The title that futsal was missing is already a reality: Portugal champions of the world
Sea and futsal heroes! Ricardinho, João Matos, Baby, Bruno Coelho, André Coelho, Pany Varela, Zicky, Erick, Afonso Jesus, Tiago Brito, Tomás Paçó, Miguel Ângelo, Pauleta, Fábio Cecílio, André Sousa, Vítor Hugo he made Portugal futsal world champion, with a triumph over Argentina (2-1) in the Lithuanian World Cup final. It was the title the team was missing, which will be received on Monday by the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebela de Sousa. The team arrives at Lisbon Airport at 12:35 pm.
Portugal entered as a restricted list of world champion countries in futsal, along with Brazil (five titles), Spain (two titles) and Argentina (one title), which won the last edition, in 2016, in Colombia. The best participation of the team of quinas had been the third place built in 2000, in Guatemala, now surpassed by a spectacular and unprecedented world title.
Pany Varela was the greatest hero among Jorge Braz’s 16 magnificent. With two goals in the final, he finished the World Cup with eight – only surpassed by the nine of the Brazilian Ferrão – and elected the second best player in the competition… after Ricardinho.
Born in Cape Verde, Anilton (“Pany” because of his grandmother) arrived in Portugal when he was 10 years old. It was in the streets of Vialonga that he perfected his Portuguese and acquired a taste for futsal in “Os Patuscos” before joining the training levels of Forte da Casa. to clubs such as Belenenses, Fundão, Benfica or Sporting and to the national team.
No end of the game and after scoring two decisive goals he couldn’t hold back tears and was speechless: “I don’t feel like a hero. We are a brave nation, regardless of who plays. We were at the top of Europe and now we are at the top of the world. My people I’m leaving!”
The final was also made with tears (and glory) from Ricardinho when he heard the anthem for the last time – he said goodbye to the national team, with 187 games and a world title, Three years after raising the European champion (2018). For six times better, the player in the world doesn’t have to be just tears of emotion. Just six months ago, he was undergoing surgery on the tendon of his right leg and yesterday he played in the final of the Futsal World Cup, which he will promote around the world with his magic. At 36, he was voted the best player in the world and the discussion about who is the best ever was unbalanced in his favor.
In the stands, around 20 Erasmus students multiplied to fifty, with emigrants from all over to sing: “We want to take the cup to our Portugal.” The people’s national selection and tractor fulfilled the people’s wish. “This World Cup is for them, for the work and for all the Portuguese. I said we were going to give our lives for Portugal, for our country and we were fantastic. I’m the happiest man in the world with a team like that. Being world champion is supposedly not easy and is fully deserved“, praised the selector who this Sunday wrote the most beautiful page of Portuguese futsal.
Jorgr Braz thus joined the world title to the European: “I had this to say: I got myself into a hell of a job today. I made a pretty mess of it. Now instead of revalidating one title I have to revalidate two (laughs). I’m set. I have to revalidate two titles before the end of the contract, otherwise I’m fired (laughs) Instead of revalidating one, I have the title to revalidate two. “
Assault on Ricardinho and goal by Pany Varela
Portugal started well in the game with Ricardinho and Zicky in the face of the goal. It took the best defensive organization that highlights this Argentina. The balance was evident in a very tactical and strategic game. After all, the stubborn cop was played between the European champion (2018) and the world champion (2016) and nerves were part of the plan, as well as the jokes that gave some juice to the clash between two hot-blooded teams. The goalkeepers had a very particular duel in the first half. If Bebé started by avoiding Leandro Cuzzolino’s goal, Sarmiento (with the help of the crossbar) prevented the unexpected hero of the semi-final – Tiago Brito – from putting Portugal ahead.
Jorge Braz promotes high turnover to maintain pressure on the ball and block Argentine defensive intentions. The strategy was effective and the Argentines were losing their minds. The barely concealed aggression towards Ricardinho is an example of this. A punch in the stomach that dignifies the quality of Borruto, who ended up being sent off and left Argentina playing with four for two minutes, after the Portuguese coach asked for video support to see the move.
It was in numerical superiority that Portugal reached the goal and already after a monumental failure by Ricardinho – with the goal open, he shot at the post. Pany Varela, Jorge Braz’s joker for this World Cup, has reappeared. Scoring first was important… it meant forcing Argentina to take more risks, make more mistakes and open spaces for Portugal’s creatives. Only Zicky’s inexperience and Bruno Coelho’s miss on the shot explain why they missed 2-0 at the end of the first half.
What a move by Erick. Ball on the bar to open the 2nd half
What a move by Erick. One of the young stars of leonine futsal, who once said he might not play again due to a rare disease that undoes his femur, hit the bar after a high level individual play. True, he could have been more effective and chosen another, simpler way to shoot, but the hat shows all the class, talent and irreverence of the 20-year-old, who soon after opted for a more conventional shot and forced Sarmiento to avoid more. a Portuguese goal.
The game entered a decisive phase and Bebé (and the post) was increasingly the protagonist … but not as much as Pany Varela who scored Portugal’s second goal. The 2-0 was a good cushion for Jorge Braz’s team … but it didn’t take a minute for Claudino to concede a goal, in a beautiful individual play. Everything was open again and an eye was needed for the cunning (not to say dirty) Argentine game ... always trying to get a yellow or red from the Portuguese side. Some boys like Zicky and Erick fell into the trap …
But as Ricardinho had said before the game, history was done, the glory was missing… which came to the end of five minutes of great intensity and pressure from Argentina. In the last seconds, Bebé’s goalpost avoided the draw and Portugal made history and dethroned Argentina!
Brazil took third place after beating Kazakhstan 4-2.