Tim Vickery of BBC Sport calls Brazil’s 3-0 win over Argentina in the Copa America final a resounding triumph for the pragmatists over the romantics from Argentina. “Pragmatist” is a polite way of describing an approach to the game that has seen Brazil’s press castigate Coach Dunga for a style of play many have called “boring” and even “ugly”. On the other hand, Argentina coach Alfio Basile has repeatedly said he’s interested in playing beautifully as much as winning. Up until Sunday’s final, Argentina had played beautifully, too, but its players simply couldn’t overcome Brazil’s physical power in defense and had no answer for its speed on the counter.
Vickery says Argentina’s pretty passing game was always going to falter against a stronger, faster team. However, it must be said that Argentina was not on song — indeed, one of the Albicelestes’ great weaknesses under Basile is the team’s over-reliance on Juan Riquelme and Lionel Messi. Brazil absolutely swarmed both players, effectively killing Argentina’s attack. Riquelme, in particular, couldn’t find the space he needs, and when he did break free, Brazil fouled him. Thus, Messi and Carlos Tevez found themselves isolated for most of the game.
To be sure, Dunga’s Brazil is far different from the side Carlos Alberto Parreira brought to Germany last year; Parreira’s team, dumped out of the quarterfinals by France, was chastised for a lack of determination, grit and above all else, passion. Dunga’s Copa America winners looked a far different outfit from the blasé band of superstars deployed by Parreira last year; indeed, many of them have to fight hard for their starting places at their clubs. And as Vickery says, these Brazilians worked hard for each other, were organized, and thoroughly deserved their 3-0 win.