Marchi is Embracing Pressure to Lead Brazil to Third Consecutive Global Cup Title
By: Justin Felisko
ARLINGTON, Texas – 2008 World Champion Guilherme Marchi cautiously smiled during rider check-in for the 2020 WinStar World Casino and Resort Global Cup USA, presented by Monster Energy.
The members of Team Brazil showed up 30 minutes early for their check-in, and the group had championship swagger in their step, a jovial mindset and the confidence that they can ride any bull that is unloaded inside AT&T Stadium.
The talented and balanced team features 2018 World Champion Kaique Pacheco, perennial world title contender Jose Vitor Leme, 2016 PBR Brazil champion Dener Barbosa, 2015 PBR Brazil champion Luciano de Castro, Claudio Montanha Jr. and Ramon de Lima.
“When we walk in here, we need we to focus on each ride. Each bull,” Marchi said. “We know we have a big heart. The USA Eagles, too. Both those teams are pretty good. Team Australia has been doing so good, too. (People) think Team Brazil is favored, but it is not. This is the same competition for everybody. I try to keep these guys calm and working together. They need to be strong, don’t give up and to give everything.
“This is an event that is very important for us.”
All seven riders have been on one of the past two Brazil teams that was victorious in Sydney, Australia, or Arlington last year.
The group is experienced and extremely talented.
Confidence will not be an issue as they try to become the first team in PBR history to win three consecutive Global/World Cup titles beginning Saturday night at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Fans can watch Round 1 exclusively on RidePass beginning 7:45 p.m. ET.
Team USA won back-to-back World Cups in the prior PBR team international competition event in 2008-2009 before losing on home soil in Las Vegas to Brazil in 2010.
One of the biggest question marks for Team Brazil is how the team will perform under its new coach.
Can Marchi lead this team to victory like previous coach Renato Nunes did at the past two Global Cups?
Marchi understands there is plenty of pressure that comes with his job. Nunes took over for current assistant Robson Palermo after Palermo led Brazil to a second-place finish at the inaugural Edmonton Global Cup.
“There is pressure because the last two years they win, and there is pressure for me because Renato was the coach,” Marchi said. “I am the coach right now. The Brazilians put pressure on me, too, why Joao Ricardo Vieira is not on the team. There is a lot of pressure. I try to stay cold and do what I am supposed to do: keep the team strong together.”
Vieira – the No. 1 bull rider in the world – turned down the opportunity to ride for Team Brazil this year, opting to let a younger generation get the honor of representing their country.
The rookie head coach has already made a bold decision at the Global Cup, too.
He and Palermo are loading up Leme twice in the long round against Rising Sun and Sugar Boom Boom. Leme is a perfect 3-0 against Rising Sun, including 91 points three weeks ago to win the Unleash The Beast event in Sacramento, California. The 22-year-old rode Sugar Boom Boom for 89.5 points to win the 2019 Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour Finals last year.
Brazil was the only team this week to take advantage of a rule change for this year’s Global Cup that allows countries to use any of its riders twice in the long round on either day of the competition.
The only consequence is that now Leme will not be eligible to ride in the Bonus Round Saturday night.
The decision could come back to haunt Brazil if Leme bucks off either bull and he is not available for the Bonus Round, but he also can potentially put up two 90-point rides in the long round.
“We know these are good bulls and good draw. Luciano could fit those bulls too, but we need to put some good scores there, and Jose is the right guy to put up good scores,” Marchi said. “This is the strategy we use for the first night. We will see if it is going to work out. I hope it works for Team Brazil, but it can work for every team. This sport brings difficult decisions, which is good for TV.”
Leme added, “I like this. I can be more than 90 points on Rising Sun and 88-89 on Sugar Boom Boom. This is good for us.”
The No. 2-ranked bull rider in the world says every decision Brazil makes is with the intention of winning the Global Cup.
“I am happy to hear I can go in and be a leader, but we always have to think as a team,” Leme said with the help of Paulo Crimber translating. “When we do make a decision, we all will agree on it, or otherwise we won’t be a team. Everyone on the team is capable of making good decisions. This is what makes a team. When you start doing something on your own or trying to be an individual, it breaks the ice off the team.”
The winner of the Global Cup is the team with the highest aggregate score from their best 10 rides during the two-day competition. Each country has six outs in the long round, and two in each night’s bonus rounds. Coaches can use any of their riders for the Bonus Round, which begins with a snake-draft in the arena. The team leading the event following Round 1 gets the first pick and the last pick of the Bonus Round.
Marchi said he is not as concerned about not having Leme available for the Bonus Round on Saturday night because he has options with Pacheco, Aparecido, Barbosa and Castro.
Teams have 16 opportunities during the two days to record 10 qualified rides.
Three-time World Champion Adriano Moraes says Marchi is more than capable of leading Brazil to victory.
At the Sydney, Australia, Global Cup, Marchi was an alternate who served as the pseudo-assistant coach for Nunes.
Moraes did caution, though, that things can be different when one is the head coach and not just an alternate.
“I believe in Marchi’s mental power, his toughness,” Moraes said. “Now that he is in charge 100%, I don’t know how he is going to handle it. Being a captain is one thing. There is no responsibilities. He did control them as a captain, but can he control as coach? This is two different things. He was not going to be blamed if they failed when he was the captain. It is the coach’s fault. Now it is about himself.”
Marchi said the pressure on his shoulders this weekend would be much more than what he experienced as a rider during his 15 years in the PBR.
However, he trusts his team to rise to the occasion at the home of the Dallas Cowboys.
“I know those guys have a lot of experience and they are excited too for this Global Cup,” Marchi concluded. “I hope they put it all together to have a nice event. This is special for the sport, and to keep it growing globally. We are very excited.”
Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko
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