Brazil's Olympic Soccer Team Is Just as Loaded as Argentina's

Last week, I looked at the roster for Argentina's Olympic men's soccer team and declared them the prohibitive favorites. Our friends from Brazil might have something to say about that.

Brazil announced it's Olympic men's soccer roster yesterday, and it features none other than Ronaldinho and Robinho as two of its overage players. It also features AC Milan's teenage striker Alexandre Pato, Manchester City new boy Jo, Manchester United midfielder Anderson, Werder Bremen scoring machine Diego and Real Madrid fullback Marcelo.

I suspect Big Ronnie is on this roster primarily to help him shed a few pounds. I'm sure the fresh air in Beijing will do wonders for him.

Brazil is in Group C with Belgium, China and New Zealand, which looks like a cupcake schedule on paper. It also puts them on the opposite side of the bracket as Argentina, so a Brazil v. Argentina final seems quite plausible. Brazil knocked off Argentina in the final of last summer's Copa America with a fairly young squad.

Also, Brazil has never won gold in Olympic soccer. Clearly, they want it now. Perhaps they need it. Brazilians have lost some confidence in their football after the national team fell behind in World Cup Qualifying and Fluminese lost to Ecuadorian club LDU Quito in the Copa Libertadores final. Could their first Olympic gold bring back the magic? Or will this competition knock Brazil back even further?