Argentina vs Brazil a comparison
Argentina and Brazil have been the two most dominating south american
football playing nations since the inception of Association Football.
The fan followers of these teams too are the largst accross the globe.
These two football giants although having completely different football
styles, are no less than each other. While Brazil have dominated the
World cup over the years, Argentina have been masters of South American
Championships (copa-america). On facing each other, these teams are very
close to each other. Although there is a controversy over who has won
more matches, statistics most recently shows 34 matches each. Supporters
of either countries always try to justify, the team they are supporting
is better. Here i am trying to write a small comparison (although i am a
big big brazillian fan).
Brazil is a team who has been playing over the years with a reputation of not to win, but to show the art of football (in their language we refer to it as jogo bonito the beautiful game). They do not mind losing a game, but its important to show the class football. The team always has been known for its coordination. And this coordination comes naturally when the team plays, considering that through out the year, the players of Brazil are involved in various english/spanish/italian leagues. But when these players come together as part of Brazil, the coordination and organization automatically comes, something which is very surprising. I have always felt they play at the strength of the opposition and increase their level when the opponent is strong, and decrease it when opposition is week. Their coordination changes so vibrantly with each match, that is very difficult to believe.
Argentina as a football team have been more known for its individual skills. Argentina for me is the only south american team which has a football style very similar to European style. Argentinian football is very fast, very accurate and always threatening. It is always amazing to watch Argentinian football against any team. When they win they win with huge margins. On their day, they can kill any opposition. Even when the argentinian players play in european leagues, they are always a threat to the opposition.
Individual Player skill level:
Argentinian greats like Maradona, Messi(current) are very fast. If somebody watches them very closely, they just run through the opposition and get past 4-5 players easily and score a goal. Their dribbling skills are mainly single footed. They dribble with either left or right foot. Messi for example always dribbles and bamboozles the opponent players by continuously dribbling to the left with his left foot. Maradona also was more of his left foot. The speed they generate while running, its very difficult to beat by the opposition defenders. Alongwith this, they are accurate with long range shorts too.
Brazilian individual skills are quite different from Argentina. They dribble using both their legs and just fools the opposition. Players of the calibre of Ronaldinho, kaka and currently neymar use both their legs and just keeps the opposition players totally in a state of discomfort. Brazilian players are also very accurate with long range shorts (no less than Argentina).
Apart from this mid-fielders of both the teams like kaka and Messi are very accurate. They could just pass through the ball between a bunch of players and let the strikers do the rest.
Strikers:
Argentinian strikers such as Batistuta, Higuain(current), cannigia have always been dangerous and have a hunger for scoring goals. That is why we see a lot hatricks being scored by various argentina players. Its a different thing that even Argentinian mid-fielders are highly attacking and can score a goal anytime.
Brazilian stikers like pele, ronaldo, romario and bebeto, depends on the through balls created by the team to score a goal. And when they do get a ball, they never miss.
Organization and coordination:
Argentina coordination is good but their defence is very poor.
Brazil have been the masters of coordination over the years. Brazil 1982 is regarded as the football team which represents the art of football. Even the great Maradona admits it. Brazillian defence is also a point of concern always, as it is vulnerable to goals.
Free-kicks:
Brazilian free-kicks are no match to any other country. Each of their players over the past have a differnt style of taking freekicks. Roberto carlos had very very fast freekicks, Ronaldinho and Rivaldo are known for accuracy. Kaka is know for the curl he generates while delivering a free-kick.
Argentina free-kicks are good and comparable to Brazilian free-kicks. Messi has been a revelation.
Penalties:
History reveals both Brazil and Argentina have had tough times with Penalties and tie-breakers. Their have been moments when either of the team crashed out of major tournaments because of tie-breakers. Even greats such as zico, socrates have missed penalties when actually needed.
This has been a small comparison, although there is a lot that can be written on these two teams. These two teams are so good to watch, its always and endless discussion comparing them.
Brazil is a team who has been playing over the years with a reputation of not to win, but to show the art of football (in their language we refer to it as jogo bonito the beautiful game). They do not mind losing a game, but its important to show the class football. The team always has been known for its coordination. And this coordination comes naturally when the team plays, considering that through out the year, the players of Brazil are involved in various english/spanish/italian leagues. But when these players come together as part of Brazil, the coordination and organization automatically comes, something which is very surprising. I have always felt they play at the strength of the opposition and increase their level when the opponent is strong, and decrease it when opposition is week. Their coordination changes so vibrantly with each match, that is very difficult to believe.
Argentina as a football team have been more known for its individual skills. Argentina for me is the only south american team which has a football style very similar to European style. Argentinian football is very fast, very accurate and always threatening. It is always amazing to watch Argentinian football against any team. When they win they win with huge margins. On their day, they can kill any opposition. Even when the argentinian players play in european leagues, they are always a threat to the opposition.
Individual Player skill level:
Argentinian greats like Maradona, Messi(current) are very fast. If somebody watches them very closely, they just run through the opposition and get past 4-5 players easily and score a goal. Their dribbling skills are mainly single footed. They dribble with either left or right foot. Messi for example always dribbles and bamboozles the opponent players by continuously dribbling to the left with his left foot. Maradona also was more of his left foot. The speed they generate while running, its very difficult to beat by the opposition defenders. Alongwith this, they are accurate with long range shorts too.
Brazilian individual skills are quite different from Argentina. They dribble using both their legs and just fools the opposition. Players of the calibre of Ronaldinho, kaka and currently neymar use both their legs and just keeps the opposition players totally in a state of discomfort. Brazilian players are also very accurate with long range shorts (no less than Argentina).
Apart from this mid-fielders of both the teams like kaka and Messi are very accurate. They could just pass through the ball between a bunch of players and let the strikers do the rest.
Strikers:
Argentinian strikers such as Batistuta, Higuain(current), cannigia have always been dangerous and have a hunger for scoring goals. That is why we see a lot hatricks being scored by various argentina players. Its a different thing that even Argentinian mid-fielders are highly attacking and can score a goal anytime.
Brazilian stikers like pele, ronaldo, romario and bebeto, depends on the through balls created by the team to score a goal. And when they do get a ball, they never miss.
Organization and coordination:
Argentina coordination is good but their defence is very poor.
Brazil have been the masters of coordination over the years. Brazil 1982 is regarded as the football team which represents the art of football. Even the great Maradona admits it. Brazillian defence is also a point of concern always, as it is vulnerable to goals.
Free-kicks:
Brazilian free-kicks are no match to any other country. Each of their players over the past have a differnt style of taking freekicks. Roberto carlos had very very fast freekicks, Ronaldinho and Rivaldo are known for accuracy. Kaka is know for the curl he generates while delivering a free-kick.
Argentina free-kicks are good and comparable to Brazilian free-kicks. Messi has been a revelation.
Penalties:
History reveals both Brazil and Argentina have had tough times with Penalties and tie-breakers. Their have been moments when either of the team crashed out of major tournaments because of tie-breakers. Even greats such as zico, socrates have missed penalties when actually needed.
This has been a small comparison, although there is a lot that can be written on these two teams. These two teams are so good to watch, its always and endless discussion comparing them.
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