Brazil - The Last of the Mohicans

When we started the Brazil series back in 2010 we delighted in the footage of the Brazilian top flight bucking the global trend towards free-hanging boxnets and retaining their traditional L-supports.

At that time we were genuinely optimistic that the nets at the 2014 World Cup finals would be suspended by L-supports.

However, as the finals have drawn nearer, Serie A teams who we originally featured as having L-supports - Botafogo and Palmeiras for example - have joined the trend towards boxnets.


As well, six brand new stadia are being constructed for the World Cup finals and only the most optimistic among us would consider anything but homogeneous boxnets are going to be installed by FIFA.

Brazil was once this dreamed-of place where the outside world hadn't yet reached - Echo Beach.

Now, those few stadia who still retain their traditional L-supports are like Chingachgook in The Last of the Mohicans, standing at the edge of the cliff, realising they're the end of the line.

Brazil - Botafogo FR

Botafogo play at the Estádio Olímpico João Havelange.

When the seleção played at the stadium, the exaggerated L-supports were used to frame a box goalnet every bit as sterile as the 0-0 draw with Bolivia.



Contrast this with the rigging - and the style of play - when Botafogo play at the Engenhão.