• Firmino scored twice in Brazil’s 5-0 win over Bolivia
• He discusses his new position and desire to win Qatar 2022
• He raves about Alisson, Coutinho, Neymar and Salah

Brazil coaches, throughout time, have been pestered by a persistent problem: getting their cosmically gifted but equally carefree attackers to track back.

Tite has had a paradox problem. The present Seleção shot-caller, indeed, requested that his spearhead do less tracking back as he endeavours to polish him into a bona fide striker. Roberto Firmino responded by scoring twice as Brazil thumped Bolivia 5-0 in step one of their mission to reach the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™.

The Liverpool man chatted to FIFA.com about this positional modification, the forthcoming game against Peru, Philippe Coutinho, Neymar and Mohamed Salah and his eagerness to help Brazil win football’s most prestigious prize.

FIFA.com: How did it feel to score two goals against Bolivia?
Roberto Firmino: The performance of the whole team, the spirit we showed deserves congratulations. Getting off to a winning start was really important, and to do it with such a good performance makes it even better. Scoring two goals was an incredible feeling. I had more chances, I could have scored more, but I’m very happy. I’m 29, I feel I’m at the best moment of my career. I want to keep working hard and help Seleção reach the World Cup.

Is it true Tite asked you to track back less?
Yes. It’s not that he asked me not to help out, but he wants me to always be in the area. I still have to get back to mark, but he wants me to chase back less after the ball, be in the box more. I have a natural urge to help out, get back – I do this for Liverpool – so I have put this aside and do what Tite has asked of me. I enjoy being involved in play, creating goals, but I also enjoy being in the box, scoring goals.

Brazil had Careca, Romario and Ronaldo for three decades, but have struggled in the striker department thereafter. Can you be this No9?
Yes, definitely. I love playing in this position, I want to be the player Brazil can rely on in this position.

What do you think of Peru?
They’re a team that have improved a lot over the last few years. They reached the last World Cup, they reached the final of the Copa America last year. We were victorious but it was a difficult game. They have good players and are a very dangerous team. We know it will be a difficult game. We have to be at our best to win.

Alisson is out injured, but where do you think he ranks among the world’s best goalkeepers?
For me he’s the number one. I’m not just saying that because he’s my team-mate. The things he does on the pitch are incredible. He’s already done a great job for the Seleção. And off the pitch he’s a sensational guy. He’s a great person, a great friend, someone I get on with really well.

Philippe Coutinho is in fine form…
He’s phenomenal. You simply can’t say that he’s not a magician. He has magical powers. He produces plays that don’t exist, that you couldn’t make up. You always have to watch replays of his plays to understand what he’s done. He’s an unbelievable player. It was a pleasure to play with him at Liverpool, and it’s a pleasure to play with him for the Seleção. I’m a huge fan of his. He’s one of the very best players in the world.

What do you think of Neymar?
Another unbelievable player. He was brilliant against Bolivia. He was getting back to mark a lot and he did amazing things with the ball. There are no words to describe Neymar.

And Mo Salah?
I admire Salah a lot. I love the way he plays. He scores a lot of goals. You wouldn’t believe how hard he works. I’m very grateful to play alongside him and [Sadio] Mane, another magnificent player.

Finally, you’ve won so much with Liverpool. How badly do you want to win the World Cup?
So, so, so, so much. Much more than you can imagine. I’ve won the Champions League, the FIFA Club World Cup, the Premier League. [The World Cup] is what’s missing for me. I have to keep working hard and dreaming, and we have to believe that this is possible in 2022. I’m immensely proud to be part of this Seleção, to play with these players, for these coaches. I have tremendous belief in this group of players and the coaching staff.

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• Peru welcome Brazil in the standout fixture
• Argentina and Uruguay face tough away assignments
• Review what happened on the opening matchday

Although the long and winding road from South America to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ only began last week, this evening’s Matchday 2 fixtures already look important, especially for those sides who got off to a bad start. FIFA.com previews all the action.

Matchday 2 schedule (all times local)

13 October

Bolivia-Argentina

Ecuador-Uruguay

Venezuela-Paraguay

Peru-Brazil

Chile-Colombia

The big match

Peru-Brazil, Estadio Nacional (Lima)

Ricardo Gareca knows Peru’s opening-day draw in Paraguay will look even better if his side can build on it with a result against Brazil at home. The coach is expected to stick with his trusted 4-3-3 formation despite the attacking prowess shown by his opponents in their opener.

It is worth remembering that, although they twice lost out to Brazil at the Copa America 2019, including in the final, the Peruvians won their last meeting: a September 2019 friendly in the USA.

For Brazil coach Tite, “all those results are in the past”. Nor is he worried that Neymar was not on the score-sheet in the 5-0 rout of Bolivia: “He fulfilled his responsibilities by getting on the ball and being creative. Football is a team sport.”

Elsewhere

After their narrow opening-round victory, Argentina visit a still-reeling Bolivia in La Paz, historically not the happiest of hunting grounds for La Albiceleste. All told, they have won there three times in this competition, but not since 2005. In the intervening years, Messi and Co have come away with one draw and two defeats, including a chastening 6-1 reverse in 2009. Cesar Farias is expected to make several changes to the home side, including starting the veteran Marcelo Martins up front.

Uruguay, who also kicked off their campaign with a victory, have an equally challenging trip to Quito to face Ecuador. Oscar Tabarez’s side will be without the injured Giorgian De Arrascaeta but are expected to bring in another centre-forward to accompany Luis Suarez. La Tri, who have won their last two home qualifiers against Uruguay, could make up to five changes as they search for the attacking threat that was missing in last week’s reverse to Argentina.

Meanwhile, in Santiago, Chile welcome Colombia with La Roja keen to make amends for their loss last week in Uruguay. Reinaldo Rueda has Mauricio Isla available again after the veteran defender recovered from COVID-19 – an option worth considering given Los Cafeterors impressive forward play on Matchday 1. Aside from the injured Santiago Arias, it remains to be seen if there will be any other changes to the team that put three goals past Venezuela.

Speaking of Venezuela, they will be hoping to put that shaky start behind them when they welcome Paraguay to Merida. The latter had the chance to take all three points in their opener but in the end had to settle for one. “It’s not a question of being more offensive or defensive, but of finding the right balance,” said Vinotinto coach Jose Peseiro, who has the option of starting with attacking midfielder Yeferson Soteldo. His opposite number, Eduardo Berizzo, is also weighing up changes, including that of starting with forward Angel Romero.

Player to watch

Marcelo Moreno Martins (Bolivia)

The 33-year-old Bolivian striker is one of the players who Cesar Farias will have earmarked to face Argentina – and not without good reason. Of the five occasions he has faced La Albiceleste in World Cup qualifiers, he has scored in four of them.

Did you know?

This Tuesday, Colombian Reinaldo Rueda will be facing his country of birth for the seventh time in his coaching career. He has met them twice with current side Chile (two draws), three times with Ecuador (one win and two defeats) and once with Honduras (win).

On social media

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• Angel Romero plays alongside twin brother Oscar at club and national level
• On Thursday, he came off the Paraguay bench to score a brace against Peru
• He is now focused on “correcting mistakes ahead of the match with Venezuela”

It is likely that Eduardo Berizzo glanced two or three times at his bench before bringing in Angel Romero versus Peru in Paraguay’s opening match of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ qualifying campaign.

With the Paraguayans trailing 1-0 with 27 minutes to go, and with Angel sitting beside his twin brother Oscaras usual, it would have been understandable had the experienced coach confused the pair in the heat of the moment.

Once the substitute was out on the pitch, it became clear that Berizzo had chosen wisely by introducing the forward rather than the attacking midfielder: in the space of 18 minutes, Angel scored two goals, equalling his tally for his previous 16 international matches combined, and turning the game on its head in the process.

Although the eventual outcome was a 2-2 draw at home, Romero preferred to look on the bright side. “Our big mistake was not managing the game correctly when we went in front,” the 28-year-old goalscorer explained to FIFA.com after the encounter. “But this is just the beginning, and there’s a long road ahead. This is a useful point.”

Angel Romero is doubtless accustomed to coaches doing a double-take before giving him the nod, as he has spent a large part of his career with Oscar. In fact, both brothers currently play for the same club, San Lorenzo (Argentina), where they reunited in 2019 after a period apart. And since July of this year, the twins have even shared a Twitter account.

Raised by their mother Maria Lucia, their grandmother Dora, and their aunt Margarita, they started kicking a ball around on the fields of Fernando De La Mora, on the outskirts of Asuncion, and they stuck together as they joined the Sport Primavera club in the local Liga Fernandina.

It was there they were spotted by Adolfino Canete, who starred for Paraguay at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. The former attacking midfielder helped to polish Oscar’s innate talent and Angel’s goalscoring prowess.

Both brothers completed a successful trial with Boca Juniors when they were 14, but they were unable to sign for the Argentinian club due to administrative problems. Instead, they joined Cerro Porteno, where they made their first Paraguayan top-flight appearance in 2011. Angel reached this milestone first, scoring on his debut, and Oscar followed in his footsteps a week later.

Subsequently, Angel earned his maiden cap for Paraguay on 6 September 2013, and his brother again emulated him the following week. Oscar would actually go on to play a more regular role in that particular side, which failed to qualify for Brazil 2014.

That year, Angel scored 15 goals in 43 matches for Cerro Porteno and clinched a league-winner’s medal. “This has been an unforgettable year for me, my brother and my family due to what we achieved,” he said at the time.

The siblings finally parted ways in 2015: Oscar moved to Racing Club, which seemingly caused Angel to suffer a loss of form .While his brother was representing Paraguay at the Copa America in Chile, he was left out of the squad altogether.

Angel got back to his best with Brazilian giants Corinthians in 2016, scoring 13 goals in 53 matches. His form saw him regain his place in La Albirroja’s squad during their unsuccessful qualifying campaign for Russia 2018, making eight appearances, but without hitting the back of the net.

Berizzo has placed his confidence in both brothers since announcing his first squad at the beginning of 2019. And after a recent unfortunate incident in which he injured a San Lorenzo youth player during a training session, for which he has apologised profusely, Angel set about repaying that trust with the double strike against Peru last week.

Now the forward is fully focused on Venezuela, Paraguay’s next opponents in the South American qualifying campaign. “It’s essential to avoid lapses in concentration, because although this is a long race, the second challenge will come along pretty quickly,” he concluded.

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• Patrice Beaumelle is drawing on his 13 years as assistant to Herve Renard
• Frenchmen dreams of taking Côte d’Ivoire to Qatar 2022
• He speaks about his side’s transition and objectives

Having won the CAF Africa Cup of Nations with both Zambia and Côte d’Ivoire, Herve Renard is one of the most successful coaches in the history of African international football. Before he became head coach, the Frenchmen was an assistant to veteran Claude Le Roy, with whom he gained valuable experiences that would later help him achieve his own continental success.

Once flying solo, Renard hired his compatriot Patrice Beaumelle as an assistant, and stuck with him for many years through thick and thin. The nature of football being what it is, Renard eventually bade farewell to Beaumelle when the latter was appointed head coach of Zambia. And while that stint only lasted one year, it did not deter him from taking up the Côte d’Ivoire reins this year.

FIFA.com spoke with Beaumelle, who shared some of his experiences with his mentor Renard. “I worked with him for 13 years, during which time we had many adventures, including six editions of the Africa Cup of Nations and the World Cup in Russia. Together we won the African title twice, and being an assistant was very important for me. I coached Zambia in 2013 for one year but then returned to assist Renard again. However, after that I felt it was necessary to make the transition to head coach,” the 42-year-old revealed.

“My ambition had always been to become head coach, but I decided to gain the necessary experience as an assistant first. After six African cups, I made the World Cup one of my goals, and I told Renard about it. I also told him that if I got an opportunity to be head coach, I’d seize it, and that desire only increased after I’d worked as his assistant at Russia 2018,” he added.

Like any assistant, Beaumelle was determined to put his experience to good use, but what exactly did he learn from Renard? “I learned a great deal from him, particularly in winning the African title with two teams with different playing styles – Zambia and Côte d’Ivoire. I learned that no matter how good a side is, you can’t win trophies without team spirit and the determination to achieve great things together. Every time we prepared for a tournament, we knew full well that if the squad wasn’t ready to undertake a shared human experience, then we wouldn’t go far. In a nutshell, the star is the group,” he explained.

Tricky road to Qatar 2022

Beaumelle arrived in Côte d’Ivoire at a difficult time, just after a fantastic generation of players had retired. The likes of Didier Drogba, the Toure brothers, Gervinho and Salomon Kalou were no longer around, requiring him to assemble a new group of players who were willing to prove they deserved their places.

Asked how he handled this situation, Beaumelle said: “We’re currently going through a transition. We have some guys who’ve played a lot of internationals and a group of U-23 players who’ve already qualified for the Men’s Olympic Football Tournament. My short-term goal is to assemble a squad from this pool of veteran and younger players, while my medium-term one is to reach the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations. Building a strong squad that can qualify for the World Cup remains my long-term goal.”

In addition to the AFCON qualifiers, Côte d’Ivoire will also be contesting the qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, in which they have been drawn alongside Cameroon, Malawi and Mozambique. “Our group is very difficult. Cameroon are used to making the World Cup, and having faced Malawi and Mozambique previously, I can say they’re very tough teams, especially on home soil. Moreover, we know that travel in Africa is difficult, which will further complicate our task. Every point will be vital on the road to Qatar 2022,” he said.

Beaumelle is especially keen to take The Elephants to Qatar after their failure to qualify for Russia 2018. “The World Cup is the ultimate goal for any national team coach, but it’s premature to talk about it now. My goals under my current contract relate to the upcoming AFCON. As I said earlier, we’re going through a transition so are currently focused on the continental tournament. However, the World Cup is certainly on my mind.”

Knockout stage dream

Côte d’Ivoire’s most fruitful era was between 2006 to 2015, when a supremely gifted generation of players propelled the team to three successive World Cups: Germany 2006, South Africa 2010 and Brazil 2014, without ever going beyond the group stage.

Asked if Qatar 2022 would be an opportunity to finally achieve that feat, Beaumelle said: “Reaching the knockout stage at the World Cup with Côte d’Ivoire remains a dream for me. Every coach wants to reach the latter stages of this great tournament.”

Since fans like nothing better than to compare generations, does he think the current squad could emulate what Drogba and his team-mates did? “Comparing the country’s golden generation led by Drogba with the current crop is premature. I came up against that powerful team several times when I was coach of Zambia, and I believe that the current generation of Côte d’Ivoire players is inspired by them,” he said.

“Young players have pictures of former stars in their rooms, so why can’t they follow in their footsteps? Perhaps the best example is Kylian Mbappe, who managed to fulfil his childhood dreams. The Elephants can do the same, and I’m here to help them do that.”

FIFA.com

• Didier Deschamps is now France’s longest-serving manager
• He will celebrate his 52nd birthday later next week
• FIFA.com looks at the secrets of his longevity

When France inflicted a 7-1 thrashing on Ukraine in a friendly on Wednesday, Didier Deschamps set a new record for the longest time spent at the helm of Les Bleus. Michel Hidalgo was the previous longest-serving manager with a total of 3,014 days (eight years and three months) between 27 March 1976 and 27 June 1984. Deschamps has now gone past that number, having taken over from Laurent Blanc on 8 July 2012, and who knows how many more years he will be in charge of the team?

With France preparing to take on Portugal (11 October) and Croatia (14 October) in the UEFA Nations League, FIFA.com takes a closer look at the secrets of the French coach’s longevity, just a few days ahead of his 52nd birthday on 15 October.

Born leader

In his playing days, the captain’s armband was part of the kit for ‘DD’, who hails from the Basque region of France. His first club, Nantes, gave him the honour when he was still a teenager, and the tireless defensive midfielder was captain when he got to lift such trophies as the UEFA Champions League with Marseille in 1993, the FIFA World Cup™ in 1998 and UEFA EURO 2000. When he turned to coaching, he transferred those leadership qualities from the pitch to the bench, and at Russia 2018, he became the third man to win the World Cup as a player and a coach, after Brazil’s Mario Zagallo and Germany’s Franz Beckenbauer.

Top five French coaches in terms of matches

1. Didier Deschamps: 103 (2012 – present)
2. Raymond Domenech: 79 (2004 – 2010)
3. Michel Hidalgo: 75 (1976 – 1984)
4. Aime Jacquet: 54 matches (1994 – 1998)
5. Roger Lemerre: 54 matches (1998 – 2002)

Looking to the future

“He uses his experience but he doesn’t talk about his time as a player,” said assistant coach Guy Stephan to FIFA.com ahead of Deschamps being voted The Best FIFA Men’s Coach in 2018. “He never says: ‘back in 98, I did such and such’. He lives in the present and that was the key to his success in 1998 just as it was 20 years later. What did help us though was losing at EURO 2016. It meant that we were better prepared for the Final in Russia and a lot calmer. Didier has really come of age. He’s still young and has plenty of years ahead of him as a coach. He’s a manager with a lot of knowledge.”

Competitive environment

While he shows faith in his established players when they are struggling for form with their clubs, Deschamps is very much a pragmatist and maintains a high level of competition within the group. New players are often brought in and he has no hesitation in giving them game time, as was the case in Russia when Benjamin Pavard and Lucas Hernandez were thrown into the starting line-up on the right and left side of defence respectively, despite no previous experience at that level.

“He can be tough at times, he can be demanding but the way he manages people and the way he talks to them has meant that everyone’s still happy with him, which is unique when it comes to France. The most difficult aspect of working at the highest level is that you have to maintain your distance, and he does that. How does he do that? By demanding a lot of the players, the coaching staff and of himself. And because he’s a winner,” said Guy Stephan in an interview with AFP last year.

Is the best yet to come?

Deschamps chose to stay on after victory at Russia 2018, but history has rarely been kind to those who have tried for back-to-back wins or repeat exploits. Hidalgo retired after EURO 1984, as did Jacquet after France 1998, while Lemerre (who won EURO 2000) and Domenech (finalist at Germany 2006) came unstuck after carrying on in the job. If Deschamps were to win EURO 2020 or Qatar 2022, it would be an unprecedented feat.

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