Whittling away the time between Holland:Mexico and Costa Rica:Greece, we tottered down to Ipamena Beach to take a look at the scenery (sic). Instead, we discovered the Brazilians secret footie training camp.
From the distance lots of soccer balls bobbed up and down against the sky like ping-pong balls on water fountains. Very curious. What was going on? As we got closer to the water\’s edge we found hundreds of lads organized in groups of 2, 3, 4 or more, playing keepie-uppie. But they were good. I mean, really, really, good. All sorts of kicks, flicks and circus tricks to keep the balls aloft, often for many many touches. We smirked, at a couple of lads, from their sunburn and fashion sense, likely English, who struggled to keepie-up more than 3 or 4 touches. The best keepie upper-er, was a small Brazilian boy of perhaps 9 or 10. Not only didn\’t he drop it once, but he never lost control such that he made bad touch that would cause his much older partners to lose control. Impressive kid – maybe Naymar jr jr.
May I suggest that this secret training camp, hidden in plain sight, and the exceptional ball control it nurtures, is the reason why Brazil may, yet, win the Cup, and England won\’t.
p.s. Ladies please disregard the speedos. A fashion norm in Rio, which will, mark my words, inevitably return to the US and UK one day!
What! Scotland Qualified!!! 