After Germany and Argentina, will the World Cup also affect Brazil?

“World Dialogues” will accompany every day of Qatar 2022. A daily dialogue between football and humor between Fulvio Paglialonga and Giuseppe Pastore on the topics of the day, or maybe not, The first winter world cup in history.

Youssef – here we go again. Argentina dominated the first half, shutting it down 1-0 and then collapsed without warning against the Arabs. Germany dominates the first 60 minutes, locks it out 1-0 and then collapses without warning against Japan. But what is going on? Above all, they look like deadly voltage drops, a syndrome since the start of the World Cup that even the most experienced senior players suffer from from time to time – not to mention Germany’s young, beautiful and talented, though not quite as physically as in the old days. Second quake in 48 hours which, however, should surprise up to a point, because Japan had handled an excellent number even 4 years ago. He scored two Bundesliga players.

fulvius – I think the World Cup at this point in the year can also affect the tension of matches. Don’t ask me for a scientific basis because I don’t have one, but if you saw how Germany could have won so much and lost instead despite always having the ball, I imagine the guys halfway between the World Cup there, the tournament they left not even a possibility Vacations after that. Like it or not, it’s a different state of mind than usual. I don’t have to tell you that Germany’s best work was before the match.

Youssef – Yes, if among the seven “Protestant” national teams I had to imagine one that would have struggled to capture the essence of FIFA, I would have thought of the Germans. They have always been careful to defend their ideas. Now they’re right in positioning themselves as a leader in civil rights: modern, discreet, and even incisive in communication (The hand-to-mouth gesture is self-explanatory). Neuer also made the most beautiful save in the World Cup, a few minutes before the Japanese equalizer…

fulvius – We’ll see that picture for years. Powerful enough to celebrate a historic political moment, even if they themselves put it better than I say, saying it’s not a political message because human rights are non-negotiable. Then he did the insubordination of Noir with the band “No Discrimination” and the Minister of the Interior with the band “One Love” in the show. Germany moved together and yes, as I said, it’s not surprising. Someone had to start, though I imagine Infantino rejoicing in defeat. (By the way, since the FIFA director never tried to photograph Neuer up close?). I hope, for this reason, that he will not be eliminated, even if Spain is next.

Joseph – Spain made an offer, and on Saturday evening they could already carry out Germany’s sentence after only 180 minutes of the World Cup. Even if I have always tended to be suspicious of strikes, especially at the start of the World Cup, because they lose any credibility from the fourth goal onwards, an impression of lightness and technique in movement could not go unnoticed: the absence of the fourth goal, its fluidity made me remember Napoli . Luis Enrique is the only coach who gave his national team the principles and mechanics of a club team (even if he failed to play against a very mediocre Costa Rica, which even barriers are no longer capable of).

Fulvius – I spend a few words on Luis Enrique, because he seems to me the real leader of Spain and because this national team won it back at any cost, even overcoming the family drama. I think he has put together an unpredictable team, which is kind of the genetic trait of Spain itself: they always have a young national team, and those young people never age, because there are others behind him who are ready to take up space and renew the team. . Now it’s Gavi’s turn, and he really is a phenomenon. He turned eighteen in the summer, but yesterday nobody noticed him. Just thinking that he continues to follow Barcelona youth matches because he has remained close to his teammates from Cantera. It’s great when new stars appear in world football, while others fade away by themselves. And you know who I’m talking to…

Joseph – We arrived the afternoon of the villain par excellence in this World Cup, the man we all want to see in the dust at least as intensely as we want to see Messi triumph. Don’t think so Did Cristiano Ronaldo do it all himself? Don’t you think he wants to hold a grudge over his last dance, like Maradona did in Italia ’90?

Fulvius Cristiano Ronaldo is like Berlusconi to Montanelli, so self-centered that if he went to a wedding he would like to be the bride and the dead at a funeral. Because I see this: it is the World Cup that, before Saudi Arabia, many have seen as a potential target for Messi and he does not want to concede it. Never living in the shadows, he also fed on this duality and now that he risks being overpowered, he does everything to stay on the front page. In fact, he is playing this world cup as a free agent. And guess who this happened to? To Messi in the America’s Cup when he’s not back from Barcelona and not yet from Paris Saint-Germain. Messi won.

Joseph – Even at Donnarumma and Chiellini at Wembley – what a curious thing, the two captains who lifted the European and American Cups in 2021 were free agents. But then tonight, there’s also Brazil, the unanimous No. 1 favorite on the eve, before France raises its voice. Despite anything but a soft group, to me they are the team to beat for the deep backbone they never had: 12 out of 26 called up play for England, and if it’s true that the English now run faster than November, It is true that it also applies to them. Then I adore Vinicius, who also has the advantage of taking the pressure off Neymar.

Fulvius – If it weren’t for Brazil, this World Cup would already be a winner. But Team Maracanazo is Team Minerazo. Capable of anything, even winning big. But I will suspend the referee until the first match. It goes without saying that without mentioning the team I support, I have a natural admiration for those who can be remembered more for their hustle than for winning five World Cups. Anyway, the team got a final from Brazil against Brazil’s reserves.

Joseph – Third place 0-0 in nine games and after Morocco and Croatia someone started to turn up their noses. In fact, it seemed to me a more than decent match, especially in the first half, and above all thanks to Morocco, which confirms the excellent performance that Africa has achieved so far. Hakimi overflows on the right, dominant in midfield against Modric and Brozovic (I saw him in great form 10 days ago at Milan-Fiorentina and he confirmed his condition). At the moment the Croats, who are a little mellow like many teams, are paying for the lack of a quality number 9 to realize all the goodies cooked up behind them.

Fulvius – Of course, having chosen Croatia as the team for this tournament, they could have started better, but nothing. The reason the World Cup is always so interesting is that in the end the dynamics are reproduced in different national teams that would normally be seen in another country. For example: Modric, usually at Real Madrid, played one of his matches (but he can’t do it alone, poor guy) covering almost the entire field. I’m telling you this because I’ve done one of those things that I generally like, but also make me uncomfortable: I’ve seen his heat map and his stats, which are impressive especially considering he’s 37 years old. But 0-0 also has a protagonist who is the goalkeeper of Morocco, who said this to very old football fans that will make people say “In what sense is the goalkeeper of Morocco?” Had it not been for Bono being the goalkeeper of Morocco. Sevilla, won a few European leagues and before that no Sevilla goalkeeper had won the La Liga Zamora award as the best goalkeeper in the league.

Joseph – Belgium-Canada 1-0 confirms the great classic of the World Cup yesterday, today and tomorrow: the great injustice. I think the fairer result was by two goals for Canada to win. A great team, young, athletic, organized, proactive even after the misfortune and injustice that befell them in the first half. Belgium is unpresentable for long, especially on some Karaters like Hazard who don’t really look in a position to play in a World Cup. Overall, it gives a sense of retrospect from all points of view, starting with the enthusiasm: and I don’t think Lukaku will change much in the end.

fawno – A team that takes 21 shots and loses the game is a classic situation that happens in Football Manager and you’re angry so I guess the Canadians. Yes, they had to win because Belgium’s golden generation has aged. And even when he was young, he never kept his word. Well, we are already ready for another day.

Joseph – We will also see Uruguay, the perfect spoiled cannon, which it is pointless to reduce to Suarez, Cavani, Godin, etc. Tottenham Darwin Nunez is in full training at Liverpool but it is on these shores – given the many teams that play well but don’t score due to a lack of 9s – that he can make the difference.

Fulvius – I’m waiting for Cameroon, a team I only see play during the World Cup and read for the rest of my life, because it’s always a crazy mine of stories. It’s a mild form of Stockholm Syndrome after 82, so everything appeals to me. For example, the incredible story of Andre Onana, a goalkeeper, who in February last year imposed a nine-month doping ban for accidentally taking a diuretic pill prescribed to his wife instead of the paracetamol she needed. He was ruining his career and now here he is.

Joseph – Africa is doing very well. Tough three games against Holland, Denmark and Croatia, but nothing between Senegal, Tunisia and Morocco marred: sure! Perhaps the family climate and also some kind of field factor helps, but it seems to me an important fact, in the first edition of the World Cup all five African teams are coached by local coaches. I am also waiting for Ghana, which of the five Africans seems to me the least talented except for the excellent Kudus, who did well in the Champions League with Ajax.

Fulvius – When Switzerland plays instead, again against Cameroon, I want to see Manuel Akanji’s hairdo. Not because he admired McKinney’s match in the United States, but because a haircut once cost him ten thousand euros, perhaps the most expensive of all. But there is a reason: He invited a hairdresser to his house during the pandemic, to do his hair, moreover without a mask.

JosephE – tonight will really be pagellone time after the first round. For me at the moment France is top, Spain is right behind and Qatar comes last with gaps like Ancona 2003-2004, with three or four empty boxes ahead of Costa Rica. what do you think?

Fulvius – I’ll wait for tomorrow. When we can say “we’ve seen them all”. It will be interpretable at will