Why do so many so-called South American 'stars' fail in the proper European leagues?

[Martino Knockavelli]

Robinho, Anderson, Denilson, Kleberson, Cavani, Juan Veron, Abel Hernandez, Branco, Diego Forlan, Mario Jardel, Mario Balotteli, Julio 'The Dave' Baptista. And that is just off the top of my head. The list goes on (and please feel free to add your own).

Obviously there are exceptions to the rule (Nobby Solano, Faustino Asprilla, Gus 'Poo Hands' Poyet, most obviously).

But.

Why is that so many much-hyped South American 'stars' flop so comprehensively when faced with the superior competition of the teak-tough European leagues? Is it cultural differences (our complicated European tax codes, for example). Is it just that they were no good to begin with? Something else?

(serious replies only, please, this is not an attempt to cause an argument)

 

[Craig]

I beg to differ. Hugo Colace and Miguel Mostto are among the greatest ever players to grace the English fields.

 

[Libertadores FC]

I beg to differ. Hugo Colace and Miguel Mostto are among the greatest ever players to grace the English fields.

I was looking for you in the box! Got my own Panama hat

 

[smat]

I think this is a great point, and a lot has to do with the sub standard quality of South American football as a whole. It's easy for German Alemanno to score goals in the Peruvian Liga, but apparently his trial at Hull City ended very badly (with Steve Bruce himself so despairing that he is said to have flown into a rage and signed Chuba Akpom).

What we're basically talking about is the terrible standard of South American football. It's frankly laughable that anyone would watch this shit, let alone that there'd be an actual real-life sub-forum for it.

Sent from my App Runtime for Chrome using Tapatalk

 

[Craig]

Not we're not just internet friends, we're hat friends too.

 

[Libertadores FC]

I know this thread has been started to mock me, but it is a good discussion. I'm on mobile right now so I'll post what I think on this matter when I get to a computer. I'll just briefly say it's mostly the westerners that fail, and mostly in England rather than other European countries. Also, aside from Manchester United, I thought Forlan did well in Europe.

 

[RavenBish]

can't believe you bit on that Dave.

 

[The Paranoid Pineapple]

Remember when SOUTH AMERICAN LEGEND Miller Bolanos got rejected by Championship Brighton? How did that happen, eh?

 

[Craig]

Lucky escape for Bolanos tbf.

 

[JimJams]

If we fuck up our geography a bit, Gignac.

 

[JimJams]

Read it again...

 

[JimJams]

But nobody wants to join those pitiful leagues. South Americans are busting a nut just to get out. The closest any European got was Mekiko, and he's torn shit up. He'd probably have god like status in South America. They'd erect a statue atop the favelas and have a special day in his honour. Imagine if an actual half decent European went there? Chaos.

 

[JimJams]

Not sure you're following whats being said.

 

[Dr Mantis Toboggan]

Ballon d'Or 2015. Messi is 1st and Neymar is 3rd and both these players are in European football right now. Major fail.

couldn't stay away then, lub?

 

[Vanni]

Crazy ideas you name me successful European player in South America?

Dejan Petkovic* was a success in Brazil,no? But that's not the point - the point is players follow the money, and the money's in Europe, China and the US.

*I don't know who this guy is, but google is my friend so I googled ''Successful European football players in South America". So don't go thinking I'm an expert on Worldwide football

 

[Aber gas]

Did Clarence Seedorf play in Brazil for a bit? I'm not sure whether I've just made that up !

 

[Dr Mantis Toboggan]

botafogo

 

[JimJams]

If South America had a pot to piss in they might attract some decent players. As it is it's a cesspool of has beens and never will be's. Lighlty sprinkled with a quality player here and there who can't wait to fuck off the homeland for some cold hard cash.

 

[pizarro14]

Calling Forlán, Cavani and Co. flops is a bit much, don't you think? Forlán led La Liga in scoring twice if I remember right and was the absolute star at Atlético during Europa League wins too.

Generally, most players are extremely connected to their previous club in South America, especially if it was their youth club. You can tell that by players who cheer for their old team on Twitter and travel to games in their free time, while playing in Europe since some while.

 

[G-Dragon]

Maybe these South Americans think they are too good for Europe No sweaty players.

 

[Destruction]

 

[JimJams]

How comes Libs other posts have been deleted?

 

[Goalmachine87]

Mario Balotelli is a joke right ?

In German Bundesliga the successful South American players by far outweigh the flops, many
of these players have shaped the success of their squad short or longterm.
In Germany it is mainly players from Brazil, who play with our squads longterm, there are
exceptions, like Pizzaro from Peru currently at Werder Bremen, he is the most successfull
foreign scorer of the Bundesliga history ! Other successful guys are Lucas Barrios(BVB), Roque Santa Cruz(FCB), Haedo Valdez(Werder) (semi successfull) from Paraguay Arturo Vidal(Leverkusen) from Chile or Arango from Venezuela (Gladbach) Farfan from Peru for Schalke 04

and then you have TONS of Brazilian players like Ailton, Naldo, Diego (Werder legends) Emerson, Paulo Sergio, Ze Roberto, Lucio Jorginho(Leverkusen) Grafite, Marcelinho (Wolfsburg) Elber (Bayern) Julio Cesar, Marcio Amoroso, Dede (BVB) Firmino, Eduardo, Luiz Gustavo (1899 Hoffenheim) Lincoln, Bordon, Rafinha for Schalke -some of the players played well at two or more clubs but i just mentioned one

real flops were Breno from Bayern (who burnt down his house and
went to jail for a few years) or infamous Carlos Alberto from Werder who cost
the club millions

so i think in Germany the successfull South Americans outweigh the flops by a huge margin,
in fact i need to think real hard to find some more REAL flops

 

[Vanni]

Does anybody really know why Lib decided to leave us?

 

[Aber gas]

Does anybody really know why Lib decided to leave us?

He said something about a Vanni being mean to him. I wouldn't like to speculate though

 

[Vanni]

He said something about a Vanni being mean to him. I wouldn't like to speculate though

Nah, he's one of the good guys

Don't tell me he only left because of some forum member's comments? Jeez. Shouldn't take the internet (esp. footy forums) too seriously I think!

 

[Aber gas]

Nah, he's one of the good guys

Don't tell me he only left because of some forum member's comments? Jeez. Shouldn't take the internet (esp. footy forums) too seriously I think!

From what little I've seen he's having a difficult time atm and coming on here wasn't helping. He was getting upset over perceived slights and going into full meltdown mode. I'm sure he'll be back when his life is a bit calmer.

 

[Vanni]

From what little I've seen he's having a difficult time atm and coming on here wasn't helping. He was getting upset over perceived slights and going into full meltdown mode. I'm sure he'll be back when his life is a bit calmer.

TBH, I'm having a difficult time too atm, so I completely understand his position, though I don't agree with it. But yeah, it's easy to misinterpret stuff when one has other things on his mind.

 

[JJH]

Robinho, Anderson, Denilson, Kleberson, Cavani, Juan Veron, Abel Hernandez, Branco, Diego Forlan, Mario Jardel, Mario Balotteli, Julio 'The Dave' Baptista.

Known jokes.

 

[Martino Knockavelli]

Did Clarence Seedorf play in Brazil for a bit? I'm not sure whether I've just made that up !

You're thinking of Edgar Davids at Barnet.

(Which is pretty fucking racist, if you don't mind me saying)