THE Olympic football tournament is a big deal in Brazil. But with South America having only two places, qualification is not easy.
Brazil failed to make the cut in 1992 and 2004, for example, and they had to sweat on their place in the Tokyo games.
Man Utd manager Erik ten Hag and Antony have been reunited at Old Trafford
The qualification tournament was played at the start of 2020, not long before the coronavirus pandemic shook the world, and Brazil went into their final game, against Argentina, still needing a win.
It was a time for big decisions – and the coach opted to leave out the team’s star winger, Antony of Sao Paulo.
It proved to be the right choice. Brazil got the victory they needed, and their attack functioned better without the services of a player who, though clearly talented, was very raw.
Left footed but operating on the right flank, Antony kept receiving the ball and then cutting in on to his stronger side, slowing the team’s rhythm and giving the opposing defence time to get organised.
He had every right not to be the finished article. Antony was still a teenager. There was plenty of work to do – and much of it ended up taking place with Ajax.
In mid 2020 Antony swapped Sao Paulo for Amsterdam, and began a relationship with Erik ten Hag.
The 22-year-old winger is a greatly improved version of his teenage self, and the new Manchester United boss is surely entitled to some of the credit.
Where once he was a raw talent, now he looks like a footballer. He can operate on either wing, and wherever he goes his choice of option is far better than before. His weaker right foot has developed.
He can now go outside to the byeline or cut in from either side, he is much more aware of what is around him and he can also work back behind the line of the ball.
The player left out of the vital qualifier ended up being an important part of the team that won Olympic gold in Tokyo last year – the fact that the Games were postponed for a year certainly worked to his benefit, and he has since been promoted to the senior Brazil squad.
With Raphinha imperious on one flank and Vinicius Junior racing down the other, these are not easy times for a winger to break into the Brazil team.
But in the chances he has been given off the bench Antony has done extremely well.
It is hardly surprising, then, that Ten Hag wanted to take the player with him to Old Trafford. Indeed, the move became a strong possibility from the moment that the Dutchman was chosen to take over at Manchester United.
With the club’s tradition of dashing wing-play, plus the personal relationship with Ten Hag, Antony looks like a player ready to pull on the famous red shirt.
Ten Hag helped Antony develop at Ajax
At a price. The problem here is the fortune United already spent bringing in Argentine centre back Lisandro Martinez from Ajax. That deal set a benchmark.
United went back to the same club in search of a player who is younger, more glamorous and more of a consolidated international than Martinez.
The asking price was obviously enormous. But, if Antony replicates the form under mentor Ten Hag he showed at Ajax, it could be business well spent.
