Fútbolita

Welcome to Selecao Bootcamp, Uma Tradição Futbolita! Everyone gather yourselves because it’s that time of the year so ya’ll better get excited. Anyway, our manos have landed in Qatar, more specifically, the Four Seasons Hotel where they’re putting up during their stay in Doha. Everyone gathered in the ballroom for a nightcap again, although they had to be considerate because Kaka was around and coach Dopey was just a table away. Of course Elano was on the lookout for vodka, but Robinho made sure he carefully hid it under the table. All this time, Fabulouso pretended not to know….

Also, plenty of awkward and incredibly fofa (cute) photos await you. They all shared stories around the table and cracked jokes. The four “New Kids on the Block”, Fabio Simplício, Carlos Eduardo, Hulk and Michel Bastos were all excited to join their amigos. Felipe Melo is looking fine as usual (despite being bombarded by Italian journos on the plane – true story from his rep who told us this last night!). On the other hand, someone please give Lucas and Josué cotton candy for looking like ballet dancers. The white shirt is too Billy Elliot than Brazilian for Lucas. We’ll ask him if he needs a catalogue soon, para você!

Training starts in a few hours time, so keep close by futbolitas!

Todas as fotos por R.Ribeiro

So Dopey officially called up 24 homens for the selecao’s upcoming friendly matches next month. Ooooh yes, we mean that exciting one against England in Qatar on the 14th and the other one against Oman in Muscat. And futbolitas, are you ready for some new names? Say “Bem-vido!” to Porto’s Brazilian sensation, ‘Hulk’ Souza (they call him that because he resembles Lou Ferrigno) who will wear yellow for the first time after shining in the Liga Sagres. The same goes for Fabio Aurelio, whom Dopey is calling up for the first time. You know he was totally impressed while watching Sunday night’s derby and his Scouser of a nephew started yelling at him to ‘pick Fabio!’

Also new to the squad is Lyon’s Michel Bastos, who apparently told Dopey that he’d ‘play in any position’ so long as he got called up to the selecao. Tipo, isso é patético, mas tudo está perdoado! Lastly, Hoffenheim’s Carlos Eduardo – you’ve might not have heard of him – also earned himself a spot in the team. Well, it’s only a friendly so Dopey’s allowed to experiment. And we don’t know about you… but we’re looking forward to this Selecao Bootcamp! Até então …

Allow Nilmar to present the squad list to you….

Goalkeepers : Julio Cesar (Internazionale) / Doni (Roma)

Defenders : Maicon (Internazionale) Daniel Alves (Barcelona) Luisão (Benfica) Lúcio (Internazionale) Juan (Roma) Naldo (Werder Bremen)

Midfielders : Fábio Aurélio (Liverpool) Michel Bastos (Lyon) Gilberto Silva (Panathinaikos) Josué (Wolfsburg) Lucas (Liverpool) Felipe Mello (Juventus) Alex (Spartak Moscou) Julio Baptista (Roma) Ramires (Benfica) Elano (Galatasaray) Kaká (Real Madrid) Carlos Eduardo (Hoffenheim)

Strikers : Robinho (Manchester City) Luís Fabiano (Sevilla) Nilmar (Villareal) Hulk (Porto)

via AP

We love this tipo, and we’re sure you do too! Yes, CQC’s resident louco reporter, Felipe Andreoli recently went on one of his missions during the legendary Selecao Bootcamp week and he got pretty far asking Lucas, Luis Fabiano, Dunga, Julio Cesar and Kaka absurd questions. And yes, he even passed them toys! There’s also a cameo appearance by a clone of The Dinho and an intermission featuring Felipe himself at Oktoberfest. E muito engraçado a explicar. Enjoy!

Tudo bem, people?! Welcome to Day 1 of the Selecao bootcamp…. a staple here at Futbolita. And in true spirit, we just did a thorough assessment of the selecao’s arrival at Granja Comary with our Brazilian amiga here, Ana. Gata wants to marry Zagallo but he’s old enough to be her grandfather, so she has now shifted all thoughts to Julio Cesar. On the other hand, Fabulouso is looking sleek in white… he needs to pose for a furniture catalogue agora!

So manos were sent for gym conditioning (to “maintain muscles and detoxification”) ,with Senor Pablo Paixão. This was accompanied by light field training and running exercises. Nilmar is deep in concentration… (while el amigo Lucas is presumably talking about English tea) so do not disturb!

Of course, playing at a high altitude is another issue for selecao. As such, the team’s doctor Jose Luis Runco has confiscated the potato chips from Adriano’s room. “I recommend a light diet for the team – with fruit and carbohydrates. Our position in relation to games at altitude does not change and I hope that FIFA changes it,” he said. “It is advisable to practice the sport at (a suitable) altitude because we run a risk of compromising the life of a human being.”

Added the excited André Santos. : “The secret is to adapt as quickly as possible to play a great game.”

Fotos de R.Ribeiro

Photos via R.Ribeiro

Ah, an exciting week of international futbol is finally upon us as our hombres prepare to face The Dona’s Argentina on Saturday! Yesterday, the Brazilian Bombshells eagerly assembled at the Tom Jobin International Airport (in Rio) before proceeding to Granja Comary. On arrival, everyone received a welcome snack before heading to bed. Yes, it’s beginning to sound a lot like pre-school…

As you can probably tell, manos were excited to meet each another again (Julio Baptista and Lucas both look thrilled). Barbecue King, Adriano, was also delighted to be back with the selecao but admitted that he "only personally knows Nilmar and Victor" from Dopey’s current squad. Uh, no problem. He’ll make friends just as long as he doesn’t locate an All-You-Can-Eat buffet spread in Rosario.

The players also attended a commercial event for Gillette last night and Julio Cesar, Felipe Melo, Adriano, Juan and Lucio were on hand to test their new series of razors. "Drawing with Argentina will be good enough. If we win, it will have to be with a beard, hair and moustache," joked Julio Cesar as he tried to shave( seriously???). But the worst line had to come from Adriano who was asked by former model, Monique Evans, if any of his girlfriends had ever shaved him. "Not yet, but if you want to…" he replied, laughing. Have you seen Monique Evans?

So Dunga has finalized his tropa that will face Argentina next month… and Adriano aside, we’re excited to see that our friend Lucas has also been summoned! Grandeeeeee mano!

The Dinho and Pato were both left out of the squad again (Milan’s dismal form has been obviously detrimental to their chances ). Kleberson, who is nursing a shoulder injury, was left out of the squad and his place went to Lucas. Andre Santos has also been called up to replace Marcelo while Deportivo la Coruna’s Luis Filipe earned himself a spot after his performance against Estonia earlier this month.

As for churrascaria chubs, Adriano, his call-up doesn’t come as a surprise given his current status in the Brasileirao. He may have a pot belly, but cara is also the league’s top scorer….so he’d better not be lazy!

Here’s the full squad list for Brazil’s qualifying games against Argentina and Chile (to take place in October).

SQUAD LIST :

GOALKEEPERS : Julio César – Inter, Victor – Grêmio
DEFENDERS : Daniel Alves – Barcelona, André Santos – Fenerbahçe, Maicon – Inter, Filipe Luís – La Coruña, Lúcio – Inter, Juan – Roma, Luisão – Benfica, Miranda – São Paulo
MIDFIELDERS : Felipe Melo – Juventus, Elano – Galatasaray, Gilberto Silva – Panathinaikos, Josué – Wolfsburg, Julio Baptista – Roma, Kaká – Real Madrid, Lucas – Liverpool, Ramires – Benfica
ATTACKERS : Robinho – Manchester City, Adriano – Flamengo, Luis Fabiano – Sevilla, Nilmar – Villarreal