Why aint european players signed by south american football clubs
Every year we over here in europe, on the other side of the atlantic ocean, read about players from south america coming to big and small clubs. Some comes to Sweden and some go to England, France, Italy, England and so forth.
But why dont we read about players going the other direction. Why dont I read about players from let say Sweden and other european countries going to play for teams in let say Brasil, Argentina and so. For clubs such as River Plate and Corinthians etcetera.
I am in illustrator, graphic designer and artist and as such I have always been interested in other countries and cultures art, design, illustration and history to just mention a few examples. Sweden have always had a love for football from Brasil. It started with Péle and continue with the young players of today. Just imagine if swedish players like Zlatan Ibrahimovic, John Guidetti had played for teams in Brasil. Or Pirlo from Italy. but of course it doesnt have to be such high flying players like Ibrahimovic, Etó and Pirlo.
No offense to Russian football, but it would be so much more passion for football to read that Samuel Etó played for a team in Brasil or Argentina than in Russia. I know, the money is somewhere else, but the passion meeting a player like Etó like it was when he played in Spain and Italy – I think we can all agree the passion for football can be found not only in europe but in south america as well where football is almost like religion.
It would be interesting to hear what clubs and media in Argentina and Brasil think about it.
Stefan Lindblad
Illustrator, graphic designer and artist
www.canvas.nu
South America, especially Brazil, do not need to import good players. South America traditionally have good players and many of them are not even known in Europe. They have gone to Europe for a simple reason: money! The reverse route (”importing” players) is very expensive for Latin clubs.
Silvio, I am sure many fantastic players unknown for Europeans are in Brasil. But the same over here. I bet yoou havent heard, or most Brazilians havent heard of the Swedish player John GuidettI?
Today he is 21 years old. Last year he was 20 years old. Was on loan from Manchester City, playing 23 games for Holland team Feyernoord. He scored 20 goals in 23 matches.
Marco Verratti from Italy, fantastic player. Who plays in PSG, just like brasilian player Thiago Silva, Alex, Maxwell, Lucas Moura – and Swedish player Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
I totally agree with both you and Ariel of course that money is the main reason. But thing is that I beieve european players as well as Brasilian and argentinian clubs and players would benefit from seeing ”other” players in action.
But I also think it would be a fantastic ecperience were it possible, for europans to play in South America, just like south americans play in Europe.
Lucas Moura from Brasil for example. One of the first things he said when he came to PSG and France earlier this year was: ”In europe the tempo is faster”. And I would say the physic is more of also.
The reason is simple: the money! When I went to Spain, some years ago, I discovered that one player of Real Madrid, only one player, receive more money than all football players on Uruguay. Yes, all. All players of First, Second and Third Professional League. On Uruguay, the Nacional Football Club and Peñarol wins more than 100 cup each, including 3 Intercontinental Cup each one (same as Real Madrid, and more than FC Barcelona and a lot of european football club) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Club_Nacional_de_Football / http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Club_Atl%C3%A9tico_Pe%C3%B1arol
but if we think to contract Ibrahimovic we need to sell the Estadio Centenario (Centennial Stadium, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estadio_Centenario)
Ariel, only one Estadio Centenario aint enough 😉
He needs his salery as well.
But seriously, of course money is an issue. Regarding Ururguay, its madness to hear how one Real Madrid player from Uruguay earn more than all players in three divisions in Uruguay football leagues.
Edison Cavani from Uruguay, who played for Napoli. He have now signed with PSG, Paris Saint Germain. And who plays in PSG? – Zlatan Ibrahimovic!
Ariel, we will be watching the same games, no? 😉
two polish players had marginally successful careers in brazil in the late ’90s – Krzysztof Nowak & Mariusz Piekarski, piekarski even played 10 or so games for Flamengo. sadly Krzysztof Nowak is no longer with us having died of motor neurone disease in 2005.