My take on Brazil's historic loss...

[Paul Marin]

Massive,

I fear that last night's loss is the beginning of a very dark period in Brazilian football that may actually get way worse before it gets better. Had Argentina lost to Holland in the second semi-final, and then went on to beat the Seleção on Saturday, that would have plunged Brazilian football into an abyss. Luckily, they will be averted that embarrassment and are now in the unenviable position of hoping Germany beat their hated continental rivals on Sunday. But we should have seen it coming. I speculate that last night’s loss is symptomatic of a larger problem which has several underlying contributing factors, including:

1. Lack of attention to the Brazilian domestic leagues
I believe Brazil's football has suffered greatly because it has neglected its domestic leagues. Clubs with great historical footballing pedigree teeter on the brink of administration. Teams like Santos, Fluminese, Botafogo, Flamengo, Palmerias, Corinthians have all flirted with one disaster or another from what I understand. They are in the unenviable position of having to sell their best players and some have turned to a policy of developing young talent with the express objective of selling them to other teams.

2. Brazil has systematically “let” the Europeans siphon off their best players
In 1970, the entire Brazilian team played professionally in Brazil, as was the case in most of the teams in the World Cup. Same thing in '74, '78, '82; in '86, only 2 of the squad played outside Brazil. But by 1990, only 10 of the 22 man squad played in Brazil, but the progression went on, 11 in 1994, 9 in 1998, 12 in 2002, by 2006, the number dropped to 3!! Young Brazilian ballers - Kaka, Fred, Robinho, Adriano were not playing for great clubs like Palmeiras, São Paulo, Santos or Corinthians, but rather, for Inter, Real Madrid, Lyon and Milan instead.

So let's keep going. In 2010, there were only 3 in the squad playing for Brazilian teams including Robinho on loan from City. He was technically not a Santos player and he only played 20 games or so for them before heading back to Europe to join AC Milan. The other two were Gilberto and Kleberson, both over 30. Brazil was becoming a elephant graveyard for their retiring players. So what about this World Cup? There were 4 players on the squad who played in Brazil - two were goal keepers, the other two were Fred and Jo! Hardly a ringing endorsement for Brazilian domestic football.

3. There is no longer a “Brazilian way” of playing football
They have exported their best players to Europe at the expense of creating a national playing identity. We saw Luiz, Dante and Gustavo at "sixes and sevens" this evening, not even close to being on the same page. No longer is there any identifiable way of playing football, like Spain with their tiki takka, or Brazil of old with “jogo bonito”. What we have now is a mashup of different styles that doesn’t seem to have any discerning qualities to it.

4. Brazilian football is becoming too expensive for the poor
Unlike the olden days when clubs sponsored the development of the best footballers, Brazil’s football development landscape has changed. There are “a ton” of soccer schools and academies all over the country costing from $30/day to $220/day. Which Favela youth can afford that? Certainly Pelé could not. Unlike the olden days when Brazilian clubs would sponsor their underprivileged youths, today’s clubs charge. Paid rides exist only for a few of their kids. I may be wrong on this, but that’s what I understand.

I have been a Brazil fan like most of you for a long time. Last night’s loss and today’s win by Argentina is painful to me. I want to see the Brazil of old rekindled with a new generation of Tastoas, Socrates, Pelés, Garrinchas, Jairzinhos, Ronaldos and the host of names we have associated with the beautiful game. Can any of us say that there was such a player on the field in yesterday’s semi-final? Unfortunately, no. Brazil is a victim of its own policies. Their footballing establishment needs to take a serious look at itself if the great land of football is to be relevant again in world football. But, hey, what the heck do I know? I'm sure some of you can educate me where I am wrong.

PM

[Tilla]

Good piece Paul.

[Islandman]

Solid points Paul. I heard a man on the radio say that Italy 2006, Spain 2010 and now Germany 2014 had the vast majority of their players in domestic leagues. Germany has certainly been very deliberate about it.

This fiasco may be the wake-up call for the great Brazilian clubs of old to rise again.

Here is the thing though, wasn't Brazil impressive in the Confederations Cup just a year ago? Was that a misleading performance against a declining Spanish team or are we reading too much into this debacle?

[Karl]

Extremely interesting post! Big up!!!

What is the situation in Argentina - (The Italy of South America) - the other South American 'big footballing country'???

- You, I think, are bang on with a need for the Brazilian football powers to take a look at football in Brazil. Analyze, finger the problems and fix same!
Gilberto Silva, a GUNNER supreme and incidentally a Brazilian World Cup winner, made that same suggestion on World Cup Tonight
the ESPN program.

[Paul Marin]

What is the situation in Argentina - (The Italy of South America) - the other South American 'big footballing country'???

- You, I think, are bang on with a need for the Brazilian football powers to take a look at football in Brazil. Analyze, finger the problems and fix same!
Gilberto Silva, a GUNNER supreme and incidentally a Brazilian World Cup winner, made that same suggestion on World Cup Tonight
the ESPN program.

Karl, the problems are there to be fixed, whether the powers that be have the will to do what is necessary is doubtful. Had Brazil been organized, their leagues would have been the ones on world wide TV, not La Liga and the Prem. It is truly sad, and I fear, broken. Argentina is suffering the same fate, but they have a "golden generation" at the moment. It will be interesting to see where this all goes. It is also worth noting that 15 of Mexico's 23 man squad play in Mexico, about 11 or 12 of Colombia's play in Colombia and the same for Costa Rica. Chile had fewer but Ecuador more (something like 15 if I remember played in this hemisphere). My honest take is that the Americas have to figure out how to keep their best players playing in North American and South American leagues for as long as they can...otherwise, the power will not only shift, but stay in Europe. Ah so me see it.

[Paul Marin]

Solid points Paul. I heard a man on the radio say that Italy 2006, Spain 2010 and now Germany 2014 had the vast majority of their players in domestic leagues. Germany has certainly been very deliberate about it.

This fiasco may be the wake-up call for the great Brazilian clubs of old to rise again.

Here is the thing though, wasn't Brazil impressive in the Confederations Cup just a year ago? Was that a misleading performance against a declining Spanish team or are we reading too much into this debacle?

I think it's the opposite. We read too much into the Confederations Cup. When I was in Brazil, I went to the Football Museum in Sao Paulo. Brazil has a fantastic football history as we all know. But what appears obvious to me as you go through the ages, is that they are losing their talents to foreign clubs, and by extension, empowering foreign national programs.

Powerhouse European teams from Germany, Spain, Italy, Holland (and I will give them a bligh and throw in England) have strong domestic leagues. If Brazil had their act together, their big clubs would have been the ones negotiating big money TV contracts around the world, Europeans would be coming to play in their leagues, not the other way around.

The more I think about it, the more I believe that a South and Central American "Super League" might be a good idea (have to think about this some more) but the concept would be to take the biggest clubs in South America and make them rich and powerful enough to rival the Europeans. Easier said than done, but they need a way to keep their players in this hemisphere. Europe is benefiting at "our" expense.

[Gamma]

Jamaica take heed

[Mosiah]

Solid points Paul. I heard a man on the radio say that Italy 2006, Spain 2010 and now Germany 2014 had the vast majority of their players in domestic leagues. Germany has certainly been very deliberate about it.

This fiasco may be the wake-up call for the great Brazilian clubs of old to rise again.

Here is the thing though, wasn't Brazil impressive in the Confederations Cup just a year ago? Was that a misleading performance against a declining Spanish team or are we reading too much into this debacle?

Germany is Bayern Munich!

[Islandman]

It will be interesting to see their response to this. Germany is clearly the best team in this World Cup and if they win as most of us expect they will, that will be three straight European wins from three different countries.

Brazil is a rising economic power and football is part of their culture so maybe we will see some serious attempts to address these issues.

[Paul Marin]

It will be interesting to see their response to this. Germany is clearly the best team in this World Cup and if they win as most of us expect they will, that will be three straight European wins from three different countries.

Brazil is a rising economic power and football is part of their culture so maybe we will see some serious attempts to address these issues.

Brazil's football system where they have state championships before the brasilao, will have to be changed...but you have a better chance of getting the Jamaica dollar to pay $2US to $1JA. There are serious issues I fear (I hope I am wrong) that I don't believe they have the political or social will to change. We will have to just hope. Your point about the last 3 winners of the world cup is exactly the way I see it. The rest of the world (despite great progress in Concacaf, Japan, parts of Africa) is still WOEFULLY behind Europe. Brazil was for most of the last 60 years, the "The [3rd] World's Team"...I fear this is no longer the case.

[myYout]

One ting wi know fi sure di European experiment, reach di End. Time to play di ting di ongle way yuh know how, samba style. A dem style, suh now dem know seh wi live an die by it; win, lose or draw.

[Jangle]

Massive,

I fear that last night's loss is the beginning of a very dark period in Brazilian football that may actually get way worse before it gets better. Had Argentina lost to Holland in the second semi-final, and then went on to beat the Seleção on Saturday, that would have plunged Brazilian football into an abyss. Luckily, they will be averted that embarrassment and are now in the unenviable position of hoping Germany beat their hated continental rivals on Sunday. But we should have seen it coming. I speculate that last night’s loss is symptomatic of a larger problem which has several underlying contributing factors, including:

1. Lack of attention to the Brazilian domestic leagues
I believe Brazil's football has suffered greatly because it has neglected its domestic leagues. Clubs with great historical footballing pedigree teeter on the brink of administration. Teams like Santos, Fluminese, Botafogo, Flamengo, Palmerias, Corinthians have all flirted with one disaster or another from what I understand. They are in the unenviable position of having to sell their best players and some have turned to a policy of developing young talent with the express objective of selling them to other teams.

2. Brazil has systematically “let” the Europeans siphon off their best players
In 1970, the entire Brazilian team played professionally in Brazil, as was the case in most of the teams in the World Cup. Same thing in '74, '78, '82; in '86, only 2 of the squad played outside Brazil. But by 1990, only 10 of the 22 man squad played in Brazil, but the progression went on, 11 in 1994, 9 in 1998, 12 in 2002, by 2006, the number dropped to 3!! Young Brazilian ballers - Kaka, Fred, Robinho, Adriano were not playing for great clubs like Palmeiras, São Paulo, Santos or Corinthians, but rather, for Inter, Real Madrid, Lyon and Milan instead.

So let's keep going. In 2010, there were only 3 in the squad playing for Brazilian teams including Robinho on loan from City. He was technically not a Santos player and he only played 20 games or so for them before heading back to Europe to join AC Milan. The other two were Gilberto and Kleberson, both over 30. Brazil was becoming a elephant graveyard for their retiring players. So what about this World Cup? There were 4 players on the squad who played in Brazil - two were goal keepers, the other two were Fred and Jo! Hardly a ringing endorsement for Brazilian domestic football.

3. There is no longer a “Brazilian way” of playing football
They have exported their best players to Europe at the expense of creating a national playing identity. We saw Luiz, Dante and Gustavo at "sixes and sevens" this evening, not even close to being on the same page. No longer is there any identifiable way of playing football, like Spain with their tiki takka, or Brazil of old with “jogo bonito”. What we have now is a mashup of different styles that doesn’t seem to have any discerning qualities to it.

4. Brazilian football is becoming too expensive for the poor
Unlike the olden days when clubs sponsored the development of the best footballers, Brazil’s football development landscape has changed. There are “a ton” of soccer schools and academies all over the country costing from $30/day to $220/day. Which Favela youth can afford that? Certainly Pelé could not. Unlike the olden days when Brazilian clubs would sponsor their underprivileged youths, today’s clubs charge. Paid rides exist only for a few of their kids. I may be wrong on this, but that’s what I understand.

I have been a Brazil fan like most of you for a long time. Last night’s loss and today’s win by Argentina is painful to me. I want to see the Brazil of old rekindled with a new generation of Tastoas, Socrates, Pelés, Garrinchas, Jairzinhos, Ronaldos and the host of names we have associated with the beautiful game. Can any of us say that there was such a player on the field in yesterday’s semi-final? Unfortunately, no. Brazil is a victim of its own policies. Their footballing establishment needs to take a serious look at itself if the great land of football is to be relevant again in world football. But, hey, what the heck do I know? I'm sure some of you can educate me where I am wrong.

PM

Excellent analysis. Very insightful.

[Jangle]

I think it's the opposite. We read too much into the Confederations Cup. When I was in Brazil, I went to the Football Museum in Sao Paulo. Brazil has a fantastic football history as we all know. But what appears obvious to me as you go through the ages, is that they are losing their talents to foreign clubs, and by extension, empowering foreign national programs.

Powerhouse European teams from Germany, Spain, Italy, Holland (and I will give them a bligh and throw in England) have strong domestic leagues. If Brazil had their act together, their big clubs would have been the ones negotiating big money TV contracts around the world, Europeans would be coming to play in their leagues, not the other way around.

The more I think about it, the more I believe that a South and Central American "Super League" might be a good idea (have to think about this some more) but the concept would be to take the biggest clubs in South America and make them rich and powerful enough to rival the Europeans. Easier said than done, but they need a way to keep their players in this hemisphere. Europe is benefiting at "our" expense.

You are on to something here.

[Paul Marin]

Excellent analysis. Very insightful.

Thanks boss...but the 7-1 still ah hot me. My daughter asked me why I took it (the loss) so seriously. I started to explain it to her, that I "became" a Brazil fan with the rest of the 3rd world (certainly boys my age in Jamaica) when Brazil destroyed the Italians in the finals of WC1970. I showed her footage of Pele on Youtube, and of Socrates and Ronaldinho...while she enjoyed the individual talent, it was not enough to have her fully understand. The new generation will not look at Brazil like we have; their stars will be the big ballers that play in Europe and the European WC winners. They will never know the underlying promise of hope for our own little countries that the rest of us feel when Brazil conquers the colonial masters and colonial masters light (Argentina). I am very, very worried about Brazil's football future. Sadly, they may be best served by another loss on Saturday.

[Sir X]

If I may rebutt that analysis at a later date,right now what I can say is Brazil will be back in 4 years.Think about this after Big Phil demolished Spain they said it was the end of Tika Taka,Scolari win % supports his method, that said ,I believe Scolari made a tactical blunder more than anything else in this world cup, certain squad members that should be called were not called and it isnt Robinho compounded his tactical decision to play huff ball.

https://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs...015447501.html


Scolari win %

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/wor...emi-final.html