Ronaldinho recalled for Brazil vs Argentina
Ronaldinho has been recalled into the Brazil side for their upcoming encounter with arch rivals, Argentina. There are suggestions that this call up was long due, especially before June this year.
Ronaldinho should have at least made it to the Brazilian squad. It does not matter how lethargic he has become but when you are Ronaldinho, than more often than not, it should be enough to make any Brazil squad.
When Dunga was short of ideas against Netherlands in the semi-final of the World Cup, he could not turn to the bench and see a player who could inspire the team. Had he taken Ronaldinho with him, he surely would have had a special talent, a game changer
and an unstoppable force on the bench to bring on.
However, Dunga should not be criticised for axing Ronaldinho. Each time, he tried to get Kaka, Robinho and Ronaldinho work in tandem; it just didn’t seem to work. The mobility of Ronaldinho was nowhere to be seen and he failed to form a partnership with
the other two.
At 30, this World Cup was seen as the last chance for the former World Player of the year to leave a mark on the International arena. Ronaldinho, undoubtedly one of the most talented footballers of his generation, was one of the most loved footballers during
his prime.
It was a treat to watch him play, his scintillating footwork accompanied by the famous beaming smile used to leave everyone in utter disbelief on regular basis. He was the closest thing to unstoppable - literally - the world had witnessed since the days
of Maradona.
It still remains a mystery how Ronaldinho’s peak years have come and gone by. During this time, he has been a shadow of the player he was between 2004 and 2006.
He was expected to win the 2006 World Cup for Brazil but failed miserably. His slump had started and after failing to regain his form, he was shipped out to AC Milan. His slump continued as Messi took over from him at Barcelona and the likes of Kaka and
Ronaldo took the limelight.
It was the former Brazilian Leonardo who managed to help his fellow countryman rediscover his lost magic, but it was too little too late to board the plane to South Africa.
This was supposed to be the end of Ronaldinho’s career. By 2014, when the world arrives at the home of football in Brazil, Ronaldinho would be 34 and his chances are bleak to make the squad.
Ronaldinho has lost his pace and he can no longer trick a defender and run past him. However, what he still has is the ability to pick out his team mates. What has changed in his play recently has been his mobility. He no longer sticks out on the left and
stays there for 90 minutes. He looks to be more involved and prefers to take up more central role. This gives him more freedom to spray passes both left and right. It can help him carve openings for his front men.
This has been a key factor in his recall. Brazil’s new coach has changed their approach and he prefers his team to keep possession of the ball. Ronaldinho will come in handy in a formation where he plays the Andre Pirlo role for the Brazil team.
If there is anyone who can stop Ronaldinho playing for his national team then it is Ronaldinho himself. He needs to get his act together. His physical as well as mental state needs to be reverted back to the one of 2005/06 season.
2014 is a long way off but if Ronaldinho needs a motivating factor to keep himself going, then there isn’t a better one than to make sure he is in the Brazil team when they try to win yet another World Cup, on their home soil.
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