Roberto Carlos has quit International soccer, I also heard the same about Juninho P.
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- Thread starter JCK
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Great assessment, denco. 
My only disagreement is whether finalists in the past WCs were arguably that much better than the final fours of more recent ones.
Each team in the final four this WC have had their serious obstacles getting here: Italy and the scandal, Germany and their identity crisis post-Völler, France and their aging stars and debilitating coach, Portugal and their cultural history of underachievement. And yet each has found new strengths to overcome them: motivation from adversity, home fan support who could express a sort of football nationalism without the dubious historical implications, leadership from a historical star ever-putting off his last cap, a successful coach that got a team to believe in itself.
And in getting here, some of these teams overcame some of the supposed best national teams of generations. Even Brazil '06 was supposed to rival if not exceed the legend of the Brazil '70 team. And to be honest, only in half of their match against Japan did I see glimpses of this supposed utter domination in this WC.
So I'm withholding judgement on whether or not the WC is getting poorer over time. I think what we're seeing is that there might be a little more competition from the middle and even lower ranks over what we saw in the past. Which is what you'd expect as the globalization of football continues.
My only disagreement is whether finalists in the past WCs were arguably that much better than the final fours of more recent ones.
Each team in the final four this WC have had their serious obstacles getting here: Italy and the scandal, Germany and their identity crisis post-Völler, France and their aging stars and debilitating coach, Portugal and their cultural history of underachievement. And yet each has found new strengths to overcome them: motivation from adversity, home fan support who could express a sort of football nationalism without the dubious historical implications, leadership from a historical star ever-putting off his last cap, a successful coach that got a team to believe in itself.
And in getting here, some of these teams overcame some of the supposed best national teams of generations. Even Brazil '06 was supposed to rival if not exceed the legend of the Brazil '70 team. And to be honest, only in half of their match against Japan did I see glimpses of this supposed utter domination in this WC.
So I'm withholding judgement on whether or not the WC is getting poorer over time. I think what we're seeing is that there might be a little more competition from the middle and even lower ranks over what we saw in the past. Which is what you'd expect as the globalization of football continues.
Juninho quits international scene
Brazil midfielder Juninho Pernambucano has announced his international retirement and believes a number of his team-mates should follow suit.
The Olympique Lyonnais playmaker feels youngsters must be given a chance after the World Cup defeat by France.
Juninho, 31, said: "The national team is over for me and those of us over 30 have to leave a place for the younger players to make a new team for 2010.
"We have to think about the young guys and build up another team."
Brazil stars such as Roberto Carlos, Cafu, Gilberto, Emerson, Ze Roberto, Ricardinho and keepers Dida and Rogerio Ceni are all the wrong side of 30.
The reigning world champions went out of the competition with a whimper to a France team that was criticised in its own country for having too many old players.
However, Juninho added: "There is total sadness but this is not the time to appoint blame, we all lost."
Story from BBC SPORT
Carlos quits international scene
Brazil defender Roberto Carlos has announced his retirement from international football.
The 33-year-old left-back featured in Brazil's 1-0 defeat against France on Saturday which sent the South Americans out of the World Cup.
The Real Madrid star amassed 132 caps and scored 11 goals since making his international debut in 1993 and featured in three World Cups.
"I've stopped with the national team," he said. "It was my last game."
He was a regular in the Brazil side that won the 2002 World Cup in Japan and Korea and also won the Copa America in 1997 and 1999, the Confederations Cup in 1997, and a bronze medal at the 1996 Olympics.
Carlos missed out on a place in the squad for the USA 94 World Cup when Brazil went on to win their fourth title.
And in 1998 he was again denied his chance of World Cup success when France claimed the trophy in Paris with a 3-0 victory in the final.
But in 2002 he finally lifted the trophy when Brazil beat Germany 2-0 in the final.
Carlos had previously said he intended to play on for his country for several more seasons.
Story from BBC SPORT
Brazil midfielder Juninho Pernambucano has announced his international retirement and believes a number of his team-mates should follow suit.
The Olympique Lyonnais playmaker feels youngsters must be given a chance after the World Cup defeat by France.
Juninho, 31, said: "The national team is over for me and those of us over 30 have to leave a place for the younger players to make a new team for 2010.
"We have to think about the young guys and build up another team."
Brazil stars such as Roberto Carlos, Cafu, Gilberto, Emerson, Ze Roberto, Ricardinho and keepers Dida and Rogerio Ceni are all the wrong side of 30.
The reigning world champions went out of the competition with a whimper to a France team that was criticised in its own country for having too many old players.
However, Juninho added: "There is total sadness but this is not the time to appoint blame, we all lost."
Story from BBC SPORT
Carlos quits international scene
Brazil defender Roberto Carlos has announced his retirement from international football.
The 33-year-old left-back featured in Brazil's 1-0 defeat against France on Saturday which sent the South Americans out of the World Cup.
The Real Madrid star amassed 132 caps and scored 11 goals since making his international debut in 1993 and featured in three World Cups.
"I've stopped with the national team," he said. "It was my last game."
He was a regular in the Brazil side that won the 2002 World Cup in Japan and Korea and also won the Copa America in 1997 and 1999, the Confederations Cup in 1997, and a bronze medal at the 1996 Olympics.
Carlos missed out on a place in the squad for the USA 94 World Cup when Brazil went on to win their fourth title.
And in 1998 he was again denied his chance of World Cup success when France claimed the trophy in Paris with a 3-0 victory in the final.
But in 2002 he finally lifted the trophy when Brazil beat Germany 2-0 in the final.
Carlos had previously said he intended to play on for his country for several more seasons.
Story from BBC SPORT
