Tostao
Full name: Eduardo Goncalves de Andrade
Date of birth: 25 January 1947 in Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Nationality: Brazilian
Clubs: 1962-1963: America. 1963-1972: Cruzeiro. 1972-1973: Vasco da Gama. Honours: 1966: Brazilian league and cup winner. 1967: Brazilian player of the year. 1970: FIFA World Cup™ winner. 1971: South American player of the year. 1972: Brazilian player of the year. 65 caps and 36 goals for Brazil.
Miscellaneous: Tostao scored 249 goals in 378 appearances for Cruzeiro. He ended his career in 1973 at the age of 26 due to an eye injury. He then studied medicine and worked as a doctor. He is now a full-time sports journalist and writer.

The “White King”, footballer turned writer
Brazilian Tostao was one of the best forwards of his era but was forced to end his career at the age of just 26 due to an eye injury. Now 61, he is a respected columnist and writer.
Little more than a decade was all Tostao needed to make his mark on football. Blessed with abundant talent, refined technique, great vision and elegance, his crowning moment came at the 1970 FIFA World Cup™. Wearing number 9, he was a valuable member of Brazil’s legendary front line alongside Jairzinho (7), Rivelino (11), Gerson (8) and Pele (10) under coach Mario Zagallo. This was the high point in the footballing career of Eduardo Goncalves de Andrade, better known as Tostao, who left his mark on the sport for ever after excelling as a centre-forward at Mexico ’70.
Three years later, he was forced to hang up his boots due to an eye complaint: “I couldn’t play football any more, not even with my friends. Now I’m 61,1 can play even less than I did before,” he says with a smile.
Tostao was the “White King” of Brazilian football. “I got that nickname after a historic final against Pele’s team Santos, but really there was no reason for it. I just played well, nothing more,” he says modestly. He is considered an idol in the country with the most FIFA World Cup™ titles thanks to his magic and his achievements in the colours of Cruzeiro, becoming the club’s top scorer with 249 strikes in his nine years at the club from Belo Horizonte.
He made his debut at the age of 16, won the state championship five times and won the national championship in a memorable final against Santos. These days, Tostao still lives close to Belo Horizonte in an area called Nova Lima and watches, analyses and commentates on football for a living. “I write newspaper columns and I also commentate for television. I like to watch everything on television rather than go to the stadium because you can see more details,” he says.
“I AM COMFORTABLE”
Despite becoming a medical doctor after his enforced retirement due to health problems, his life now revolves around football: “I try to watch a lot of matches every day.” And medicine? “I worked for many years, 20 or so, and I even taught at the university. Then I got tired of it and stopped practising some time ago. Now I’m fully dedicated to football.” Tostao’s knowledge is immediately apparent in every one of his columns and in the highly analytical and detailed manner in which he talks, not only about Brazilian teams but also the different national teams. He also embellishes his opinions with comments such as “Luiz Felipe Scolari, the coach who achieved the best ever combination of technical and tactical knowledge with observation, boldness, emotion, affection, paternalism and a firm and confident command. Felipao, who praised the dictator Pinochet, also heeded the words of Che Guevara: ‘You need to be tough without ever losing your tenderness’. Some historians believe that Che sent many people to their deaths, like Pinochet, in order to fight for the revolution. It’s the contradiction inherent in humanity.”
What kind of a life does this former global football star lead today? “My private life is very enjoyable, very nice. I am comfortable and I enjoy reading and travelling.” Like many players from his era, does he not get nostalgic when he sees the football of today? “I know that it has changed a lot, it’s more tactical, it’s played at greater speed, there’s more marking, everything is more studied, harder. In the past it was more attractive. The style changed, with some advantages and other disadvantages. But for me, the most important thing is that the players’ skill prevails over tactics. It is not just about running, it goes beyond that. The teams with the most talent are the best. That said, these days you can’t get by on talent alone, you need tactical discipline, physical preparation, a good squad. Fortunately, quality is still the most important thing of all,” says the former Brazilian star.
CHANGES ALL THE TIME
Tostao speaks with conviction as he describes the different footballing eras but without the anger that is apparent in many who are romantic about the past. As an analyst, he understands the new rules that have been introduced. It is clear that he likes talking about football. How significant was that memorable team from Mexico ’70? “I was part of that generation and it was perhaps one of the great sides in history. Together with the one that was at Sweden ’58, it was without doubt one of the best of all time,” is his verdict. He is still a great friend of former team-mate Piazza. “We are friends, it helps a lot that we live close to one another in Belo Horizonte. The others are in Rio and Sao Paulo, it’s more difficult.”
Which national team is currently the best? “To be honest none of them particularly stand out or play brilliant football. It’s very equal. Italy won the FIFA World Cup™ and deserved it, but they are on the same level as Brazil, Argentina, Germany, France … there are eight national teams with a very similar level.” And who is currently the world’s best player? “It changes all the time, the best player now will change in six months. At the moment, for example, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka and Messi are the three who stand out for me. A while ago it was Ronaldinho, before that it was Ronaldo and Zidane. The players I have liked the most in the last decade are Zidane and Ronaldinho, they were phenomenal.”

The Stadium
Name: Ahmadou Ahidjo stadium
Address: Mfandena district, Yaounde, Cameroon
Inauguration: 13 February 1972
Capacity: 50000 (there were 80000 spectators at the Cameroon-Morocco match in November 1981)
Covered: 20%
Home teams: National teams and 1st division clubs in Yaounde

Ahmadou Ahidjjo – Cameroon’s strongnold
On Sunday, 1 June 2008, the young players from Cameroon and Nigeria playing a qualifying match for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup had to access the pitch via the terraces because the torrential rain that fell on the town of Yaounde had flooded the players’ tunnel. But the problem seemed of little concern because, after all, it involved only the U-17 women’s side, and what’s more, the stadium was almost empty. It would surely have been quite a different story for the Indomitable Lions, who defeated Cape Verde the day before in the joint qualifiers for the Africa Cup of Nations and the 2010 FIFA World Cup™.
In any case, this anecdote illustrates the state of the Ahmadou Ahidjo stadium, built in 1972 at the same time as the Reunification stadium in Douala on the occasion of the eighth Africa Cup of Nations, hosted by Cameroon. In 36 years, the Ahmadou Ahidjo stadium, named after the first president of the Republic of Cameroon who inaugurated it himself on 13 February 1972, has already undergone almost a dozen renovations. The first improvements, carried out in 1981, increased capacity from 35,000 to 50,000. The most recent refurbishment work, carried out in 2007 with the support of Japan, involved laying a new pitch and fitting modern changing rooms and a presidential box.
And yet, this legendary stadium still retains an air of decay, most likely because it is not adequately maintained. The stadium has a long list of shortcomings: the electronic Scoreboard has been faulty for a number of years; at one point, it was not possible to schedule matches at night because of faulty electrics; no more than eight people can fit in the press box and there is no specific press stand; and finally, there are no retail outlets.
IT WAS CRAZY
Despite all of its shortcomings, the Ahmadou Ahidjo stadium has been the scene of historic moments in Cameroonian football. Even the youngest supporters recall the memorable Sunday in November 1981 when the stadium was reopened after a year of renovations and the Indomitable Lions beat the Moroccan Atlas Lions 2-1 after a 2-0 first-leg victory in Kentira, thus qualifying for their first FIFA World Cup™ -Spain ’82. That achievement was down to a great generation of players that included Abega, Mbida, Milla, Nkono, Aoudou, Tokoto and Kaham. “It was crazy. I saw people perched on 60-metre high pylons,” recalls Abel Mbengue, a former reporter for the national radio station. Jacques Bendie, a photographer for the daily Cameroon Tribune did not see the match, despite having a ticket: “Even though I’d been selling firewood all week to make up the 1,000 CFA [just over 2 dollars] I needed to buy the ticket. The stadium was packed, and I was too small to push past to get a good place in the stands.” The first-aid teams were particularly busy that day, and they reported about fifty fainting incidents. More than five hours before kick-off, almost 80,000 spectators had already piled into the stadium, which had a capacity of only 50,000!
Cameroon’s hard-won qualification for the 1982 FIFA World Cup™ against an excellent Moroccan side earned them the renewed support of a country that was still smarting from the 1972 Africa Cup of Nations, when Cameroon were eliminated in the semi-finals by Congo at the Ahmadou Ahidjo stadium. Several Cameroonian teams had, however, tried to set things right, such as Younde team Canon, who were African champions in 1971, 1978 and 1980, and achieved a fine 2-0 victory over Conakry side Hafia in the
1980 final of the African Champions Cup at the Ahmadou Ahidjo stadium. That same performance earned Jean Manga Onguene the African Ballon d’Or that year.
THE END OF A LEGEND?
Since that Sunday in November 1981, the Indomitable Lions have played most of their matches to capacity crowds. Supporters have suffered further disappointments, however, such as the defeat in die final of the UDEAC Cup in December 1989, and on 8 October 2005 when Cameroon missed a penalty in extra time in the match against Egypt (1-1), and so failed to qualify for the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™. Legend has it that the spirits of Mfandena, the neighbourhood where the stadium is located, were so upset by the result that day that they unleashed a violent wind that tore off the glass door of the presidential box, seriously injuring one spectator.
The Ahmadou Ahidjo stadium is not home only to the national team. Until 2007, all of the capital’s clubs played their national league matches there. In view of the number of matches being played — up to three on the same day — and the inevitable damage to the pitch and other facilities, the Minister for Sports decided that national league matches should be held at the smaller military stadium, which does not have tiered seating or changing rooms and has a grassless pitch.
Since other sporting events are also held at the Ahmadou Ahidjo stadium, it is referred to locally as the “stade omnisports [omnisport stadium]“. In particular, the 1996 and December 2007 African athletics championships were held there, as was a WBF welterweight boxing world championship bout. The stadium has also hosted major concerts, including the famous West Indian zouk band Kassav in 1985 and Jimmy Cliff, James Brown and Fela Anikulapo Kuti in the 1970s.
Within five years, it seems likely that the Ahmadou Ahidjo stadium will no longer be the nerve centre of Cameroonian football. With the support of China, the Cameroonian government recently adopted a major plan for the construction of sports infrastructure, including a major football stadium on the outskirts of Yaounde. Could this be die end of the road for the Ahmadou Ahidjo stadium?

The Stadium
Name: Gelora Bung Karno Stadium
Address: Gelora Bung Karno Stadium,
10270 Jakarta Pusat, Indonesia
Opened: 21 July 1962
Total capacity: 88000
Covered: 100%
Home teams: Indonesian national teams
Internet: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bung_Karno_Stadium

Gelora Bunq Karno Indonesia’s Maracana
Indonesia is the Brazil of Asia!” was how AFC President Mohamed bin Hammam described the abundance of footballing talent in the south-east Asian country. But if Indonesia is the “Brazil of Asia” then the Gelora Bung Karno has to be its Maracana! One of the biggest sports arenas in Asia, the Gelora Bung Karno has been the scene of some of the sport’s greatest triumphs and heartaches in this part of the world since its inauguration for the fourth Asian Games in 1962.
The 88,000-seater stadium takes its name from the first President of Indonesia, Sukarno — popularly known as Bung Karno – who was the driving force behind the construction of the sprawling sports complex which is located in the Senayan district, a stone’s throw away from Jakarta’s Sudirman business district and the Jakarta Convention Centre.
For Sukarno, an architect and civil engineet by training, the Gelora Bung Karno, when completed, had to take the form of a grand monument his people would be proud of, and after soliciting ideas from an international panel of architects, work on the project started in February 1960.
INFERNO IN 1962
But disaster struck halfway through when a raging inferno swept through the stadium and reduced one third of it to ashes on the night of 21 October 1961, forcing the government to provide more resources for its timely completion. Following intensive efforts, Sukarno was finally able to dedicate the masterpiece to the nation on 21 July 1962.
“This is one of the greatest stadiums of the world,” declared the man who, with his startlingly modern architectural insight, had managed to alter the design of the stadium to something spectacular – a single column support with wider slope for the awesome “temu gelang” or bracelet, the massive elliptical steel roof girdling the stands which also served as a canopy overlooking the ring road outside.
Another eye-catching feature is the cauldron, standing tall and proud behind the right goalpost – a reminder of the fourth Asian Games – which has been left untouched. The cauldron is supported by 27 spears representing the then 27 provinces (now 33) of the world’s largest archipelagic state.
Spread over 279 acres (136 acres for the stadium, 67 acres for government buildings and the rest for commercial buildings), it was no surprise that the Gelora Bung Karno, with its three adjoining training fields, quickly became a preferred destination for major football tournaments.
With a vast capacity of 100,000 (now reduced to 88,000 after renovations last year), the stadium has hosted several international matches and competitions, the most recent one being the AFC Asian Cup in 2007, which saw Iraq record an immensely popular and fairytale win at the Gelora Bung Karno.
The stadium has been witness to some of the Indonesian national team’s most memorable moments. It was here that the Merah Putih, as the national side is known, recorded their biggest-ever win when they thrashed the Philippines 13-1 in the 2002 Tiger Cup preliminary matches.
A last-gasp 1-0 win over arch-rivals Malaysia in the 1987 SEA Games final is another sweet moment in the annals of Indonesian football history, played out in front of 120,000 spectators at the Gelora Bung Karno.
Current Indonesia team coach Benny Dollo, who has seen plenty of action at the Gelora Bung Karno over the years, recalls one of his favourite wins. “I was then the coach of Arema Malang (a popular Indonesian league side) and we defeated Persija Jakarta in the Copa Indonesia (Indonesian Cup) final. One of my best ever victories and its memory is still vivid in my mind.”
Says Dedy, a 29-year-old football fanatic, “I have attended several matches of the Merah Putih here, and the crowd, the colours make it a great experience. The stadium is very big and when it is fully packed the atmosphere is unbelievable.”
GULLIT, PELE, RONALDO
“This stadium has so much historical value that playing here is special and brings out the best in everyone,” adds Dollo.
It was exactly this motivation which spurred Indonesia to inspirational performances in last year’s AFC Asian Cup as they roared to a 1-0 win over Bahrain in the first game, only narrowly lost to Saudi Arabia 2-1 in the second after conceding a last-gasp goal, and bowed out of the group stage following a defeat to Korea Republic by the narrowest of margins.
“The stadium derives its historicity in part from the great players who have graced the pitch here,” says Dollo, no doubt referring to the grand parade of big names at the Gelora Bung Karno over the years, including the great Pele, Ruud Gullit, Johan Cruyff and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Given that Indonesia’s tropical climate is characterised by intense downpours, wear and tear is inevitable, and the Gelora Bung Karno has undergone renovation several times. The most recent and biggest operation was mounted in the years before the 2007 AFC Asian Cup when the entire stadium received a fresh coat of paint, the stands were spruced up and a new tunnel laid out.
The second tier was also renovated with the construction of a WIP tribune, hospitality lounges and corporate boxes. Keeping in mind the needs of the local and international media, which had descended on the Indonesian capital in full force, a full-fledged media centre, media tribune and press conference room were set up.
The stadium’s multiple features have been put to innovative use by the authorities for public welfare purposes other than sports. National university entrance examinations are conducted on the terraces though, of course, the first-class pitch and other related areas can be accessed only by authorised personnel.
The Gelora Bung Karno was also former US President Bill Clinton’s favourite getaway spot for losing those extra pounds in between intense rounds of discussion during the APEC meetings in 1994.