Friday, June 17, 2011

Brazilian Serie A Roster Notes

This post, I add something I've been meaning to do for weeks.

No league preview is complete without a list of who's where.  Although the Serie A has begun and is four weeks in, it's always worthwhile compiling a list of notable players.  What's interesting is that many players, erstwhile stars who could have continued playing in Europe, have returned home to play in Serie A, a testament to the growing stability and strength of the Brazilian financial situation.  This is in turn gives ballast to the purchasing and competing power of Brazilian clubs.


Not to put too fine a point on it but it is worthwhile noting that of the successful Brazil U-20 team that romped to the South American title in February 2011, only one player played abroad - Ze Eduardo at Parma.  Of the U-20 squad that will contest the World U-20 Championships in Colombia in July-August of this year, only two players, Phillippe Coutinho at Inter and Roberto Firmino at TSG Hoffenheim, ply their trade on foreign soil.

I'll stick with the bigger clubs and the better known ones.  Although Sao Paulo, Corinthians and Palmeiras seem to be the favourites at this stage, I shall include the 11 big clubs who have all either won the title or come close in the last 20 years.  So among the favourites, here's a quick roster summary:

Sao Paulo
- Brazil U-20 stars forward Lucas (previously called Marcelinho) and midfielder Casemiro 
- veteran Rivaldo (the one with the bicycle kicks and stork like legs)
- ex-Sevilla striker Luis Fabiano
- Rogerio Ceni (veteran captain and goalkeeper)
- ex-Hamburg defender Alex Silva
- forward Dagoberto and midfielder Wellington.


Gremio
- ex-Barcelona Fabio Rochemback
- Argentinian Damian Escudero
- ex-Arsenal midfielder Gilberto Silva
- part-time ex-Hertha Berlin defender Lucio (not to be confused with his namesake at Internazionale in Italy)
- exciting young stiker named Junior Vicosa who is on loan from Serie B side ASA

Gremio usually start one Rafael Marques in defence, who is Brazilian and not related or connected in any way to his more famous namesake and fellow defender Rafael Marquez (who plays for Mexico and used to play for Barcelona).

Flamengo
- ex-Barcelona, PSG and Milan forward Ronaldinho
- Serie A veteran and long serving Flamengo defender Leonardo Da Silva Moura, 
- Chilean Internationals Gonzalo Ferro and Claudio Maldonado
- Argentinian midfielder Dario Bottinelli
- ex-Bordeaux and Fenerbahce striker Deivid (the one with the number 99 shirt who scored an equalizer against Chelsea in the Champions' League in 2008).  

They have two young players named Romario and Kaka on their books.

They are coached by former Brazil manager Vanderlei Luxemburgo

Fluminense
- ex-Lyon stalwart Fred who is their captain
- Argentine Dario Conca
- Colombian Edwin Valencia
- ex-Porto, Barcelona and Chelsea midfielder Deco
- ex-Liverpool youth and backup goalkeeper Diego Cavalieri


Palmeiras
- One club legend and 2002 World Cup winning goalkeeper Marcos
- Chilean midfielder maestro Jorge Valdivia
- ex-Dynamo Kyiv Kleber
- ex-Roma and Betis midfielder Marcos Assuncao (the one with the expert free kicks)

The Adriano and Rivaldo who play for Palmeiras are not the famous ones.

They are coached by former Brazil World Cup winning coach Luiz Felipe Scolari.

Corinthians
- Portuguese striker Liedson
- ex-Internazionale striker Adriano
- Peruvian internaional midfielder Luis Ramirez
- ex-Spartak Moscow midfielder Alex
- naturalised Qatari of Brazilian descent Emerson (sic)
- striker Willian

Cruzeiro
- Uruguayan Mauricio Victorino
- Argentines Walter Montillo and Ernest Farias
- ex-Hertha Berlin and Spur Gilberto da Silva Melo
- Paraguayan Jose Ortigoza
- 2011 Copa Libertadores leading striker Wallyson
- ex-Shakhtar and Marseille striker Brandao

Vasco Da Gama
- ex Lyon legend, midfielder Juninho Pernambucano
- experienced striker Alecsandro
- midfielder Bernardo, who is on loan from Gremio
- midfielder Diego Souza


Santos
- ex-Barcelona Kerrison 
- ex-Manchester United Rodrigo Possebon
- Current stars Neymar, Ganso
- ex-Manchester City midfielder Elano
- ex Fenerbahce and Brazilian Serie A veteran defender Edu Dracena who is their captain

They are coached by highly rated Brazilian coach Muricy Ramalho who made his name at Sao Paulo with whom he won three straight Serie A titles 2006-08.

Internacional
- ex-Sporting Lisbon and Dortmund midfielder Tinga
- Argentine midfielders Andres D'Alessandro, Mario Bolatti, and ex-Bordeaux striker Fernando Cavenaghi
- Uruguayan Gonzalo Sorondo
- ex-Betis striker Rafael Sobis
- National team striker Leandro Damiao
- ex Botafogo midfielder and Serie A veteran Ze Roberto (not to be confused with his more famous namesake who is now a free agent having ended his German sojourn at Hamburg this season)

They are coached by former Brazil national team player and legend Falcao.



Atletico Mineiro
- ex-Roma winger Mancini
- Veteran defender Leonardo Silva 
- ex CSKA Moscow pair Dudu Cearense and Daniel Carvalho



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