There is so much hype going into the Brazil versus Argentina match that it is tough to even decide where to begin. Arguably the most heated international derby on the planet, every time Brazil and Argentina meet it’s a special occasion. This Thursday’s match, however, has some extra plot elements that make this particular encounter a unique and spicy affair.
Antonio Ferreira received a straight red card for ‘shielding’ the ball from a defender, relying a little too heavily on his elbow to maintain possession. That was only the beginning of the violence from Ferreira, with the Mirassol Futebol Clube defender going absolutely mental after receiving his marching orders.
When Neymar first burst onto the world stage, he was only 18. So we gave him a pass for his actions, assuming he would grow up and stop flopping and starting fights as he got older.
However it seems that he might never grow up, as, despite playing internationally for six years now, he is still apparently doing things like this:
Neymar pushes Granada's player down the stairs while approaching tunnel. pic.twitter.com/DjQWR8yYms
So you’re the kid on the team with a slender, 5-foot-something frame and weight that falls right in the middle of the 50th percentile for your age. You’ve heard the words “scrawny” and “toothpick” tossed around by coaches when discussing your physique. However, as a product of your natural build, you also possess pace, good foot speed and decent technical ability.
Two years ago, Brazilian midfielder Anderson was at the end of his Manchester United career after being frozen out under manager Louis van Gaal. Oddly, Anderson had managed to stay on the Old Trafford books for over seven seasons without ever particularly impressing. He’s a four-time Premier League champion and winner of the 2007-08 UEFA Champions League with United, but he’s still widely regarded as a flop having arrived from Porto for €30 million in 2007.
One of the major developments in the world of football over the past week has been the deployment of the “green card” in Italy’s Serie B to reward players for acts of virtue, including admitting to having taken a dive in order to win a penalty or free kick.
It’s hard to imagine that only a few months ago we were considering the possibility of Brazil missing a World Cup for the first time since the tournament began back in 1930.
Well, the tables have turned for the Selecao as well as for everyone else in South America.
The Chileans looked like the stronghold of the continent after claiming two consecutive Copa Americas. Now their mojo seems to be gone as they have lost two and tied one of their last four matches.
Meet the Canarinho.
No, you don't want to meet him, but meet him.
The name Canarinho (little canary) has been synonymous with Brazil's National Team since 1984, when their yellow kits were adopted. To honor that nickname (Why, we ask, of all Brazil's nicknames, would you choose to honor that one?), Brazil have up and got themselves a new mascot that looks like something teenagers would catapult at buildings on their cellphones.