Temptation
Well-known member
Dinho is kinda on point with his recent remarks tbh.
The 2006 Brazil team was wild.
It was on paper, probably the strongest national team ever assembled.
The starting line up was:
---------------------- Dida -----------------------
Cafu --- Lucio --- Juan -- Roberto Carlos
-------- Emerson --- Ze Roberto -------
------ Kaka ------------------- Ronaldinho
---------- Adriano -- Ronaldo ---------
3 Ballon d'Or winners in there, plus one of the most intimidating strikers ever, two contenders for the best full backs of all time, and amazing defensive players and workhorses to add to that.
If each of these players were at their best, this team would be unstoppable.
But in reality they underperformed badly.
To be fair to them, they did have some good games like the second half against Japan and the knockout tie against Ghana, and it took Zidane's brilliant performance to knock them out. However the expectations going into the tournament were massive, they were seen as clear cut favourites, and they disappointed everybody.
I remember this was the first time people saw Dinho as human again, as before that, despite some inconsistent form that season, he used to deliver in big games for Barcelona and had just won the CL against Arsenal.
This WC also cemented the downfalls of Adriano and Ronaldo, who were no longer seen as elite players after this.
However I think that despite this team being seen as a failure, I honestly think that this was still a better Brazil than any team that came afterwards. Despite the poor form of key players, they were still very defensively solid and if it wasn't for that Zidane pass to Henry, they might have knocked out France on penalties. Going out losing 0-1 to that France team is no shame, it was much less of an embarrassment than the ways in which the future teams were kicked out of the WC. From my memory, Lucio was a total beast in that tournament. So, as badly as they underperformed, I would still take that Brazil team over any other version that came afterwards. For example, there's no way this team loses 7-1 to Germany or wastes a lead to Croatia. Just too much defensive talent and experience in there. Perhaps Dinho has got a point.
The 2006 Brazil team was wild.
It was on paper, probably the strongest national team ever assembled.
The starting line up was:
---------------------- Dida -----------------------
Cafu --- Lucio --- Juan -- Roberto Carlos
-------- Emerson --- Ze Roberto -------
------ Kaka ------------------- Ronaldinho
---------- Adriano -- Ronaldo ---------
3 Ballon d'Or winners in there, plus one of the most intimidating strikers ever, two contenders for the best full backs of all time, and amazing defensive players and workhorses to add to that.
If each of these players were at their best, this team would be unstoppable.
But in reality they underperformed badly.
To be fair to them, they did have some good games like the second half against Japan and the knockout tie against Ghana, and it took Zidane's brilliant performance to knock them out. However the expectations going into the tournament were massive, they were seen as clear cut favourites, and they disappointed everybody.
I remember this was the first time people saw Dinho as human again, as before that, despite some inconsistent form that season, he used to deliver in big games for Barcelona and had just won the CL against Arsenal.
This WC also cemented the downfalls of Adriano and Ronaldo, who were no longer seen as elite players after this.
However I think that despite this team being seen as a failure, I honestly think that this was still a better Brazil than any team that came afterwards. Despite the poor form of key players, they were still very defensively solid and if it wasn't for that Zidane pass to Henry, they might have knocked out France on penalties. Going out losing 0-1 to that France team is no shame, it was much less of an embarrassment than the ways in which the future teams were kicked out of the WC. From my memory, Lucio was a total beast in that tournament. So, as badly as they underperformed, I would still take that Brazil team over any other version that came afterwards. For example, there's no way this team loses 7-1 to Germany or wastes a lead to Croatia. Just too much defensive talent and experience in there. Perhaps Dinho has got a point.
