January 24 – Rivaldo’s Simply the Best
JUST how do they do it down there in Brazil? They just keep churning out player after player of world class quality seemingly effortlessly.
Not for the Brazilians a nationwide cohesive coaching structure or a national academy in Brasilia. Whereas the French had to build Clairefontaine and England clearly need to build their equivalent at Burton, Brazil seem to be able to produce world-cup winning players with a nochalance that surely infuriates the rest of the world.
It was on this day in 2000 that yet another product of the conveyor belt of talent that flows out of South America was honoured when Rivaldo VÃtor Borba Ferreira was awarded the FIFA World Player of the Year title.
Rivaldo really was on top of the world at the time having already picked up international, club and personal honours in 1999. That year he had helped Brazil win the Copa America and Barcelona to the Spanish league title, and had still found time to pick up the European Player of the Year award in December 1999.
The only black spot on Rivaldo’s CV was that rather ignominious loss in the final to France in the 1998 World Cup when teammate Ronaldo played the team-sheet version of the hockey cokey before kick off. In out, in out, shake it all about, then you play crap and you get knocked out! Ah that’s what it’s all about.
Anyway, Rivaldo and Ronaldo would put all that right at the following tournament in Japan and South Korea in 2002 where they would knock England out on their way to the trophy.
Sadly for Rivaldo his contribution in winning the competition will forever be overshadowed by his shameful play-acting during his country’s match with Turkey.
With the clock ticking down and Brazil 2-1 up Rivaldo was standing waiting to take a corner kick when Turkey’s Hakan Ãœnsal kicked the ball towards him. Despite the ball clearly hitting his legs, Rivaldo waiting a moment and then flung himself to the ground clutching his face as if someone had thrown a bucket of acid in his boat race. Lawrence Olivier it was not, but the ref was fooled who red-carded Ãœnsal.
Thankfully for fans of truth and justice FIFA checked out the video after the match and did at least fine him, although he probably didn’t have to raid his piggy bank to pay the £5,180.
Have a look at Rivaldo’s glorious attempt at winning an Oscar below and come back tomorrow when a gifted Frenchman decided street justice was his kinda thing. See you then sports fans.
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