‘Romario and I were among the deadliest duos in World Cup history’

June 14, 2014 04:44 pm | Updated June 17, 2014 11:46 am IST

Photo composition made with two file pictures showing Brazilian footballers Bebeto (L) on June 23, 1998 after scoring against Norway during the FIFA World Cup, at the Stade Velodrome in Marseille and Romario on April 27, 2005 in Sao Paulo. Romario and Bebeto combined to form a lethal striking partnership for Brazil in their heyday. Photo: AFP

Photo composition made with two file pictures showing Brazilian footballers Bebeto (L) on June 23, 1998 after scoring against Norway during the FIFA World Cup, at the Stade Velodrome in Marseille and Romario on April 27, 2005 in Sao Paulo. Romario and Bebeto combined to form a lethal striking partnership for Brazil in their heyday. Photo: AFP

Brazil’s 1994 World Cup triumph in the USA was largely possible because of the telepathic partnership of Romario and Bebeto, responsible for eight of the team’s 11 goals in the competition.

A voluntary worker for the Local Organising Committee for this edition, Bebeto took time out for an email interview with The Hindu .

What are your expectations from this World Cup, as a Brazilian?

I expect a great World Cup. I participated in three World Cups as a player and I am now bringing that experience to help Brazil organise a grand tournament. I never had the opportunity to play a World Cup at home in Brazil, so I’m living that dream. I have provided inputs for stadium refurbishments and it has been a humbling experience to interact with the workers – understand their problems and emphasise the importance of safety equipments at the workplace. I do not expect this to be the best World Cup of all time. But I want it to be a great World Cup.

How would you rate Brazil’s chances at this World Cup?

We have to face some tough opponents, but we are a good team. The Scolari family is united and has a lot of character and strength. Second place is never good enough and I know that from France 1998

Are you happy with the team selection and tactical formations used by the national coach?

I think Felipe Scolari is doing a good job. No one thought highly about the Brazilian team ahead of the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup, but we ended up as the champion. The current boys are very good. But, we must understand that a single player cannot win the World Cup. The whole team needs to be united.

Who are your favourites?

Brazil, without a doubt! But, I know, there are other equally strong teams like Germany, Italy, Uruguay and Argentina. This will be a very competitive World Cup.

And the players… who do you think will excel?

For me, the players to look out for are Oscar, Neymar, and Eden Hazard.

How important is it for a player to appear in a World Cup?

Every player aspires to play for the national team and playing at the World is the pinnacle, especially winning the title. For me, it was the central and most important moment of my career.

What are your memories of 1994?

The memory, when I first raised the trophy, will be forever etched in my mind. My son, Mattheus, was also born during the 1994 tournament and it was nice to score a goal against the Netherlands and celebrate his birth with the cradling gesture. But, I didn’t expect it to be such a sensation.

Romario and you were unstoppable in that World Cup. Was he the best player you’ve played alongside?

Romario is my friend, my brother. It was great; we had telepathic understanding and were always on the same wave length. It was incredible playing alongside him and I think we were one of the deadliest attacking duos in the history of the World Cup.

You played in Kolkata for the Brazilian Veterans XI. Any plans of coming back to India and help the development of football here?

I am now a state deputy in Rio, and that involves a lot of commitment to the people. So, it’s a little difficult to come to India immediately. But who knows in the future? If an opportunity arises, I will love to, because I have fond memories.

0 / 0
Sign in to unlock member-only benefits!
  • Access 10 free stories every month
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.