Felipão chose Marcos as 2002 first choice, praising Dida and Rogério Ceni | OneFootball

Felipão said he had absolute conviction in selecting Marcos as Brazil’s starting goalkeeper for the 2002 World Cup, despite competition from Dida and Rogério Ceni.

“At the World Cup I had other fantastic goalkeepers. Rogério, with me, was wonderful, and Dida was excellent, but I already had such confidence that I could pick Marcos and that was that. Earlier, back in 1998, there was a bit more doubt as we waited to see his games and attitudes, how he would behave, a series of things, but by the World Cup I had absolute confidence,” he told Nosso Palestra’s Santo Dérbi special.

Scolari’s first spell at Palmeiras ended midway through 2000 when he left for Cruzeiro. Marcos, by then the undisputed No 1 at the club, linked up with him again when he took charge of Brazil in 2001. The goalkeeper featured in squads for the Copa América and the final stretch of qualifying.

“We talked a lot and Felipão always listens to his assistants, and of course the final decision is his, but we already had that idea, not least because Marcos was the starter in all the qualifying games. We had Rogério, the great Rogério at São Paulo, fantastic, and we had Dida. When the decision came, we opted for Marcos, and we chose Rogério Ceni and Dida not only for their quality but also for their club and national team experience,” said goalkeeping coach Carlos Pracidelli.

With Marcos in goal, Brazil won all seven matches of the campaign that delivered their fifth World Cup. He played every game, and from the 23-man squad only Dida and Rogério Ceni did not feature.

Source: Nosso Palestra

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