The year of Luis Fabiano, our Samba Gold 2010
[photo=fabiano_redim.jpg id=362 align=right]Luis Fabiano is the face of Brazilian football in Europe, with his defects and weaknesses, but also the incredibly friendly and the talent side. Moving from Brazil to Europe is difficult many footballing geniuses have failed before. Luis Fabiano has had his career of ups and downs. In recent months however he has career has accelerated and the boy of Campinas has become a real star of world football.
Christian Gourcuff: “He was lazy"
2009 showed the world his ability. The player, called “El Fabuloso" in Spain, fully deserved this trophy. He has always had the qualities to shine. When he arrived in Europe, at just nineteen, he chose to play for Rennes, a club of the north east France. The transfer was achieved rather by coincidence as the club came to look at another player at Ponte Preta in Campinas. But he was not at the time the main target of the French leaders. They were more interested in Vander. But Rennes finally took the two players. This new experience could be the beginning of a career or the player coul have failed completely in his first venture away from their parents. The young Fabiano was homesick, but he was a strong character. He was not mature enough, he dragged his feet in practice, was a shadow in most matches he played, refusing to adopt the necessary rigor and meet the requirements of the club. Clearly, he was uncontrollable. “He was lazy" said his coach Christian Gourcuff. “He was very difficult, temperamental. Just to make him run, was complicated. He did not speak the language, he left the quickly. I wonder today if he did it deliberately"
[photo=fabiano2.jpg id=362 align=right]Bernard Lama: “He was still an immature kid, a lost boy"
This behavior is common among Brazilians that come in Europe too young and unprepared. Seen from Brazil, Europe can seem a paradise in the eyes of many. Many believe their supreme skill will over come the need for discipline. But its not that simple the change of style is complicated. Luis Fabiano like many before him lost his balance, especially when problems began to accumulate at home. He was raised by his grandfather after his parents divorced. Football for him was the only way to succeed in life. As a boy he showed great ability as a forward, with great potential in the penalty area, playing with confidence. “He was still an immature kid, a lost boy" recalls Bernard Lama, former French goalkeeper who was in Rennes. “He was very young, and the transfer happened too early for him."
The French league is probably not the best for your first taste of Europe
France can be a cruel place for Brazilians Ronaldinho was also a shadow of the player he would become when he began playing at Paris SG. France has always been difficult for the Brazilian players, they always have difficulty to show their talents. Luis Fabiano lost time in France. The second time he made two trips, six months of 2000 to January 2001, another six from January to June 2002. “He was a little awkward and struggled but had an eye for goal" says Bernard Lama. After a first appearance in Britain, the Brazilian went back to Brazil to play for Sao Paulo FC (January 2001-January 2002), then he returned to France to try his luck again. Again he was a failure, especially when it came in the winter. His mind was elsewhere, his grandfather, Benedict, who raised him has died. His disappearance after this precipitated his return to Sao Paulo. However his stay in French football had done much good for him for he had became a real football player. When he returned to Brazil he started scoring goals, lots of goals. In three years, he scored 62 goals. In 2003, Luis Fabiano Clemente was called up for Brazil to play against Nigeria, he also won the Copa America the year after. In Sao Paulo, he also won the Intercontinental Cup of Clubs.
[photo=fabiano3.jpg id=362 align=right]For his next move he chose Portugal where the transition from Brazil is much easier. But again he failed scoring only three goals in 22 games. It was 2005, and Luis faced the next drama of his life, his mother was kidnapped in March. She was eventually found two months later on a farm by police. Once again, his career abroad went wrong, turning into a fiasco. But Seville saved him and offered the opportunity to prove that he is truly a great player.
With Dunga he became a true European player
FC Sevilla became home he won two UEFA Cups in 2006 and 2007 and became a vital player. He is not the same player who arrived in France some years ago. “I certainly did not imagine that he would become the striker he is today, says Christian Gourcuff. With Dunga, Luis Fabiano has became a total player who helps in marking and given the chance scores the goals. As with Robinho, the coach has turned Luis Fabiano into a team player. He has tamed the tiger!
At 29, he has become the modern striker, the perfect European player which Dunga prefers. Not the tallest or the strongest at 1.83 m and 81 kg, but it can pierce the defence, scoring from all angles and near and far. With Kaka and Robinho they have forged a team. This summer in the Confederations Cup, he was the top scorer (5 goals) with two goals scored against Italy in eight minutes, then another in the final against the United States (3-2). Against Argentina in the Rosario – a key qualify for the World Cup 2010 – he scored two decisive goals in the 3-1 victory. With 25 goals in 33 games, he is currently the most effective Brazilian player, who seems capable of scoring at any time with or without markup, able to convert the first opportunity.
Luis Fabiano deserves Samba Gold
[photo=fabiano4.jpg id=362 align=right]The player has slowly matured during throughout his career – he has peaked in 2009. The majority of Samba Gold chose to vote for “El Fabuloso" ahead of Julio Cesar. The VIP Electoral College, composed this year of eleven world champions, Zito to Cafu through Jairzinho and Carlos Alberto, were probably a little surprised by the year 2009 the total control and efficiency of the player. The members of the association and the Internet site Sambafoot.com made the difference making Luis Fabiano number.
If an eleven players of the year should be established based on these votes it would be: Julio Cesar, Daniel Alves, Naldo, Lucio, André Santos, Maicon, Alex, Kaká, Pato, Grafite, Luis Fabiano.
>> The final classification of Samba Gold 2009
