Jersey for sale at the Brazilian national team.
The club official revealed that he hired a lobbyist to ensure that a player from Sport Recife was called up to the national team; it was Leomar, who was called up by Emerson Leão in 2001.
247 - A suspicion that has always hung over Brazilian football was confirmed yesterday, for the first time: that club officials negotiate the selection of players for the national team, thus increasing their transfer value.
The scheme was confirmed by Sport-PE director Luciano Bivar, who said he hired a lobbyist to get midfielder Leomar, then unknown, called up in 2001. He was called up by coach Emerson Leão and played six games for the national team, including a qualifying match for the 2002 World Cup. "The player belonged to Sport, and we paid a lobbyist to get him called up. Did it work? I don't know. Did anyone from the CBF take that money? I don't know. But he played for the national team," declared Bivar.
Coach Emerson Leão reacted. "He needs to prove it," he stated.