Brighton Brazil number 9 and three Oranje Seagulls
There have been plenty of pinch yourself moments for Albion fans during international breaks over the past five years. But a Brighton player leading the line wearing number nine for Brazil and three Seagulls in the same Dutch line up? This round of March fixtures have been ridiculous.
Let me take you back to the 1998 World Cup in France to understand why. One of my favourite ever tournaments. Nine-year-old Mr WAB was transfixed by it.
Ronaldo in those blue and silver Nike boots looking unstoppable. Until the final at least. The Netherlands living up their total football reputation, including one of the best goals in tournament history from Dennis Bergkamp against Argentina.
That World Cup kicked off a couple of months after the Albion ended the 1997-98 season 91st of 92 teams in the Football League. With Andy Ansah in the number nine shirt.
Imagine popping back in time and telling a Seagulls supporter that 27 years into the future, a Brighton striker would wear number nine for Brazil as a successor to Ronaldo. And that the mighty Netherlands would field three Albion players.
The 1998 Brighton fan would have thought you completely insane. Yet here we are. With Joao Pedro starting for Brazil. And Bart Verbruggen, Jan Paul van Hecke and Mats Wieffer involved for the Dutch.
Three would be four if Joel Veltman were fit and Ronald Koeman did not have an inexplicable reluctance to call the Albion defender up for international duty.
Pedro played for an hour as Brazil just about saw off Columbia 2-1 in World Cup qualifying. Adding to the surrealism of the situation was Pedro being flanked by Vinicius Junior one one side and Raphinha on the other.
Real Madrid. Brighton. Barcelona. Not very often you see those three club names together, other than on a far fetched Football Manager save.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Pedro did not contribute quite as much as his fellow forwards. Raphinha opened the scoring from the penalty spot and Vinicius Junior provided Brazil with their 99th minute winner.
One comment on Twitter which I very much enjoyed from a Liverpool fan read along the lines of “I hope we don’t sign Pedro as he did not look on the same level as Vini or Raph.”
Mate, he plays for the Albion. What were you expecting? Still, hopefully the transfer decision makers at Anfield share that viewpoint and there is no mega money bid incoming for Pedro this summer.
Pedro is also expected to spearhead the attack for Brazil against ultimate enemy Argentina on Wednesday night. Whilst exciting for Pedro, it does mean a potentially late return to the Amex from South America.
Which surely makes him a doubt to start in the Albion’s FA Cup quarter final against Nottingham Forest on Saturday evening.
Brighton’s Dutch trio at least have far less travelling to contend with. They have been in Nations League Quarter Final action at Spain in a two legged tie which provided an astonishing amount of entertainment.
The first leg took place on Thursday night in Rotterdam and finished 2-2 after Spain struck an equaliser in the third minute of stoppage time.
Verbruggen looked to be at fault after he parried a Nico Williams shot straight to Merino, who converted from close range.
Koeman though excused the Albion number one… and instead said Brighton teammate Wieffer was to blame. Wieffer came off the bench in the 91st minute to join Verbruggen and Van Hecke on the pitch.
But less than 120 seconds after Wieffer’s introduction, Spain levelled. The Argus reported Koeman as saying afterwards: “The ball goes past Verbruggen, he sees it too late.”
“That is unfortunate. I don’t think it was a mistake. I think Mats Wieffer should step out much sooner, then JP can pick up Cucurella.”
Yes, sadly that snake Marc Cucurella was involved in the Spanish equaliser. Unlike Wieffer in the second leg of the quarter final on Sunday night, who paid for what Koeman viewed as his mistake by losing his place amongst the substitutes.
That game ended up being a chaotic six goal thriller with nothing separating the sides again as they played out a 3-3 draw.
Penalties were therefore required to decide who advanced to the semi finals. Verbruggen saved in the shootout from Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal, who earlier scored in spectacular style to give Spain their third goal of the night.
The European Champions opener came when Van Hecke brought down Mikel Oyarzabal in the box. The Real Sociedad striker duly beat Verbruggen from 12 yards to put Spain ahead.
Despite Verbruggen’s heroics in denying Yamal, Spain still won the shootout 5-4 after six takes each.
