Brazil’s National Soccer Team Suffers
Futebol, or soccer, has for a half century been the very heartbeat of Brazilian national pride as generation after generation of exquisitely talented players has donned the national team’s canary-yellow jersey and showed the world how the “beautiful game” should be played. And Europe’s elite leagues have long honored Brazil’s contribution to the game by bringing dozens of Brazilian players to star in their top teams. But Brazil may have been a victim of its own success: Today, the national team is struggling, and the resultant crisis in national pride has enraged everyone from the fans in the cheap seats to President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva.
Just 15 minutes into Brazil’s recent World Cup qualifying match with Ecuador, when the teams had yet to find their feet and their rhythm, the fans at Rio’s legendary Maracanã stadium were calling for the head of Dunga, the single name used by the former team captain who now serves as its coach. Brazil eventually awoke from their sluggishness and scored five goals without reply, and the fans were singing again — but the truce was temporary. A few months later, as Brazil faced its arch-rival Argentina in a 0-0 draw, the coach was again in the fans’ cross hairs. “Cheerio, Dunga,” they roared, as Brazil struggled to put the ball in the net. “Donkey, donkey, donkey,” they chanted, before doing the unthinkable — loudly cheering their opponent’s best player, Lionel Messi.
That Dunga is the scapegoat for Brazil’s bad run of form is hardly surprising in a country that one of his predecessors once described as having 180 million coaches. But the players he chooses are also coming in for flak in a controversy that has raised the question of just what it means to be Brazilian. Many fans believe that when Brazilian players make it big and are signed to play for major European professional teams, they lose their identity and national pride. (Indeed, there are currently more than ten other countries, ranging from Spain and Portugal to Croatia, Poland and Japan, that have awarded citizenship to Brazilian pros in order to field them in their national soccer teams.) Players earning millions of dollars abroad on their pro teams don’t have the same passion for representing the national team as do those that stay close to home, runs the conventional wisdom. “If you look at the Brazilian team there isn’t one player who plays in Brazil,” President Lula complained bitterly after the Argentina game. “Today, a young player’s dream isn’t to play for Brazil, it’s to play in Europe.”
Pedra da Gavea
Along with Corcovado and Pão de Açúcar, Pedra da Gávea (meaning Topsail Rock) is one of Rio de Janeiro’s most recognizable mountains. With its granite top at 842 meters it’s also the world’s largest block of stone by the seaside. Like no other mountain in Brazil it is surrounded by mysterious legends, with stories of Phoneicians, extra-terrestrial life and more.
If you’re fond of trekking scaling Pedra da Gávea should be high on your itinerary while in Rio de Janeiro. The hike is not for beginners, it’s strenuous and there is a small portion which involves rock climbing (though at a simple level). There are several agencies in town that can supply you with a guide, though if you are comfortable with a slightly advanced mountain trek it can be done independently.
To find the entrance to the trek take any bus going to Praça Euvaldo Lodi in Barra da Tijuca - if you’re coming from Copacabana/Ipanema/Leblon/São Conrado it’s just after the tunnel when reaching Barra da Tijuca. Cross the river on the bridge next to the highway, and take a right on the other side. After walking for about five minutes you’ll reach Praça Desembargador Araujo Jorge. Follow Estrada do Joá for one block, and turn left onto Avenida Fleming. After three blocks follow it into Estrada do Sorimã, which takes you right up the entrance of the path, where there’s also parking.
Miss Brazil in Bikini
Miss Brazil
Somebody caught Miss Brazil, Natalia Anderle with a smile and almost nothing else on a beach in Hoi An for the 57th annual Miss Universe pageant which will be held in Vietnam’s central Nha Trang resort city on July 14, 2008.
Motorola ZN200 slider in Brazil
Motorola ZN200 slider
The second model in Motorola’s new ZINE line — the ZN200 slider — has officially broken cover, though it’s with a whole hell of a lot less fanfare than the first. There are plenty of reasons for that noticeably lower-key intro, of course; a less-than-spellbinding design and unremarkable 2 megapixel camera (with no Kodak branding to be found, mind you) are the two standouts that come immediately to our attention, and the 30MB of on-board storage isn’t helping the case, either. It should be launching in Brazil alongside the Z10 for 499 reais (about $311) in your choice of black or pink, and Moto’ll throw in a 1GB memory card for that price, too, just ’cause they like ya.
