Well, it's a bit depressing, nonetheless.

On a more specific note, mightn't the Olympics be quite good for Ronaldinho? I understand the tournament is quite a big deal for Brazil, as they've never won Gold, so maybe it could give him the motivation he needs.

No argument with it being depressing, but then the entire history of football in the Olympics is rather depressing.

I agree with your second point too. Laporta is clearly massively pissed off at Ronaldinho (and with good reason), but I think that letting him go to Beijing is significantly more likely to result in him being motivated than imprisoning him in a training camp.

Madrid have vetoed Heinze for Argentina too. Cannavarro is still injured and we have the 'vital' Supercopa against Valencia to worry about.

I agree that the history of the olympic football tournament is a fairly depressing one... the current format, Under 23 with three overage players, is a nonsense one really, and is just a half-baked compromise brought about by a standoff between FIFA and the IOC. All it means is that three "stars" walk into a team at the last minute and displace three developing young players who have done all the hard work in the qualifying matches. Which is crap, really, and I don't know why people are getting all excited by the prospect of Ronaldinho, etc playing in Beijing.

Ronaldinho played for Brazil in the 2000 olympic tournament. Why would he want to go through it again as a mature player? Why would someone like him want to play in an under 23 tournament?

Argentina fielded the likes of Saviola, Tevez, Heinze and Mascherano to win olympic gold in 2004. They beat Paraguay 1-0 in an extremely dull and foul-ridden final; and only scraped in 1-0 against Australia if I recall. Why would they call on some of the same players again?

I actually hope New Zealand or Belgium upset Brazil, and Honduras slam Italy 4-0 (like Zambia did in '88!)

The US team:
GOALKEEPERS (2): Brad Guzan (Chivas USA), Chris Seitz (Real Salt Lake)
DEFENDERS (5): Patrick Ianni (Houston Dynamo), Michael Orozco (San Luis), Michael Parkhurst (New England Revolution), Nathan Sturgis (Real Salt Lake), Marvell Wynne (Toronto FC)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Freddy Adu (SL Benfica), Michael Bradley (SC Heerenveen), Maurice Edu (Toronto FC), Benny Feilhaber (Derby County), Stuart Holden (Houston Dynamo), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA), Danny Szetela (Brescia Calcio)
FORWARDS (4): Jozy Altidore (Villarreal), Charlie Davies (Hammarby IF), Brian McBride (out of contract), Robbie Rogers (Columbus Crew)

And on the women's side, there's the bad news that Abby Wombach has broken her leg and won't make it.

I'm going to try to post this again--I did before, and my post was eaten and didn't appear.

I think there's an article to be written (by someone more talented than myself) about why the US seems to value the Olympics tournament more than other countries. I don't know if it's part of the US valuing the Olympics as a whole, or if it has something to do with realistic expectations--the chance of success in the Olympics for a country like the US is better than at the World Cup--or something else. Either way, it seems like we care more than other countries.

I think it is the same in Australia as the US. Australian soccer fans (but not olympic games fans in general, who usually have little interest in soccer) also tend to get excited about the olympic football tournament. Back in 1992, when our senior national side was struggling to make any sort of impact on the world stage, the "olyroos" reached the olympic semi finals. So the olympic football tournament was perceived as something we could make a mark in, even though the senior side couldn't even qualify for the World Cup finals.

I originally read Abby's surname as if it had an e on the end

Inca, it might also be that for most of the English-language press you might read, the Olympic football tournament may as well not exist given the lack of a British team.

Also, Americans care more about women's football than many other countries, and that has more credibility than the men's version in the Olympics, given it doesn't have the same silly age restrictions.

Some judgement has been passed down obliging Barcelona to release Messi for this. I can't tell you exactly what it is because I've only read stuff about it in Catalan, and I can't speak Catalan.

Also, what does this mean? I am pretty sure I know all the words, but as a sentence I'm not really sure (though I do get the gist)?


Edit: for some reason that picture doesn;t show up, but it;s the front page a newspaper called Ole and it reads in massive 1000pt font "DEJEN YA DE JODER CON MESSI"

( I think the whole thing has sparked some semi-diplomatic incident with half of Argentina calling for Messi to be released from his cruel enslavement at the Camp Nou)

New York Times article on this.

"Soccer's world governing body ruled Wednesday that professional clubs must release players 23 or under for the Beijing Olympics, clearing the way for Lionel Messi to play for Argentina despite opposition from his professional club, FC Barcelona.

Slim Aloulou, a Tunisian judge on the governing body's player status committee, said the release of under-23 players was "mandatory for all clubs."

Barcelona are threatening to appeal the ruling to the CAS in Lausanne.

ad hoc, that headline from Ole, a sports daily from Argentina, translates rougly as, "Now stop screwing around with Messi"

Messi is already on his way to join up with his Argentina teammates. I am not sure yet if Diego and Rafinha, the two Brasilian U-23 players that German clubs were stopping from playing in the Olympics are on their way to join up with Brasil's team now but they'll be on their way soon.

In an Olympic warm up tourney in Hong Kong, Holland scored two late goals to defeat Cameroon 2-0 while Ivory Coast and the US drew 0-0. Tomorrow, Holland plays Ivory Coast and Cameroon vs US.

They're coming home . . .

"Argentina forward Lionel Messi is set to miss the Olympic Games soccer tournament after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) said Barcelona was not obliged to release him.

CAS, meeting in Beijing, upheld an appeal from the Spanish club after FIFA, soccer's world governing body, said clubs must release eligible players for the tournament."

Fuck's sake.

Grondona and Batista are insisting that Messi is going to stay and play against Ivory Coast.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if Barca allow him to stay there until their preliminary Champions League match next week. That's always been their primary concern; the trip to Beijing is arguably less of a drain on him than the club's current tour of North America.

Barca have agreed to let Messi stay in Beijing for as long as Argentina are in the competition.

In return, the AFA have agreed to take out insurance on him with Barca being the beneficiary and not to call him up for any friendlies this season.