Reds pick their best five-a-side team from Brazil

Saturday 03 April 2021 08:00

Manchester United's Brazilian team-mates Fred and Alex Telles have put their heads together to create a legendary five-a-side team of players from their homeland - but it was far from straightforward.

The task was put to them by Reds supporter Abdul-Raouf C from the United Kingdom, as part of a Q&A session with fans this week.

It is fair to say Fred and Telles loved the challenge and they threw themselves into it, debating the very concept and every position involved. As you can read in the full transcript below, there are some iconic Brazilian players in the mix...

ESTABLISHING THE RULES

Fred: A five-a-side team? They will be different opinions - many different opinions! We're not going to agree on this.

Telles: Why not?

Fred: Let's go then… five players? Good question, Abdul.

Telles: Thank you, thank you Abdul.

Fred: Five players is difficult; is it the best players in the history of Brazilian football, or does it have to be by position?

Telles: Best Brazilian players of all time is better. Or we pick a futsal team, starting with a goalkeeper?

Fred: No, no, no - five best players of all time from Brazil.

Telles: You've got to have a goalkeeper!

Fred: Futsal team then.

The great Claudio Taffarel gets the nod in goal from the lads.
STARTING AT THE BACK

Fred: Goalkeeper?

Telles: [Claudio] Taffarel

Fred: Of all time? Taffa!

Telles: Taffa!

Fred: What about Dida?  

Telles: Do you think it's Dida? I think it's Taffa. 

Fred: Taffa's phenomenal isn't he bro? I'll go with you on Taffarel.  

Telles: OK, Taffarel!  
CHOOSING ONE DEFENDER

Telles: Centre-back? We'll put in one centre back and three attackers.

Fred: Best Brazilian centre-back of all time from the Selecao?  

Telles: Lucio? 

Fred: I'm going with Juan.  

Telles: Juan? Juan, Juan!

Fred: For me, I didn't watch players from earlier. I watched Roque Junior, he was amazing bro.  

Telles: Let's go with Juan then.
Fred and Telles both rave about Ronaldinho while picking their fantasy team.
ASSESSING MIDFIELD AND ATTACK

Fred: Let’s go and choose a defensive midfielder.

Telles: No, we have to include all the forward players. Ronaldinho Gaucho, Ronaldo and one more.

Fred: Okay, Ronaldinho Gaucho, Ronaldo...  

Telles: And Rivaldo! Bruno [Fernandes] won't be happy.  

Fred: Rivaldo was a brilliant player.  

Telles: We're laughing and joking because we always talk about Rivaldo. I'm a big fan of Rivaldo as is Fred, and we always joke with Bruno saying he's one of Brazil's best-ever players and it winds Bruno up. 

Fred: I think it needs to be Ronaldinho Gaucho, Ronaldo and Neymar man. Neymar needs to come in…. and Pele!  

Telles: We can't leave Pele out.

Fred: Pele, no we can't - Ronaldinho Gaucho, Ronaldo and Pele...  

Telles: That's it, that's our team!
Ronaldo remains one of the most popular strikers in football history for supporters.
THE DEBATE CONTINUES

Fred: Top five Brazilian players - Pele first.

Telles: Ronaldinho Gaucho.  

Fred: Phenomenon, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho.

Telles:  Ronaldinho   

Fred: Ronaldinho Gaucho.

Telles: Ronaldo 

Fred: Ronaldo Fenomeno

Telles: Neymar?  

Fred: Neymar.

Telles: Rivaldo, Rivaldo man.

Fred: Not Rivaldo.

Telles: Rivaldo won the World Cup!

Fred: Romario man, Romario. I think Romario can go ahead of Neymar as well, Rivaldo was phenomenal as well, I didn't get to see much of him but…

Telles: Rivaldo was phenomenal, what are you doing?

Fred: No, Romario, are you going to leave Romario out of a list like this one?  

Telles: Okay, it's done. 

The late Pele is arguably the greatest player of all time, both from Brazil and football as a whole.

Fred: Done? It's really difficult to choose, there are so many amazing players in the national team, you have to leave Kaka out. 

Telles: Adriano.  

Fred: Yes there's Adriano  

Telles: Ze Roberto 

Fred: So many great players it's difficult.  

Telles: Garrincha and those guys  

Fred: Garrincha wow, let's put Bebeto in, Carlos Alberto.

Telles: There are so many, so many. 

Fred: That's the challenge, nice one. Thanks for the question Abdul.

THE FINAL FIVE

Claudio Taffarel: The most-capped Brazilian goalkeeper of all-time, the former Parma and Galatasaray man was between the sticks for the Selecao’s 1994 World Cup triumph.

Juan: The centre-back won two Copa America titles with Brazil and spent a decade playing in Europe with Bayer Leverkusen and Roma.

Ronaldinho: One of a handful of players to have won the World Cup, Champions League and Ballon d’Or, the former Barcelona forward is regarded as among the most skilful to have played the game.

Ronaldo: ‘The Phenomenon’ was the world’s premier striker in the late 1990s. Came back from career-threatening injury to guide Brazil to the 2002 World Cup, while winning the Golden Boot.

Pele: Arguably the greatest-ever footballer, no other player can match Pele’s three World Cups, while he also has over 1,000 senior goals to his name.

Thanks to everyone who submitted questions for Fred and Telles. 

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