രാജാവ് തിരിച്ചുവരുന്നു

ബ്രസീല്‍ ചിലിയെ തോല്‍പ്പിച്ച മത്സരം കണ്ടുകൊണ്ടിരിക്കെ പെലെ കളിയിലേക്ക് കടന്നുവന്നു-റൊബീന്യോയുടെ പത്താം നമ്പര്‍ കുപ്പായത്തില്‍! ആത്മാക്കളുടെ ഒത്തുചേരല്‍ പോലെ അജ്ഞാതവും അദൃശ്യവുമായ ഒരു സംഗമം. പിന്നെ മൈതാനത്ത് റൊബീന്യോ സഞ്ചരിച്ചത് സ്വര്‍ണച്ചിറകുകള്‍ വീശിയായിരുന്നു. അയാളുടെ വഴികളില്‍ സര്‍ഗാത്മകമായ ഒരു നീക്കത്തിന്റെ ഗണിതസൂത്രങ്ങള്‍ പൂത്തുനിന്നു. എപ്പോഴും പിറക്കാവുന്ന ഗോള്‍ പോലെ ഒരു പന്ത് അയാളുടെ കാലില്‍ ആജ്ഞ കാത്ത് കുരുങ്ങിക്കിടന്നു. എതിരാളിയുടെ മൈതാനത്ത് അയാള്‍ ശൂന്യസ്ഥലങ്ങള്‍ സൃഷ്ടിച്ചു. പന്തിനെ അവിടേക്ക് ആവാഹിച്ചുവരുത്തി. ശത്രുവിനെ അസ്വസ്ഥനാക്കിയും ആരാധകരെ വ്യാമുഗ്ധരാക്കിയും അയാളങ്ങിനെ മേഞ്ഞുനടന്നു. ഇടയ്ക്ക് മേഘമാലകളില്‍ നിന്നെന്ന പോലെ ഒരു മിന്നല്‍ ഗോള്‍ ചീന്തിയെടുത്തു.

കക്കായും പെലെയും!

ഇതാ പെലെ, അതെ.. പെലെ തന്നെ! ദൈവമേ, ഇവന്‍ പെലെയെ ഓര്‍മിപ്പിക്കുന്നു-റൊബീന്യോയുടെ കളി നേരില്‍ കണ്ടു കൊണ്ടിരുന്ന ഒരു ബ്രസീലിയന്‍ സി.എന്‍.എന്നിന്റെ വേള്‍ഡ് കപ്പ് ട്വിറ്ററില്‍ ആവേശത്തോടെ കുറിച്ചു. കളി മുന്നേറുന്നതിനൊപ്പം റൊബീന്യോയും വളരുകയായിരുന്നു. കക്കായുമൊത്ത് ഫാബിയാനോയുടെ ചിറകുകള്‍ പോലെ അപ്പുറവും ഇപ്പുറവുമായി സഞ്ചരിച്ചു. എതിരാളികള്‍ ഗ്രൗണ്ടിലെവിടെയും അയാളെ മാത്രം കണ്ടു. അത്ഭുതകരമായ അയാളുടെ പെഡലാഡകളൊന്നും (മാസ്മരികമായ ഡ്രിബ്ലിങ്ങുകള്‍) ഇന്നലെ ഉണ്ടായില്ല. പക്ഷെ അദൃശ്യസാന്നിധ്യം പോലെ അയാള്‍ ഗോളിനടുത്ത് എപ്പോഴും ഉണ്ടായിരുന്നു. ബോക്‌സിനു പുറത്തു നിന്ന് ആകര്‍ഷകമായ ആംഗിളില്‍ ഒരു ഗോള്‍ അയാള്‍ വളച്ചടിച്ചപ്പോള്‍ മറ്റൊരാളുടെ ട്വീറ്റ്: പെലെയും കക്കായും ചേര്‍ന്നാണ് കളി. ഇനി കപ്പ് ബ്രസീലിനു തന്നെ. താഴ്ത്തിയടിച്ച മറ്റൊരു ആംഗുലര്‍ ഷോട്ട് ക്ലോഡിയോ ബ്രാവോ കഷ്ടപ്പെട്ട് രക്ഷിച്ചപ്പോള്‍ ഒരു ഗോള്‍ നഷ്ടപ്പെട്ടു. മറ്റൊരു ശ്രമം ഓഫ്‌സൈഡ് കൊടിയില്‍ കുടുങ്ങുകയും ചെയ്തു. റൊബീന്യോയുടെ ഗോളുകളുടെ എണ്ണം ഒന്നില്‍ ഒതുങ്ങിയെങ്കിലും മാന്‍ ഓഫ് ദ മാച്ച് ആര്‍ക്കു കൊടുക്കണം എന്ന കാര്യത്തില്‍ ആര്‍ക്കും തര്‍ക്കമുണ്ടായിരുന്നില്ല.

അദൃശ്യനായ രാജാവ്

റൊബീന്യോ ഫോം വീണ്ടെടുക്കുമ്പോള്‍ ബ്രസീല്‍ ക്യാമ്പില്‍ മാത്രമല്ല, ലോകമെങ്ങും ആഹ്ലാദം ഉണരുന്നുണ്ട്. കാരണം ലളിതം. കാല്‍പ്പനികമായ പഴയ ബ്രസീലിയന്‍ ഫുട്‌ബോളിന്റെ അവസാനത്തെ കണ്ണികളിലൊരാളാണ് അയാള്‍. കളി കൊണ്ടും ജീവിതം കൊണ്ടും റൊബീന്യോ പെലെയുടെ വംശാവലിയിലാണ് വരിക. അയാളുടെ കളിക്ക് ദുംഗയുടെ കൂച്ചുവിലങ്ങുകളേക്കാള്‍ സന്റാനയുടെ മദംപൊട്ടുന്ന സ്വാതന്ത്ര്യമാണ് ചേരുക. കെട്ടുപൊട്ടിക്കാന്‍ വെമ്പുന്ന ഒരു സര്‍ഗാത്മകത അയാളിലുണ്ട്. യൂറോപ്യന്‍ ഫുട്‌ബോളിന്റെ കാര്‍ക്കശ്യങ്ങളില്‍ സാധിക്കാതെ പോയ അയാളുടെ ആത്മപ്രകാശനമാണ് ഇപ്പോള്‍ അരങ്ങേറുന്നത്. മെസ്സിക്കും ക്രിസ്റ്റിയാനോക്കും റൂണിക്കും വിയക്കും കക്കായ്ക്കും പിറകെ പോയ ലോകമാധ്യമങ്ങള്‍ റൊബീന്യോ മോശം ഫോമിലാണെന്നു സ്ഥാപിക്കാന്‍ മത്സരിച്ചതും ഒരു കണക്കില്‍ അയാള്‍ക്കു നന്നായി. സമ്മര്‍ദ്ദമില്ലാത്ത റൊബീന്യോയെ ഇംഗ്ലീഷ് ലീഗിലോ റയല്‍ നിരയിലോ നാം കാണില്ല. എന്നാല്‍ ഇതാ, ബ്രസീല്‍ നിരയിലെ മഞ്ഞക്കുപ്പായത്തില്‍ വരുമ്പോള്‍ അവന്‍ പെലെയുടെ രണ്ടാം ജന്മമാകുന്നു. എതിരാളികള്‍ ഇനി അസ്വസ്ഥരാവാതെ വയ്യ. റൊബീന്യോ ഫോമിലായാല്‍ ബ്രസീലിന് 12 കളിക്കാരാവും. അയാളില്‍ പഴയ കറുമ്പന്‍ രാജാവിന്റെ ആയിരം ഗോളുകള്‍ നേടിയ കാലുകള്‍ അദൃശ്യമായി പ്രവര്‍ത്തിക്കും.52 വര്‍ഷങ്ങള്‍ക്കു മുമ്പ് ബ്രസീലിനു വേണ്ടി ബൂട്ടുകെട്ടിയ കറുത്തു മെല്ലിച്ച ആ യുവാവിന്റെ പരകായപ്രവേശം പൊടുന്നനെ ഇയാളില്‍ ഫുട്‌ബോള്‍ ലോകം കാണുന്നു. കളിയിലെ കലി ബാധിക്കുമ്പോള്‍ പെലെയെപ്പോലെ റൊബീന്യോവും ഒരു നര്‍ത്തകനാവുന്നു.

പെലെ കണ്ടെത്തിയ കുട്ടി

പെലെയാണ് റൊബീന്യോവിനെ കണ്ടെത്തിയത്. സാന്റോസില്‍ നിന്നു പിണങ്ങി നില്‍ക്കുകയായിരുന്ന പെലെ സെലക്ടറായി തിരിച്ചെത്തിയ വര്‍ഷമാണ് റൊബീന്യോ അവിടെ സെലക്ഷനു പോയത്. കൊച്ചു റോബിയെ ആദ്യമായി കണ്ടപ്പോള്‍ തന്നെ പെലെ പറഞ്ഞു. ഇവന്‍ എന്നെപ്പോലെയുണ്ട്. അവന്റെ പന്തടക്കവും വൈവിധ്യവും അത്ഭുതവിദ്യകളും ഒറ്റ നോട്ടത്തില്‍ പെലെക്കു ബോധ്യപ്പെട്ടു. തന്റെ ദൈന്യതയാര്‍ന്ന ബാല്യകാലരൂപവും പെലെ അവനില്‍ ദര്‍ശിച്ചു. വിയര്‍പ്പോടെ ആശ്ലേഷിച്ചു കൊണ്ട് കാറ്റു നിറഞ്ഞ പന്തിന്റെ അത്ഭുതം കലര്‍ന്ന രസവിദ്യ അയാള്‍ അവനു പറഞ്ഞു കൊടുത്തു. പന്തിനെ രണ്ടു പ്രാവശ്യം തൊടണം. ആദ്യത്തെ ടച്ച്, നിര്‍ത്താനും ഇഷ്ടമുള്ളിടത്തേക്ക് നീക്കാനും. രണ്ടാമത്തേത് അത് നിയന്ത്രണത്തില്‍ തന്നെ എന്ന് ഉറപ്പാക്കാന്‍. രണ്ടിലധികം തൊടുന്നത് കഴിവു കുറഞ്ഞവരോ ആത്മവിശ്വാസം കൂടിയവരോ ആണ്. പന്തിനെ പേടിക്കാനോ അവമതിക്കാനോ പാടില്ല. റൊബീന്യോവിന്റെ അച്ഛനെയും പെലെ വളിച്ചുവരുത്തി. വിറച്ചുവിറച്ചാണ് അയാള്‍ ചെന്നത്. ഇവനു ഭക്ഷണം കൊടുക്കാത്തതെന്തെന്നു ചോദിച്ചുകൊണ്ട് മൈതാനത്തു നിന്ന് കയറിവന്ന് പെലെ അയാളെ ആലിംഗനം ചെയ്തു. ഇവനെ കാണുമ്പോള്‍ ഞാന്‍ എന്നെ ഓര്‍ക്കുന്നു. എനിക്കും അന്നു ഭക്ഷണം കിട്ടിയിരുന്നില്ല. പെലെ പറഞ്ഞു. ഇവനു ഭക്ഷണം കൊടുക്കുക. ഇവന്‍ എന്നേക്കാള്‍ വലുതാവും. റൊബീന്യോ ഒന്നും മറന്നിട്ടില്ല. അയാളുടെ കൈയില്‍ എപ്പോഴുമുള്ള വസ്തുക്കളിലൊന്ന് ഒരു ബ്ലാക്ക് ആന്‍ഡ് വൈറ്റ് ഫോട്ടോയാണ്. 1950കളിലെ പ്രശസ്തമായ സാന്റോസ് ടീമിന്റെ ഫോട്ടോ. അതില്‍ പെലെ ചിരിച്ചു കൊണ്ട് നില്‍ക്കുന്നുണ്ട്.

നര്‍ത്തകന്‍, മാന്ത്രികന്‍

ബ്രസീലിലെ ദരിദ്രരായ എല്ലാ കുട്ടികളുടെയും സ്വപ്നം ഒരു നാള്‍ സാന്റോസിനു കളിക്കുക എന്നതാണ്. പെലെ കളിച്ച ടീമാണ് അത്. ബ്രസീലിലെ പാവപ്പെട്ടവന്റെ ക്ലബ്ബ്. വര്‍ഷങ്ങള്‍ക്കു ശേഷം സാന്റോസിനെ ലീഗ് ചാമ്പ്യന്മാരാക്കിയതോടെ പെലെയെപ്പോലെ റൊബീന്യോവും സാവോപോളോവിന്റെ ഫുട്‌ബോള്‍ ചരിത്രത്തിലെ വീരഗാഥയായി. പെലെയുമായുള്ള താരതമ്യങ്ങള്‍ ബ്രസീലിലെ നിരന്തര ചര്‍ച്ചകളായി. എന്നാല്‍ സത്യത്തില്‍ പെലെയെക്കാള്‍ ഗാറിഞ്ചയോടാണ് അവനു സാമ്യം. എതിരാളികളെ അസ്ത്പ്രജ്ഞരാക്കുന്ന പെലെയുടെ ഗോളുകളല്ല, അപമാനിതരാക്കുന്ന ഗാറിഞ്ചയുടെ നൃത്തച്ചുവടുകളാണ് അവനിഷ്ടം. ഗാറിഞ്ചയുടെ ജിഞ്ചാ നൃത്തമാണ് അവനിലുള്ളത്്. അതിന്റെ സംസ്‌കരിച്ചെടുത്ത പുതിയ രൂപം. അതിന്റെ പൂര്‍ണത. യൂറോപ്പ് അവനില്‍ കുറച്ചു കരുത്തു കൂടി നിറച്ചു. പെലെയും ഗാറിഞ്ചയും അങ്ങിനെ അവനില്‍ ഇപ്പോള്‍ സമ്മേളിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നു. മെലിഞ്ഞു ശോഷിച്ച, ദുര്‍ബലനായ ആ പഴയ റൊബീന്യോവല്ല ഇന്നലെ ബ്രസീലിനെ മുന്നില്‍ നിന്നു നയിച്ചത്.

ദേശീയ ടീമില്‍ എത്തുമ്പോള്‍ റൊബീന്യോക്ക് പെലെയെക്കാള്‍ രണ്ടു വയസ്സ് കൂടുതലായിരുന്നു. രാജാവ് 17-ാം വയസ്സില്‍ ടീമിലെത്തി, 1958ലെ ലോകകപ്പു കളിച്ചു. 19-ാം വയസ്സില്‍, 2003ലെ കോണ്‍കാകാഫ് ഗോള്‍ഡ് കപ്പില്‍ അരങ്ങേറിയ റോബി 22-ാം വയസ്സില്‍ 2006 ലാണ് ലോകകപ്പു കളിച്ചത്. വാവ, ദിദ, ഗാരിഞ്ച എന്നിവര്‍ക്കൊപ്പം ചേര്‍ന്ന് പെലെ ബ്രസീലിനെ ചാമ്പ്യന്മാരാക്കി. 2006ല്‍ കക്ക, റൊണാള്‍ഡോ, റൊണാള്‍ഡീന്യോ, അദ്രിയാനോ എന്നിവര്‍ക്കൊപ്പം റൊബീന്യോ കപ്പുമായി വരുമെന്ന് ബ്രസീലുകാര്‍ വിശ്വസിച്ചു. ബ്രസീല്‍ തോറ്റു മടങ്ങി. എല്ലാത്തിനും അതിന്റേതായ സമയമുണ്ട്. ആ സമയം വന്നു എന്നാണോ റൊബീന്യോയുടെ കളി നമ്മോടു പറയുന്നത്? കാത്തിരിക്കുക..

കളി ഒരു സര്‍ഗസൃഷ്ടി

റൊബീന്യോ സാധാരണ ഫുട്‌ബോളറല്ല. മൈതാനത്ത് അവന്‍ വരക്കുന്ന ആരങ്ങളും ചതുരങ്ങളും വര്‍ത്തുളചാപങ്ങളും അവന്റെ ശരീരവും കാറ്റു നിറച്ചൊരു പന്തും തമ്മിലുള്ള ഗാഢപ്രണയത്തിന്റെ സൃഷ്ടിയാണ്. അവന്‍ പന്തു പാസ് ചെയ്യുന്നത് മറ്റൊരു കളിക്കാരനിലേക്കല്ല. ഭാവിയിലെ ഒരു ബിന്ദുവിലേക്കാണ്. പോയിന്റോ ഫ്യൂച്ചൂറോ എന്നാണതിനു ബ്രസീലില്‍ പറയുക. പുതിയൊരു പിറവിയുടെ ശൂന്യതയിലേക്ക്. അവന്റെ കാലില്‍ നിന്ന് പാസ് പുറപ്പെടുമ്പോള്‍ ആ സ്ഥാനത്ത് ഒരു കളിക്കാരന്‍ ഇല്ല. അവിടെ ഉണ്ടായി വരും. അതില്‍ നിന്നൊരു പുതിയ നീക്കം രൂപപ്പെടും. അതു തടയാന്‍ എതിരാളികള്‍ക്കു കഴിയില്ല. അതു കാണാന്‍ ഉള്‍ക്കണ്ണു വേണം. അതില്‍ എപ്പോഴും ഒരു ഗോള്‍ സാധ്യത ഉണ്ട്. അവന്റെ ഓരോ നീക്കവും ഓരോ സൃഷ്ടിയാണ്. ഭാവിയെ അവന്‍ സൃഷ്ടിക്കുന്നു. നിര്‍ണ്ണയിക്കുന്നു. റൊബീന്യോ കളിക്കുകയല്ല, കളിയെ വ്യാഖ്യാനിക്കുകയാണ്. അവന്‍ കളിക്കാരനല്ല,കലാകാരനാണ്.

Brazil saw off the challenge of a slightly disappointing Chile to seal a mouth-watering quarter-final tie against the Netherlands

The Selecao defeated Chile 4-2 and 3-0 in World Cup qualifying - and Dunga's team eased to a comfortable victory at Ellis Park on Monday as their opponents became the first South American team to be eliminated from the competition.

Chile, shorn of suspended trio Marco Estrada, Waldo Ponce and Gary Medel, were always up against it after conceding twice in four minutes shortly after the half-hour mark.

Juan opened the scoring with a powerful header and Luis Fabiano slotted into an empty net to finish off an attacking move of lethal precision as Brazil took another step towards a sixth World Cup title.

A precise right-foot finish from the edge of the area saw Robinho, who had a later effort ruled out for offside, open his account at the tournament in the second half.

Brazil boss Dunga has been heavily criticised back home for constructing a team that values efficiency ahead of flair, but his side controlled the vast majority of the match and were comfortable winners.

Chile, as with Mexico against Argentina on Sunday, really took the contest to their opponents in the opening minutes.

Marcela Bielsa's side have won many admirers in South Africa with their quick-fire, skilful brand of attacking football, but apart from a weak Humberto Suarez shot that Brazil keeper Julio Cesar easily collected they had little end product to show for their bright start.

Brazil, with Dani Alves superb on the right of midfield, gave Chile no room to breathe and gradually took control of the contest.

They should have been awarded a penalty when Lucio was brought down by a late tackle from Pablo Contreras, but eventually took the lead through Juan's header from Maicon's corner.

The Brazil defender was left unmarked - and his perfectly placed header clearly rattled Chile, whose increasingly erratic passing prevented them from picking any holes in their opponents' defensive structure.

The tie was as good as won when Brazil scored their second just four minutes after Juan's header, with a goal of breathtaking movement and precision.

Robinho cut inside before playing a square ball to Kaka, who delivered a beautifully weighted first-time pass that Luis Fabiano, in an onside position, collected before easing past Claudio Bravo and slotting into an empty net.

The striker almost doubled his tally with a glancing header that flew wide, but Robinho sealed victory just before the hour mark with his precise finish after the impressive Ramires finished a surging run with a accurate pass. Ramires was later booked and will miss the match against the Dutch.

Bielsa had made all three substitutions with 30 minutes remaining as he chased the game and Jorge Valdivia almost pulled a goal back with a clean strike that narrowly flew over the crossbar shortly after his introduction, while Julio Cesar denied Suazo, who later clipped the crossbar.

Brazil slowed the pace of the contest but attacked in occasional devastating bursts that saw Robinho twice come close to a second goal.

He had an angled strike saved by Bravo and later slotted beyond the Chilean keeper, but was denied by a marginal but correct offside decision.

It made no difference to the outcome of a tie already over, but the five-time world champions will face a stiffer test against the Dutch in Port Elizabeth on 2 July.

Brazil rediscovers samba football to beat Chile

JOHANNESBURG (AP) -Brazil's football orchestra has found its harmony with a 3-0 win over Chile at the World Cup.

Coach Dunga said there's still much to improve, but he must have been encouraged what in the win at Ellis Park, which clinched a place in the quarterfinals.

Full back Maicon said "it was likely our best match so far.''

Luis Fabiano, who scored the second goal after Juan's opener, said the margin of victory "shows that we are improving match after match, and this is important in a competition like the World Cup.''

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/soccer/wires/06/28/2020.ap.soc.wcup.brazil.s.samba.0209/#ixzz0sDFgqhEr

Everyone has to be well-prepared so as not to be surprised: Dunga

Brazil coach Carlos Dunga said minutes after defending world champions Italy crashed out of South Africa 2010 in the first round that he wasn't surprised by it.

"We always joke that football is full of surprises. But there are no surprises. All teams had the quality to qualify," Dunga told a press conference on Thursday in Durban.

"Football nowadays is globalised, and everyone has to be well-prepared so as not to be surprised."

Italy crashed out in a 3-2 defeat against newcomers Slovakia and the 2006 finalists France are also already out. Brazil have also crashed out as holders in the first round, in 1966.

In that year their fate was sealed with a 3-1 defeat against Portugal - the nation they play in their final group game again Friday in Durban.

This time around Brazil are already safely into the Round of 16, but Dunga insisted: "Brazil has to play to win the match. It's not always possible, but we have to play to win.

"It will be a very good match for us and for anyone who likes football. Brazil and Portugal are two teams who have shown in recent years their productivity and the quality of their players."

A tactical result is not possible because the next opponent will be decided only later in the group H deciders.

Brazil could run into Euro 2008 champions Spain but Dunga, who captained Brazil to the 1994 title, did not express a preference for his men's next rivals.

"If we are at a World Cup we have to face whatever rival we get. We think more about ourselves, and we try to do our job well," Dunga said.

He stressed that the world of football has changed.

"We have to forget a little bit about that name thing," Dunga said. "We have to go into the pitch and play well."

He noted that players from around the world now play in the most competitive leagues, that coaches also go abroad to improve their skills.

"Maybe we who are from the most traditional countries have to prepare ourselves better for those situations," Dunga admitted.

The Big Guns of football battle it out: Brazil and Portugal Preview

A match made in heaven two of Worlds best teams fight it out for the top of the table in the biggest match of the tournament so far.

They will be playing for pride rather than points where Portugal only needed a draw to qualify to the next round and Brazil are already in the round of sixteen.

Brazil will depend on their ace striker Robinho and goal scorinng machine Fabiano while the inform Portugal after raining goals over North Korea will look beat the samba boys in the rainbow nation where there are over 1 million Portugese speaking people.

Dunga has apologised to the fans after he used the words “donkey” and “wimp” as well as launching a verbal attack on the journalist in question in his post-match press conference.

He says, “I’m sorry the fans have always supported the national team and all I want to do is to be able to work for the good of this team.”

Ronaldo would miss playing against his team mate Kaka after a sent off in the last game. He says, “It’s not fair because Kaka did nothing in my opinion, and now he won’t play against us, he didn’t deserve that red card. I saw the game and I spoke with him about it afterwards. He was angry at the time but after the game he’s cool, he understands it’s part of the game.”

These two teams have met before in a friendly match on November 19, 2008 in Gama (a city near Brasília, Brazil’s capital). But the score line was far too disappointing for the Portuguese side after they were beaten 6-2.

Revenge is what Portugal wants and this would be the perfect platform to earn that honour and pride but Brazil is not going to make life that colourful for Portugal. They and Argentina are the two teams who are playing the best football in the tournament so far. Can the former world best player Ronaldo produce some magic as he usually does in big matches?

This group H tie will be a mouth watering soccer mania.

Why I am praying for Brazil to lift the Cup

B S Prakash, India's [ Images ] Ambassador to Brazil [ Images ], on what it is to be in Brazil during the World Cup.

I am at this huge party in the South African embassy, here in Brazil. It is the opening match of the FIFA [ Images ] World Cup and with his imagination the South African ambassador -- a close friend and a fellow partner for me in IBSA (India, Brazil, South Africa [ Images ]) -- has organised a large screen, crates of cold beer, platters of barbeque and has invited the whole town. Many invitees around me are wearing their national team T-shirts, but I am drowned in a sea of mainly yellows -- the famous Brazilian football jersey colour.

South Africa has scored the first goal of the tournament, a real scorcher against which the Mexican goalkeeper is helpless. The screaming and the droning noise of the vuvuzelas around me are deafening. Brazilians are dancing too, as they have nothing at stake in this match.

"Is India in the World Cup? When is your first match?" the question that I face twice a day these days is now being asked by an elderly Brazilian who cannot dance at his age. I tell him with some embarrassment that 'Sorry, no, India is not in the World Cup, never was,' etc.

"Why?" He asks, again a familiar question for me in Brazil.

Why indeed?

Because football is above all a fiercely collective game and we are incapable of it, being individualistic? Because the 'Goal' for the individual in our civilisational ethos is nothing less than Moksha or Nirvana or total liberation, and this spirit does not support a fire in the belly for putting the ball in the rope net and calling it a goal?

Because cricket consumes all our passion and resources and even our politics?

Because in Bengal the cradle of our football, today talk is even more important than action? I don't know but I don't have to answer. Fortunately all around me there are shouts as the Mexicans now near the goal.

But I am mellowed in the yellow crowd.

To be in Brazil even at normal times is an experience. To be in Brazil during the World Cup is something else. For weeks now, I have been seeing strange stories in the newspapers and have to consult my Brazilian colleagues to decipher them.

'Import duty on beer reduced from 18 per cent to 3 per cent,' is the headline one day. Why? Because the government has come to the belated realisation that domestic beer production just cannot meet the peak demand during the World Cup, especially if the Brazilian team does well. For its own popularity in an election year it has taken the decision for an import surge of beer. The same is expected for potato chips.

'Offices to close at 2:30,' says the papers. Our Brazilian employees educate me about the imperative to close the embassy at that time on the day the Brazilian team is playing as the matches are televised at 3 pm. At that hour the country sits still and there is no question of any one working. We happily comply.

'Do not fly the flag on the official car, Sir,' advises my driver, though it is the diplomatic convention for the national flag on the ambassador's car. Why? Millions are flying the Brazilian flag on their cars during the World Cup and a foreign looking flag will upset them, especially if they have lost on any particular day. Sensible advice. Why be provocative?

And so on.

I have known the importance of football in Brazil and even wrote a column in my early months in this country aptly titled 'In Brazil, the ball is the world'. I had explored the historical, sociological and psychological aspects of the Brazil-Football equation and also compared it with the India-Cricket fixation. But all that had not prepared me for the total immersion and absorption that I now see as Brazil aspires for its sixth win in the World Cup, having won a record five over the years.

But it is acknowledged even by the most passionate fans that the game today is different from that of the classical era and that to win is a big challenge. From the fifties to the nineties Brazilian and in general Latino football represented individual flair, innovation, unorthodoxy and 'devil may care' attitude. This was in contrast to the European style: Team-oriented, practiced perfection, physical, fast and serious to the core.

Today in a highly globalised and commercialised football world dominated by leagues rather than nations, famous Brazilian players are always in Europe with lucrative contracts.

Playing under the national flag imposes new demands in team effort, style and discipline. Secondly, the Brazilian coach Dunga has sacked even celebrities including someone of the stature of Ronaldino, putting emphasis on collectivity rather than celebrity. All this has led to uncertainty and worry about the fate of the national team.

No one can grow up in this country without knowing the legendary story of 'the saddest day in Brazilian football.' This was sixty years ago, on July 16, 1950, the first World Cup organised after the war and that too in the most famous playground, the Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro [ Images ], the Mecca of football.

Brazil was the overwhelming favourite and in the last match was pitted against its tiny neighbour, Uruguay. The capacity home crowd of 210,000 people geared for victory celebrations were devastated by the defeat of their home team to Uruguay in a 2-1 finish in the dying moments. This is a tragic legend in Brazil comparable only to the Battle of Plassey or Panipat in our imagination.

Believe it or not, I came across the following two gems from the Brazilian press on that episode: 'Our catastrophe, our Hiroshima was at Marcana, the defeat by Uruguay in 1950,' and another one: 'The goal in 1950 and the gunshot that killed Kennedy both have the same drama, the same movement, the same precision of an inexorable trajectory leading to a tragedy.'

I see this worry deepening as Brazil plays its first match against North Korea. Brazil wins 2-1 no doubt, but whoever expected the mysterious North Koreans at world rankings number 135 give such a running to the world number one team. Predictably there is a lot of expert analysis in the bar where we see the match. The team is too slow, the rhythm is lacking, the stars are missing etc combined with more complacent comments about 'after all this is the first match; we are always like that only.'

"Which is your favourite team?" Brazilians ask me frequently. This one is easy. Not only for me and not only now but Brazil has always been the favourite team for Indians for decades. The latest survey by Outlook-Mudra confirms that 43 per cent of Indians regard Brazil as their favourite, followed by the team from neighbouring Argentina.

There is also the explanation as to how a newly independent India started loving the Brazil team from the early fifties, as it was the only team with blacks, browns, and whites, an original rainbow nation. Also we fell in love with the players with such magical names: Zico, Socrates, and the one and only Pele. I say all this liberally around me and become popular.

But as I write this, these are early days as yet in the World Cup. Everything is possible in every match as the teams are so comparable and competitive. But with all the prospects of a fun party after each win, I pray every day with all the Brazilians that they lift the Cup. What better can I do for goodwill for India in this country?

B S Prakash is India's Ambassador in Brazil and can be reached atambassador@indianembassy.org.br

Brazil increase their repertoire

On Sunday night, the Soccer City stadium in Johannesburg witnessed Brazil's remarkable step forward in their quest to conquering a sixth World Cup title. After their 3-1 victory over Ivory Coast, Dunga's team guaranteed their spot in the second round and will very likely play against Portugal for first place of the group in their third match of the World Cup this coming Friday.

However, Brazil's victory brought more significant elements to the side than the three points. At certain times in the match, it was hard to believe that the exact same starting XI that had so much difficulty in breaking down North Korea were actually playing quite creative football against the much tougher Ivory Coast. Brazil recovered certain elements of their game that for a long time had been their trademarks and now appeared to be lost. For the first time, they were able to invent consistently while respecting Dunga's disciplined approach and defensive focus.

Luis Fabiano's first strike, a missile that goalkeeper Boubacar Barry barely saw, gave the team some badly needed confidence. In this case, the goal did not arrive through a set piece or a counter-attack but was the outcome of a well-built offensive play in which Kaka did well to get rid of two defenders and ended up setting up O Fabuloso.

This play could prove instrumental for Brazil's development during the rest of the tournament, as it put an end to Luis Fabiano's six-match drought with the national team, and gave Kaka the confidence to keep going at defenders and create chances for his team-mates after putting in some subpar displays following his injury.

"Nothing better than talent to break a good defence," Brazilian legend Tostao told Folha de Sao Paulo after the match. "The first goal was key for Brazil to dominate the flow of the game."

And, indeed, from that point onwards Brazil took control of the match, and kept possession, even if at times not making too much of an effort to go forward. At the beginning of the second half, just as Ivory Coast were starting to show signs of waking up, Luis Fabiano scored one of those goals that will be shown in every single 'Best Goals of the World Cup' programme from now on.

The fact that he controlled the ball with his arm was surprisingly overlooked by French referee Stephane Lannoy, but his amazing piece of skill with both legs (right to dribble two players, left to finish emphatically) deserved a goal. "When our players score using their hands, they do it much better than the Argentineans," Estado de Sao Paulo writer Marcos Caetano said, comparing Luis Fabiano's goal with Diego Maradona's against England in 1986, and not wasting the chance to provoke Brazil's archrivals.

After watching their first-choice striker grab the match by the scruff of the neck, the team felt so self-assured that they started to show a hitherto unknown passing game, taking advantage of Ivory Coast's apparent shock. The third goal duly arrived, again as a result of great link-up play, and delivered by Kaka to Elano, in another example of the confidence recovered by Brazil's iconic playmaker.

Once 3-0 up and with the match effectively over, Brazil made one of their few mistakes: Ivory Coast started to increase their physical aggressiveness on the pitch, especially after Kader Keita and Romaric entered the game, and the Brazilians did not keep their cool. In an unfitting finale given his excellent performance, Kaka was sent off after seeing his second booking for lightly pushing Keita away from the ball.

Dunga vented his frustration during the press conference: "It's difficult to play artistic football when the referee lets strong tackling and dirty faults go unpunished, as it was the case this evening."

Despite the disappointing ending for the Brazilians, seeing his biggest star red-carded and suffering an unexpected goal from Didier Drogba, this match gave a more optimistic feel to the campaign of the verde-amarela in this World Cup. Against a powerful opponent, the side reinforced their identity: the synchronisation between the back four is almost perfect, the defensive coverage provided by the midfielders to the full backs - especially to the impressive Maicon - happens with Swiss precision, and the forwards' talent appears often enough.

However, they have just added another weapon to their repertoire: the ability to manage the flow of the match with the ball, which makes them an even bigger candidate for the title than they already were.

"To most of the Brazilian journalists, this was the most difficult match of the first phase, and Brazil played their best football in a while. They have earned the right to dream of the title,"ESPN Brasil analyst Paulo Vinicius Coelho said. As is the case with any great side, one poor match can create national panic in Brazil, but a good showing puts the whole country in heaven - at least for another four days.