Tostão: The selection path is already traced – 03/26/2024 – Tostão

Brazil and Spain played an exciting game, with six goals, in a 3-3 draw. Spain had more control of the ball and the game, thanks to Rodri’s talent in midfield, who, like the German Kross, doesn’t miss a pass and make the best choices. Brazil was hampered by the referee, who awarded two debatable penalties.

Unlike the game against England, the Brazilian midfield did not do well in marking or supporting. For this reason, and due to the lack of individual brilliance of Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo, the team did not exploit what they did best against the English: the balls thrown to the two attackers behind the backs of the advanced defenders.

Young Lamine Yamal, 16 years old, was one of the highlights in the game, along with goalkeeper Bento from Brazil, midfielder Rodri from Spain and, once again, the boy Endrick, with a beautiful goal, leaving his mark, at the beginning of his national team career, in two major world football stadiums.

The selection path has already been mapped out. A team that has three extremely fast, skillful and talented attackers, such as Vini, Endrick and Rodrygo, has to make the most of them in quick transitions from defense to attack. To do this, it will be necessary to prioritize control of the ball in midfield and the quality of the midfielders.

Ancelotti discovered the obvious when playing without a center forward and with Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo forming an attacking duo. In the selection, there could be a trio up front, with the presence of Endrick.

The coaches and professionals in all areas who have the most talent are the ones who discover the obvious. They make what seemed complex simpler, clearer and more efficient.

The football theater

All the main South American and European teams have problems. Germany, France and Spain do not have an excellent center forward at the level of a major team. Spain has excellent midfielders –Gavi and Pedri are injured–, but they don’t have a single exceptional striker on the flanks or in the middle. Yamal is also a promising playmaker, like Endrick from Brazil, 17 years old. England have needs on the left flank and in the defender on this side, as they showed against Brazil.

It is necessary to separate starters, good players, who are generally highlights in their clubs, but who are not missed by the national team because they have substitutes of the same level, from starters who are special, few, indisputable, who are missed, like Vinicius Junior in Brazil, Messi in Argentina, Saka and, mainly, Kane in England, Rodri in Spain, Bernardo Silva and Bruno Fernandes in Portugal, and a few others.

Kross, after a long absence from the German national team, reappeared with great brilliance in the 2-0 victory over France. He played as a central midfielder, as he has done at Real Madrid. In this position he is even better, as he has a wide view of the field and makes spectacular and precise passes. As a midfielder, as he played for most of his career, he was always recognized as a playmaker, but he was asked to enter the area more and score goals.

In June, the European Championship and Copa América will begin. The current friendlies, as well as the state friendlies in Brazil, are preparations, training. In the most important competitions, the matches become more intense, a theater of technique, strategy and emotions, when contradictions, virtues and human deficiencies emerge.

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