ight years ago, Neymar and Lucas
Moura shone for Brazil in the South
American Under-20 Championship
but then missed the World Cup at
that level as they were at the Copa
America with the senior squad,
leaving the stage clear for Oscar, Philippe Coutinho
and Casemiro to grab the glory as Brazil were crowned
under-20 world champions in Colombia.
Since then, however, the country’s record at under-
20 level has been dismal.
While a final-day 1-0 victory over Argentina
restored a little morale at this year’s continental
tournament in Chile, Brazil were in need of a three-
goal margin – something that always looked beyond
a team that scored just six times in nine games – and
they will miss out on the World Cup for the second
consecutive time and for the third in the last four.
But this does not mean good players are no longer
being produced, with the current group including
several players who will surely be able to shrug off
such a setback. Attacking midfielder Rodrygo was
a huge disappointment in Chile but he will join Real
Madrid in the middle of the year, while Barcelona have
picked up right-back Emerson and are going to loan
him to Real Betis. In addition to these, busy midfielder
Marcos Antonio will move from Portugal’s Estoril to
Shakhtar Donetsk and Phelipe Megiolaro was the
outstanding goalkeeper on show.
It could be argued that things would have been
different had the likes of Vinicius Junior and Paulinho
been released by Real Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen
respectively, but their presence would not have altered
the fundamental structure of the side – and, anyway,3-1 at Bayer Leverkusen and slip
seven points behind Bundesliga
leaders Borussia Dortmund.
ITALY: Lecce’s Serie B game with
Ascoli is abandoned five seconds
after kick-off following a head injury
to midfielder Manuel Scavone.
Sunday February 3
BELGIUM: Ex Leicester City boss
Nigel Pearson is sacked by Leuven,
who are bottom of the second tier.
ENGLAND: Sergio Aguero’s 14th
hat-trick for Manchester City gives
them a 3-1 victory over Arsenal at
Etihad Stadium.
FRANCE: Runaway leaders Paris
Saint-Germain lose in Ligue 1 for
the first time this season, beaten
2-1 at Lyon.
PORTUGAL: Benfica win 4-2 away
to Sporting and are now three
points behind Porto.
QATAR: Al Duhail pay Portuguese
side Portimonense €35m for Shoya
Nakajima, setting a new record fee
for a Japanese player.
SPAIN: Brazilian teenager Vinicius
Junior scores his first goal in La Liga
as Real Madrid beat Alaves 3-0.
Monday February 4
GUINEA: Ex-defender Mohamed
Sylla, who played in all of Guinea’sgames at the 1994 and 1998 Africa
Nations Cups, dies at the age of 44.
Tuesday February 5
ITALY: Local mayor Virginia Raggi
says Roma are free to start work on
their new stadium, which was given
the all-clear at the end of 2017 but
held up by the arrest of nine people
linked to the arena’s construction.
SWITZERLAND: Bottom of the
Super League, Neuchatel Xamax
sack Michel Decastel and promote
his assistant Stephane Henchoz.
Wednesday February 6
FIFA: Gianni Infantino will serve forat least another four years as it is
confirmed he will stand unopposed
in June’s presidential election.
FRANCE: Paris Saint-Germain
need extra time before overcoming
third-tier Villefranche 3-0 in the
last 16 of the French Cup.
OMAN: Muhanna Said takes
interim control of the national side
after Pim Verbeek steps down.
SPAIN: Cup holders Barcelona
draw 1-1 at home with Real Madrid
in the first leg of their semi-final.
Thursday February 7
CHINA: Shandong Luneng win
Hong Kong’s Lunar New Year Cup,Brazil miss out
on World Cup
Junior side are failing on a regular basis
Disappointing
...RodrygoOut...Brazil
fail againE
Brazil have stood still
and their under-20 team
is full of the vices of the
country’s club gameSouth America Under-20s
TIM VICKERY