Rafael Cabral won the Libertadores with Neymar at Santos. Now he’s shining at Reading and hoping for a Brazil recall

Rafael Cabral has been one of the breakout stars of the Championship season, putting in a series of spectacular displays for Reading.

But anyone who witnessed Rafael’s first steps in the senior game would be forgiven for being slightly puzzled at his CV, particularly the most recent sections.

This is a player who, for a time, was regarded as the next great Brazilian goalkeeper; who was a key man for Santos during their most successful spell since the 1960s; whose profile was such that he made a cameo in a Brazilian teen soap opera alongside Neymar.

Now, after a tough spell in Italy, he appears to have his mojo back. Read my interview with him on The Athletic.

What's up with Gabigol? 'The new Neymar' has played just 332 minutes of football since leaving Santos

You probably first heard of him years ago, his name whispered on the wind (or perhaps just Football Manager forums) like a secret.

'Gabigol' they called him and it was not hard to see why: he scored over 600 times at youth level for Santos and made his first-team debut at 16.

By the time he joined Internazionale, three days before his 20th birthday, he had racked up 56 senior goals in 154 appearances. €29.5million was a hefty fee, but his numbers justified it.

But since that move, 15 months ago, Gabriel Barbosa has played just 332 minutes of football. I look at his plight in my latest Unibet column.

Neymar's breakout year: How the world's most expensive player went from 'butterfly fillet' to Santos star in 2010

Had you asked a hundred Santos fans to identify the club’s brightest star at the start of 2010, you would not have received anything close to a unanimous response.

A good chunk of the vote would likely have gone to Paulo Henrique Ganso, the elegant playmaker with a topographer’s mastery of space. Robinho, back at the Vila Belmiro on loan from Manchester City, would also have been a popular choice. A few contrary types might even have chosen Arouca or Wesley, the side’s midfield dynamos, or arch goalhanger André.

Plenty, of course, would have plumped for Neymar, the wisp of a forward who had emerged from the hinterland of boy-wonderdom in 2009, scoring on his first start and generally looking far more assured than a 17-year-old should. Yet as one decade dissolved into the next, there was no consensus that he – rather than Ganso, say – would be the club’s next big thing.

Twelve months later, though? Well, there wouldn’t be much of an argument then.

I've written a long piece on Neymar's breakout year for FourFourTwo's Year Zero series. Have a read here.

Neymar at Santos: Remembering the best (and weirdest) moments from his breakthrough years in Brazil

Neymar's star power – both as footballer and as cultural artefact – has been glaringly obvious during his time in Europe. At Barcelona, he has gone from scrawny hopeful to genuine global superstar.

But the forward's grace, cheekiness and charm were evident long before he left his homeland, as those who followed his progress at Santos will recall.

As he prepares to make the second high-profile move of his career, this seems as good a time as any to look back at some of the best (and weirdest) moments from his breakthrough years.

Have a read on the Unibet site.

Thiago Maia scouting report: How the former Santos starlet went from sex motels to Marcelo Bielsa's Lille

One of the more intriguing sides to watch in the coming season will be Lille, now under the stewardship of Marcelo 'El Loco' Bielsa, one of the game's true visionaries.

Les Dogues started their summer transfer drive by adding Luiz Araújo and Thiago Mendes from São Paulo, and followed it up last week with the capture of Thiago Maia.

The midfielder, who came through the ranks at Santos and was part of Brazil's successful 2016 Olympic squad, had long been tipped for the top and will now hope to progress to the next level under Bielsa's watch. It's all a far cry from his days living in a sex motel when he first moved away from home.

Read more about Thiago Maia in my latest Unibet scouting report.

Barcelona tipped to sign Lucas Lima, the Santos star with "something of Rivellino or Gérson" about him

Those who have had even half an eye on the Brazilian domestic game over the last three of four years will be well acquainted with the talent of Santos playmaker Lucas Lima.

The 26-year-old has long been one of the country's best players, laying on countless assists and breaking into the Brazil team despite resisting the lure of Europe.

Well, resisting until now, at least. For reports suggest that Lucas will soon be on his way to the old continent, with Barcelona tipped to sign him on a free transfer when his Santos deal expires at the end of the year.

In my latest for The Independent, I look at that move and explain why, for all Lucas' talent, it would be something of a gamble for all parties.

Zito tributes and derby win over Corinthians provide respite for a Santos side in flux

Last Saturday was, by and large, a pretty special day for Santos. That was partly down to the fixture list: the Peixe welcomed Corinthians to the Vila Belmiro. This is one of the standout games of the year for Santos fans, for whom this rivalry is keenly felt. There's always a spark to the San-São games with São Paulo, while Palmeiras are perennial enemies, but no side stands in such stark opposition to the seasiders as the rabble from Parque São Jorge.

But the game was leant extra meaning by the passing, six days earlier, of a club legend. Zito may not be a household name in Europe – not these days, at least – but arguably only Pelé has made a more significant mark on the fortunes of Santos over the years.

Against Corinthians, the Santos players wore special jerseys with ‘Obrigado Zito’ on the back and his face lovingly emblazoned on the front. The captain’s armband bore not the letter ‘C’ but a ‘Z’, a nice, subtle touch that the club say will become a permanent tribute to their former skipper. All it needed was a victory to round off a memorable day and the current crop of players obliged with a 1-0 win.

In truth, this was, to some extent, a welcome distraction for Santos, for whom the last few months have been fairly fraught. Read my latest for WhoScored here.

Meet Lucas Lima, the heir to Santos' playmaking throne

The first pass is all about vision – that most nebulous of attributes that most players aspire to but very few attain. A quick look up in a busy midfield. A runner. A swish of the left boot. Centre-back and full-back sliced apart. Geuvânio scampers through to score the opener.

The second is different. A good pass, sure, but that’s not the main thing. Besides, it doesn’t even go down as an assist. No, the key here is the speed of thought. A free-kick. Everyone relaxes for a second. Some moan at the referee. Opportunity knocks. Ball on the floor, Eugenio Mena released. A simple cross later and Gabriel makes it 2-0. Job done.

He did not score and he did not make the headlines, but everyone who knew anything knew. One man and one man alone masterminded Santos’ 3-1 derby win over Palmeiras on Sunday: 24-year-old midfielder Lucas Lima.

Read the rest of this profile on the WhoScored website.

What's eating Paulo Henrique Ganso?

“Did you see Ganso?”

The question, posed by Folha de S Paulo columnist Juca Kfouri on Monday, was of course rhetorical. No one saw him. The São Paulo midfielder was denied the chance to face his former employers Santos on Sunday, relegated to the bench by coach Muricy Ramalho and failing to make an impact after coming on for the final 15 minutes.

The decision to leave Ganso out raised the odd eyebrow, but the truth is that most understood Muricy’s reasoning. It was just the latest disappointment for a player whose star has waned drastically in the past few years. Paulo Henrique (‘Ganso’ being a nickname meaning ‘goose’) was once viewed as the heir to Brazil’s playmaking crown, but is in danger of becoming a footnote in history. It was not supposed to be like this.

Read the rest of this article on the Yahoo! Eurosport blog.

The crying game: Neymar bids farewell to Brazil

A tear rolled down Neymar's cheek as the national anthem played at the shiny new Mané Garrincha stadium. It was an emotional moment – the preamble to his final club game in his beloved Brazil (for the foreseeable future at least). In amongst the cocktail of feelings must have been a pang of youthful vulnerability. The 21-year-old isn't just leaving boyhood club Santos; he's leaving his boyhood. These were eldest-son-leaving-the-family-home sobs.

On Saturday, Neymar confirmed what everyone already knew: that he was to join Barcelona. It was the end of a lengthy and not particularly enjoyable soap opera, the climax of which involved levels of coquettishness not seen since LeBron James and Eden Hazard unveiled their future plans. Neymar finally revealed his destination via social networks – an entirely appropriate medium for a player who, perhaps more than any other, embodies the term "internet sensation".

The €35million (ish) fee struck many as rather low, particularly given that his buyout clause stood at almost double that. Neymar's contract, though, only ran until July 2014, meaning that there was the possibility that he leave for nothing after the World Cup.

Until 2012, it seemed likely that the contract would be honoured, with Neymar repeatedly voicing his desire to remain in Brazil, close to friends and family. On the pitch, his development went hand-in-hand with that of Santos, whom he led to a historic Copa Libertadores title in 2011. The birth of his son, Davi Lucca, provided further incentive to stay put, as did his nascent relationship with actress Bruna Marquezine.

But gradually the discourse began to change. With Brazilian football increasingly a cakewalk for someone of his skill, pundits started to question whether he'd be better off getting out of his comfort zone before 2014. Santos' failure to qualify for this year's Libertadores meant that the early part of 2013 was particularly unfulfilling, and the Santos board began to feel that, y'know, €35million might be better than €0million.

The decision may have been a trickier one if Santos hadn’t lost their way to such an extent in recent months. Sunday's match – a dire 0-0 draw against Flamengo – highlighted the extent to which the side has stagnated around its star player. While once it purred with youthful verve, it now has all the allure of a vacuum cleaner – and precious little of the functionality. The third generation of Meninos da Vila (Paulo Henrique Ganso, André, a repatriated and motivated Robinho) have moved on: Ganso to São Paulo, André to Unfulfilled Promise Island, Robinho to goodness knows where.

Other good players remain, of course, but the cracks have been showing. Arouca is not the dominant presence he once threatened to be, while most of the back four will be collecting their pensions within a few years. Neymar's strike partner against Flamengo was new recruit Henrique, a player who doesn't even have his own Portuguese Wikipedia page. As former Brazil forward Tostão put it this week, "Playing in such a weak Santos side is demeaning for someone of Neymar's talent."

At Barcelona, the 21-year-old will naturally benefit from playing with – and against – better players. And while the interest in him in Europe will be no less feverish than it has been in Brazil, he will not be alone in centre stage; he will be one dot in a constellation rather than a lone star. At any rate, the pressure at Barça can hardly be greater than a weight he already bears: that of carrying the seleção’s World Cup hopes.

The Brazilian game will be poorer for the sale of its biggest star, but he leaves a legacy of hope: that the country’s footballing production line has merely slowed rather than stalled; that a player’s commercial value isn’t predicated on playing for a European giant; that clubs in Brazil can aren’t condemned to selling their prize assets the first time a big outfit comes knocking.

Santos, in particular, have profited enormously from keeping Neymar until the last year of his contract – even if the result was a lower transfer fee. With his commercial pull, the club’s marketing revenue increased by over 400% between 2009 and 2012. Over the same period, the number of Santos sócios (paying members) leapt from 24,000 to 63,000. In 2011, the Peixe earnt R$25million (around £8million) from television rights; one year later, the figure stood at R$75million.

It would be churlish, of course, to reduce Neymar’s influence in Brazil to the merely financial. His real value lies in the memories he leaves behind – of beautiful goals, scarcely believable dribbles and title wins. He is, above all, a deeply Brazilian player, full of daring and cunning. It was appropriate, then, that his last match came in a stadium named after perhaps the most Brazilian player of all.

Not that this was a conclusive goodbye: “It’s just a ‘see you later’,” Neymar told reporters after the game. Enjoy him while you can, Barça. The joy of the people won’t be gone forever.


A version of this article was published by The Guardian.

The week(end) that was - #2

Football itself ceded centre stage to Brazil's stadiums this week, as the Arena do Grêmio and the Mineirão hogged the headlines for all the wrong reasons...

Stadium woes (part one)

"But can we still do the avalanche?" This was the first question asked by most Grêmio fans when plans for their new stadium were unveiled in late 2009. Their (in)famous goal celebration – which involves members of the Geral supporters' group rushing to the front of the terrace as one – was deeply associated with the Estádio Olímpico, whose shallow stands lent themselves to the idea as well as any. To maintain the tradition, one terrace of the Arena do Grêmio – which opened this year – was designed with the 'avalanche' specifically in mind – despite reservations voiced by the local military police corps over the safety of the celebration.

Those fears came flooding back last week. The safety barrier at the bottom of the stand dedicated to the 'avalanche' gave way as fans celebrated Grêmio's goal against LDU, leaving eight people requiring medical attention. Thankfully none were seriously injured, but in a state still in shock following the tragic events in Santa Maria, a hard truth seems to have hit home: tradition it may be, but a crowd of thousands piling down steps towards a barrier (sturdy or otherwise) is simply not safe. With local authorities and Conmebol investigating the incident, the addition of seats in the area is likely.

Miralles finds his feet at Santos

One of a number of Argentines to have come to prominence in Chilean football (see also: Darío Conca, Walter Montillo, Darío Bottinelli), Ezequiel Miralles made an inauspicious start to life in Brazil, making just nine Brasileirão starts for Grêmio before being shipped off to Santos in the deal that took Elano to Porto Alegre.

There are signs, however, that he could be ready to make a bigger impact in 2013. Miralles looked sharp in the seasiders' 3-1 derby win against São Paulo, scoring twice and linking up well with both Neymar and fellow hermano Montillo. With his waspish movement, the 29-year-old certainly provides a more subtle threat than André, his main competitor for a starting role. Much will depend on whether he can be similarly ruthless in front of goal, but Sunday's performance bodes well.

Stadium woes (part two)

After over a thousand days of restoration work, the Mineirão in Belo Horizonte was reopened by Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff in December. The new-look stadium was used for the first time this weekend, with the clássico between Cruzeiro and Atlético-MG expected to be a celebratory affair.

But the football itself was overshadowed by a host of problems reported by fans. The more serious allegations – a lack of drinking water (in water fountains and subsequently even from taps), understaffed bars which then closed due to overcrowding, no toilet paper in bathrooms – provide significant cause for concern. The distress evident on the face of one man caught on camera, desperate for water to give to his son, was particularly troubling.

"The idea that these are just little teething troubles doesn't cut it," seethed Estadão's Antero Greco. "Fans were treated with disrespect – like they were litter. And they have the cheek to put up banners that say things like 'Enjoy the party!' It's lamentable."

Home sweet... oh

Paulo Henrique Ganso played against Santos for the first time since his acrimonious departure last year. To celebrate the occasion, the Peixe fans printed fake bank notes with his name and face on them, threw coins and even made a Ganso 'Judas doll' (don't ask) to punch, scratch and curse. At least somebody was a little more forgiving.

Like a duck to water

It's fair to say that Alexandre Pato knows how to make a good impression. (Insert Barbara Berlusconi joke here, if you're so inclined.) It took the striker just three minutes – and three touches – to open his account for Corinthians after coming off the bench against Oeste. Incredibly, he has now scored on début for every team he had represented at senior level, having made similarly positive first impressions for Internacional, Milan and the seleção. Whether he can maintain the early momentum, of course, will depend largely on his fitness – as both he and the Timão medical department will well know.

A version of this article was published by The Guardian here.

Five storylines to follow in Brazil's state championships

Brazilian football is back! After a long, gruelling wait roughly five weeks, the dust has settled on the 2012 season and Corinthians, Fluminense et al have to go out there and earn their stripes all over again. Luckily, for the first few weeks at least, 'out there' remains pretty local; yes, this is state championship season.

Aware that not everybody goes gaga for the whole really-big-teams-playing-really-tiny-teams-for-four-months schtick, I've picked out five storylines that should interest even those sceptical of the value of these regional competitions.

You can read the article at Unibet by clicking here.

(Photo credit: Sergio Barzaghi, Gazeta Press.)

Brazilian Football Digest: October

Enjoy Brazilian football but don't have time to watch/read about it as much as you'd like? Help is at hand, friend. I'll be writing a monthly digest for Betting Expert, in which I'll pick out the key stories and performers from Série A and the seleção.

My October round-up features an ageing playmaker, some handball nonsense, a tactical leap forward and some bloke called Neymar. Read it here.

The First Gringo

Before Clarence Seedorf, before Diego Forlán, before Pablo Forlán even, there was Julien Fauvel. A coffee merchant by trade, the Frenchman blazed a trail for foreign players in the Brazilian game, appearing in the very first Santos side in 1913.

I've written a short article on Fauvel for In Bed With Maradona, which you can read by clicking here.

Libertadores Preview

The group stages of the Copa Libertadores kick off tonight, to the considerable delight of fans around the continent. South America's greatest club competition continues to hold considerable allure, uniting a range of footballing cultures as distinguished as they are distinct.


With Brazil represented by no fewer than six teams in this year's edition, I though it worthwhile to preview the competition from a Brazilian perspective. At least three Brazilian clubs, I suggest, will have realistic pretensions of lifting the trophy come July. (Although I don't actually name which three... so, for the record: Santos, Inter, Corinthians.)

The article can be found on the ever-excellent In Bed With Maradona, and by clicking here.

What's Good for the Goose? Paulo Henrique Ganso and the Weight of Potential

Potential is a nebulous concept. Some have it, some don't. Some waste it. Some realise that they never had it in the first place. Potential erodes with time, either blossoming into tangibility or hardening into a stick with which to beat perceived underachievers. It can be boon, burden or both.

Paulo Henrique Ganso is feeling the full force of this double-edged sword.

At first glance, life looks rosy for the 22-year old. The playmaker, part of the most recent batch of young talents to emerge from the production line at Santos (see also the classes of '78 (Juary, Pita, João Paulo) and '02 (Robinho, Diego, Elano)), shot to prominence in the Peixe's state championship and Copa do Brasil victories of 2010. In the last two years, he has established himself as one of the country's standout midfielders, and an important member of Mano Menezes' Brazil squad. Constant speculation of interest from Milan and Internazionale has only reinforced his burgeoning reputation.

Yet all is not well chez Ganso. Events in recent months - both on the pitch and off it - have provided reason to be concerned over Ganso's progress, prompting some to revise their expectations for his future.

Exhibit A: his performances in the Club World Cup, which caught the attention of football fans worldwide for all the wrong reasons. With Santos failing to control possession, the youngster found himself bypassed - not only by Barcelona's gnomic midfield legion, but also by the more modest talents of semi-final opponents Kashiwa Reysol.

The tournament brought back memories of Brazil's catastrophic Copa América campaign earlier in the year. Ganso, entrusted with creative responsibilities by Mano Menezes, looked off the pace, unable to reproduce the kind of performance that first convinced pundits of his future at international level. (Ganso, in fairness, probably set the bar too high with his Brazil début against the USA, a tour-de-force of attacking verve. The same could easily be said of Menezes himself.)

In Ganso's defence, his preparation for the Copa had been disrupted by fitness problems. Sidelined between August 2010 and March 2011 by a cruciate ligament injury, Paulo Henrique continued to be hampered by minor niggles well into the season. His role in Santos' glorious Copa Libertadores campaign merely pasted over the cracks of what was a stop-start campaign. If he is to live up to his promise, he will have to prove in the coming months that his corporeal woes are truly behind him.

Further cause for concern has been provided by the relations between Ganso and his boyhood club, which soured somewhat in 2011. Stories linking the youngster with state rivals Corinthians began to surface earlier in the year and were not denied by Ganso, much to the chagrin of santistas. The player - whose economic rights are part-owned by DIS (a company that has strong links with... yep, Corinthians) - eventually smoothed things over with Santos, but doubts remained over the midfielder's commitment to the Vila Belmiro outfit.

The news last week that Santos were offered the opportunity to purchase an extra 10% of Ganso's economic rights (welcome to the third-party ownership system, kids) was also significant. For only R$5 million (around £2 million), the seaside club could have secured majority ownership of one of their major assets. Yet they turned the offer down. Conclusion? The club don't value Ganso at £20 million (right, maths fans?!). Perhaps this is unsurprising: after all, the rumoured interest from Europe's big boys has cooled significantly in recent months. (Incidentally, Future England Manager™ 'Arry Redknapp has never even heard of him. Make of that what you will.)

Ganso, of course, has also suffered from his proximity to another of Santos' young bucks: Neymar. Whilst the former has undergone a difficult few months, the latter has cemented his place as Brazilian football's hottest property. This status applies both on the pitch (his performances in the Copa Libertadores were breathtaking) and, perhaps more significantly, in the club shop.

Neymar, who has the words 'joy' and 'daring' sewn into whatever improbably-coloured pair of boots he happens to be wearing that week (no, seriously), offers the kind of immediacy that makes advertisers weak at the knees. His gravity- (and taste-) defying haircut, burgeoning repertoire of tricks and flicks, and J-pop grin make him almost impossibly marketable. The emerging generation of football fans - who watch more football adverts than football matches, spend more time on the Fifa 12 loading screen than in the game proper - could have found no more fitting idol.

Ganso is different. A gawky, awkward-looking youth (his nickname means "goose," in reference to his long neck), he often seems ill-at-ease with the hoops through which he is encouraged to jump in the name of publicity. (Case in point: this video shows Neymar and Ganso make cameo appearances on Malhação, the Brazilian equivalent of Hollyoaks (truly, bad taste has no borders). Observe Neymar's natural-looking dancing at the end. Now look at Ganso and feel his crushing existential pain.)

Ganso's playing style is also markedly less flashy. A midfielder who strolls through games like they were Sunday morning trips to the newsagent, Paulo Henrique brings to mind a bygone era. He trades not in stepovers or elásticos, but rather in the kind of subtlety that is increasingly being squeezed out of the Brazilian game. Through passes are his recession-hit currency.

During games, Ganso cuts a detached, aloof figure. This putative lack of passion, coupled with his stolid refusal to undertake any action that could even conceivably be classed as "defending," has attracted criticism: Ganso, the argument goes, is a luxury player, often carried by his more hard-working teammates. His decision-making in attack has also left something to be desired in recent months, weakening the position of those who believe that such a pure No.10 can be indulged in the modern game.

At his best, however, Ganso is a joy to watch. Spinning a web of passes from his role behind the strikers, the 22-year-old brings the best out of his colleagues. He directs play, coaxing fullbacks forward with passes into space and picking out fellow attackers with ice cold precision. In the right surroundings, Ganso can offer something very few others can.

Herein lies an important question: which side would best nurture this cerebral talent? Recent interest from Tottenham Hotspur (despite their manager's protests to the contrary) has brought the player to the attention of the British media, but should be treated with caution. A move to England would, I think, be ill-advised: central playmakers, after all, tend to be shunted either back (Luka Modrić), forward (Gianfranco Zola) or sideways (Samir Nasri) upon entry into the English game. Ganso, being neither physically imposing nor swift on his feet, would likely struggle to adapt as well as the aforementioned players did.

Italian football would seem to be Ganso's best bet in the long run. The 4-3-1-2 system employed by the likes of Milan and Inter would suit the youngster, offering the kind of protection that would absolve him of most defensive duties. The pace of the Italian game, too, would afford Ganso rather more time than would its English or Spanish counterparts.

For the time being, however, Ganso would be advised to stay in Brazil. Santos' upcoming state championship campaign represents the ideal opportunity to regain fitness and confidence, and should allow Paulo Henrique to regain the form that made him so popular in the first place. The weight of history, too, should also feature in Ganso's decision: Santos celebrate their centenary this year. (NB - centenaries are a big deal in Brazil.) If things go well, Ganso will make the switch to Europe with his head held high, having helped the Peixe to another title in 2012.

Ganso's (relative) decline then, although worrying, need hardly be seen as terminal. With dedication and some luck on the fitness front, 2011 could very well come to be seen as a minor blip on his journey to international prominence. He just needs to tap back into that elusive vein labelled "potential".


A version of this article was published by The Guardian HERE.

Santos Beat Kashiwa to Reach Club World Cup Final

This was, in many ways, the calm before the storm. Santos today kicked off their Club World Cup campaign with a relatively straightforward win over Japanese champions Kashiwa Reysol, setting up a possible final with European giants (and paragons of morality in the dusty pit of modern football... or something) Barcelona.

Santos 3-1 Kashiwa Reysol
Muricy Ramalho selected a full-strength side for the semi-final clash, hoping that his side would find some fluency before Sunday's test. With tenacious midfield limpet Adriano missing through injury (his absence could be critical against Barça), Muricy selected a flexible midfield: Henrique was the nominal holding player, with Arouca slightly advanced to his left. Elano operated to the right of that pair, contributing in attack but shuttling back to form a solid midfield three when required. In attack, Neymar roamed freely from his centre-left starting position, whilst Borges occasionally dropped deeper when Santos lost possession, helping Ganso pressurise the Kashiwa midfield.


Santos' fullbacks enjoyed differing levels of success during the match. Danilo - a talented youngster with boundless energy - got forward well, often surging into the space created by Elano's tendency to drift infield. He was the Peixe's standout performer and showed once more why Porto were so astute to snap him up in the summer. On the left, Durval was far less convincing. A centreback by trade, he was reluctant to join the attack, meaning that Santos enjoyed relatively little joy on that flank. The loss of Alex Sandro (also to Porto, but in this case not loaned back to the Brazilian side... it's interesting that the success of Santos' tactics could be determined to such an extent by the Portuguese club's transfer policy) has robbed Neymar of a partner in crime in the left, meaning his best work often came when he drifted centrally and to the right.

It was from such a position that Neymar opened the scoring. Ganso drifted into space in the middle of the park, before slipping a simple pass to his prodigious teammate. Neymar shaped to shoot with his right foot, before arrowing a delightful shot into the top corner with his left. It was a stunning strike, a worthy curtain-raiser for Santos' campaign. The Peixe doubled their lead soon after: Borges blasted home in trademark style after creating some space on the edge of the area.

Santos looked home and dry, but allowed Kashiwa back into the match after the interval. Former São Paulo schemer Jorge Wágner swung over a corner, from which Hiroki Sakai reduced the arrears. The Japanese side, who had failed to trouble Rafael despite enjoying some neat spells of possession prior to the interval, suddenly looked threatening: rightback Sakai troubled Durval throughout the second period, digging out numerous crosses that Edu Dracena and Bruno Rodrigo were forced to clear. From one such centre, Masakatsu Sawa wasted a golden opportunity to score his side's second, blazing over with the goal beckoning.

Yep, this is what Neymar would look like in a Real Madrid jersey.

By that stage, though, Santos had restored their two-goal lead. Danilo, who would usually be behind Elano and Ganso in the dead ball pecking order, curled a sumptuous free-kick around the Kashiwa wall, beating Takahori Sugeno all ends up. With substitutions disrupting the flow of the game, Muricy's side saw out the remaining minutes with some comfort.

Things, however, will not be so easy against Barça. (Thanks for that, Captain Obvious.) Daniel Alves will be licking his little pug lips at the prospect of facing Durval, whilst the likes of Ganso and Henrique will also need to up their game. Much of the responsibility, one feels, will again fall on the shoulders of one man. This tournament has long been billed as Messi vs. Neymar, and so it may prove. The problem for Santos is that when Messi doesn't perform, one of their myriad other superstars does. The Peixe must hope for an inspirational performance from their talisman on Sunday.

(Photo credit: Toru Hanai.)

Neymar Signs New Santos Contract

I don't normally write about transfers and contracts here, but I'll make an exception today. Neymar has signed a new contract with Santos, a deal that (the club hopes) will keep him in Brazil until the 2014 World Cup.


The club have financed the deal through a partnership with Banco do Brasil, who will seek to benefit from Neymar's growing fame in the run-up to the 2014 tournament. Neymar, already the best-paid player at the Vila Belmiro, stands to benefit from a wage rise of around 50%.

Neymar, wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with the slogan "It's good to be the King!" (in English) at this afternoon's press conference, expressed his delight at the deal. "I'm very happy here. I always said I was happy to be near my friends, and now my son. There's no bigger joy than agreeing to stay." His agent, Wagner Ribeiro, echoed these sentiments; "It's great for Santos [to keep] a player that makes the fans so happy."

Santos president Luis Álvaro de Oliveira Ribeiro took the opportunity to bemoan the incessant rumours about Neymar's future; "Often, the media is self-serving... I always said that we hadn't sold Neymar, and I was even called a liar." With the club's presidential elections looming on the horizon, he will be particularly pleased at having tied up the deal.

The news, of course, will disappoint Real Madrid and Barcelona, both of whom have expressed significant interest in the player over the last year. They, however, will have to wait: Neymar will continue to enchant Brazilian football fans for some time yet.

(Photo credit: Nacho Doce/Reuters.)

Botafogo Waste Chance to Go Top of Brasileirão; Flamengo Thrashed by Universidad de Chile

There were three midweek games involving Brazilian clubs this week, two of them in the Copa Sul-Americana. The other, a postponed Brasileirão game, could prove more significant in the long-run...

Santos 2-0 Botafogo
Breathe a sigh of relief. At times it looked as though they'd never make it, but Santos' Big Catch-up™ is over. Having had what seems like half of their league fixtures this year postponed for one reason or another (Libertadores, international matches), the Peixe are finally on an even footing with their Brasileirão competitors. Although a Série A challenge has passed the seasiders by, they can still have a big say in the eventual destination of the title, as demonstrated on Wednesday evening.

Hair today, gone tomorrow: Neymar salutes the Santos faithful.

Santos turned in an excellent display at the Vila, beating in-form Botafogo thanks to two goaks before the interval. Neymar, who has added a peroxide tint to his already extravagant barnet, scored the opener, prodding into the far corner after some typically skilful approach play. The lead was swiftly doubled, courtesy of Borges' 22nd Brasileirão goal of the season. The striker could hardly be more different in style to Neymar, as evidenced by his strike - a primitive hammer blow that fizzed passed the blameless Jefferson. Botafogo showed signs of recovery in the second period, but could not manage to reduce the arrears. They remain two points behind Corinthians and Vasco.

Copa Sul-Americana Round-up
When Vasco were roundly beaten by Aurora in the Sul-Americana a fortnight ago, they at least had the excuse of having fielded a reserve side. How Flamengo fans must wish Vanderlei Luxemburgo had done the same on Wednesday night. As it was, a strong Rubro-Negro side was humbled by Universidad de Chile; the visitors romped to a convincing 4-0 win in Rio de Janeiro. Gustavo Lorenzetti scored the pick of the goals, bending home a low effort to round off a devastating second half counter attack. At the Morumbi, meanwhile, interim coach Milton Cruz guided São Paulo to a win over Libertad. Luís Fabiano scored his first goal since returning to the club with a well-taken volley, leaving the Tricolor in pole position to reach the quarter finals.

Results. Série A: Santos 2-0 Botafogo. Sul-Americana: Flamengo 0-4 Universidad de Chile, São Paulo 1-0 Libertad.

(Photo credit; Miguel Schincariol.)

Vasco Reserves Beaten by Aurora; Santos Succumb to Grêmio

A short (and belated) midweek round-up for you, dear reader, with one match apiece from the Copa Sul-Americana and the Brasileirão. Without further ado, then...

Aurora 3-1 Vasco
With the Copa do Brasil title (and a spot in the 2012 Libertadores) already in the bag, and their domestic title challenge developing nicely, it's fair to say that Vasco da Gama aren't too fussed about the Copa Sul-Americana this year. The Gigante da Colina sent a reserve side to face Aurora on Wednesday night and were soundly beaten by the Bolivian outfit.

Vasco actually took the lead in the 40th minute, and in comical style; Bernardo tapped home after a long ball from Fágner (one of only two first choice players on display for the Rio de Janeiro side) bounced over the head of Aurora goalkeeper Pablo Lanz. The hosts reacted well, however, and took the lead through strikes from Aquilino Villalba and Augusto Andeveris. With time ticking down, Jair Reinoso sealed the victory with an emphatic volley. Vasco, then, have it all to do, but probably won't be too concerned about doing it.

Santos midfielder Ibson (right) competes for possession against Grêmio.

Grêmio 1-0 Santos
Santos continued The Great Catch-up (coming soon to a cinema near you) at the Olímpico, losing to Grêmio in a match originally scheduled for gameweek 11 of the Campeonato Brasileiro. Much was made in the build-up to the game of Borges' return to Porto Alegre (the Peixe frontman counts Grêmio among his former clubs), but the spotlight was to be stolen by an altogether less celebrated striker. Brandão, who has struggled to readapt to Brazilian football since returning from a spell in Europe, nodded home the only goal of the game in the 9th minute.

NB - Cruzeiro and São Paulo also played on Wednesday night. That match, however, was part of gameweek 28, and so shall be included in Monday's round-up rather than here.

Results. Copa Sul-Americana: Aurora 3-1 Vasco. Série A: Grêmio 1-0 Santos.

(Photo credit: Ricardo Rímoli.)