Coach Luiz Felipe Scolari’s trusted player was injured during a recreational training session on the eve of the debut
The Brazilian team that will compete in the World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada is not the only one to be threatened by player injuries. In 1998, Romário was cut on the eve of the World Cup in France because of a calf injury.
Truly dramatic, experienced midfielder Emerson, who would be Brazil’s captain in 2002. The national team was already in Asia, as the World Cup would be organized jointly by Japan and Korea, when fate was merciless towards him. At the time, research carried out by Estadão indicated that 57.21% of fans did not believe in winning the penta. The same newspaper carried a report about Emerson, who was one of the survivors from 1998. Labeled as excessively calm, a characteristic considered unfeasible for a leader on the field, the player made it clear: “(…) During the game I usually demand a lot from my teammates, guiding them both in marking, in positioning, and in supporting the attack. (…).”
To Felipão’s despair, the athlete suffered a dislocation in his right shoulder during a split on June 2, the day before his debut against Turkey. “The sergeant lost the captain”, cited the Folha de S.Paulo. According to the newspaper, “(…) it wasn’t a random joke that led the midfielder to the goal: Emerson was being tested as an alternative for the position, if Scolari needed it (…).” Immediately cut, the Brazilian coach called Ricardinho, from Corinthians, who inherited the number seven shirt with just three games for the national team under his belt.
In the book “Felipão, the soul of penta” (ZH publications/2002), by Ruy Carlos Ostermann, the journalist publishes excerpts from a diary written by the coach during the World Cup. Regarding Emerson’s cut, Felipão revealed: “We held a meeting with the players in the locker room, as discouragement took over the group. We show the reality of football and conclude with the words of Ronaldo, who experienced a similar situation in the last World Cup [de 1998]. Exams, resonance, FIFA doctor and cut. We call on Ricardinho.”
Years later, former midfielder Emerson told the newspaper Zero Hour that he could have stayed in the team, as there would have been time for him to recover during the World Cup: “I was Felipão’s captain, but he treated me like anyone else. He didn’t inform me about the cut or try to keep me in the delegation. I never spoke to him again after that (…).” The captain’s armband was passed on to Cafu.
Emerson’s absence contributed to increasing anxiety about his debut among the players. Of the 23 athletes, seventeen were in the World Cup for the first time. The CBF decided not to take a psychologist to Asia, a measure considered wrong by Edílson, who worked with Regina Brandão during his Palmeiras days. Rivaldo, left over from 1998, was adamant: “It gives tension until the moment of the game arrives. We want it to end soon so we know the result, because a victory will give us peace of mind for the next game.” Even without Emerson, the team’s campaign in Asia was impeccable: they won all seven games and, to top it off, Ronaldo Fenômeno was the world’s top scorer with eight goals.
*This text does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Jovem Pan.
