Are You Ready for Alexandre Pato’s International Debut?

Sweden vs Brazil tomorrow isn’t just any old game. It was arranged to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1958 World Cup Final between the two teams in Stockholm (above.) A game Brazil won 5-2 with a brace from a 17-year-old fellow named Pele.

I’ve heard it argued more than once that the Brazilian ‘58 World Cup team was superior to the more famous 1970 team, just not as widely televised. The ‘58 team not only featured a young Pele (love his first goal in the above video) but also Garrincha, who’s widely regarded as Brazil’s second best player of all time (after the Viagra salesman of course.)

But when talking about best ever Brazil teams, there’s one vintage that doesn’t enter the discussion: The almost impossibly disappointing 2006 World Cup incarnation. After all the old and unfit men who wore yellow in Germany, the seleção was ready for some fresh blood. And tomorrow they’ll likely get the freshest of fresh blood, because there’s a good chance that AC Milan super-prodigy Alexandre Pato will be making his international debut.

Much of the world’s attention seems to be focused on David Beckham reaching an aesthetically pleasing number of international appearances tomorrow. Even though he hasn’t played a competitive game in 2008 and had no form to speak of. But young Pato, for all his hype, can claim to have earned this international call-up through form alone, with seven goals in 13 games for Milan.

Comparisons with Pele are obvious, but ultimately pointless, so we’re not going to make them. Pele played for Brazil as a teenager, Pato will probably play for Brazil as a teenager. That’s what happens when you’re a talented young footballer. So rather than weighing the poor lad with massive expectations, let’s all look forward to seeing him in action tomorrow.

Swedish defenders excepted, obviously.