FRANCE 98 – General Media News Template

Saudi Arabia are counting on a touch of Brazilian magic to rub off when they compete in France this summer. The country’s football authorities knew what they were doing in December when they approached Carlos Alberto Parreira to oversee their World Cup campaign.

For Parreira who was in charge in 1988 when Saudi Arabia won the Asian Cup has been there, done that. He was in charge of Kuwait in 1982, the United Arab Emirates in 1990 and his steady hands guided the hitherto brilliant but wayward Brazilian team to the summit at Italy’s expense in the 1994 final at the Rose Bowl, Pasadena, four years ago. No doubt impressed by the way he had transformed a team celebrated the world over for its exuberance and flair into the disciplined, hard-working world beaters seen in the United States the call went out get Parreira.

Parreira’s halo slipped after Brazil’s finest hour. The 55-year-old, who is not a man to let the grass grow under his feet for very long, joined Valencia, but the move ended in tears with the Spanish side experiencing a wretched league campaign. Appointed in December, he made his presence felt right from the start when bringing Saeed Al-Owairan in from the cold, selecting the so-called ‘Desert Maradona’ for the Confederations Cup in Riyadh after he served an 18-month suspension for immoral acts under Islamic law.

The Saudis sprang a surprise in 1994 when making it through to the second round before their adventure was cut short when they went down 3-1 to Sweden.“We have a big challenge ahead of us which will need plenty of hard work,” said Parreira.