Assistindo à final do Mundial Interclubes eu comecei a pensar: bem, acho que ainda há esperanças para um trintão - EU - voltar aos gramados depois de passar por uma cirurgia séria e ainda jogar razoavelmente bem usando menos força e velocidade e mais de um certo tipo de inteligência e sangue-frio que a gente só ganha com o passar dos anos. 

Várias vezes durante o Mundial Interclubes da FIFA veio à tona em tópicos ou bate-papos o fato de muitos jogadores da equipe do Milan já terem passado dos 30, alguns deles já até mais perto dos 40, mas a verdade é que no fim a experiência prevaleceu. O Milan e sua turma de trintões, ganhou o campeonato.

 O certo é que muitas vezes nós subestimamos a capacidade que um jogador de 35 anos, jogando nesse futebol moderno de hoje, tem de manter sua boa forma. É claro que esse preconceito vem de um tempo em que grandes jogadores como Naradona, Sócrates, Garrincha, etc... não se preocupação em manter hábitos saudáveis. Fumar, beber, usar drogas era tão comum que quando um atleta chagava aos 27, 28 anos ele já tinha que ocmeçar a pensar em pendurar as chuteiras.

Hoje em dia craques como Cafu, Maldini, Inzaghi, Romario, Blanco, Beckham (?) entre outros, que ainda estão em boa (às vezes ÓTIMA) forma, têm um papel importante nas suas equipes, mesmo não estando sempre nos gramados.

Beckham "o caçula" tem 32

Inzaghi tem 34 

Cuauhtemoc Blanco tem 34

Cafu tem 37

Maldini tem 39

"Vovô" Romário tem 41

TOTAL = 217 anos de muito futebol

Quando é momento certo para um jogador se aposentar?

Você gostaria de ter algum dos jogadores acima mencionados ou algum outro que já está no time dos 32 + jogando pelo seu time?

There were several interesting games and players at the Club World Cup, so I though I'd put together an XI for the tournament, excluding of course the Milan and Boca players, because they're high profile and everyone knows about them. This team thus features players from Urawa Reds, Sepahan, Etoile du Sahel, and Pachuca. Players from Waitakere have been omitted because... well... no explanation needed. This is a mixture of players who look like they have a lot of potential, and those who just played well... in a well-organised 4-3-3 of course.

GK: Ryota Tsuzuki (Urawa Red Diamonds)
Excellent shot stopper who thwarted Seedorf several times to keep the score down to 0-1, and then saved two penalties in Urawa's 3rd/4th place win over Etoile. Made a mistake against the Tunisians, but that was more the fault of the defenders, and he was generally very sharp and positive in all Urawa's games.

DR: Sabeur Frej (Etoile Sportive du Sahel)
Frej is a curious case. He's Etoile's right-back, but domestically also their top scorer, and he only really ever looks comfortable when rampaging upfield, so I'd pin his best position down as a wing-back, if not wide midfielder. He was my favourite players in this tournament, and against Boca had the Argentine fans Oooohing and Aaaahing at his skills. Like so many of the Tunisians, Frej is a silky player, with languid control, movement and passing. His movement was first class, as were his combinations and one-twos with teammaters. Not really a dribbler, but he had his repertoire of trickery was excellent. Never looked uncomfortable in a tight space, and he more often than not managed to get past his man, whether with a neat turn, a shimmy, drop of the shoulder, or a feint that would leave the defender clueless. His final ball was excellent, and he was solid defensively too. Unfortunately like many of his teammates, he lacked that bit of fire and passion that prevents good players from being great. He's 28, and his chances to play in Europe are probably gone, which is a pity.

DC: Keisuke Tsuboi (Urawa Red Diamonds)
Rugged 26 year old who has good pace and a fantastic leap. He was immense in the tournament, especially against Milan (although Kaka eventually got the better of him), and although he had a bit of a shocker to start with against Etoile, he was excellent.

DC: Marcus Tulio Tanaka (Urawa Red Diamonds)
Brazilian born Japanese international who is an odd character at the back, but a joy to watch. Good on the ball, a great passer, good in the air, and tough as well. He lacks a bit of pace, but his overall game is excellent, and his instinct to rampage forward often adds impetus to the Urawa attack. He talks and organises non stop for the 90, and has fantastic personality on the field. Would like to see him player in a higher league, and at 26 he needs to move soon.

DL: Gerardo Rodriguez (CF Pachuca)
Unfortunately we only got to see him for one game, but he was a joy to watch. More a wingback than a conventional full-back or midfielder, he got up and down the flank with ease, and had terrific movement. Combined well with Alvarez and Gimenez, passed and crossed neatly, and was able to beat his man when he needed to. He's just 22, and surely has a big future ahead of him.

CM: Moussa Nary (Etoile Sportive du Sahel)
Nary started the tournament off poorly against Boca, but then greatly upped the level of his performances. The Niger-born Ghanian is rugged and skillful, but quite raw, and probably lost the ball as much as he won it. He was comfortable running with the ball or passing it, and at 21, it's possible he could still gain the tactical discipline and understanding needed to be a complete central midfielder.

CM: Keita Suzuki (Urawa Red Diamonds)
Very consistent throughout this tournament, and completely rubbish Western perceptions of Japanese footballers not enjoying a fight. A good ball winner and passer, he has a great all-round game, although his shooting was garbage. He's spent his whole career with Urawa, and played all 20 games of previous Japan manager Ivica Osim's reign, by whom he was referred to as the "Japanese Claude Makelele".

AM: Damian Alvarez (Pachuca)
The former River plate man was a class act who dribbled, passed and roamed all over the pitch. Really, Pachuca should have scored 2 or 3 goals against Etoile, and Alvarez was at the heart of most of the chances created. Most of his invention came from a position hovering near the left wing, but he also ran through the middle of the park, worked the space behind the strikers, and dragged the covering midfielders over to the right-wing. Displayed not only great individual ability, but also great team-work and tactical intelligence.

LW: Takahito Soma (Urawa Red Diamonds)
Slight Japan midfielder who had an oustanding tournament. Not always a regular for Urawa, but he might have cemented his place now. His passing, crossing and dribbling were outstanding, and just like the rest of the team. he displayed outstanding awareness of those around him. Wasn't much use defensively, although he tried hard, but he really gave fullbacks and opposition wingers a tough time up the other end. He's already 26, so a move to Europe would be surprising at this late stage.

CF: Amine Chermiti (Etoile Sportive du Sahel)
I've already had a lot to say about Chermiti, but he was excellent again in Etoile's final game, and got himself a goal. He's got great heart, great ability, and real hunger, and he's got to move on to bigger things before his ambitions start drying up. Really exciting youngsters, who harrowed defenders with his pace, running, and vision.

RF: Emad Mohammed (Sepahan)
The only Sepahan player to make it here, but he was a good attacking presence. Had a hat-trick against poor opposition in Waitakere, but shone against Urawa as well, where he hit the bar. All the Sepahan players seemed to have fantastic skill and touch, but had poor, poor attitudes, and zero appetite for the game. Mohammed, an Iraqi international, was their captain, but had little influence in that regard.


                       Tsuzuki

               Tsuboi        Tulio
                                          Rodriguez
     Frej           
                  Nary      Suzuki

                            Alvarez
                                               Soma
       Mohammed
                          Chermiti

Watching Maldini play I was thinking: maybe there is still some hope for a old guy  - ME - to go back to the pitch after the surgery I went through and still perform using less of speed, strengh, force and more of a type of intelligent and cold-blood that only years of experience can provide.

Many times during this FIFA Club World Cup the fact of many of Milan's player had already crossed the line of the 30 years old came up in some topics and chats, some of them are closer to 40, but the reality is that in the end the expereince simply prevailed. Milan and their over 30 roster won the championship.

 The truth of the matter is that many times we underestimate the capacity that a 35-year old player of today's football may have to keep his good shape. Of course that comes from a time when great players like Maradona, Socrates, Garrincha, didn't really bother to maintain healthy habits. Somking, drinking, drug using was so common that when the player got to 27, 28 years of age he should already start planning his retirement.

Nowadays we have guys like Cafu, Maldini, Inzaghi, Romario, Blanco, Beckham (?) among others, who are still in good (sometimes GREAT) shape and play a important role in their clubs and not necessarily always on the pitch.

When should a player retire?

Would you like to have any of those I mentioned, or any other 32 + footballer playing for your team?

Beckham is 32

Inzaghi is 34

Blanco is 34

Cafu is 37

Maldini is 39

Romario is 41

TOTAL = 217 YEARS OF FOOTBALL EXPERIENCE!

Watching Milan midfielder Kaká virtually destroy his opponents at the FIFA Club World Cup was a privilege. The Brazilian ace was rightly awarded the Player Of The Tournament for his two outstanding performances against Urawa Reds and Boca Juniors respectively, and it got me thinking about the best players that I've seen play in the flesh.

I saw Ronaldinho play at the World Cup in 2006, but the buck-toothed wizard was no where near as effective as Kaká was for Milan at this Club World Cup. Granted, the calibre of opposition was slightly higher at the World Cup in 2006, not to mention the fact that Ronaldinho was playing in a squad jam-packed with stars - Kaká included. Yet the former Sao Paulo midfielder simply gave AC Milan an added dimension, and I struggle to think of another team for whom one player is so instrumental. Barcelona fans might point to Lionel Messi, but then he too is arguably surrounded by better players than Kaká is at Milan.

Anyway, I'm keen to hear your thoughts. Who do you think the best player in world football currently is? Personally I think it's Kaká, and I'm interested to see if anyone agrees.

AC Milan are the FIFA Club World Champions after they avenged a 2003 Toyota Cup defeat by beating Boca Juniors 4-2 in the final at Yokohama International Stadium. Pippo Inzaghi scored twice, but the star of the show was undoubtedly Kaká, who scored one and set up two in another virtuoso performance. He was named Player Of The Tournament, and received a spiffy new Toyota for good measure... just the kind of car a multi-millionaire needs, I'm sure.

Milan always looked the likely winners of the tournament, after they expended minimal energy in seeing off Urawa Reds in the semi-finals. Boca Juniors, on the other hand, struggled to overcome Etoile du Sahel, and the Rossoneri simply looked a step up in class compared to their Buenos Aires counterparts.

Pippo Inzaghi was always going to get on the scoresheet - he loves these kind of (kind of) big occasions, while Boca seemed to genuinely miss their scheming midfielder Juan Roman Riquelme. Doubts persist about Boca coach Miguel Russo's future at the club (I got his name right this time, emiyan!) but there was little Russo could do here but sit and admire Milan's tactical nous.

So AC Milan are the 2007 FIFA Club World Champions! The faux-Milan fans will be partying like it's 1999 (until fifteen minutes passed their bedtime - or the last trains stop running, whichever comes first) in Yokohama, but the Rossoneri don't have too long to celebrate. It's back to the grind for them, when they take on Reggina in the Coppa Italia four days before Christmas.

We're here at the Etoile du Sahel vs Urawa Reds 3rd/4th place playoff match, and the Urawa fans, although present in smaller numbers, are in good voice. It's 2-2 in an exciting game right now, but what we're all curious about is what the support will be like for the final.

As it is, there's large sections of empty seats for this game, because the Boca vs Milan final is the real attraction.

In the previous Urawa match, we asked the question about whether the "neutral" Japanese fans would support Urawa or go for the glamour of Milan, and as it turned out they were mostly there for the spectacle of the Italians. About 70% of the stadium were AC Milan "fans"/ neutrals, but not having any vested interests, they lacked the passion of the Urawa fans and made little or no noise (other than when Seedorf scored, and when somebody did a trick).

Tonight's equation is much more complicated, particularly because of two factors:
1. Boca have quite a following here for two reasons. Firstly, popular Japan striker Naohiro Takahara spent sometime there in the early noughties, and Boca have always been well regarded for that. Secondly, Boca are a team with a very successful Copa Libertadores history, and so they've made several visits to Tokyo already for the Club World Cup's predecessor, the Intercontintenal Cup, which they won in 2000 and 2003.

2. There is a combined ticket for both matches. So you have the small pocket of Etoile du Sahel fans, the few thousand well organised Urawa fans, the surprisingly sizeable contingent of travelling Bocense, the few Italians that could be bothered to make the trip/holiday, and of course the sea of unsure, easily impressed "neutral" Japanese fans that must still be furiously pondering whether to support Milan or Boca.

We know that Boca are equally as, if not more popular than Milan, so the neutrals here will be split on that (as opposed to last year, when the relatively unknown, starless Internacional played Barcelona and their midfield marketing maestro Ronaldinho).

We know that there aren't enough Etoile fans to make a difference to the overall support.

The Boca fans are a noisy, dancing bunch, who are concentrated into one section of the ground, right next to a bank of Urawa fans. They will be creating a lot of energy, but the eventual decision on what the atmosphere is like will come down to the Urawa fans, who could easily drown out the rest of the stadium.

They will be in good spirits (Urawa just beat Etoile on penalties), but it's unlikely that they'll keep singing Urawa songs. So the question is, will they just let the passion fade away and join the ranks of casual fans in polite applause and general silence? Or will they pick a side and really make this final feel like a football match of some worth?

It's difficult to predict. They seemed to be irritated during this match by the Boca fans, who just kept singing their Boca songs throughout the game, so they might go against Boca. But then again, football fans also just love to be football fans, and they just join the Bocense in their revelry.

Milan were also the ones who beat Urawa in that tight encounter, so they might just decide that's a good enough reason to ally with Boca. But as MikeTuckerman pointed out to me, they might even prefer to support a Milan victory, because they could then say "We lost to the eventual Champions".

Lots of different theories there, but that's football fan psychology for you.

Either way, we can't wait to find out what it's like for the second match, and any fan with a bit of sense will try and be as lively as possible outside, because it's f**king freezing here.

***L'audio originale IN PORTUGUESE dell'intervista disponibile nella sezione videos CLICCA QUI PER VEDERE***

Il Milan ha vinto giovedì a Yokohama con l'Urawa, 1-0. In mezzo a uno tsunami di giornalisti giapponesi e internazionali, ho umilmente messo a segno un gran gol per Ole Ole: una veloce intervista esclusiva con il più grande giocatore del mondo al momento: Kakà.

In questa veloce chiacchierata, Kakà prla della possibilità di unificare il titolo di miglior giocatore con quello di giocatore della migliore squadra al mondo, ma ha anche parlato della difficile partita con l'Urawa e del suo amore per il San Paolo FC.

Kaká, il miglior giocatore del mondo può entrare a far parte della miglior squadra del mondo. Che cosa rappresenta per il ragazzo Ricardo venuto da Brasilia il raggiungimento di tutto ciò?
Ah, è fantastico. È un sogno che si è realizzato, è meraviglioso avere la possibilità di giocare ancora un Mondiale per Club. Stavolta spero di vincere, perché la scorsa volta non ho vinto anche se fu un grande anno per me. Far parte di questa squadra è avere davvero la chance di far parte della più grande squadra del mondo.

Che cosa pensi del fatto che sia il Milan che il Boca hanno faticato in semifinale contro squadre teoricamente più piccole?
Beh, non è facile. Nel nostro caso in particolare, penso che abbia contato il fatto che l'Urawa era la squadra di casa, stavano giocando per la loro storia. Penso che fosse una delle più grandi partite che una squadra giapponese abbia mai giocato. Quindi l'hanno giocata con entusiasmo, per il pubblico, per questo è stato difficile.

Ora, il San Paolo ha una delle squadre meglio strutturate in Brasile e ha appena vinto il campionato brasiliano ancora una volta. Segui le partite del San Paolo? Hai qualche messaggio per i loro tifosi che sicuramente tiferanno per il Milan domenica?
Sì, certamente. Seguo sempre le partite del San Paolo, seguo il campionato brasiliano, tutti i club, il San Paolo è ancora una volta campione, per la quinta volta, e questo mi rende felice. Sono cresciuto là, sono un tifoso del San Paolo. Voglio mandare un grosso abbraccio a tutti i tifosi e voglio chiedere a loro di tifare Milan, perché il Milan rappresenta il Brasile in questa partita.

It's 1am on a typical Tokyo weekend. There are millions on the streets, enjoying the nightlife in Shinjuku and Ginza, watching live bands, dancing in clubs and spending time with friends in restaurants. And where am I? Like many a football tragic, I'm in front of the computer, listening to live coverage of the Bundesliga clash between Karslruher SC and Hamburger SV.

Since my boys Borussia Dortmund are currently on the wrong end of a thumping from Wolfsburg and I'm sour that Karlsuher's goal-scorer is an ex-BVB man, I thought I'd share with you my impressions of the two combatants in tomorrow's FIFA Club World Cup Final.

I'll start with Milan. My first memories of the club are from their all-conquering 1991-92 season when the Rossoneri didn't lose a single match on their way to lifting the Scudetto. Their backline included a certain Mauro Tassotti and Alessandro Costacurta, and both men work for the club in coaching capacities these days. Teammate Paolo Maldini still works for the club too - but he'll be hoping to take to the pitch tomorrow, as he nears his 40th birthday.

I thought Milan were particularly economical in their 1-0 win over Urawa in the semi-finals. Coach Carlo Ancelotti was purring in his praise of his team following that win, after Milan clearly played out Ancelotti's game plan to perfection. Still, it's hard not to get the feeling that Alberto Gilardino is out-of-his-depth at the Rossoneri. He never seems to present a genuine threat, although of course now that I say that, he'll probably go out and score a hat-trick tomorrow.

Everything for Milan naturally goes through their superstar Kaká. Ironically though, the key man tomorrow could be Dutch international Clarence Seedorf. Plenty point to Seedorf's incredible wealth of experience, but in doing so they overlook the fact that for two seasons Seedorf has been Milan's most in-form player, along with Kaká. The duo combined to score Milan's winner against Urawa, and with the Italian giants looking relatively toothless up front, they no doubt hold the key to the Rossoneri's chances tomorrow.

Boca Juniors are a club I know far less about. They were dealt a hammer-blow when scheming playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme was ruled out of the tournament by FIFA's petty bureaucracy, but they still have plenty of experience of their own to call upon, particularly in the likes of Hugo Ibarra and Martin Palermo. One thing in Boca's favour is their sheer will to win. For all the lip service paid by Milan about "restoring Europe's honour" by lifting the Cup, South American sides have so often been the teams for whom this tournament has meant the most.

The Buenos Aires giants will also be looking to exploit the shaky form of Milan shot-stopper Dida. Carlo Ancelotti admitted that Dida was once again far from perfect against Urawa - he dropped two efforts on goal that a quicker striker than Washington could have pounced upon, and with the pacy Rodrigo Palacio in the Boca line-up, the Argentine club would love nothing more than to show up Milan's fumbling Brazilian goalkeeper.

Yet Boca were far from perfect themselves in their 1-0 win over Etoile du Sahel in their semi-final, with defender Gabriel Palletta showing all and sundry just why Liverpool were so quick to discard him from their squad. Palletta was often caught facing the wrong way or out of position entirely against Etoile, and he will surely be punished if he continues his habit of knocking around wayward backpasses.

There'll probably be just the one goal in it, with matches of this magnitude rarely rising to the greatest of heights. I think that goal will be in favour of Milan, and I'm going to tip Filippo Inzaghi to sneak it. So there you have it. I've laid my cards on the table. What do you think?

The 3/4 playoff at the FIFA Club World Cup throws up an intriguing clash between Tunisian side Etoile du Sahel and local outfit Urawa Reds. The Reds will go into the match as heavy favourites, but a clash with Etoile could well and truly test the mettle of Urawa, who would no doubt like to sign off as the tournament's third best team.

Etoile qualified for the semi-finals after a surprise 1-0 win over Mexican side Pachuca. A 1-0 defeat at the hands of Buenos Aires club Boca Juniors followed, but the African champions will be keen for one last crack at glory before they head home.

Urawa had a slightly easier time in defeating Iranian side Sepahan 3-1 in their opening fixture at the tournament, before going down 1-0 to reigning European champions AC Milan in the semi-final. They'll have "home" advantage in this one, but Etoile fans will be quick to point out that all the pressure will be on the Reds at Yokohama International Stadium. Indeed, now is the time for Urawa to prove their international credentials, after they spent much of the season talking themselves up as Asia's "biggest club."

Another who'll be looking to prove himself in this match is Etoile striker Amine Chermiti. The slightly-built front man has looked Etoile's most dangerous player so far, but the Tunisians have scored only once through Ghanian midfielder Moussa Narry. Should Chermiti be dreaming of a career in Europe then he may well need to get on the scoresheet against Urawa to prove that he can mix it on the international stage.

One man who has proved his worth is Urawa striker Washington. He leaves the club bound for Brazilian outfit Fluminese after tomorrow's match, and how he must wish that Brazilian compatriot Robson Ponte was not ruled out of the FIFA Club World Cup with a serious knee injury. Ponte has arguably been Urawa's most effective player this season, but injuries that struck down he and combative captain Nobuhisa Yamada severely weakened the Reds for their Club World Cup campaign - although Yamada could return to the starting eleven tomorrow. Nevertheless Washington will be determined to end his career in Japan on a successful note, after scoring some 64 league goals in just 85 J-League appearances for both Tokyo Verdy and Urawa - not to mention plenty of goals in Urawa's various cup campaigns.

Thus a fascinating battle should ensure between two sides hell-bent on ending their FIFA Club World Cup campaign on a high. For the 100 or so Etoile fans that are still in Tokyo, a win over Urawa would cap a memorable tournament. For Urawa's army of fans, a win is almost a must against a team that few expected to make an appearance on the final day of the tournament. With Yokohama International Stadium likely to be packed for the encounter, the Reds might suddenly experience a sense of deja vu, and they'll hope that yet another day of reckoning does not end in tears.