I have always had a great passion in football: the game's tactics. For those who like football or for the coach, the field is like a chess board. When the forces match, the one that moves the stones has the best chance of winning.

But there is little new on this board, for those who follow the evolution of the schemes. Much is said about libero as a great novelty. Well, I tell you: around 1952, I played for Bangu under the guidance of Ondino Viera and there was a defender in the remainder. There was exactly what the Italians call libero.

Days ago I watched a television show with Rio and São Paulo in a chain; chroniclers of the two cities discussing football. And the chroniclers from Rio de Janeiro thrashed paulistas. At one point, however, I heard a carioca say that 4-3-3 was invented by Zagallo. Too bad, because the boy knows football and knows it did not happen. In 45, Vasco won the Carioca Championship undefeated, under the direction of Ondino Viera. And the most important: for the first time, in Brazil, he played in a perfect 4-3-3. The whole thing was like this: Djalma retreated on the right end formed the midfield with Berascochea and Jair. Isaías fell to the right end and Ademir and Chico were in the front. That was in 1945, when Zagallo was "supposed to be wearing short pants".

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Let's go back to the tactics. Fluminense surprised Bonsucesso last week with a beautiful display and won 4-0. It was safe guidance from Paulo Amaral. The team played with Flávio backwards and with a relay of Didi and Jair socks in the entrances through the empty space left by Flávio. At home, I blew my head to remember who had used this system before. And I remembered. In 45, when we won the Copa Roca — we beat the Argentines in São Januário by 3-1 & 6-2, after losing the first game in São Paulo by 4-3 —, the Argentines played like that. The extraordinary Adolfo Pedernera — the greatest Argentine player of all time — played withdrawn, launching balls to both insiders Mendes and Martínez. At the time, it was big news for us. A novelty brought by the fabulous strategist Guilhermo Stábile, the coach of the Argentines.

On the TV show, Hans stated that Brazil does not have the dynamics to fight and unite defense and attack. To reach this dynamic, my dear, we would have to start training when we were surprised by the speed of European football, in 1966 in England. Training would have to start at clubs - if they had time to train. Hans is not unaware of weight training. It's a very serious thing, used in Europe for a long time. But would it be possible to do this in Brazil? Santos, for example, has five players in the national team and plays almost a hundred games a year. Almost a hundred games 365 days a year, which is much less, excluding vacations. For these players, training only on planes and hotels.

What we cannot demand from Professor Admildo Chirol, one of the most competent professionals, is to give the Brazilian team, in three months, the dynamic that the Europeans took years to achieve. I saw the game with Austria. Although I didn't appreciate the layout, I travel to Mexico very excited about the disposition that the boys showed. With this fiber, Brazil will be a tough match in this Cup. Even playing wrong.