Brazilian players got drunk during the World Cup

According to an article on the Estado de Sao Paulo newspaper, the president of the Brazilian Footbal Confederation (CBF) admitted some of the players in the National squad were involved in heavy drinking during the 2006 World Cup, played in Germany. Mr. Ricardo Teixeira explained to the newspaper some of the reasons why he thought the team played so poorly during the competition. As the defending world champions and with top players like Ronaldinho Gaucho, Kaka and Robinho on the team, Brazil failed to live up to the high expectations placed on the team.

During an informal talk with the newspaper, Mr. Teixeira allegedly said that some players arrived between 4 and 6am on the team's hotel, completely drunk. He failed to give out any names, but also criticized the atmosphere created around the hotels where the team stayed, with several fans paying $100 just to watch the team train - and training sessions sometimes consisting of players only jogging around the pitch.

He admitted there was a lack of command and discipline, and confessed this was one of the reasons he may have chosen new coach Dunga to replace Carlos Alberto Parreira after the fiasco in Germany. Famous for his strong character on the pitch, the captain of the 1994 World Cup championship team had never coached a team prior to this assignment. Last month he helped Brazil win the Copa America, defeating Argentina 3-0 on the final match.

Flamengo vows not to play in high altitudes again

After a heroic 2-2 tie against Real Potosi in Bolivia on Wednesday, Flamengo vowed never to play another game in high altitudes again. Playing at an altitude of 4,000 meters above sea level, Flamengo had trouble keeping up with the locals during its debut at the 2007 Copa Libertadores. However, despite falling behind 2-0, the team was able to come back and tie the game 2-2 in the second half.

On Thursday, the team released an official statement where it highlighted the heroics of the match, but at the same time criticized the tournament officials for allowing a game to be played in such a high altitude. "We will officially let the Brazilian Soccer Confederation, as well as the South American Confederation and FIFA, that we will no longer show up for matches scheduled to be played in altitudes above those recommended by sports medical professionals," says the note. According to the club, "playing sports in conditions that are not approved by sports medicine turns physical effort into a barbarian act, which degrades human condition and puts the athletes life in risk. Allowing matches to be played in these conditions is the same as letting doping to be used in the sport." The team will play again for the Libertadores next week, at home against Maracaibo from Venezuela.

The other Brazilian team to play yesterday in the Libertadores Cup was current runner-up and 2005 winner Sao Paulo, which went to Santiago in Chile and was held to a scoreless draw by Audax Italiano. On Thursday, Parana travels to Venezuela to play Maracaibo, while Gremio Porto Alegre faces Cerro Porteno in Asuncion, Paraguay. Internacional and Santos, the other Brazilian teams in the Libertadores, play their first game of the group stage next week.