Andrew M
New member
I am talking about CL level and World cup level.
Till 2002, out of 17 world cups, South American teams won 9 titles.
South American teams usually play nicer, more technical football than let's say Italy or Germany.
Since 2002, all Europeans won World cups.
Around 2008-2012, Spain dominated on an international level and Barca dominated on a club level with the same type of technical TikiTaka football.
Around 2012, both Spain, Barca and Pep without Barca stopped producing results on the biggest stage.
Since then, all WC and CL winners were more athletic, faster, aggressive and more combative teams than let's say Brasil from 90s, or Spain/Barca from 2008-2012.
In that sense, Brasilian football dominated in the 20th century, Barca's football dominated from 2008-2012, but after that, a football moved to German/French type of direct, fast, results oriented football.
Also, when Brasil dominated, they weren't dominating with thugs or guys with mental strength.
They dominated with pure skills of Romario, Rivaldo, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho.
In the last 10 years, pure technical skills are not enough anymore.
Today you can win on WCs and in CLs ONLY if you pair Brasilian technical skills with athelticism, some fighting mentality and mental strength.
Days of 11 Iniestas/David Silvas winning big tournaments are forever gone, imo.
In that sense, imo, we can't build a team around 11 good too nice La Masia guys like Puig and Fati.
We need more athleticism, but also mental strength and some warrior spirit.
Remember Rome, Anfield or Lisabon.
Our team is 0:1 or 0:2 down, and all players are dead scared.
Nobody is yelling, nobody is making fouls, nobody is arguing with refs, teammates or opponents.
They are all just walking around, sulking and crying in the locker room during halftime.
If you play against Liverpool or Bayern, and they are playing dirty, fouling you, using dirty tricks, influencing the ref and similar.
Would you rather have a nice guy Busi, and Puig around him or 1-2 guys like Van Bommel?
With Van Bommel, you can't lose 2:8. And if you are losing, you won't lose without giving a fight, a few kicks to opponent, some yelling, yellow cards and similar.
If you lose, you will at least know that you tried.
Can you say: oh, at least we tried after nights in Rome, Anfield or Lisabon?
No. Those guys didn't even try more or less. When we concede for 0:1 and 0:2, they sulk, defend around the box, don't yell, don't talk, don't fight.
In that sense, this is the era where technique alone is not enough anymore.
Today you need technique+athleticism+a fighting spirit for tough moments+mental strength.
For example, Van Bommel played one season for Barca, transformed us from pussies into winners.
Won a CL and La Liga and moved away.
And right after he left, we lost 2 La Ligas and got bullied in a CL by English teams.
Btw, Rijkaard lost to English/UK teams:
1. Celtic in 2003/04 Uefa Cup
2. Mou's Chelsea 2004/05
3. Liverpool 2006/07
4. Man Utd 2007/08
He lost every single tie against English teams.
Except in 2006, when we had Van Bommel.
We KOd Mou's Chelsea in 1/8 and won against Arsenal in a final.
Could be a coincidence.
Or he could be just a type of player to use against dirty and athletic English teams.
And one of my favorite videos:
Argentina have historically played pretty dirty football and they're from South America
