Poet, journalist and musician Musa Okwonga of The Blizzard, ESPN and The Independent laments the unfulfilled promise of Kleberson – the World Cup winner that should have been Old Trafford’s midfield conqueror… 

Kleberson.  To paraphrase HBO’s cult show The Wire, his name is not one which “rings out” when you mention Brazil’s World Cup winners.  Yet the midfielder, who began his professional career at Atletico Paranaense, was arguably one of his country’s top three performers at World Cup 2002.  And, if that’s a generous assessment – given that the team featured Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho, Cafu and Roberto Carlos – then it’s indisputable that they would not have won the trophy without him.

Brought in alongside Gilberto Silva to add balance to the base of midfield – the more attacking Juninho did not provide sufficient protection to the back three – Kleberson was a revelation, providing a star turn in pretty much every round until the final. This success makes his time at Old Trafford all the more disappointing.  Continue reading →