WORLD SOCCER PLAYER OF THE YEAR
The world at his feett
Interview: Keir Radnedge
What went wrong at Barcelona? For seven months I was trying to renew the contract they had offered me. Let’s be honest: they came to me with it, it wasn’t the other way round. I hadn’t demanded anything of them. Of course I was happy with the idea but it came from the club in the first place. But what happened then was that they kept postponing meetings we had arranged. Eventually it got to the stage when it wasn’t so easy for me. I had commitments to go and play for Brazil at the Copa America. It was very frustrating and upsetting – and they had started the process. When I was away at the Copa my agents remained in Barcelona, trying to sort things out, and they had a meeting with the club. I understand that everything went well and when they broke for lunch everyone was very happy with what was agreed. But over lunch I understand that Bruguera, one of the club’s lawyers, said to Josep Lluis Nunez, the president: “Don’t you think you are rushing this – it’s a huge amount of money to be paying one person every year for a guaranteed ten years?” So everything went back on hold. Yet this was after a season in which I had won the FIFA World Player award, I had been top scorer in the league and won the Golden Shoe, and we had won the European Cup Winners’ Cup and also qualified to play in the Champions League. They were all still arguing! So then I got worried. If this was what happened after a really successful season, what might happen after an ordinary or even a bad season? I had always told the club I wanted to stay. But I think they thought they could take advantage: that I would put my personal feelings in front of my professional interests. Barcelona are a great club with fantastic fans and terrific players. It’s just a pity the club is so badly managed.
How will Brazil in 1998 differ from the World Cup-winning side of Brazil in 1994? he team m played in In the United States in 1994 th a certain rigid way and, of course, did d very well! The new team, under Mario Zagallo, plays in a similar way but with a little more emphasiis on attack. I’m sure that, given the right preparationn, we can do equally well in France – and score a few more goals! As for who will score them – well, I hope, of course, that it’s me. People keep asking who I prefer to have playing alongside me as if I could choose between wonderful players such as Rivaldo, Romario, Dodo or Edmundo. Fortunately that’s not my job. I have enough to do trying to make sure I keep my place in the team. We have so many good players that none of us can ever be sure.
You knew Louis van Gaal in the Netherlands – he was coach at Ajax while you were playing for PSV. Has he been good or bad for Barcelona? Van Gaal is an excellent coach. I would have been happy to play for him at Barcelona in the Champions League – and I’m sad that Barcelona and my old team-mates have had such disappointing results. I’m sure that, given time, Van Gaal will succeed and get the team performing the way that he wants. Whether they would have done any better with me in
And you have already spent one entire World Cup sitting on the bench... Yes, in 1994 I was a member of the squad but I wasn’t chosen to play for even one minute. But I learned a lot. I learned, for example, all about the importance of good team-work and a good spirit. At the World Cup in the United States there was a great deal of unity among the players and, yes, friendship. The players all liked each other, personally. We were all very in tune with each other and we were all focused on
44
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
the team is not for mee to say – or to worry about. The fact of thee matter is that I am now with Inter and we aree still in the UEFA A Cup. You are just one of the many Brazilian players who have come to Europe in the past few years. Is that good for the players and, at the same time, is it good or bad for the national team? It’s good from botth sides. The playerss benefit and the national teeam also benefits. There is nothing Brazilian plaayers can gain technically when they come to Europe. Absoluteely nothing. From that point of view there’s nothin ng to talk about. But Brazilian players do gain added value when they transffer to Europe because, whereas every Brazilian player knowss how to go forward, it’s only in Europe that they learn how to defend properlyy so that they develop into all-round footballeers. They learn how to defend, how to workk , how to suff ffer f r for a result. It’s an importannt learning proccess.
winning the World Cup – and that meant the reserves as well as the playyers in the team. Romario seems to have lost that spirit and focus in the meantime. Doesn’t it worry you that what has happened to him might happen to you one day? Romario is a team-mate off mine in the national team and, if you look backk , you can see he has given a lot to football. I’d raather look at all the good things he has been innvolved in than the bad. There have been too many players, I’m sorry to say, who have lost their way somewhere down their career path. Bu ut it’s not mandatory – lookk at two great pllayerss such as Pele and Zico. They had wonderful caareers and they never let their professional or perrsonal standards drop. They were – and remain – great ambassadors for the game. That’s what I want for myself. To follow Pele is easy isn’t it – you just win the World Cup three times? It’s a big act to follow. France, Italy, Spain and England are all outstandingg teams. Italy have never been th he luckkiest off opponents for us, rememb beriing 1982. Then there’’s Germany. They are always there. That says everything about their quality and strength. I watched botth their qualifying games against Portugal and wass very impressed with how focused the Germanns looked. Portugal couldn’tt stay with them. Portu ugal reminnd me of Uruguay: two nations who once played great football at the World Cup but who have stood still while the world has left them behind. Which team is the biggest danger? Argentina could surprise a lot of people and the Africans are catching everyone else up physically and technically. But I think France will be the most dangerous opponents. They have home advantage, which counts for a lot, but, even more important than that, they have a lot of really outstanding players. I know – because I see them week in, week out in Italy: Djorkaeff, Thuram, Zidane, Deschamps and so on. But we will not go into the World Cup with any fear of losing. I don’t think we will give anyone else a chance. But if we do lose then we just pack our bags, go home and start to build all over again.
