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dpaCafu feels he has been the victim of unfair criticism.
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Brazilian captain Cafu reveals ”I've lived in hell”
Wednesday, February 8, 2006
Rio de Janeiro (dpa) - Brazilian captain and Milan defender Cafu has hit back at critics revealing that his recent dip in form was due to a series of personal crises including the death of his father-in-law.
In an interview with Brazilian sports portal globoesporte.com, Cafu said: ”I have lived practically in hell for the past four months.””My father-in-law died, my father had to undergo a difficult operation and on top of that I had one of the worst injuries of my career,” said the 35-year-old who in Germany this summer hopes to defend Brazil's World Cup title.
During the period, Cafu made few appearances for AC Milan. ”But the people, who criticised me so much in Brazil, did not take all of these problems into account.”
Cafu is this summer also aiming to become the first ever player to appear in four consecutive World Cup finals, and to also be the first to be on three tournament-winning teams.
Brazil's coach Carlos Alberto Parreira in recent days stood behind his troubled captain. The experience that Cafu brings to the pitch ”can't be just thrown out the window,” Parreira, who played with Cafu on the 1994 winning team in the US, said.
”I get very annoyed when I read critics that are against me. In reality only I know the difficulties that I have come through in recent times,” Cafu told globoesporte.com. However, the player sees the criticism as nothing new and says he has been a target throughout his career. ”In 1994 I was criticised because I was too young. In 1998 I couldn't make any crosses. And in 2002 my marking wasn't good enough. And now I'm too old.”
”Imagine what kind of criticism will be there come 2010.”
In an interview with Brazilian sports portal globoesporte.com, Cafu said: ”I have lived practically in hell for the past four months.””My father-in-law died, my father had to undergo a difficult operation and on top of that I had one of the worst injuries of my career,” said the 35-year-old who in Germany this summer hopes to defend Brazil's World Cup title.
During the period, Cafu made few appearances for AC Milan. ”But the people, who criticised me so much in Brazil, did not take all of these problems into account.”
Cafu is this summer also aiming to become the first ever player to appear in four consecutive World Cup finals, and to also be the first to be on three tournament-winning teams.
Brazil's coach Carlos Alberto Parreira in recent days stood behind his troubled captain. The experience that Cafu brings to the pitch ”can't be just thrown out the window,” Parreira, who played with Cafu on the 1994 winning team in the US, said.
”I get very annoyed when I read critics that are against me. In reality only I know the difficulties that I have come through in recent times,” Cafu told globoesporte.com. However, the player sees the criticism as nothing new and says he has been a target throughout his career. ”In 1994 I was criticised because I was too young. In 1998 I couldn't make any crosses. And in 2002 my marking wasn't good enough. And now I'm too old.”
”Imagine what kind of criticism will be there come 2010.”
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