It's that time of the year again when local pride is at stake in the numerous state championships which are prevalent in the opening months of the Brazilian football calendar. From Amapá in the far north to Rio Grande do Sul in the south, from Acre in the west to ParaÃba in the far east of the country, twenty seven regions of Brazil will be involved in their own local championship, mixing the big boys with the smaller village teams, with each club hoping to win their respective title and qualify for a place in next year's edition of the national cup, the Copa Brasil.
This girl right here is a big shot. She makes all kinds of important things happen with
important people.
Don't believe us?
Botafogo's Renan Dos Santos. Does he do requests? Image via bfr.com.br
Fernanda Maia was acting as ball girl for Botafoga in the Brazilian Campeonato Carioca Final
last week, when the ball was belted into touch by a Vasco de Gama player.
It's that time of the year again when local pride is at stake in the numerous state
championships which are prevalent in the opening months of the Brazilian football calendar. From
Amapá in the far north to Rio Grande do Sul in the south, from Acre in the west to ParaÃba in the
far east of the country, twenty seven regions of Brazil will be involved in their own local
championship, mixing the big boys with the smaller village teams, with each club hoping to win
their respective title and qualify for a place in next year's edition of the national cup, Copa
Brazil.
It's official two time FIFA World Player of the Year, seemingly consigned to football's has-been
pile after five years at the Camp Nou theatre, announed his return to the big time in the rather
less inspiring surroundings of Fulham's Craven Cottage. Granted, the opposition was Ghana, not one
of football's big hitters, and granted they were down to ten men, but the touches and vision of the
former master were there to see.
As controversial as they are a regular feature of the Brazilian football calendar, the state
championships are back in the next couple of weeks. Though derided as an unnecessary burden on
teams and players alike it seems that these championships are going to remain for a long time as
they are part of the country's football tradition.
