A few days ago I heard the news. It was late afternoon, and I was just browsing the web for the latest on football, an ordinary footy addict’s average day, considering the mere 20 days’ distance from our little piece of heaven, and then, I saw it. It was terrible. Sinister as a Roy Keane tackle. Heartbreaking as early  retirement. Foolish and needless, like a hooligan attack, and final and indisputable as a red card.  The felon was Dunga, and his crime – bad team election.

Don’t get me wrong. My heart was, is and always will be with English football. But the grace and elegance provided regularly from Brazilian teams, could crack a smile on the face of the queen herself. Dunga’s elections make it seem like he’s willing to throw what has become Brazil’s glorious trademark over the years, completely ignoring the efforts and traditions his past countrymen lay down, as well as the pride and bragging rights of Brazil’s colorful and committed fans.

His choices, apart from crushing the beauty of the brazilian game under the wheel of his unknown desires, make no tactical sense whatsoever. Icons like Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Adriano, and rising star Pato have been snubbed while grafite, wolfsburg’s 11 goal scoring center forward, and Julio Baptista  AC Roma’ s bench warmer have been called. As the list goes on, one notices more and more exotic sounding names, but the exoticness, goes hand in hand with anonymity. One can only wonder, will Brazil’s games stay a football extravaganza? Or rather a time window to attend to piling up duties pushed aside by the WC hype.

But even if Dunga’s new stock conjures a pleasant surprise, (Brazilian footballers are what they are after all) will that overcome The anguish of his snubbings? How can you leave Dinho, the most graceful player to ever play the game, the ambassador of your country’s unique football, at home?? How can you deny 34 year old Ronaldo, the ultimate battering ram, the biggest ever “Breacher of defences”, his last chance to charge and win the battle for his country. His name on the scoresheet, is as certain to me as no away player ever scoring a hat – trick at old Trafford again. Dunga, you have ignored the mind and the heart, forsaken calculated experience on one side and uncomprimising emotion on the other. Ask Sir Alex Ferguson, at a level like this, these traits will prove just as important as whatever tactics you have planned.

Although it hurts, I have a writer’s obligation to fulfill. These are the names of the final 23 players of the “salsao”.

Goalkeepers: Julio Cesar, Doni, Hillario Gomez.

Defence: Maicon, Dani Alves, Gilberto, Lucio, Juan, Luizao, Thiago Silva.

Midfield: Gilberto Silva, Felipe Melo, Josue, Kleberson, Alano, Ramires, Kaka, Julio Baptista, Michel Bastos.

Attackers: Luis Fabiano, Nilmar, Rubinho, Grafite.