Canaries on Top

[Thought I'd write about futbol. I haven't read any other takes on the game, but this is what I saw. You should watch the World Cup too. Preferably in Spanish. Or German.]

Ronaldo looked as mobile as an overstuffed turkey. Ronaldinho either sent passes hurtling into empty field or was stripped of possession by Croation defenders. Tellingly, Roberto Carlos, the oldest member of the team, often looked more sprightly than any other player in canary yellow. Yet three-quarters of the way through the game, shots on goal favored Brazil about 9 to 2. And when injury time ran out, Brazil stood the winner, 1-0.

Maybe it is excessive expectations, but whenever I watch Brazil I expect magic. On every possession I expect Ronaldo to sprint his way past a few players, maybe just flash his way through the whole defense. When Roberto Carlos gets the ball, whether it’s on the boundary of the penalty box or at midfield, I anticipate a goal drilled, without curve or pretense, past a startled goalkeeper. With the ball at the feet of Rivaldo, the team’s level-headed former captain, a brilliant give-and-go always seemed imminent. And I imagined equal magic was at the command of every other player, many of whom I do not know by either name or face. Luckily, things go wrong for Brazil too. They’re not perfect, it’s not always easy. But sometimes it looks that way.

It was in the 44th minute that Kaka, one of Brazil’s many right wingers (they run a 4-2-2-2 scheme that puts virtually everyone in scoring position), jogged to an open patch in front of the penalty box. He hung out, unguarded, as Cafu cut a path down the right wing. When he finally received the ball, defenders were already on their way, but all he needed was a one-touch to his left and then drove a left-footed bullet into the left-hand corner to beat the Croatian goalie.

A few minutes later, after the halftime whistle, Kaka crossed the field at a light run on his way to the locker room. He didn’t look like a man who had just scored Brazil’s first goal of the World Cup. Seemed he was thinking about all the others, all the shots wide of their mark.

Brazil is scary, but when it plays as sloppy as it did last night against a spirited Croatian side and still walks away with three points (the victor’s take), then you realize what you’re up against. The team hardly plays together outside of the Cup; Ronaldinho’s all-too-frequent errant passes were enough to make that clear. Give them two more warm-ups—and likely victories—and I worry for the rest of the world. It’s not easy for Brazil, but its easier for them than anyone else.