Wednesday, April 12, 2006

Leonardo: We saved Brazilian football

Few players have enjoyed quite such a distinguished career as former Brazil midfielder and current AC Milan director Leonardo Nascimento de Araujo.
The classy and versatile playmaker enjoyed successful spells with a variety of top clubs including Flamengo, Sao Paulo, Paris Saint-Germain and AC Milan, racking up an extensive collection of honours along the way. Pride of place, of course, is taken by the FIFA World Cup™ winner's medal he picked up with Brazil in 1994, and close beside it is the runners-up badge he collected four years later in France.

Now 36, Leonardo has always been a class act, not only thanks to his graceful, refined style of play and deadly left foot, but also for his objective and intelligent views on the beautiful game. In an exclusive interview with FIFAworldcup.com, he discusses Brazil and Italy's chances of success in Germany, the importance of his country's USA 94 triumph and the merits of Seleção coach Carlos Alberto Parreira.

Brazil are considered strong favourites to win their sixth FIFA World Cup in Germany, but several key players (Ronaldo, Adriano, Roberto Carlos, Dida, Cafu) are currently struggling for form. Does that worry you?
No, not really. Those players allegedly playing below their normal level are also the most experienced players in the squad, and therefore they've overcome difficult situations like this many times before during the course of their careers. But if you look ahead, they'll all have a month to play together before the FIFA World Cup begins, and I'm sure they'll start the tournament in top form. Furthermore, this experienced generation of players will play alongside an exciting and extraordinarily talented generation including the likes of Kaka, Adriano, Ronaldinho, Robinho and Juninho. If you compiled a list of the world's current top ten footballers, then I think at least five or six of them would be Brazilian.

What do you think of Italy's chances of success in Germany?
I think Italy are in the same boat as England, France, Argentina and, given that they're the host nation, Germany. But these teams have a lot to prove when the FIFA World Cup gets under way in June because, at the moment, you can only class them as serious contenders thanks to their pedigree rather than how they've played in recent games. When these big, traditional teams get to the quarter-finals of a competition, then you can label them as real contenders, but they still need to show a lot more quality than they have been doing lately.

Why is it so hard for a non-European team to win in Europe?
I think it was harder in the past than it is now to be honest. Obviously when you play in a country where you don't have the same sort of footballing history and tradition enjoyed by the major European nations, then there are certain things that count in your favour. But when you play in Italy, France or Germany for example, these countries have a proud football heritage and know exactly how to take advantage of their position as the home team, right down to the final details.
Go to the Brazil team page

Playing at home in front of your own fans really gives a team that extra boost. Just imagine the lengths Brazil would go to in order to win a FIFA World Cup on home turf. These days there's not the same gap that there used to be, mainly down to the fact that there are so many Brazilians and Argentinians playing in Europe. Competing in Europe is no longer a new experience for these players and therefore that initial culture shock doesn't come into play.

Many of the players who won the FIFA World Cup in 1994 say that their victory was key to Brazilian football's current good health, having relieved the pressure of 24 trophy-less years. How much do you agree with that and how responsible do you feel for Brazilian football's current standing within the world game?
In my opinion that moment, that victory, saved Brazilian football, and it kick-started the beginning of a new era. Seriously, 24 years without a trophy is an enormous weight on anyone's shoulders, and I certainly remember how tough it was to play with that sort of pressure put upon you. Everything we did was scrutinised, whether it was the players, the style of play, our defensive tactics, absolutely everything, and it was never pleasant coping with people constantly doubting you.

Relive the 1994 FIFA World Cup

From the moment we won, the Seleção were given more licence to play with the freedom of expression and spontaneity with which they used to play and which football fans everywhere have always enjoyed. And things definitely got easier for Brazilian players too. The eyes of the world were focused on Brazil once again, and the big European teams began to take an interest in signing Brazilian players. Before we won the World Cup you'd have only found Brazilians playing for some of the lesser lights in European football in the late 80s and early 90s.

The likes of Juve, Inter, Milan, and Real Madrid had no Brazilian players in their ranks; there was only Romario at Barcelona in 1994. I think a measure of the significance of our victory is that we opened the door for so many Brazilian players to play at top European clubs once again. And I'm not just saying that because I played in that team - it's a fact. Our win was a catalyst for Brazil to go on and reach two more World Cup Finals, and now sees us as favourites to win in Germany this summer.
Is there anyone you see currently playing for Brazil who reminds you of the way you used to play?
I had a fairly odd style of playing really. I certainly don't regret it, but when you're happy to take on any role, as I was, then you end up without an individual style of your own, because you're so adaptable to the team's needs. And that's exactly what happened with me as I played in so many positions - at left-back, in midfield and even as a forward for Milan. To be perfectly honest, I thought it was great because I got to play in a whole range of positions with a variety roles that gave me an excellent idea of how the team should function all over the pitch. But I don't think there’s anyone who plays like that these days.

You played under current Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira in 1994. What makes him the ideal man to coach Brazil? How would you describe his managerial approach?
Firstly, there's a big difference between club and international management. Parreira was an excellent club coach, but success at international level demands a certain sensitivity in your managerial approach. He brings a fantastic sense of calm to the team and he's never got carried away with the fact that he's an international manager. It's like he was born to do the job. And in a way he was, as he was even around in 1970 helping out with the national team in more of a research capacity. That's important, too. Parreira isn't a former player, instead he comes from a more theoretical school of coaching, he's a student of the game. Since then he's been involved with the Seleção several times and is there again now, so it's like he's an ever present and integral part of the national team set-up.

Parreira: Coaching Brazil is a dream

And more than just being a top coach, he's a great decision-maker. He makes the right choices in terms of personnel; he knows how to make a team feel at ease, but is also very disciplined, correct and keen to impose certain values upon the group of players at his disposal. Parreira's a man who is extremely well respected even by those who disagree with him, and as such there's always a sense of impartiality and balance in the teams he sends out.

No comments: