SOCCER
Why is Alisson Becker wearing number 110 for Brazil?
The goalkeeper was given a very special jersey for the game against Mexico, marking a milestone in Brazilian soccer history.
Viewers tuning in for Brazil’s pre-Copa América friendly against Mexico on Saturday would have been surprised to see goalkeeper Alisson Becker wearing the number 110 jersey.
Squad numbers are typically below 50 and almost always lower than 100, with a very small number of historic exceptions. Liverpool stopper Alisson never normally wears the number 110, so why was he given it for a pre-tournament friendly?
Saturday’s game is held on the 110th anniversary of the foundation of the Brazilian Football Confederation, the governing body for soccer in Brazil. The friendly against Mexico is being held 110 years on from the foundation of the sport’s most successful national team and Alisson was given the noteworthy number to mark that fact.
Why isn’t Vinicius Junior playing for Brazil?
Brazil come into this summer’s Copa América as one of the pre-tournament favourites and they have opted to rotate the team for their opening warm-up fixture. Real Madrid duo Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo Goes are both named on the bench, with Gabriel Martinelli, Savinho and Evanilson starting as the front three.
Vinicius and Rodygo both starred for Real Madrid in the Champions League final last weekend and have only recently joined up with the national team for this summer’s action. Both look certain to start in Brazil’s opening game of the tournament against Costa Rica on 24 June but the central striking position is less clear.
Rodrygo has played centrally before but he is more typically used out wide, or as a second striker playing slightly deeper. Evanilson will be looking to stake hi claim for a starting berth but he faces competition from Endrick, the Madrid-bound youngster who impressed in Brazil’s March internationals, scoring against England and Spain.