In the 2026 World Cup, as expected, there is massive commercial advertising, especially from betting houses, including the hydration stop during the matches.
The number of addicts and mental and financial problems will certainly increase. Many poor people spend money reserved for essential needs on gambling. It’s easy to bet, just one click. The message at the end of commercial ads that says “Play responsibly” is cynical advice, as Sérgio Rodrigues, a columnist for this magazine, has already written. Sheet.
The polls, record headlines, statistics and comparisons, many of them useless, with so many variables, increased significantly at the World Cup. It’s the information machine. Statistics are often important, but it is necessary to look deeply at the field and the numbers, as columnist PVC does.
Against Haiti, Carlo Ancelotti used Rayan because he has similar characteristics to Raphinha, who entered with diagonal speed to receive the ball behind the back of the advanced defenders.
This Wednesday (24), against Scotland, which should have a deep marking, close to the area, Luiz Henrique could be the best option, as he acts open. Another alternative is to play a center forward.
Ancelotti should keep the trio in midfield, with Casemiro centrally, Bruno Guimarães on one side and Paquetá on the other. On the left, Paquetá, with his precise throws, makes it easy for Vinicius Junior. Furthermore, Matheus Cunha, in the middle and closest to the opponent’s area, does not need to return to score from the left. The midfield with three is more populated, scores and builds more efficiently.
The teams, as expected, on average, are more intense, compact, pressing harder to recover the ball in the opponent’s half and scoring more goals. Argentina deviates from the commonplace, as they prefer to score more in midfield instead of pressing, in addition to not having open, quick wingers and dribblers.
Messi scored all five goals scored for the national team. In addition to his enormous creativity, technical precision and great ability to quickly define plays, to make complex things simple, he has the wisdom to wait for the right moment to shine. How does he know? Knowing.
There is unconscious knowledge that precedes reasoning. Neurologists call it kinesthetic intelligence.
In the 1994 World Cup, in the USA, 32 years ago, the Americans and the Japanese said that they were going to invest a lot in planning, in sports science, in player training and that in 20 to 30 years they would become a world power in football.
The two and several other teams have evolved a lot, they have great teams and excellent players, but they have not reached the point of being candidates for the World Cup title. The stars are missing. Why?
The reasons must be cultural, social and genetic. To paraphrase Noel Rosa’s song, samba and football are not learned in school. Star players are not just strikers who score a lot of goals.
In other championships with knockout games spread around the world, such as the Copa do Brasil, every now and then a surprise happens, the title being won by a team that was not among the favorites. Why has it never happened at a World Cup? I think the main reason is the seriousness with which the big teams prepare for the biggest competition in world football.
Will we one day have a big surprise? It is the last barrier of logic to be overcome by the unpredictability of football.
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