Ronaldinho Scores From Behind the Goal

I've seen it all, and sometimes I think there is no more to see. Then Ronaldinho one of the best soccer players to have ever lived, and who many discount as a "has been," decides to tape his practice.

I will always see Ronaldinho as that 18 year-old scoring his first goal against Equador.
Kudos Ronaldinho - you are the man!
Ravey - <@>

Young Neymar Destroys Paraguay

Brazilian striker Neymar made his mark in the U-20 South American Youth Championship, Monday Jan. 17th 2011, by scoring four goals in his first match.

A professional since 16, for Brazilian Club Santos F.C., young 19 year-old Neymar has been the admiration of the Brazilian public for several years. Amazingly he turned down a multi-million dollar signing offer from english power house Chelsea F.C. in mid 2010.

Also, in 2010 Neymar got his first cap with Brazil's Men's National Team. In his first appearance on the world stage, he scored his first goal against an American squad.

Now you can watch him destroying the U-20 Paraguayan team,
Simply Enjoy -
<@>

Soccer Tours to Brazil

Do you want to play soccer in Brazil, "The Land of Soccer?"

Soccer Tours to Brazil, is becoming a big industry but the real question is, "who should you choose when booking that important ticket?"
BSA Sports (Body & Soul Adventures Sports), is the leader in Brazilian Soccer Tours. BSA has over ten years history in Brazilian tourism and resorts. They won the 2004 "World Travel Awards" for having the leading Spa and Resort in the state of Rio de Janeiro and showcased on the "Travel Channel."

Mike Mitchell

The president of BSA, Mike Mitchell, a collegiate soccer player from Chico State University (Graduated 1982), and former collage coach for the University of Southern Colorado, has been coaching and living in Brazil for the past 15 years. Bringing teams and individuals for tourism and or training with professional soccer teams.

Associação Atlética Ponte Preta Est. 1900

BSA Sports has an exclusive partnership with the FIRST Brazilian Professional Soccer Club, Associação Atlética Ponte Preta.
And have had success with US Teams and/or individuals training with the squad.


For more information visit their site:
BSA-Sports.com/us

What happened to Dunga and Brazil?

versão em português abaixo...

Dunga made his life difficult from the very beginning of the World Cup 2010, starting with the chosen players for the Brazil squad. With a weak reserve and no options to tactically change a team when the "starters" get tired or are playing bad, without an adequate left back and without any creative person (other than Robinho). A bench filled with 'good" players but not "good" enough to be the subs of Kaka or Robinho etc. and a midfield filled with "strong" players but, NOT one creative skilled player in the starting lineup against the Netherlands.

Today, in ridiculous fashion Brasil lost the game tactically, technically, mentally and by a score of 2-1.

For 45 minutes we saw a mediocre Brasil, playing at the minimum level of expectations compared to what we are used to. However, during the second half the deficiencies of our team began to be so apparent, starting with Bastos (left Back). Foul after foul Bastos gave the Netherlands room to advance up the field, get rhythm and possession of the ball. Then Felipe Melo, showing his true character for the world to see, and without any creative merit to his powerful game, he shinned in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons, first making an own goal, then getting a red card.

Many will say the best team won; however, I don't agree with that. I believe the "worst" team let the game slip; a game that should have been in the bag! In the same shameful fashion of the 1998 World Cup a player NOT known for his headers (Zidane) makes the deciding goal off of a header (Sneijder).

Without a doubt our weakest part of the squad was/has been the left side. By way of the left side went the Netherlands, starting with Bastos's ridiculous foul which deserved a RED card, and resulted in a goal for the Netherlands. Then from the left side went Van Persie and Robben terrorizing Felipe Melo, as he struggled to reach the ball before the quick Netherland players.

Still our infamous "OLD" Roberto Carlos, is better then the left back's Gilberto Melo, and Bastos. With Elano and Ramires out against the Netherlands I ask, "who could have come in for Melo?" Ramires showed that quick, controlled play is the way to go (moving the ball quickly against a FAST Chile team), but Dunga insisted on having mostly powerful STOPPERS like Josue on the Brazilian squad, which resulted in FEW options or alternatives in tactics. Kaka was playing bad, our biggest fear was Kaka playing bad; and I ask, "who can come in for him and make a difference?" There are three quick ball passing players starting against the Netherlands (Fabiano, Robinho and Kaka); however, we need a quick passing midfield to accompany them. Not a midfield filled with heavy duty stoppers created for confrontation, and NO speed in the passing.

Maybe we missed Ronaldnho Caucho, even if he comes off the bench, he brings different characteristics to the Brazilian formation, which can give a coach more options for tactics. Or maybe Brazil's fantastic animals from the zoo, so respectfully known as "Ganso" (goose) and "Pato" (Duck) could have made the difference. How about the phenomenal Neymar, who is undoubtedly the most exciting player from Brasil in years and as a minimum could have a place on the bench alongside Dunga (Brazil's head coach). Maybe our left footed maniac Adriano, could have sparked something.

At the end of the day, I guess we say sorry to Sneijder for Felipe Melo's tackle. As a whole we must say sorry to the world, who expected a better Brasil, and now "they" have the opportunity to talk trash about our soccer style.

This time Snow White has had it with Dunga (Dunga means dopey in english)!

Just like so many other world cup's Brazil's strongest/difficult opponent is Brazil!

---Portuguese version below---

O que aconteceu com Dunga e Brasil?

O Dunga se complicou desde o começo quando escalou um time sem banco de reservas adequado, e sem opcao para mudar táticamente a equipe quando os titulares estao jogando mal, sem nenhum lateral esquerdo adequado e sem nenhum habilidoso (a não ser o Robinho). Um banco de reservas bom de futebol mas não tao bom para ser reservas de Kaka, Robinho etc. Um meio de campo forte, mais sem nenhum habilidoso.

Hoje de maneira ridicula o Brasil perdeu a tática, perdeu a tecnica, perdeu a cabeça e perdeu o jogo.

Brasil conseguiu jogar 45 minutos, e no segundo tempo os defeitos da equipe se mostraram, primerio com Bastos, fazendo faltas de mais e dando espaco para Holanda avançar no campo de ataque e pegar vontade e ritmo no jogo. Depois o Felipe Melo, de caracteristica ruim, maldoso, sem cabeça e muito menos habilidade se destacou duas vezes negativamente fazendo gol contra e depois ganhando cartao vermelho.

Muitos falam que o melhor time ganhou, mas eu não acho! Acho que o time pior perdeu um jogo ja ganho. Igual o vexame de 1998 (Zidane), o cara com a pior cabeceio, e que quase NUNCA faz gol de cabeça destruiu o Brasil com um cabeceio (Sniedjer).

Com certeza nosso lado fraco é o lado esquerdo. E por la, foi onde Bastos fez a falta, que acabou em gol. (Ele merecia ser expulso tambem) E no lado esquerdo foi onde Felipe Melo não conseguiu se controlar, pois o Robben e Van Persie foi rapido demais.

No time do Brasil faltou pelo menos um lateral esquerdo, mesmo VELHO Roberto Carlos como reserva, sim é melhor do que Gilberto ou Bastos.

Faltou, Ronaldinho Gaucho, mesmo no banco pois ele traz MORAL! Sem o nosso Zoológico de craques como Ganso ou Pato podiam fazer uma diferença. E talvez ate a magica de um craque novinho chamado Neymar, talvez poderia mudar a tática de um time perdido em campo. E o nosso louco de perna esquerda, Adriano, impondo reispeito onde vai!

No final pedimos desculpa para Sneijder, pela falta de controle de Felipe Melo. E pedimos desculpa para o mundo inteiro que so queriam ver um Brasil melhor, e agora tem todos os motivos para falar mal de nos.

No final, como tantas outras copas do mundo que perdemos, o Brasil é o maior rival do Brasil!

Crazy soccer tackle on newcomer Neymar (age 17)

This tackle on the young and upcoming soccer player Neymar was ridiculous. This is how someone almost broke my leg in two. I had to have surgery, and I was practically away from the fields for 1 1/2 years. I don’t understand why front ended tackles with the cleats up are even still allowed. I have seen instances where defensive players tackle with cleats up, but they “touch” the ball or the offensive player. The referee doesn’t give a yellow card, because there was no contact. However, if the offensive player doesn’t jump and get out of the way, then the tackle would have ended his career.



Soccer is a very contact sport and it is very strenuous on the muscles. However, these tackles are not done to take away the ball. These tackles are done to scare the offensive player or injure the offensive player.


Players who tackle and hit the opponents knee section need to be “RED Carded,” and then taken to judicial court over the league. The player should get fined and suspended from official games for 30 days or more, depending on how bad the injury.

If the defensive player merely misses the offensive player with a crazy tackle in the knee area, then the defensive player should be “Yellow Carded” and then taken to judicial court over the league for attempt of breaking someone’s leg. The defensive player should then do a suspension of 10-15 days.

I love hard soccer, and I love when people go in hard for the ball. However, when a tackle is near the knee area, it means the player isn’t playing the ball and he should be punished.

Nilmar the Brazilian Soccer Player you don’t know

Following Nilmar’s unbelievable goal last Sunday, he has gotten worldwide recognition. The band Oasis, asked him to play for Manchester City and asked for a signed t-shirt from the young soccer player.

I have been following Nilmar for quite some time. When he was a young 17 something weighing like 100 pounds I was watching him run like crazy at Sport Club Internacional.




I have been saying for years that the Brazilian National Team should give him a chance. It baffles me that Dunga gives Vagner Love a chance and not Nilmar. Nilmar’s goal last Sunday was genial. His speed and ball control is unbelievable. Don’t get me wrong Nilmar is not Ronaldo, Kaka, or Robinho, but neither is Luis Fabiano who is constantly the second forward picked by Dunga. Ronaldo is the perfect forward, strong, fast, great ball control, great passing and above everything else, AWESOME vision. Nilmar is nothing like Ronaldo, but Nilmar can definitely bring a different dynamic to the National Team.

Dunga has said that no one was demanding Nilmar on the national team until he made this amazing goal. He said, “Two weeks ago the Brazilian public wasn’t demanding Nilmar to be chosen for the national team.”

Well maybe the masses of Brazilian people have come to the realization that Nilmar is good. People know and understand that ONLY a special kind of player can make a goal like what he made. The truth is that Nilmar has been injured and has recently come back. He returned in January 2009, and he played the state championship in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, and made many goals.
He is finally coming into optimal playing form. Due to the lack of a “quality” second forward on the Brazilian National Team, I think they could really use a new and different dynamic.

He is a young agile player who can definitely come in as a sub during any Brazilian National Team game and make a difference.

I hope Dunga gives him a chance, and I hope Nilmar continues to grow.