ONCE AGAIN,BRAZIL RULE THE WORLD

Brazil beat Italy 5-3 in the Marseille 2008 final to claim their third successive FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup crown. Bruno and Sidney scored doubles apiece, and Andre was also on target for the Seleção as they provided an enthralling climax to a memorable tournament on Prado beach. Brazil kicked off the game as the favourites, but it was Italy who had the game’s first opening. Receiving the ball with his back to goal, Massimiliano Esposito flicked it up and produced an overhead-kick, which dropped to safety off the crossbar. The South Americans swiftly found their inimitable rhythm, and as he has been the case so often this tournament, Benjamin was the heartbeat of their attacking waves. First, he cut inside his marker and fired narrowly wide, before deceiving another opponent with an elastic dribble and volleying on to the roof of the crossbar.

Italy’s resistance was, however, broken just before the nine-minute mark. Buru’s teasing pass was missed by Italy defender Michele Leghissa, but not by Bruno, who controlled the ball on his chest and coolly stabbed it past Stefano Spada. The elegant No6 almost added his second moments later, but his volley from distance was denied by a post.
Bruno did double the Brazilian advantage on 14 minutes, swiveling on to a loose ball and thumping it into the top corner. Sidney then made it 3-0, before Junior Negao hit the crossbar with a sumptuous chip towards the end of the period. There was, nevertheless, still time for the goal of the game before the referee’s whistle sounded. Benjamin employed keepy-ups to carry the ball from one end of the pitch to the other and feed Buru, who in turn set up Sidney for a simple header.
Andre made it 5-0 on 28 minutes, although the third period belonged to Italy. Indeed, goals from Paolo Palmacci, Roberto Pasquali and Diego Maradona Jr proved a sizeable consolation against such a dominant force, Brazil, who once again emerged as the kings of the sport.