Phan Văn Santos

It is not my intention to be patronising here, but Vietnam is hardly a country that makes one think of footballing glory.
They are currently ranked 127 in the world by FIFA (the highest they have been in these rankings is 84th in September 1998). Whilst football is by far the most popular sport in the country, the V-League only turned professional in 2000. On a positive note they are the current ASEAN Champions (not to be confused with Asian Games champions- that's Qatar).
Over 50 Brazilian born players have featured in the V league during its first decade, Denilson being the only member of the seleção to do so.

The most remarkable Brazilian born player to feature in the V- league must be goalkeeper Phan Văn Santos (born Fabio dos Santos, Rio De Janeiro, 1977). He started his career with Vasco and moved to Đồng Tâm Long An in 2001. He recently moved to Navibank Sài Gòn (who have 3 other Brazilian born players in their squad).

A formidable 92 kg and 198 cm tall, in addition to his qualities as a stopper Fabio is also a free kick specialist, and the only goalie to have scored in the Asian Champions League . In 2008 Fabio became the first overseas sportsman to be granted Vietnamese Citizenship, meeting the residency, work and language criteria. He took the name Phan Van in honour of two of his teammates, and led Vietnam against the Brazil Olympic team in July 2008.

A further 4 Brazilians have followed Phan Văn Santos' example by becoming naturalized Vietnamese: Huynh Kesley (Kesley Alves), Nguyen Rogerio (Rogerio Pereira),Nguyen Hoang Helio (Helio da Silva), and Le Trung Son (Jefferson Valentim).

Phan Văn Santos leads Vietnam out against Brazil.

In conversation with Ronaldinho.

More info on Vietnam Football can be found here: http://www.vietfootball.blogspot.com

日系ブラジル人

One of the players who impressed me (and there weren't that many) during the recent FIFA World Cup was Japan's centre back Tulio. Marcus Tulio Tanaka was born in Palmeira d'Oeste,Brazil in 1981.His father was a second generation Japanese-Brazilian and his mother Italian-Brazilian. Tulio moved to Japan at age 15 to complete his high school studies. After graduation in 2001, he joined the J.League club Sanfrecce Hiroshima. Tulio made his international début in 2006, and has played 43 times for Japan, scoring twice.
Tulio is the latest in a succession of Brazilian born players to represent Japan at the highest level. Some of these players have shared Tulio's mixed heritage, whilst others have been Brazilians who became 'naturalized' in Japan.


In 1967 Nelson Yoshimura became the first Brazil born player to appear in the Japanese league. Nelson was born in São Paulo. In 1970 he became a Japanese citizen and took the name Dashiro Yoshimura. Dashiro went on to play international football.

George Yonashiro was born in São Paulo(1950). He obtained his Japanese citizenship in 1985 and played twice for Japan that year (no goals).
Ruy Ramos (born Ruy Gonçalves Ramos Sobrinho in Rio de Janeiro,1957) became a naturalized Japanese citizen in 1989. He joined Yomiuri FC (now Tokyo Verdy) in 1977. He played 32 games for Japan between 1990 and 1995, scoring once.

Wagner Lopes (born Wágner Augusto Lopes,São Paulo, 1969) is a naturalised Japanese citizen.He was an important member of Japan's 1998 FIFA World Cup squad, playing 20 internationals between 1997 and 1999, scoring five goals.Alex (born Alessandro dos Santos, Paraná,1977) played 82 times for Japan between 2002 and 2006, scoring seven goals.Alex moved to Japan at the age of sixteen. He became a Japanese citizen in 2001, and represented his new country at the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Alex also played at the 2006 World Cup, including a match against Brazil.

Maracanaço

16.07.1950

Everywhere has its irremediable national catastrophe, something like a Hiroshima. Our catastrophe, our Hiroshima, was the defeat by Uruguay in 1950. - Nelson Rodrigues

Kartoshka All Stars...

Lev Yashin- Soviet Union (1954-1970) there have been few challengers to his status as the greatest of all goalkeepers, Yashin was consistent- brave, an athlete and a great stopper.

Cafu- Brazil (1990–2006)** hard to beat and very dangerous going forward.
Franz Beckenbauer- West Germany (1965–1977)* (captain)- The Kaiser was solid in defence and his accomplishments as a midfielder led to him practically inventing the role of sweeper. Would win the ball and then set off on marauding runs- box to box.
Marcel Desailly - France (1993–2004)* strong, solid and stylish.
Paolo Maldini - Italy (1988–2002) the greatest of all left backs, period.

Didi- Brazil (1952–1962)** defined the modern midfielder as we know it- lethal from free kicks, combative, incisive passer.
Socrates- Brazil (1979–1986) superb ball player and an ideal fulcrum.
Zinadine Zidane - France (1994–2006)* the paragon of modern midfield play, tough, skillful and a deadly finisher.

Mané Garrincha- Brazil (1955-1966)**- Mané wasn't always glued to the right touchline- he often cut into the inside right channel and could shoot from range or deliver very telling balls into the danger area.He could head the ball also.
Johann Cruyff- The Netherlands (1966–1978) could have picked him in a number of positions, his finishing alone justifies his place at the centre of a three man attack.
Pelé- Brazil- (1957–1971)*** his range of talents and prolific scoring record cannot be overlooked.

I'm shamelessly nostalgic , so I'll take any criticisms of the 'retro' look of my 11 with a pinch of salt. At first I was concerned that it was a bit right sided (imagine having Cafu overlapping Garrincha!). There is also the argument that Garrincha wouldn't do much tracking back. Cruyff was also accused of sometimes neglecting the defensive aspect of total football. But the midfield has a solid look to it! and the back four is a mobile and formidable unit. If Beckenbauer moved up into midfield with the ball he was usually moving forward with intent, so any gap left at the back was academic. As I've said before- in football there is no right or wrong- only opinion- it's just a bit of fun.
Enjoy the World Cup!

Dream Teams...

I'm breaking my resolution to avoid posts on football during World Cup month: I'll excuse myself by pointing out there are still 4 days to go...>One of the most futile, frustrating and yet inexhaustibly enjoyable pursuits open to the football lover is the selection of 'all time greatest' teams. In football there can be no right or wrong, only opinion, and it is impossible to select such teams given the changes that the game has undergone. Modern players are fitter, the ball is lighter, pitches better, they don't have to put up with the rough treatment that wash dished out in the past. Modern defensive play is better organised and I believe the general level of individual skill is greater than ever.
I'm not going to commit myself to naming my all time 11 yet, but let's look at some others.
In 1994 FIFA selected this team, which lined up in a 4-3-3 formation:

Lev Yashin- Soviet Union (1954-1970)
Djalma Santos- Brazil (1952–1968)**
Franz Beckenbauer- West Germany (1965–1977)*
Bobby Moore- England(1962–1973)*
Paul Breitner - West Germany (1971–1982)*
Johann Cruyff- The Netherlands (1966–1978)
Michel Platini - France (1976–1987)
Bobby Charlton - England (1958–1970)*
Mané Garrincha- Brazil (1955-1966)**
Ferenc Puskas - Hungary & Spain (1945–1956/1962)
Pelé- Brazil- (1957–1971)***

At the FIFA World Cup in France 1998 Mastercard got 250 journalists to select their Team of the Century.Again the formation was 4-3-3:

Yashin
Carlos Alberto Torres- Brazil (1964-1977) *
Beckenbauer
Moore
Nilton Santos- Brazil (1949-1963) **
Cruyff
Alfredo di Stefano - Argentina, Columbia, Spain (1947–1949/1949–1954/1954–1962)
Platini
Mané Garrincha
Diego Maradona- Argentina (1977–1994)*
Pelé

In the build up to the 2002 World Cup FIFAworldcup.com selected the following on the basis of online voting by fans:

Yashin
Paolo Maldini - Italy (1988–2002)
Beckenbauer
Roberto Carlos - Brazil (1992–2006) *
Roberto Baggio - Italy (1988–2004)
Zinadine Zidane - France (1994–2006)*
Platini
Maradona
Romario - Brazil (1987–2005)*
Cruyff
Pelé

Unlike the previous selections, which were quite logical and balanced, this is a crazy set up that would never work in reality. 3-4-3
3 at the back- Maldini on the right? Roberto Carlos was strong going forward but couldn't defend, Beckenbauer buried in the middle of a 3 man defence?
4 number 10's in midfield-
11 great players, but not really a team.
Anyway- Joao Kartoshka will reveal his all time 11 in the near future...