By Boris Mellor
June 15 2006

A slightly better team than Croatia might have forced a draw with Brazil, although they did quite well. However it should be kept in mind that Brazil played with only nine and a half men.

Ronaldo broke into a run for the first time when he was substituted; rumour has it he had a table booked at a five star restaurant. As for Adriano he just disproves the idea that all Brazilians are natural footballers. Meanwhile the creature that has something of the night about him finally had a shot on target (unfortunately it was saved, and his free kicks are as crap as ever) for the first time in how many years?

 

But I digress, it’s not the debate on “great teams that are really crap” that concerns me here, but rather great players that really are crap. In this instance Ronaldo.

Some pundits are saying that if he has another bad game (that’s an understatement) he will be dropped. But will he be dropped?

 

Memories are short, at least for pundits, think back to France 98. A certain player was left off the final team sheet to the shock of the football world. Then just 40 minutes before the game started he miraculously reappeared on the sheet. He played like a zombie (nothing new there then. Ed) until substituted. France won the World Cup, but apparently it didn’t count as the fat lady hadn’t played. (Whoa there, you will have the President of Brazil on your case. Ed)

 

The reason for this happening has never been revealed, rumours were that Ronnie had a fit, and that the Doctor advised against him playing on medical grounds. Yet later he was sent out to play. This caused such an uproar in Brazil that there was even a government enquiry into what happened. Of course the enquiry revealed nothing at all.

Rumours persisted that powerful sponsors had insisted he play, and would not take no for an answer. Nike felt under such pressure that they issued a statement

 "With regard to rumours circulating about presumed pressures Nike put on the Brazilian national soccer team so that Ronaldo would play, Nike wants to emphasize that the report of such involvement is absolutely false," . Nike had a ten year contract with Ronaldo at the time.

So if it wasn’t wealthy sponsors who forced him to play who did? Or is Brazil a one-man team who lack confidence without him? `                                                                                                                           And whoever they are will they allow him to be dropped this time around? Just a thought.