Argentina are the New Brazil

Filed in archive International on July 15, 2007

Brazil are supposed to be the team with all the flair aren't they? Jogo Bonito, doing tricks in airports and all that stuff that Nike are cramming down our throats. And Argentina are supposed to be the dirty cynical cheats that everyone in England loves to hate.

But when the two meet in tonight's Copa America Final, the roles will be very much reversed. Dunga's Brazil will line up with three defensive midfielders while Argentina will come at them with geniuses like Riquelme, Messi, Tevez, Veron and Saviola. Lovers of the the beautiful game will be supporting Argentina, if only because they're so much better to watch.

The albiceleste abandoned their attacking principles at the World Cup, when coach Pekerman stifled his free flowing team by removing Riquelme and refusing to start Messi against Germany. His fear was that the Germans would be too physical for his skillful side. But new coach Alfio Basile seems unlikely to abandon the attacking principles that have taken him so far.

Still, you see so many neutrals wearing Brazil shirts. They're everyone's favourite second team because of the attacking principles the yellow shirt embodies, 1970 and all that. I'm sure that image hurts Argentina, to have the rest of the world in love with your rivals.

So tonight's game is huge for Argentine football. Not only because they haven't won a tournament since the 1993 Copa America (I'm not counting the Olympics, 'cus you know) but a victory over Brazil could begin the long slow process of turning the tide on the image of Brazil as the masters of joyful football.