Tim Vickery column

By Tim Vickery
South American football reporter

Read my answers to this week's questions

When Brazil coach Dunga called up his squad to visit Wembley there was one word which hung over the news conference - globalisation.

Dunga read out the list in alphabetical order, and could hardly suppress a smile as he started.

Dunga gently scolded the journalists for only paying attention to Brazilian football

The first name was Afonso Alves of Heerenveen, and Dunga was well aware of what this would provoke.

Some of the journalists had never heard of him.

"Who is this guy?" blurted one into his microphone. "What position does he play? Is he a centre-back?"

After the 22 names had all been read out, Dunga explained that Afonso was a striker of pace, power and skill who was enjoying a wonderful season in Holland.

He also gently scolded the journalists for only paying attention to Brazilian football.

Some were unconvinced. They criticised the fact that only two home-based players had been called up. Dunga defended himself.

He did indeed pay attention to the domestic game, but as soon as a home-based player was included in the squad it was customary for the European clubs to swoop and take him across the Atlantic.

In the worldwide market of footballers, the reality was that Brazil's best players were based abroad. Globalisation has had a contrary effect on Brazilian football.

It has stripped the clubs of their best players and left them financially dependent on selling their stars.

But meanwhile it has transformed the national team into a global brand, with multinational sponsors and players who are household names all over the planet.

Friday's match is their fourth in London in the space of nine months

The national team belong to the world - and especially those who can pay to watch them.

Outside World Cup qualifiers nowadays they are never at full strength when they play at home. Their last friendly in Brazil was over two years ago, a match against Guatemala for which only home based players were called up.

The last time the stars were on parade for a friendly on home soil was a match against Paraguay nearly five years ago to celebrate winning the 2002 World Cup.

Friday's match is their fourth in London in the space of nine months.

English crowds, of course, have the opportunity to watch star players from the four corners of the globe every weekend.

Those same forces which drive players away from Brazil blow them towards the major European leagues.

The standard view of the Brazilian pundit is that the influx of foreigners into the Premiership has transformed the English game from water to wine.

What previously was an activity only fit for cavemen has now been turned into a respectable league.

Does Dunga really think the current English team contains players with the technical gifts of Paul Gascoigne or Chris Waddle?

This seems to me to be a simplification.

The technical level of top-level English football has surely improved, the result of better pitches as well as the massive widening of the pool of talent.

But firstly most clubs are still playing recognisably English football, as many of the foreign players are quick to testify.

And secondly, well before the flood the English game was dominated by a Liverpool side who based their game on relentless passing and movement.

But my big disagreement is this; the Brazilian pundits always assume that the technical improvement of the Premiership automatically applies to the England national team as well.

To my surprise Dunga made this very point in the press conference.

"England have improved a lot recently," he said. "They no longer just throw those high balls into the box. They've come on a lot in terms of having players with good technique."

It is worth recalling that Dunga played against - and lost to - the England side of 1990, who went on to reach the semi finals of that year's World Cup.

Does he really think that the current English team, for all its talent, contains players with the technical gifts of Paul Gascoigne or Chris Waddle?

If so, where have they been hiding? Perhaps they are playing for Heerenveen.

YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Got a question about South American football for Tim Vickery? Email him at [e-mail]

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If you had to pick the best ever Brazil team what would it be?
Edward Steele

What a question! Talk about an embarrassment of riches!

In collective terms then the plaudits usually go to the 1970 team, who were obviously fantastic, but who had a key advantage over earlier sides - television.

They were the first ones seen live all over the world. The older players from 70 would concede that, man for man at least, the 1958 side were better - and they remain the only team to have won in Europe.

Of those teams which didn't win the World Cup, I think 1950 must have been something special,, and I've got a soft spot for 1982 - if only Careca had been fit to play centre forward!

In terms of an individual collection, this question obliges me to commit injustice upon injustice.

This is my personal choice - there are so many players to choose from that I don't think any two

Rivelino is my choice for the left wing

answers to this question would ever be the same (and I'm doing it on condition that I can have the biggest subs bench in history!)

Goalkeeper Taffarel (World Cups of 1990, 94, 98)
Right-back Jorginho (1990, 94)
Central defence Domingos da Guia (1938), Orlando Pecanha (1958, 66)
Left-back Nilton Santos (1950, 54, 58, 62)
Right wing Garrincha (1958, 62, 66)
Holding midfielder Toninho Cerezo (1978, 82)
Attacking midfielder Zizinho (1950)
Left wing Rivelino (1970, 74, 78)
Support striker Pele (1958, 62, 66, 70)
Centre forward Romario (1990, 94)
Subs: Gilmar, Djalma Santos, Carlos Alberto, Cafu, Luis Pereira, Oscar, Aldair, Roberto Carlos, Jairzinho, Julinho, Zito, Clodoaldo, Falcao, Didi, Gerson, Zico, Socrates, Ronaldinho, Jair Rosa Pinto, Rivaldo, Leonidas, Ademir, Vava, Ronaldo (and apologies to hundreds of others).

Here in England there has been a lot of talk of a European Super League but it's been criticised because it is seen as clubs just wanting to make extra money.
However, can a proposition such as this be made in South America for a South American super league? Surely it will increase the profile of South American clubs helping them to grow by making it more attractive for advertisers and increasing revenue so clubs won't have to sell their star players to balance the books.
Muzammil Shaikh

I can't see it at all. There's a problem with it in Europe - it leads to yet more concentration.

Take, for example, Olympiakos. They're a big club in Greece, but put them in a super league context and they become strugglers.

I think most clubs came to the conclusion that their domestic supremacy was the basis of their well being. That's much more the case in South America, where distances are vast and the tradition of the game is based on local derbies.

Boca Juniors, for example, would be reluctant to give up their Buenos Aires rivalries in return for regular matches against, say, the champions of Ecuador.

Yes, the TV revenue and exposure of international competition is a big part of a South American club's finance. But I can only ever see this running alongside domestic tournaments, and not replacing them.

So I think the current mix will continue - domestic games at the weekend, Copa Libertadores matches midweek.