Boys From Brazil: The Official History of the Brazilian World Cup Team 1930-1986 [DVD]

The best original footage, the best original crowd sound (no dubbing as occurs too many times on football compilations) the best original commentary and thus the best atmosphere of the games.

Much of the glorious material is only viewable on this DVD as the BBC clearly had the best coverage it seems of any TV stations of the times.

This is Motty's babe and he does a lovely job.

Enjoy some of the fascinating friendlies including John Barnes doing a Pelé in the Maracana.

Weep at the way in which Portugal kicked Pelé out of 1966, a most unfair recompense for his generally excellent Goodison exhibition.

Worship at the altar of the peerless beauty of Zagallo's fabulous "jogo lindo" of 1970: the ultimate highlight? Pelé's last minute miss against Uruguay in the semi final.

Marvel at the stunning power and skill of the 1982 and 1986 teams then gasp as they throw it all away with their arrogance and complacency.

Lobby Motty to make another DVD and bring the story up to date.

Despite its age, the quality and content of this documentary put it way above anything else.

The skill and beauty displayed on this film took my breath away and made me smile with joy - The Brasilian teams featured were incredible entertainers who combined audacious ability with incredible enthusiasm and raw talent. They rightly deserve all the accolades heaped upon them. Having the redoubtable Motty commentating completes the perfect package.

Football at its best.

Running time is just under one and a half hours.

What you get with this DVD is a very quick and perfunctory set of clips of Brazil's World Cup outings from 1930 - 1966. From thereon, the clips or highlights become more extensive. Therefore, it's clearly aimed at an audience who don't particularly care about how Brazil's football developed or its history. All they want to see is modern footage of goals. And on that level, this DVD certainly delivers.

So, my problem with this DVD is firstly a paucity of pre-'66 footage. There is plenty of material available and particularly depressing is how little of this DVD is spent on Garrincha, whom many Brazilians feel was their finest player of all time. Additionally the 1958 World Cup is simply brushed over quickly without dwelling on the iconic quality of Brazil's performance. It was the first time that the world got to see the trademark style of their play and the first three minuites of their final group match against the USSR is widely believed to have been the greatest three minuites in Brazilian footballing history. And where is it on this DVD? Nowhere.

The post-1966 material fares better but even then, it's edited and presented in such a mediocre fashion that after a while you just become numb watching goal after goal after goal with very little context attached to them. You don't really get a sense of how incredible the 1970 victory was and what a pivotal moment in international football history it was. Likewise the 1982 team, a team comprable to the 1970 one. When you watch this DVD, Zico and the boys are simply presented as just another Brazilian side.

Still, the goals are wonderful as are the touches of indivdual skill that once characterised Brazilian football. But don't be misled by the title. This is quite definitely NOT the history of Brazilian World Cup football. It is merely a collection of clips of goals, nothing more.