit from a weakened position off the pitch since his strength has come from playing. In the discussion about Corinthians, the depth of Ronaldo’s emotional engagement with the club’s fans, players and its management shines through. As he looks back over his career, not once does he mention his World Cup victories or 15 World Cup goals. The life experience that stands out for him hinges around the passion of the fans of Corinthians, the mentoring provided by the club’s President and the camaraderie of his teammates, amongst which he enjoyed a position of guardian, protector, mentor and friend. The tears do not stem from nostalgia about his days in Europe, and the times as a young man when he owned La Liga as it were his playground. Or later, in Italy, when even the best defenders in the world such as Allessandro Nesta said they had never encountered a player who rarely made a mistake in the final stages of his trajectory toward goal. Or his strike partnership with Romario. Or the elation of scoring two goals in the 2002 World Cup final and bringing the World Cup title home to Brazil for the fifth time. The tears revolve around Corinthians and his extraordinary, yet largely untold experience there, all of which began with a breakfast in Rio that took him on a life-giving footballing experience that makes it seem as if the glorious exploits of his youth, in his eyes, appear pale in comparison.

Given the depth of Ronaldo’s passion for Corinthians, “Bringing Back the Beautiful Game” would like to formally baptize Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima as “Ronaldo of Corinthians” alongside his other moniker, Ronaldo of Brazil.

The Biblical book “First Epistle of Paul to Corinthians” (First Corinthians) is famous for its reflection on love. Ronaldo’s retirement speech ironically turned into a reflection on his love for Corinthians, for the fans, the support and the game that he played and loved. The thirteenth chapter of Book I of Corinthians notes: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” In this moment, First Corinthians is about the purity of love. Listening to Ronaldo’s comments on Corinthians, one cannot help but get a sense of the purity of his love for Corinthians fans, the team, management and its football.

Ronaldo's Retirement Press Conference: A Selection of Quotes

Ronaldo announced his retirement on February 14, 2011 in a tearful press conference in Sao Paulo featuring the following reflections:

“I am here to say that I’m ending my career as a professional player. And to say that this career was beautiful, wonderful and exciting.”

“Everybody knows my history of injury. I have had in recent years, a string of injuries ranging from one side to another, from one leg to another, from one muscle to another. This pain made me anticipate the end of my career. Furthermore, four years ago I discovered, when I was in Milan, that I have hypothyroidism. It is a disorder that slows the metabolism and to control it, it is necessary to take some hormones banned in football, because they can be consider doping. I imagine that a lot of people should be sorry for making mockery about my weight, but I do not keep hard feelings. “

“I had many losses, infinite victories, made a lot of friends and don’t remember having made an enemy.”

“I want to thank all the players who worked with me and those who played against, and those who were loyal to those who were disloyal. Thank the coaches with whom I had good relationship and I had differences. And also thank the sponsors who have always believed in me.”

“I really never imagined that I would live without Corinthians. I want to thank the President, and publicly ask for forgiveness for weakening the Libertadores project. You are my brother. The history was beautiful and marvelous. I want to stay with and connected to the club in whatever way you want, President.”

"It's very hard to leave something that made me so happy. Mentally, I wanted to continue, but I have to acknowledge that I lost [the fight] to my body."

"With this announcement, it feels like it's my first death."

"The pain made me anticipate the end of my career. It hurts when I go up the stairs -- people who are close to me know this. I've given my life to football. I don't regret anything, but I can't keep going."

"I thought about it at home and realized that it was time. I had given everything that I had."

Player Profile: Roberto Carlos

"I always practise (free kicks), every day. I prefer to kick with the outside of my foot. There's no secret, it's much more (a question of) concentration."

--Roberto Carlos on the art of free kick taking

When Roberto Carlos burst onto the European football scene at Inter Milan from Palmeiras, coach Roy Hodgson played him as a left winger, otherwise known as an attacking left midfielder with the license to move forward and score goals like a striker. Carlos was assigned the left winger position because of his extreme pace and ability to backtrack as necessary. He disliked the winger position because he wanted to see more of the pitch ahead of him, and accordingly, Inter played him as a left midfielder. Even after Inter tagged Carlos as a left midfielder, the conversation between the player and coach continued about his optimal positioning on the pitch. Roberto Carlos resisted the left midfield position as well so Inter ultimately played him as a left fullback. The Brazilian wanted to race up and down the left flank and enjoy the freedom to shift from defense into attack as the game dictated. Carlos not only settled into the left fullback, but he went on to redefine it completely over the next ten years by becoming the best left fullback in the history of football. Also known for his powerful free kicks, swerving corner kicks and long range strikes on goal, Roberto Carlos enriched a decades long Brazilian tradition of samba flair from the dead ball that dates back to Rivelino, Eder, Zico, Branco, Rivaldo and Ronaldinho.

While Roberto Carlos is perhaps best known for his thunderous free kicks, he set new standards for athletic excellence in football more generally. With legs like tree trunks that he acquired from a childhood spent assisting his family haul farming and textile equipment in Cordeirpolis, Carlos is famous for his phenomenal speed and physical strength. From 1996 to 2007, Roberto Carlos played a whopping 584 games for Real Madrid, scoring 71 goals and even more assists. 370 out of the 584 games were Spanish league games in which he scored 47 goals from his left back position. As one of eight players to play in more than 100 champions league matches, Roberto Carlos joins a elite group of Champions League veterans featuring Paul Scholes, David Beckham, Paulo Maldini, Gary Neville, Raul Gonzalez and Ryan Giggs. A tireless worker with explosive pace, Carlos was feared by defenders and strikers alike given his capacity to sprint at speeds where he could cover 100 meters in less than 11 seconds. At the international level, Carlos was surprisingly left out of the 1994 World Cup squad in favor of Leonardo, but he dominated the left back position in 1998 and 2002, combining powerfully with Rivaldo on the left flank and complementing the brilliance of Cafu, the team's right fullback. Carlos earned 125 international caps for Brazil in a distinguished international career featuring a World Cup Winners Medal in 2002 and two Copa America titles for Brazil in 1997 and 1999.

After 11 years at Real Madrid, Roberto Carlos enjoyed a brief stint at Fenerbahce before returning to Corinthians in Brazil where he was voted the best left back in Brazil's Serie A. Carlos enjoyed success at Corinthians alongside his teammate Ronaldo, narrowly missing out on the 2010 Brazil Serie A title to Muricy Ramalho's Fluminense in the final games. Carlos also scored an amazing "Olympic Goal" from a corner kick while at Corinthians, the first ever in his career. He recently decided to leave Corinthians after a two year spell in the wake of fan harassment in February 2011 following the club's elimination from the Copa Libertadores. The 37 year old left back from Sao Paulo has decided to follow the money trail by accepting a lucrative offer at the Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala, the club owned by the Russian senator and metals and oils magnate Suleiman Kerimov.

Brazilian Soccer Legend Ronaldo Announces Retirement from Corinthians and Professional Football

For an article that recalls Ronaldo's explosive pace and finishing skill, see:

Flashback: The Magic of Ronaldo

Brazilian soccer legend Ronaldo announced his retirement from professional football today citing difficulties maintaining his body and hypothyroidism, a medical condition which made it difficult for him to maintain an optimal weight. In a tearful press conference where he was flanked by his sons Alex and Ronald, Ronaldo remarked:

"It’s very hard to leave something that made me so happy. Mentally, I wanted to continue, but I have to acknowledge that I lost (the fight) to my body. With this announcement, it feels like it’s my first death. The pain made me anticipate the end of my career. My career was beautiful, was wonderful. I’ve had many defeats but infinite victories."

Ronaldo ended his career at Corinthians at a moment when he and Roberto Carlos bore the brunt of anger from fans after the club's February 2 elimination from the Copa Libertadores. Ronaldo's extraordinary career was plagued by knee injuries related to his explosive power and pace.

Roberto Carlos leaves Corinthians for Russian club Anzhi

Corinthians has confirmed the departure of left back Roberto Carlos by "mutual consent" after the player expressed a desire to leave the club following harassment by fans after the elimination of Corinthians from the Copa Libertadores. Carlos and his family received a number of threats from irate fans after Corinthians's February 2 elimination. The Brazilian club just reported that Roberto Carlos will sign with the Russian club Anzhi for a reported $9 million a year, for a two year contract with the option of an extension for another year. The 37 year old is widely regarded as the best left back football has witnessed in the last 30 years. The Brazilian national team has begun to find replacements for the brilliance of their former right back Cafu in the form of Maicon and Dani Alves, but thus far have been unable to locate a player of Carlos's extraordinary pace, strength and vision on the left flank. Ronaldo of Brazil also remarked on the possibility of leaving Corinthians after suffering similar harassment by fans because of their poor Copa Libertadores performance. Ronaldo revealed considering early retirement immediately but appears set to continue at Corinthians for the time being.

Ronaldo of Brazil: The Retirement of the First Global Sports Hero of All Time

Brazilian soccer legend Ronaldo announced his retirement from professional football on February 14, 2011, citing difficulties maintaining his body and hypothyroidism, a medical condition which made it difficult for him to maintain an optimal weight.

Where will Ronaldo find his nest after retiring from professional football? Questions such as these about Ronaldo’s future hover like a ghost around the Brazilian legend's decision to retire in the wake of harassment from Corinthians fans because of the club's February 2 exit from the Copa Libertadores. After retirement, Ronaldo’s Selecao teammates Romario and Bebeto found careers in coaching, club management and, most recently, politics. Correspondingly, 1994 World Cup winners Dunga and Jorginho went on to coach one of the most tactically aware and defensively robust Brazil sides of all time. Right winger Leonardo coached AC Milan with considerable success from 2009-2010 and has transformed Inter Milan radically since taking over as coach in late December 2010.

Ronaldo has said little about his post-retirement plans but one senses he is less likely to pursue a career in coaching and more inclined to contribute to football in an advisory capacity for club teams or as a commentator on the game. As a global symbol of peace, goodwill and human rights for the United Nations at various moments during his career, Ronaldo may well end up following Romario and Bebeto in furthering causes for justice and the well-being of children worldwide, whether in politics or the non-profit sector. With respect to football, Ronaldo has professed an interest in remaining involved with his former club Real Madrid in an advisory role, and one would expect that he will continue to maintain close ties to Corinthians in subsequent years. But in all this, the question about Ronaldo’s retirement and attendant plans engages the fate of one of the first truly transnational sports heroes of all time.

Ronaldo rapidly became a symbol of goodwill and sportsmanship to generations of football fans all over the world. In the mid-1990s, his goal scoring feats and slalom runs catalyzed a renaissance of interest in the game that coincided with its emerging popularity in the United States and Asia. And most importantly, Ronaldo became the first truly global sports hero that men and women all over the world admired, shared and loved, beginning with his sublime goal a game ratio at Barcelona and Inter Milan, to his heart wrenching struggles with knee injuries, back to the glory of his 2002 World Cup victory and two goals against Germany in the final. Pele was never truly a global hero because he played in a historical moment that was not wired in quite the same way as the world is today with Google, YouTube and soccer websites and discussion boards in almost every language. Maradona had few fans amongst English football supporters and his greatness was ultimately eclipsed by his decline into cocaine addiction and alcoholism. Romario paved the way for the concept of a global super-hero, but his cat-like prowess around the goal mouth paled in comparison to Ronaldo’s almost superhuman speed, strength, dribbling ability and power. Moreover, the peak years of Romario’s career coincided with the dawn of the consumer internet era as opposed to the conjunction of the peak of Ronaldo's fame with the lightning fast proliferation of internet technologies across the globe.

Add to all this the manner in which football enjoys a global popularity that trumps basketball, tennis and golf, it becomes easy to understand how Ronaldo crossed national, class, generational and gender boundaries more so than Bruce Lee, Michael Jordan, Martina Navratilova, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer and Tiger Woods. His fame ushered in the conditions of possibility for a transnational sports hero embraced by fans all over the entire globe. In terms of fame and global power as a cultural icon, only Michael Jackson and Madonna bear him comparison. While soccer historians would do well to begin cataloguing Ronaldo’s dizzying array of goals and records, cultural historians should take stock of the way in which Ronaldo elevated sport in general, and football in particular, to a global language with the power to galvanize audiences in all corners of the entire world. Messi stands on Ronaldo’s shoulders because his circulation in the world of contemporary popular culture derives from Ronaldo’s unprecedented, organic creation of the concept of a truly global sports hero for the very first time.

The above article features a post-February 14, 2011 update to the original December 4 posting.

Santos midfielder Ganso starts running for the first time after ACL surgery

Three months after undergoing surgery for a torn, left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), Santos midfielder Paulo Henrique Chagas de Lima (Ganso) has started running and training in standing positions. Ganso's 10 minute run around a soccer pitch bodes well for a speedy and expeditious recovery. Santos physical therapist Avelino Buongermino indicated that Ganso may recover in time for the first round of the Copa Libertadores in March 2011, but added that he would be able to make a more intelligent prediction about Ganso's timeline for recovery following a December 28 examination of his knee, at which time he would decide whether to add the soccer ball to his training regimen. Ganso sustained the injury in an August 25 match against Gremio in a Brazil Serie A match. The Santos midfielder was critical to the club's successes in the early half of the season in winning the Paulista championship and the Copa Brasil. Paulo Henrique said he was ecstatic about being able to run again and is looking forward to seeing the fruits of his hard work continue to bear fruit in subsequent weeks.

Ganso's injury timeline:

August 25: Sustains torn ACL injury in Santos v. Gremio Brazil Serie A match
August 28: Successful cruciate ligament operation
November 27: Begins running again for the first time since surgery
December 28: Knee examination by Santos physiotherapist Avelino Buongermino
March 2011: Projected date of Ganso's return to competitive play

For more on Ganso, see:
Bringing Back the Beautiful Game: Player Profile: Paulo Henrique Ganso

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.