The debate about the Greatest of All Time will continue as long as the game of football is played and thanks to the internet, footage of those greats from down the years allows us to compare players from different eras. However, there is nothing like being able to say that you saw them play in the flesh. And I can humbly say that I was able to see ‘live’ the player who at the time was probably the most famous and greatest player on the planet – Edson Arantes do Nascimento or as the world knew him – Pele.
Unbelievably his club team, Brazilian side, Santos, played a friendly against my team, Fulham on 12 March 1973 and Pele had even attended the league game on the Saturday before against Carlisle United, meeting old adversary from the 1970 World Cup, Fulham skipper Alan Mullery before kick-off. The excitement I felt at being able to get the chance to see Pele and other World Cup winners such as Carlos Alberto and Edu was mind-blowing for a ten year old only used to a diet of English Second Division fare.
Given that there would be a bumper crowd we got seats in the Stevenage Road Stand rather than our usual spot on the Putney End terrace. Fulham averaged just over 10,000 in the league that season, but for the Santos game it was officially recorded as 21,464 – the biggest attendance I’d seen at the Cottage up till then.
It’s funny what you remember from that night. One thing that sticks in the mind is my dad managing to park the car in what seemed to be an incredibly tight space, moving the car back and forward for what seemed like an eternity. Another is that in order for Santos to wear their famous all white strip, Fulham played in red shirts, with white shorts and red socks on the night. Bizarre minor details but still linked to that night in March.
Of course, the reality in terms of the game itself, was that it was a friendly, an exhibition match, but for those there that night, that didn’t matter. We were there to see Pele and we can all say that we saw him score as well. Even though he was 31 at the time, his genius was there for all to see, and the buzz in the ground whenever he got the ball was palpable. In terms of the action, Fulham had taken a first-half lead through Alan Pinkney but were pegged back in the second half. Pele latched onto a long ball and as he attempted to go round Fulham ‘keeper Peter Mellor, the Brazilian legend was brought down. Up stepped Pele to send Mellor the wrong way and level the score at 1-1. Fulham though would go onto win 2-1 with Steve Earle getting the winner seven minutes from time.
The programme from that game is a prized possession amongst my collection as are my memories of the night I saw Pele play.
The first four last sixteen had all gone pretty much to form, so were there to be any shocks from the remaining four fixtures? There hadn’t even been any games going to extra-time or penalties, so was this about to change?
Japan 1 (1) – (0) 1 Croatia AET. Croatia won 3-1 on penalties. (Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah)
Japan scorer: Maeda (43′). Croatia scorer: Perisic (55′)
Indeed it was.
This was the third World Cup meeting between the teams. The first encounter was in 1998, when a Davor Suker goal was enough to see Croatia win 1-0 in a group game. They met again in 2006 again at the group stages with a penalty save from Japan’s Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi denying Croatia victory as the game ended 0-0.
In what was a pretty open and entertaining game, Japan were the more lively of the two sides and deserved their lead just before the break when Celtic’s Daizen Maeda was quickest to react and fire home. Croatia though were level within ten minutes of the restart when Spurs’ Ivan Perisic powered in a header. Thereafter both ‘keepers, Dominik Livakovic for Croatia and Shuichi Gonda made decent saves to maintain the 1-1 score and send the game into extra-time.
As so often little was created in terms of chances and there was inevitability that penalties were needed to separate the sides. The record books will show that Croatian goalkeeper Livakovic was the hero saving three penalties as his side progressed 3-1, but if truth be told, the quality of those from the Japanese players was poor. Croatia runners-up in 2018 through to the Quarter Finals.
Brazil 4 (4) – (0) 1 South Korea (Stadium 974, Doha)
Brazil scorers: Vinicius Júnior (7′), Neymar (13’ pen), Richarlison (29′), Lucas Paqueta (36′). South Korea scorer: Paik Seung-ho (76′)
No competitive fixtures between these two sides but met as recently as June this year when Brazil ran out 5-1 winners in Seoul, with goals from Richarlison, two penalties from Neymar, Philippe Coutinho and Gabriel Jesus.
When Lucas Paqueta scored Brazil’s fourth after thirty-six minutes, that score line six months earlier looked in danger of being surpassed. The five-times champions simply blew South Korea away will skill and pace with the pick of the goals the third scored by Richarlison who started and finished a very slick Brazilian move. Second-half the onslaught continued but Korean ‘keeper Kim Seung-gyu made a number of saves to ensure the defeat wasn’t even greater. South Korea did manage a consolation through Paik Seung-ho and would have had a couple more but for some excellent work by Alisson in the Brazilian goal. Brazil on a roll, and on this display you’d be nuts to bet against them winning a sixth World Cup.
The last of the group games took place yesterday and given what was as stake there was drama to be had. Group H saw Portugal top with 6 points, Ghana second with three and South Korea and Uruguay with just a solitary point.
South Korea 2 (0) – (0) 1 Portugal (Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan)
South Korea scorers: Kim Young-Gwon (27′), Hwang Hee-Chan (90’+1). Portugal scorer: Ricardo Horta (5′)
Focus was on the Ghana vs. Uruguay game (where both teams could progress with a win) and memories of the 2010 encounter in South Africa loomed large. Back then Ghana were denied by a handball on the line by Luiz Suarez which saw the subsequent penalty from Andre Ayew missed. What irked many at the time was not just the unsporting act of the handball, but the way Suarez celebrated the miss as he stood in the tunnel. As 12 years ago Ayew missed a penalty in the game, and as back then Uruguay won the game. The difference here was that the 2-0 win was not enough to see Uruguay through as South Korea’s last gasp winner against Portugal meant they progressed on goals scored. Ghana may have lost, but I’m sure the South Americans exit will have brought a crumb of comfort. Karma truly can be a wonderful thing and the sight at the whistle of the distraught Suarez will have brought a smile to many fans faces around the world.
Group G:
Cameroon 1 (0) – (0) Brazil (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail)
Cameroon scorer: Aboubakar (90’+2’)
Serbia 2 (2) – (2) 3 Switzerland (Stadium 974, Doha)
Group G was already settled in terms of Brazil being confirmed into the last sixteen and as a result they rested a number of first-choice players against Cameroon. The African side knew that they had to win to have any chance of progressing. The standout performances came from Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli who could have had a hat-trick but for the excellence of the Cameroon ‘keeper Devis Epassy. Despite all the chances they created they just couldn’t find a goal and in time added-on they were hit with a sucker punch as Cameroon skipper Aboubakar headed home and was promptly sent-off for a second yellow card after taking his shirt off in celebrating the winner. Despite the win, the Indomitable Lions were out.
In their game against Serbia, the Swiss knew that a draw would be enough to see them through. It all looked to be going to plan when Shaqiri put them ahead after twenty minutes. However, Serbia’s record goalscorer Mitrovic levelled with a stunning header and the comeback was complete ten minutes before the break as Vlahovic made it 2-1. At this point, Serbia were going through with the Swiss missing out. Once again though the game twisted, with Embolo equalising a minute before the break to put the Rossocrociati (Red Crosses) into the vital runners-up spot. They made sure of progression just three minutes into the second half, with a brilliant team goal finished by Nottingham Forest’s midfielder Remo Freuler. Serbia could find no way back but leave the competition having more than contributed to an entertaining group.
And so the group stages are over, and the knockout phase begins, with the last sixteen games (I can bring myself to call it the round of sixteen!) as follows:
Netherlands v USA (Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan)
Argentina v Australia (Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan)
France v Poland (Al Thumama Stadium, Doha)
England v Senegal (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor)
Japan v Croatia (Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah)
Brazil v South Korea (Stadium 974, Doha)
Morocco v Spain (Stadium 974, Doha)
Portugal v Switzerland (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail)
Group G: Cameroon 3 (1) – (2) 3 Serbia (Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah)
Cameroon scorers: Castelletto (29′), Aboubakar (63′), Choupo-Moting (66′). Serbia scorers: Pavlovic (45’+1’), S Milinkovic-Savic (45’+3’), Mitrovic (53′)
Group H: South Korea 2 (0) – (2) 3 Ghana (Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan)
South Korea scorers: Cho (58′, 61′). Ghana scorers: Salisu (24′), Kudus (34′, 68′)
Group G: Brazil 1 (0) – (0) 0 Switzerland (Stadium 974, Doha)
Brazil scorer: Casemiro (83′)
Group H: Portugal 2 (0) – (0) 0 Uruguay (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail)
Portugal scorer: Bruno Fernandes (54′, 90’+3’ pen)
And so the second round of group games comes to a finale with a bit of a goals flourish as the tables take shape leaving everyone knowing what needs to be done to progress whilst for others its simply means packing their bags.
The opening game of the day saw Serbia take on Cameroon in a game which a draw was not really of much use to either side, given they both lost their first group game. Serbia started brightly and Fulham’s Aleksandar Mitrovic was unlucky not to give them the lead when his curling effort struck the post. However, it was the African side who went ahead when a corner eventually found its way to the back post where Castelletto tapped in. It looked like an advantage they would take into the break but two goals in added time from Pavlovic and Milinkovic-Savic meant it was the Serbs who went in 2-1 up.
When Serbia then scored eight minutes into the second half with a simple Mitrovic finish after a slick breakaway move the game looked up for Cameroon. However, just as in the first half there was a quick burst of scoring as goals on 63’ and 66’ brought Cameroon level at 3-3. The first from Aboubakar looked it was offside and the way he cheekily lobbed the ball in and barely celebrated, indicated he felt the same. VAR check ensued and showed it wasn’t – cue Aboubakar’s celebration. Then another breakaway saw Choupo-Moting sweep home and suddenly the African side were in the ascendency. The see-saw match was nearly won late on, as Mitrovic was teed up inside the box, only to see his effort curl wide.
Ghana and South Korea then treated us to another ding-dong encounter. Ghana scored twice in the first half, when South Korea’s ability to defend balls into the box proved their undoing. From a free-kick Salisu eventually slotted home after the ball bounced around in the box and for the second, a deep ball in allowed Kudus to ghost in between the defenders and glance home – kudos indeed (sorry couldn’t resist it!) Whatever was said in the South Korean dressing room did the trick as two towering headers from Cho on 58’ and 61’ had well, turned the game on its head. However, their joy was short-lived as within seven minutes Ghana were in front again. Credit to South Korea as they took the game to Ghana and created a number of chances. At the whistle though Ghana took the points and while they celebrated, South Korea manager Paulo Bento was sent off for arguing with English referee Anthony Taylor for not allowing a corner to be taken even though time was up.
After that the Brazil Switzerland game felt like a bit of anti-climax, with Casemiro’s sweet strike seven minutes from time pretty much the only highlight.
Last up was Portugal and Uruguay in a pretty ordinary game, with two goals from Bruno Fernandes (one a penalty in time added up) taking them through to the last sixteen. The biggest talking point was whether Ronaldo had got his head to the cross-shot that opened the scoring for Portugal. Well, weren’t we all relieved when Adidas who provide the Official World Cup balls (the Al Rihla – the journey) announced that the internal ball sensor had not detected any contact from Ronaldo – I’d have lost sleep over it!
Group G: Switzerland 1 (0) – (0) 0 Cameroon (Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah)
Switzerland scorer: Embolo (48′)
Group H: Uruguay 0 (0) – (0) 0 South Korea (Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan)
Group H: Portugal 3 (0) – (0) 2 Ghana (Stadium 974, Doha)
Portugal scorer: Cristiano Ronaldo (65′ pen), Félix Sequeira (78′), da Conceicao Leao (80′). Ghana scorer: A Ayew (73′), Bukari (89’minutes)
Group G: Brazil 2 (0) – (0) 0 Serbia (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail)
Brazil scorer: Richarlison (62′, 73′)
Thursday was a drab old day in West Yorkshire, rain, grey sky and a biting wind reminding all that winter has assuredly arrived. And it pretty much felt as if some of that dourness had seeped into the first two games of the day as the first round of group games played to a conclusion.
Whilst Cameroon had an energy about them in a first half in which they were the better side, genuine chances were at a premium and there was an inevitability about it being goal-less at the break. The deadlock was broken early in the second half as a swift Swiss move saw Cameroon born Breel Embolo sweep his adopted country into the lead. After that, well, Switzerland were more positive, but it fizzled out as quickly as the crowds are want to do at these finals in Qatar. The chant of ‘we can see you sneaking out’ should be changed for Qatar to ‘switch the lights off last one out’ (I know it doesn’t properly scan at all, but you get the picture).
Uruguay v South Korea offered little more. The South American’s hit the woodwork in each half but apart from that it felt as if both sides were satisfied with a point.
Then like the sun breaking through the clouds it all changed as Portugal and Ghana offered up a bit of a belter. Ronaldo seemingly unburdened by his Old Trafford kiss and tell revelations was at the heart of all of Portugal’s best moments, with two decent chances spurned and an effort disallowed for a foul. No goals at the break, but a game nicely simmering under, which exploded into action in the last twenty five minutes. First up Portugal were rather generously awarded a penalty after a foul on the Portugal skipper, who then stepped up to convert and become the first man to score in five World Cup finals – love him or hate him, you can’t keep him out of the headlines. However, the lead was short-lived with poor Portuguese defending allowing Ayew to fire home inside the six-yard box on seventy-three minutes. Ghana though were then hit by two goals and with ten minutes remaining it looked game over as they trailed 3-1. But with just a minute left on the clock back came the Black Stars with a header from Bakari to set up a frantic finish. And it nearly came in the ninth minute of time added on. Costa the Portugal ‘keeper put the ball down to kick it up field, whilst panto-style (he’s behind you) Inaki Williams waited. Williams dashed forward to get the ball but slipped at the crucial minute and the chance for a dramatic leveller was gone. Breathless stuff!
To round off the day, Brazil took on Serbia. I’m not a great fan of the South American team, but they were good enough to see off a dogged Serbian team, with a double from Richarlison, the second of which, a scissor-kick volley, is an early contender for goal of the tournament.
In a flash we are already at the start of the second round of Group Stage games and depending on results some teams will already be waving mae alsalama to the finals. Here’s todays line-ups.
Group B: Wales v Iran (Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan)
After their fine second half performance against the USA, and Iran’s heavy defeat, the Welsh will be in prime position to take three points this morning. I’ll be hoping the Red Dragons do the business, so that the final group game for both the Three Lions and Wales leaves both already through to the knockout stages.
Group A: Qatar v Senegal (Al Thumama Stadium, Doha)
I’m not a vindictive person but simply hoping that Qatar get another good hiding – plain and simple. Nothing else to say.
Group A: Netherlands v Ecuador (Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan)
The Dutch already have three points in the bag after a win over Senegal and I expect nothing more than a similar outcome today.
Group B: England v USA (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor)
I’ll trot out the old fact that England have played USA twice in the World Cup and have yet to beat them. 1950 was the infamous 1-0 loss at the Brazil World Cup for an England side that contained the stars of the day such as Tom Finney, Billy Wright, Stan Mortensen and future England manager, Alf Ramsey. Then in 2010 when South Africa hosted the tournament, despite an early Steven Gerrard goal, the USA levelled five minutes before the break when Rob Green had a moment to forget allowing Clint Dempsey’s speculative shot to squirm its way into the goal. I don’t expect another 6-2 result but believe a solid 2-0 for Three Lions is not out of their reach.
The Nearly Men tells the fascinating stories of some of the most revered international football teams of all time.
Through the history of the World Cup there are many sides who thrilled us all with their elegance and style, or who revolutionised the game, only to fail when it mattered most. They are the teams that could, and in some cases perhaps should, have won the World Cup, yet remain memorable for what they did achieve as well as what they didn’t. They all left a lasting legacy, be that of unfulfilled potential, crushed dreams or the artistry they produced that could have seen them prevail. Their exploits and accomplishments are frequently hailed more than those of the winners.
The Nearly Men celebrates these teams: what made them great, what saw them fail, the legacy they left and why onlookers remember them so fondly. It is a tale of frustration and disappointment, but also of footballing beauty and lasting legacy, in homage to the kind of greatness that isn’t defined by victory.
(Publisher: Pitch Publishing Ltd. May 2022. Hardcover: 352 pages)
Whilst England fans bemoaned the fact that the Three Lions exited the 1982 World Cup in Spain without losing a game and wondered at what might have been if Trevor Brooking and Kevin Keegan had been fully fit, Stuart Horsfield, then a ten year old boy living in Scarborough was transfixed not by the efforts of his country of birth, but by the football of another nation – Brazil, nicknamed the Seleção (The National Team).
1982 Brazil: The Glorious Failure, is Horsfield’s recollection of that summer 38 years ago, and the 12th edition of the FIFA World Cup in the sweltering Spanish sun. History has come to show that the Brazil side which contained stars such as Sócrates, Zico, Eder and Falcão played some outstanding football that the media, pundits and fans alike believed should have seen them become World Champions in 1982. However, as the record books show, that didn’t come to fruition, with coach Telê Santana’s skilful squad exiting to the pragmatic Italian side, who themselves went onto lift the trophy.
Horsfield builds to that game by providing the reader with a link back to previous Brazilian national sides starting with another infamous game against Italy, that being the 1970 World Cup Final in Mexico. That 4-1 victory for the Seleção is held up as possibly the greatest final in World Cup history, with the likes of Carlos Alberto, Pelé, Rivellino and Jairzinho providing a quality of football that simply overflowed with style, skill and unbridled joy. The author then details how in the following two World Cups (1974 in West Germany and 1978 in Argentina), Brazil lost their way as they tried to adopt a more European style of play, finishing fourth in 1974 and third, four years later.
However, by 1982 there was a return to the Brazilian spirit of 1970, with a freedom in their football, which Horsfield suggests may have been influenced by the political scene in the country as the military dictatorship lessened its grip on power. This uninhibited and talented Brazil squad were drawn in Group 6 in the First Round along with New Zealand, Scotland and the Soviet Union. The author dedicates a chapter to each of these games, with his youthful bewilderment at what he saw evident in the writing. The Seleção won all three games with a brand of football labelled ‘futebol arte’, to advance to the Second Round, which format wise back then, was made up of four groups of three teams, with only the four winners advancing to the semi-finals.
As with the First Round, Horsfield again details each game in a separate chapter, with Argentina and Italy their opponents. Brazil took on their South American rivals in the first match, convincingly winning 3-1. Going into the Italy game, Brazil knew that a draw would have been good enough to see them through to the last four, whilst the Azzurri (The Blues), knew that only a victory would be good enough to progress. With the way Brazil had been playing and with Italy having been uninspiring in the competition up to then, it was assumed by most experts that it would be a straightforward win for captain Sócrates and his team.
The events though at the Sarrià Stadium in Barcelona, didn’t though follow the script, and a Paulo Rossi hat-trick in a pulsating encounter that saw Italy win 3-2, ended the Brazilian dream, in a game that is seen as one of the greatest World Cup encounters of all time. Horsfield captures the drama of the match itself both on the pitch and in the stands and reveals the real sense of loss his ten year old self felt at the exit of Brazil. The book though doesn’t end there though with two final chapters, Aftermath and Legacy concluding this interesting read. A conclusion from those closing chapters is that 1982 pretty much marked the end of free-flowing football being a style to become World Champions, with Brazil adapting to be a more pragmatic in their victories in 1994 (ironically beating Italy on penalties) and in 2002.
Besides, Horsfield’s own recollections of the games, the book is enhanced with contributions from players, coaches and media at the tournament. Within the chapters on each fixture, the use of quotes from television commentary of the time to describe key moments is a nice touch and almost makes the reader instantly want to look them up on YouTube (which the author helpfully lists at the back of the book). If there is a slight criticism, it is that there is sometimes an overuse of metaphor as Horsfield makes a point about a particular player, coach or situation. However, this doesn’t detract greatly from a book that tells an intriguing story and takes the unusual stance of bringing to life a team that despite its enormous talent, will be remembered for being losers and not winners.
(Pitch Publishing. October 2020. Hardback 255 pages)
In this era of over-hyped, sensationalist media coverage, the
words, ‘disaster’ or ‘tragedy’ are banded about in football like confetti, usually
following a defeat for any Premier League club you’d care to mention. The
reality is that down the years in the game there have been events that are genuine
tragedies. These have included the loss of Italian side Torino’s squad in 1949,
the deaths of many of Manchester United’s ‘Busby Babes’ in 1958, that of Peruvian
club Alianza Lima in 1987 and the Zambia national team in 1993. The common
factor linking all four, being that these disasters were as a result of plane
crashes.
This sad list was added to on 26 November 2016, when Brazilian
side Chapecoense who were travelling to the first-leg of the 2016 Copa Sudamericana Finals in Columbia,
saw their playing and management staff decimated in a crash that saw their
plane plough into the forest mountain of Cerro Gordo.
Whilst Triumph to
Tragedy – The Chapecoense Story details the awful events of that catastrophic
event, the book expresses so much more about the Brazilian game and its
footballing culture, quite an achievement for a book of only 223 pages. It manages
this due to the fact that author Steven Bell has such a passion for the Brazil
national team, nicknamed the Canarinhos
(Little Canaries), his fascination with the World Cup and his love of the game
at club level in the country.
The book follows Bell’s experiences beginning with him
watching Brazil win the 1994 World Cup which took place in the USA and which
led to him travelling to South America to see them host the 2014 tournament. That
six week visit was the catalyst for his deeper interest in the game in Brazil and
his discovery of a side based in the south of the country, Chapecoense. The
author is cleverly able to combine the story of the Brazilian national side, who
have one of the biggest kit deals in history with Nike, with a team that in
2006 was basically a non-league outfit on the verge of going out of business. This
linking of paths is achieved because Bell highlights the 1994 World Cup winning
Brazil squad under coach Carlos Alberto Gomes Parreira, who weren’t in the
tradition of the free-flowing sides of the past playing, O Jogo Bonito (the beautiful game), but instead adopted a pragmatic
European style to lift the trophy. This change in approach was an influence as Chapecoense, nicknamed the Verdao (the Big Green) took on the mantel of underdog, a side willing
to scrap and fight to survive and overcome more illustrious opposition.
The clubs incredible rise and promotions are well documented
in the book and the author’s knowledge of the working of the Brazilian football
organisation is very useful in understanding the State Championship system,
promotion through the Serie divisions
and the wider structure relationship within the game in South America as a
whole, something very unfamiliar to those used to the rudiments of the pyramid
system in England.
As a reader, you are introduced to some of the players,
officials and management that came through the Big Green’s rise, and their individual
stories are told in such a way that you connect with them. They are real people.
Some who had harsh backgrounds, others whose careers were considered over, but
all human, with wives, girlfriends, families and a love of the club. So, despite
the fact that you know there is tragedy waiting in the story, it is still shocking
and sad to read of the deaths of characters that Bell has warmly introduced.
The book doesn’t end with the crash and instead the final
chapter details how the club, country and the footballing community dealt with
the disaster, which lead the author to an interesting concluding observation.
Bell was in Brazil when the Canarinhos hosted the 2014 World Cup and the nation and its
national side hoped to exorcise the demons of the 1950 World Cup loss to
Uruguay, instead they were humiliated by Germany in the Semi-Finals 7-1. It was
a night of tears and tantrums and of perceived national tragedy – Bell describes
the aftermath in which, “Brazilian football was broken: Brazil as a nation was
broken too.” Fast forward to 2018 in Russia and the book reflects a change in
reaction following defeat to Belgium in the Quarter-Finals, with Bell’s opinion
that the Chapecoense disaster had left the nation with the realisation that
there is more to life than football.
Football Book Reviews caught up with Steven Bell the author of From Triumph to Tragedy: The Chapecoense Story (Pitch Publishing) to talk about his recently published book.
Football Book Reviews (FBR):Your day job is as an engineer, but what is your football background and how did that lead to you writing ‘From Triumph to Tragedy’?
Steven Bell (SB): My background – well firstly as a poor amateur player! But a huge football fan who grew up in the 90s and became besotted with Sir Alex Ferguson’s Class of 92. It was then Euro ’96 which swung me towards supporting England really rather than a club side at that stage if I’m honest. That subsequently led me to becoming obsessed with the World Cup in particular and the whole colour, fans, passion and spectacle of the tournament.
My first real World Cup experience was watching Brazil win it in 1994, and when they were hosts in 2014, I knew I just had to go. Going there I made a lot of contacts and started following Brazilian football. The group I was with stayed in Rio for six weeks, next to the old training ground of Flamengo and I sort of adopted them as my Brazilian team and began following their results. When I was back in the UK the first result I looked at was one that was a huge upset, when Flamengo, the biggest team in Brazil, were beaten by a team I’d never heard of called Chapecoense. That was at the back end of 2014, and after doing a bit of digging discovered that they were a team that over the last few years had come from nothing – non league, on the verge of going out of business – to the top division in Brazil. It connected with me as a fantastic sporting story, with a couple of individuals, like the goalkeeper Danilo and star striker Bruno Rangel, with incredible individual journeys, overcoming poverty and making it to the top at the back end of their careers.
Fast forward two years to November 2016, and I woke up to an alert on my phone from all the news outlets that the team had been involved in a tragic plane crash on their way to what would have been their biggest match in the club’s history. I got hooked on the story from there and decided to research it for the book.
FBR: So, does the book trace that story from 2014?
SB: It actually goes back to my love and passion for both Brazilian football and the World Cup with Brazil winning it in 1994 and how that team inspired change in tactics and culture towards football in the country. It was an influence on Chapecoense and their style of play, they didn’t mind being the underdog, they didn’t mind that other clubs had better individual players – Chape could defend and dig in, scrapping and battling to get results.
So, in terms of this book, the story of Chapecoense starts in earnest in 2006, when they were a non league team, pretty much part-time, basically a team and a club falling to pieces. However, the local businessmen didn’t want to be part of a city without a football team, so they got together and put in place a financial package which rescued the club from oblivion. In addition, they brought in a decent manager and created a sound infrastructure, and gradually the team went from strength to strength, which saw them eight years later make it to Brazil’s top division, Serie A, before tragedy struck when travelling to play the First-leg of the 2016 Copa Sudamericana Final against Atletico Nacional.
FBR:The book obviously takes the reader through to the tragic events of the 26 November 2016, but presume the story doesn’t stop there?
SB: In the timeline of the book, the crash is probably about three quarters of the way through and then there is a section on the how, why, and aftermath for the club, players, families, community and indeed Brazilian football as a whole. The book actually concludes with a reflection on the 2018 World Cup, which finished around the same time as I was completing the manuscript for From Triumph to Tragedy. As someone who has followed Brazilian football it was interesting to note the reaction to the teams defeat to Belgium in the Quarter-Finals, it was more reflective and a realisation that there is more to life than football, which I believe is a result of the Chapecoense disaster.
FBR: This seems then to be a significant change to the reaction in the wake of the 2014 World Cup Semi-Final mauling 7-1 by Germany.
SB: It’s funny you should mention that game, as I was watching it in Rio and it was a day I remember, with torrential rain all day. At the whistle, there were tears and tantrums, it felt like a national tragedy and was a surreal place to be on that day. For many Brazilians it felt like the world had come to an end. Compare that to four years later, when they valiantly lost to Belgium, when Brazil were the better team in the match, the reaction was completely different, and I genuinely believe that was influenced by the Chapecoense tragedy.
FBR: It is interesting that you talk about a change in fan perception and culture of football in Brazil arising from the crash. Does this book also show a different side and a change to Brazilian football in other ways, as many older football fans and perhaps historically, Brazil have been considered to have essentially one style of football?
SB: It is very much why I started the book at the point of the 1994 World Cup in the USA. Carlos Alberto Gomes Parreira was the Brazilian manager at the time and the style of play he brought in was very unpopular with the media and fans in Brazil who were used to free-flowing football. However, he didn’t have the players to continue that tradition, and he recognised that, so his squad were taught a more pragmatic style that was being used and working for European teams. Italy had been particularly successful with that approach over the previous decade or so, with the irony that Brazil beat the Italians at their own game in the ’94 Final on penalties. It did teach the Brazilian country nationwide that there was another way to play, what Pele had described as, the beautiful game.
FBR: With the recent events at Bury and Bolton Wanderers, does this book have a story to tell for those clubs and their fans at all?
SB: I think it does. Chapecoense were one meeting away from going out of business. Other clubs down the years have proved that there is life after the most trying circumstances. It’s funny what difference a decade can make. Chape in 2006 were on their knees and yet ten years later were taking part in the finals of an international tournament they could only have dreamed of previously. Who knows what lies ahead for Bury and Bolton ten years from now.
FBR:Finally, do you still follow the game closely in Brazil?
SB: Writing this book has been a big part of my life and I’ll always have that interest in the game in Brazil. As I said earlier I was caught up in the furore of the Class of ’92, so I will always say Manchester United were my first team, but having moved to Huddersfield, the Terriers are a passionate club – I live within walking distance of the ground – I can’t help but be caught up in the club. They aren’t doing very well at the minute, and the title of my book, From Triumph to Tragedy, could equally apply to Huddersfield Town at the minute! However, I’m sure they will soon be on the up.
FBR: Steven, many thanks for your time and good luck with what sounds like a fascinating story.
EVENTS:
Saturday 28 September 2019 – Steven will be talking about From Triumph to Tragedy prior to the Huddersfield Town v Millwall fixture in the White Rose Club Lounge in the main stand at the John Smith’s Stadium.
First through were the 1998 World Cup winners. Not a classic of a game by any means, but France kept their cool (for the most part) as a niggly Uruguay side tried to disrupt the rhythms of Les Blues. The French scored at the perfect time, just before the break with a cracking header from Varane, but had skipper Lloris to thank for having that advantage at the break as he pulled off a stunning save from Caceres header.
Uruguay did little to create a real chance in the second period and were effectively out after a howler from their ‘keeper Muslera when he tried to punch way a Griezmann shot rather than catch it and all he did was to paddle into his own net. There was also a flashpoint late in the game as Uruguay didn’t take to kindly to some showboating by Mbappe, and the youngster fell to the crowd after minimal contact from a Uruguayan player. Another piece of embarrassing reaction from a player when the physical contact was minimal. For me there should be retrospective action for incidents like this. Uruguay’s miserable day was complete when defender Gimenez spent the last five minutes of the game on the verge of tears. Europe 1, South America 0. Could Belgium do the same later in the evening?
Brazil(0) 1 [Augusto (76’)]
Belgium (2) 2 [Fernandinho (13′ own-goal), De Bruyne (31′)]
Well, well, well.
Europe 2, South America 0.
Belgium were quite simply outstanding as a unit in the first-half – every last one of them and they thoroughly deserved to be ahead at the break. Yes, the Fernandinho own-goal which gave Belgium the lead was fortunate, but they had earned it through a great tactical set-up and which was rewarded by the brilliance of a second goal from Kevin De Bruyne just after the half hour mark.
The system though which demanded a high work rate, took its toll on the Belgium side in the second period as Brazil poured forward. Neymar went down a couple of times in the box, as is his want, and had his claims waived away, but Brazil also has a genuine claim turned down when Vincent Kompany’s appeared to foul Gabriel Jesus, but VAR said no – oh where is the consistency of the system? Finally, the five-times World Champions broke the Belgium line with an Augusto header and it felt as if a Brazilian equaliser would come. However, Belgium battled to the end and in stoppage time, Courtois produces a brilliant finger-tip save to deny Neymar. All that was left was for the Europeans to celebrate and the Brazilians to get the plane home.
What drama awaits today?
England v Sweden: Cosmos Arena, Samara
Two previous meetings in the Finals, the first in 2002, the second in 2006. That first meeting was in Group F, and known as the ‘group of death’ given that England and Sweden were joined by Argentina and Nigeria. It was the opening game for England and Sweden, with a first-half goal from Sol Campbell goal putting the Three Lions ahead only for Niclas Alexandersson to level just before the hour mark. Both teams emerged from the group to the knock-out phase. Four years later the two teams met again, this time in Cologne, in Group B, in the final round of games, England twice were ahead through Joe Cole (34’) and Steven Gerrard (85’), only to be pegged back each time with goals from Marcus Allback (51’) and in stoppage time Henrik Larsson. As in 2002, both sides went through from the group to the last sixteen.
Once more I’ll be calling on the football gods to look kindly on the Three Lions and see them make passage to the Semi-Finals for the first time since 1990. On paper there is no reason that England shouldn’t make it through, but expect a different style of game from Sweden, one devoid of the shocking antics of Colombia. It no doubt will be a nervous and difficult watch, but having broken the penalty hoodoo now, it’s time to throw off the recent record of Quarter-Final exits.
Russia v Croatia: Fisht Olympic Stadium, Sochi
In the guise of the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia, there was a World Cup Finals encounter during the 1962 competition in Chile, with the Soviet Union winning 2-0 in a Group 1 game. As Russia and Croatia there have been three meetings, the first in the European Championship Qualifiers in 2006, saw the teams play out a 0-0 in Moscow, with the return game in Zagreb also goalless. Their last meeting was in a friendly in Rostov, with Croatia winning 3-1.
The hosts Russia have exceeded expectations and with a new-found belief are a real threat. Croatia for all their talent limped through their last sixteen tie against Denmark. They are going to have to be at their best if they are to tame the Russian bear, but I’ve a sneaking feeling the hosts are going to get through again.
The debate about the Greatest of All Time will continue as long as the game of football is played and thanks to the internet, footage of those greats from down the years allows us to compare players from different eras. However, there is nothing like being able to say that you saw them play in the flesh. And I can humbly say that I was able to see ‘live’ the player who at the time was probably the most famous and greatest player on the planet – Edson Arantes do Nascimento or as the world knew him – Pele.
Given that there would be a bumper crowd we got seats in the Stevenage Road Stand rather than our usual spot on the Putney End terrace. Fulham averaged just over 10,000 in the league that season, but for the Santos game it was officially recorded as 21,464 – the biggest attendance I’d seen at the Cottage up till then.
Japan 1 (1) – (0) 1 Croatia AET. Croatia won 3-1 on penalties. (Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah)
Brazil 4 (4) – (0) 1 South Korea (Stadium 974, Doha)
Group H:
Group G:
And so the second round of group games comes to a finale with a bit of a goals flourish as the tables take shape leaving everyone knowing what needs to be done to progress whilst for others its simply means packing their bags.
Group G: Switzerland 1 (0) – (0) 0 Cameroon (Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah)
The Nearly Men tells the fascinating stories of some of the most revered international football teams of all time.
Whilst England fans bemoaned the fact that the Three Lions exited the 1982 World Cup in Spain without losing a game and wondered at what might have been if Trevor Brooking and Kevin Keegan had been fully fit, Stuart Horsfield, then a ten year old boy living in Scarborough was transfixed not by the efforts of his country of birth, but by the football of another nation – Brazil, nicknamed the Seleção (The National Team).
