BRAZILIAN PLAYERS EXERCISING; COACH; PELE MATES PRACTISING; YOUTHS PLAY SOCCER ON SAND CHILDREN PLAY SOCCER ON STREET; PLAYERS AT TIDDLEYWINKS SOCCER MATCH.




Initials MJS/VS/JF/MJB


SPORT: SOCCER

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Background: BRAZIL IS A LAND GRIPPED BY "FOOTBALL FEVER". ITS ??? TEAM HAVE ALREADY WON THREE OF THE SIX QUALIFYING GAMES FOR ??? THE 1970 WORLD CUP IN MEXICO. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME BRAZIL HAS FORCED TO ENTER THE QUALIFYING ROUNDS SINCE 1957.

AFTER DEFEATING PARAGUAY ON SUNDAY (AUGUST 17) THE TEAM HAS SPENT THREE HECTIC DAYS IN TRAINING FOR THEIR MATCH TODAY (AUGUST ???) AGAINST COLOMBIA. THE FIRST GAME IN THE SERIES WAS ALSO AGAINST COLOMBIA. BRAZIL WON, AND FEEL CONFIDENT THAT THEY WILL REPEAT THE PERFORMANCE ON THEIR HOME GROUND - RIO DE JANEIRO'S CITY STADIUM, MARACANA.

BRAZIL'S VICTORIES MUST BE SEEN AS A VINDICATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF JOANO SALDANHA AS TEAM MANAGER. SALDANHA WAS AN UNPOPULAR CHOICE FOR THE JOB, WHICH MANY THOUGHT SHOULD HAVE GONE ITS FORMER INTERNATIONAL ZAGALO. ONLY SIX OF THE 1966 TEAM ARE ??? THIS YEAR, THOUGH THESE INCLUDE THE NOW LEGENDARY PELE.

THE INTERNAL POLITICS OF THE GAME DO NOT, HOWEVER, DAMPEN ENTHUSIASM OF BRAZILIANS FOR SOCCER. CHILDREN, LIKE CHILDREN EVERYWHERE, PLAY STREET SOCCER. BUT PUBLIC FIELDS OVER RIO PACKED WITH ADULTS ATTACKING THE BALL WITH GUSTO. SOME OF THE GAME ARE ORGANISED ON FIELDS LIKE FLAMENGO PARK, ??? RECREATION ??? NEAR RIO BAY. TEAMS FROM BUSINESS FIRMS PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP GAME ??? SOMETIMES GO ON THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT. MANY ARE IMPROMPTU AFFAIRS BETWEEN ENTHUSIASTS WHO JUST APPEAR AT THE FIELDS HOPING FOR A CHANCE TO PLAY.

SOCCER MANIA HAS EVEN GIVEN BIRTH TO A NEW SPORT - ??? SOCCER - OR "BUTTON FOOTBALL" AS THE BRAZILIANS HAVE CHRISTENED IT. TEAMS OF ARMY OFFICERS, BUSINESSMEN, EVEN UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR SOLEMNLY GATHER ROUND A TABLE TO BATTLE OUT CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS IN GRUELLING HALF HOUR GAMES - WITH A FIVE MINUTE BREAK FOR FINGER-FLEXING IN BETWEEN.