Challenges The Bad Boys from Brazil Challenge

[danovic78]

The Bad Boys from Brazil Challenge

Monumental clash of egos when Romario and Edmundo joined forces at Vasco Da Gama. Fans called it ‘the attack of dreams’, for defenders it was the partnership of nightmares.

Eighteen years ago, Romario and Edmundo, the self-proclaimed ‘Bad Boys of Brazilian Football’ both rejoined their boyhood club, Rio de Janeiro side Vasco da Gama. Following a third place finish the season previous, president Antonio Soares Calcada and manager Antonio Lopes were convinced the pair could settle their differences and lead the club to the title; they were half right.

The combination of extremely talented, egotistical men with explosive tempers battling for supremacy could be compared to a Shakespearean plot – but this was real life – and whilst on-field the pair’s lethal goal scoring made them near-undroppable, away from match days, the men were unprofessional, unbalanced and often inebriated.

Romario and Edmundo were not always enemies; in fact, the two Brazilian strikers shared many similar comforts. Neither were interested in training and both favoured boozing, womanizing and playing foot-volleyball together on the luscious Rio beaches.  Romario was especially keen on sex. He once told a journalist: “Good strikers can only score goals when they have had good sex the night before a match”. These comments forced a Brazilian priest to question Romario’s place in the national team, so concerned that ‘Baixinho’ could pass ‘bad spirits’ onto star-man Ronaldo.

However, their friendship ended back in 1998 when World Cup-winner Romario opened up Café do Gol, a beach side bar in Rio. A cartoon of Edmundo sitting on a deflated football was placed on one toilet door, with another cartoon of his former lover on the adjacent cubicle. Furious, ‘O Animal’ Edmundo demanded the drawings were removed but Romario refused, insisting it was meant as a joke.

Following this incident, the pair were involved in a highly-publicised falling out, largely aided by the local media’s constant coverage. On the turn of the Millennium, Edmundo had returned from a short, ill-fated stay at Fiorentina in Serie A, where he had failed to recapture the form of 38 goals in 44 games which had earned him a move from Vasco just two years earlier. During his spell in Florence, the front-man would regularly return home to Rio for the carnival, despite first choice striker Gabriel Batistuta being badly injured.

Back at his favoured club, Edmundo was once again the main man at Estadio Sao Januario, scoring goals and helping boss Lopes’ charge up the table. However, with the 2000 Club World Championship just months away, it was decided the club needed extra fire-power if they were to challenge for major honours in all competitions and Romario was brought in on a free transfer. At 34, the squat striker had found the back of the net on a regular basis for Flamengo, with 26 goals in 39 appearances for Rubro-Negro.

Their first match playing alongside each other following their fallout would long be remembered. Manchester United had controversially taken exodus from the 2000 FA Cup, supposedly forced by the Football Association to enter the tournament in order to gain political points in an attempt to sway votes for their (ultimately unsuccessful) 2006 World Cup bid.

In match two in the group stage, the attacking duo of Romario and Edmundo combined to lethal effect as Vasco famously beat Sir Alex Ferguson’s Champions League winning side 3-1. Romario bagged two and Edmundo the third. The first, after 24 minutes, saw Edmundo react to a weak back-pass from Gary Neville, before waiting for his new strike-partner to arrive and assist for a simple tap in from close range. Two minutes later and another mistake from Neville at right back saw Romario steal-in to double his tally on his debut. Nicky Butt pulled a goal back for the visitors but the match would be remembered for Edmundo’s wonderful touch and finish around Mikael Silvestre as Vasco sealed a 3-1 win and a place in the next round.

Vasco eventually lost in the final to rivals Corinthians, with Edmundo missing the crucial penalty in the shootout. Years later, he described the penalty miss as the ‘worst moment’ of his career.

Can you create a Brazilian double act to rival these two?

RULES

• Load up any countries and take over any club (Enabling the most South American players would be an advantage)
• You must then either sign two Brazilian strikers or use two already at the club. 
• One of your strikers must be 30 or over.
• Other transfers are allowed.
• The challenge will last for two seasons, Romario and Edmundo never stay anywhere very long!
• The points total will be your combined goals from the two strikers in all comps (not friendlies), league points and goal difference from each season.
• Usual rules apply.

LEADERBOARD

@Rob2017 - 537 points - Luan/Diego Tardelli - Career

@Cockers2505 - 501 points - Luiz Adriano/Roberto Firmino - Career

Edited May 29, 2018 by danovic78

[Ashez]

Very interesting read and challenge mate

[danovic78]

36 minutes ago, Ashez said:

Very interesting read and challenge mate

You know me, love a good story to go with a challenge.

[rafa]

Loved the read, specially that I grew up following these guys. It was a short lived partnership, but gosh they were amazing!

Here is the Man Utd game highlights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzkeCbQsiMs

added 0 minutes later

Edmundo's third goal was a beauty! 

[danovic78]

16 minutes ago, rafa said:

Loved the read, specially that I grew up following these guys. It was a short lived partnership, but gosh they were amazing!

Here is the Man Utd game highlights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzkeCbQsiMs

added 0 minutes later

Edmundo's third goal was a beauty! 

Gary Neville had an absolute nightmare there...

[Ashez]

I went to start this but no one really caught my eye

[danovic78]

1 hour ago, Ashez said:

I went to start this but no one really caught my eye

I guess you need to dig a bit deeper to find some gems! 

I was going to state that the 30 year old needed to be a free transfer but those players were very limited.

[Cockers2505]

@danovic78 can you please add me to this Challenge, I was the first to attempt but didn't get on the board, not a problem because rob2017 beat my score, but nice to see me on there, please 😁

Career Cockers2505