*Undated
Internacional’s Mauricio was booked for doing skills during their 2-1 victory over Athletico Paranaense.
Brazil is the birthplace of Joga Bonito - The Portuguese phrase that Nike uses meaning “play beautifully.” However, it seems there is no longer a place in the game for that.
Inside the final 10 minutes of the match in Brazil’s Serie A, Mauricio decided to do a few Kick-Ups (Kupepeta, as locally known) whilst in possession. It appeared pretty harmless with no opponent near him. However, when the ball next went out of play, Mauricio was shown a yellow card.
Well, the referee revealed in his report that it was because of his ‘disrespect for the game.’Official laws state a player should be penalised if they “act in a manner that shows disrespect for the game.” It was something that angered a lot of fans.
It’s not the first time something like this has happened, though. Neymar once was booked for Paris Saint-Germain for attempting a rainbow flick during a game.
Imagine the number of yellow cards Ronaldinho would have got.
Neymar was booked for performing the same trick in February 2020 during a 5-0 win over Montpellier, and the 29-year-old criticised referee Stephanie Frappart’s decision to show Paqueta a yellow card. “This episode is very, very sad, receiving a yellow card for a dribble,” Neymar wrote on his Instagram story. “The famous ‘Joga Bonito’ [beautiful game] is over. Enjoy while it lasts.”
During the Montpellier game, the Brazil international was shown a yellow card for flicking the ball over an opponent’s head in the 36th minute of the match, when PSG were 1-0 up and facing 10 men. In the Premier League, the most likely to perform these types of audacious skill would be Newcastle’s Allan Saint-Maximin, or perhaps Manchester United’s new signing Jadon Sancho.
Origin of Joga Bonito:
Translated directly, Joga Bonito means to play beautifully, and it is often associated with the Brazilian style of football.
While the exact origin of the phrase is unclear, it is often traced back to Pele, and the way he played football. As a result, football is commonly referred to as The Beautiful Game. Many Brazilian footballers are synonymous with this skillful and exciting style of football, with Neymar among the most high profile examples.
Ronaldinho, Robinho, Ronaldo, Kaka and Garrincha were all known for being devastating footballers on the pitch, while also providing entertainment to those watching like not many others could do.