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30 March 2020
WHERE ARE THEY NOW ? - The 2002 Brazilian winners (3/17)
A few weeks before the kick-off of the 48th edition of the Maurice Revello Tournament (1-14 June), we are launching our traditional pre-competition series. During its rich history, the Tournament has welcomed a bunch of big names. More than 1800 of them became senior internationals and enjoyed successful careers. This year, we’ll take a look at the tournament’s winners since the beginning of the 2000’s. Do you know what they became ? What club they played for ? What they have won after the Tournament ? Third episode with the Brazil squad that lifted the trophy in 2002.
June 2002: A month forever written in the history of Brazil's national team. While the senior side, made up of legends such as Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos and Cafu, were winning the World Cup in Asia, the Auriverde U-21s were putting on a show a few days earlier in the South of France.
The Maurice Revello Tournament took advantage of the 30th edition organised in June 2002 to return to a ten-team line-up. The first group consists of England, China, Poland, Portugal and Brazil. A second group brings together Germany, South Africa, Japan, Ireland and Italy.
In their opening game, Brazil were the favourites to win the group. A clear-cut 4-0 victory over Poland and their future senior internationals such as future Manchester United goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszcak. Among the goalscorers was a certain Adriano, who would later become the terror of Serie A defences. The "Imperatore" scored again in the next game against China, helping his side to win (3-1).
The Brazilians, who had been flaming up in the first two games, then relied on a solid defence made up of future internationals such as Edu Dracena, Dani Alves and Maxwell to earn draws against Portugal (0-0) and England (0-0), thus securing top spot in the group.
Andrea Barzagli versus Adriano: two future Serie A stars in duel at the Maurice Revello Tournament 2002
Now it was time to meet the leader of the other group, Italy, in the final. The two nations meet on 17 June 2002 at the Stade Mayol. Dani Alves and Adriano were in the Brazilian squad, and the match was a promising one. The Squadra Azzurra, on the other hand, have a no less attractive starting line-up with players like Andrea Barzagli, Angelo Palombo and captain Christian Maggio. In the end, it all turned in Brazil's favour, with Pinga's brilliant first-half strike breaking the deadlock before promising striker Dagoberto finished the job shortly after the hour mark. The Brazilians could have let their joy explode as they had just won their sixth Maurice Revello Tournament after a near-perfect run.
Legend Dani Alves, Adriano's ups and downs
Seven members of this victorious generation would go on to become A-team internationals with the Seleçao. The most striking name among them is, of course, Dani Alves. The legendary Brazilian right-back (116 caps, 8 goals with Brazil) simply became the most successful player in the history of football with 40 trophies won! Here's a glimpse: two UEFA Cups with Sevilla, three Champions League and five La Liga titles with Barcelona, two Ligue 1 with Paris Saint-Germain, one Serie A with Juventus and two Copa America with Brazil!
Another winner of the Maurice Revello Tournament 2002 with a well-stocked list of honours is Maxwell (10 caps with Brazil). The left-back has won two La Liga titles and a Champion's League with Barcelona (alongside a certain Dani Alves!), three Scudetto with Inter Milan, four French league titles with Paris Saint-Germain, of which he is now an ambassador.
Other players seemed to have gone on to have a similar trophy collection but were less consistent throughout their careers. We obviously think about Adriano: while his career got off to a thunderous start with four Scudetto clinched, most notably with Inter Milan, the strong Auriverde striker (48 caps, 27 goals with Brazil) was then hampered by various personal problems, ending his career anonymously.
The strong striker Adriano, future legend Dani Alves and elegant attacking midfielder Diego at the Maurice Revello Tournament 2002
Just the opposite of Diego. The elegant attacking midfielder (34 caps, 4 goals with Brazil) had an exciting start to his career (a Bundesliga with Wolfsburg, a Europa League and a La Liga title with Atletico Madrid among others), went through a period of empty spells before experiencing a veritable renaissance when he went back home. At Flamengo, to be precise, where in 2019 he contributed to the historic Copa Libertadores-Brasileirao double.
Robert the Explorer
The other members of the Maurice Revello Tournament 2002 winners' squad to have reached the Seleçao are the goalkeeper Diego Cavalieri (who played for Liverpool between 2008 and 2010), the defender Edu Dracena and the midfielder Eduardo Costa, well known by the Ligue 1 followers for playing for Girondins Bordeaux, Olympique de Marseille and AS Monaco in the 2000s.
Others, without having made it to Brazil's senior national team, have had more than honourable careers, such as Rubinho and his 87 Serie A appearances for Genoa, Palermo, Livorno and Juventus, or Dagoberto, winner of five Brazilian national leagues (with Athletico Paranaense, Sao Paulo and Cruzeiro).
Finally, some players have enjoyed a more exotic career, such as Pinga, the best player at the Maurice Revello Tournament 2002. After having played in Italy, he returned to Brazil before spending several years in the United Arab Emirates. His taste for travel is nevertheless incomparable to forward Robert de Pinho de Souza's, known as "Robert". The brace-scorer against Poland at the Maurice Revello Tournament 2002, has played for around 30 clubs in his career.
Like the talented team that came to Brazil in 2002, Brazil have been represented by great talent throughout their participation in the Maurice Revello Tournament. The Seleçao, the second most successful side in the history of the tournament (9 titles), will soon be making their return to the series...
Brazil internationals that played the Maurice Revello Tournament 2002 :
Diego Cavalieri, Adriano Leite, Dani Alves, Diego Ribas, Eduardo Costa, Edu Dracena, Maxwell Scherrer
Amayes Brahmi
The other episodes :
WHERE ARE THEY NOW ? – Colombia’s 2000 Maurice Revello Tournament winners (1/17)
WHERE ARE THEY NOW ? - The Portugal squad crowned in 2001 (2/17)
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