“Brazil are the only team that in just four years could rise from the ashes after a humiliation on the scale of the 7-1 defeat against Germany in 2014. Other countries would need three or four World Cups but Brazil are different. Three years were enough for us to become favourites again. No one else could do it. I have no doubt.”
It might be tempting to dismiss the words of Carlos Alberto Parreira, who coached Brazil at two World Cups and won the tournament in 1994, as those of a blind patriot. Yet they contain a deep truth. So how is it that Brazil have recovered so remarkably when, since that 7-1 defeat at the Mineirão in Belo Horizonte ejected the hosts from their own World Cup, football there has continued in exactly the same way as before?
The CBF, the Confederação Brasileira de Futebol, remains in a state of poor administration and three presidents have had to stand down because of corruption. One of them, José Maria Marin, is in jail awaiting sentence. The best of Brazil’s wonderkids have been sold before their 18th birthdays, Vinícius Júnior agreeing to join Real Madrid from Flamengo and Paulinho moving from Vasco to Bayer Leverkusen. The domestic league suffers from a chronic lack of appeal – crowds average around 15,000 – and some clubs fight against a demanding schedule which means they can play 80 games a season.
“We are demoralised,” says Romário, the former Brazil striker who is a now a senator and the most powerful voice against the CBF. “José Maria Marin is jailed. [Former presidents] Ricardo Teixeira and Marco Polo del Nero can’t travel because they fear they might be arrested by the FBI or at the request of Interpol. We have just produced some wonderful players but after they take their first steps in Brazil they are sold as soon as possible. It’s shameful.”
The most significant change is on the national team’s bench. There sits Adenor Bacchi, popularly known as Tite. Despite having signed a petition calling for Del Nero’s resignation, Tite accepted an offer from him to become Brazil’s manager in June 2016. Since then they have been transformed. His 21 games in charge have brought 17 wins, three draws and one defeat, against Argentina in a game played without Neymar, who was, of course, also missing with a broken vertebrae for that fateful humbling by Germany.
“We call for changes but nothing is done,” Romário, a World Cup winner in 1994, continues. “Brazil needs to change the central command of our football. But, let’s be honest, we need to separate the facts. We have problems with the CBF but Tite and the players are doing great work. If Brazil become world champions, the credit will belong only to the players, coach and staff, not to the directors of the CBF, which I call the Bandits House of Football.”
After hosting the World Cup, the CBF hired Dunga to replace Luiz Felipe Scolari, a decision no one could understand given Dunga’s previous stint ended with elimination from the 2010 World Cup in the quarter-finals. Between 2010 and 2014 he was appointed by one club – Internacional – where he lasted less than a year.
As Brazil’s manager, Dunga again made matters worse. Off the field he had problems with Thiago Silva, whom he stripped of the captaincy, and with Marcelo and Neymar. Results were bad, too. In qualifying Brazil took nine points from their first six games, leaving the Seleção sixth. The limit of Brazilian patience was reached at the 2016 Copa América, when the team went out at the group stage. The CBF, fearful that the country – five times the winners – might not qualify for the World Cup for the first time, fired Dunga and called on Tite.
One of Tite’s first tasks was to restore the players’ confidence. He also backed himself against the sway of public opinion by recalling Paulinho, who had been key for him at Corinthians but had been out of the Seleção since the 2014 World Cup. The gamble has paid off. Paulinho has played more minutes under Tite than any other player: 1,556. The midfielder, who started only three Premier League matches in his second season at Tottenham under Mauricio Pochettino and moved to China, has been reborn at Barcelona.
“The secret of Tite is planning, confidence and motivation,” Paulinho says. “He is very dedicated and has an incredible ability to explain his ideas and explore the best of every player.”
Only six players heading to Russia were part of the squad for the Belo Horizonte humiliation: Marcelo, Fernandinho, Paulinho and Willian played, and Thiago and Neymar missed the game because of suspension and injury respectively. Five are likely to start against Switzerland on Sunday, with Fernandinho expected to be on the bench, and their knowhow will be vital. “It will help a lot having experience,” Paulinho says. “But we need to share the responsibility – all the players have a responsibility for our group. I think we have a good mix of youth and experienc.”
In 2014 Brazil’s only in-form forward at a top European club was Neymar. The goalkeeper Júlio César was playing in MLS for Toronto. This time, Roma’s Alisson, a target for Real Madrid and Liverpool, is the No 1, with Ederson, the most expensive goalkeeper in the world and a Premier League champion with Manchester City, his understudy.
Beyond Neymar, Philippe Coutinho’s form for Liverpool earned him a move to Barcelona; Douglas Costa has enjoyed a great season at Juventus; Fernandinho became key for Pep Guardiola at Manchester City; and Marcelo is in wonderful form, a left-back of pure technique but a player who, inexplicably, was not selected by Dunga. “Everyone is watching Brazil with a new eye,” Willian says. “It’s very positive having players at the top of their game – it will help us to do good things. Brazil are always highly respected and that won’t change now. I think we can rescue our confidence and that of our supporters.”
Tite’s work has not been limited to the pitch. After the national trauma of 2014 he knew mental fortitude, too, would be important. His first decision was not to select a captain. In 20 games 16 players have worn the armband: Alisson, Casemiro, Fernandinho, Filipe Luís, Gabriel Jesus, Marcelo, Marquinhos, Neymar, Coutinho, Renato Augusto, Robinho, Thiago Silva, Willian, Dani Alves (four times) and Miranda (three times). Marcelo will be captain against Switzerland.
Thiago was the captain at the last World Cup and became angry with Dunga when stripped of the honour. Now, more mature, wearing the armband is not his chief concern. “When you fail, they say you’re a loser or something else,” he says. “But in football anything can happen. We need to be prepared and we are prepared. Against Germany we suffered at the end but our mentality is strong. We had many problems, mainly the bad memories of the 7-1. It’s tough but we have a desire and we need to be prepared. Tite is preparing us very well to have a good atmosphere. It’s working very well and we have many previous examples to motivate us.”
They have mistakes to learn from too. “The champions have arrived,” Parreira said four years ago, putting huge pressure on the team, in his role as coordinator of the Seleção. Other errors were made off the field in 2014, including a lack of privacy for the players: in one instance a TV presenter was allowed to broadcast live from inside the dressing room.
That is why Tite chose London as Brazil’s training base before Russia 2018. He is trying to do things differently but he will not shy away from the high expectations.
“Brazil are one of the favourites because of our football, our strong squad,” he says. “Our midfield is very organised. We need to live with this situation. But everyone needs to say the truth. I am not arrogant: Brazil is one of the favourites, yes.”
