The quest for a sixth star begins once more for Brazil.
This storied, soccer-mad nation has lifted the World Cup 5 occasions – greater than some other nation – however its final triumph in 2002 is starting to really feel like a distant reminiscence as over twenty years of frustration have adopted.
France ended the Seleção’s marketing campaign within the 2006 quarterfinals, the Netherlands did so in 2010, Germany inflicted some of the notorious defeats within the sport’s historical past in 2014 – a 7-1 drubbing that had followers crying within the stands – and quarterfinal exits adopted once more in 2018 and 2022.
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An complete technology of Brazilians has never seen their nation win a World Cup. Stories have been advised about Ronaldo Nazário main the Canarinha to glory in 2002 after the frustration of France ’98. They have heard the tales of Romário ending their final 24-year drought in 1994.
Older generations handed down reminiscences of the legendary staff that shone at Mexico 1970. Some even witnessed Garrincha’s brilliance in 1962. Even fewer nonetheless can keep in mind how a 17-year-old Pelé captured the hearts of a nation together with his genius in 1958.
Now, after 24 years within the wilderness, a new technology is trying to write its personal chapter, of which Vinícius Júnior is anticipated to be the lead writer.
But regardless of the plain clamor amongst Brazilians for world supremacy but once more, expectations seem to be at an all-time low.
An April survey carried out by Brazilian polling institute Datafolha discovered that solely 29% of the inhabitants believes the Seleção can win the World Cup, the bottom determine because it started polling in 1994.
An additional 46% don’t even count on the squad to advance previous the quarterfinals, the place they’ve faltered the final two tournaments.
The pessimism exists for good cause, as Brazil’s journey to the World Cup was characterised by scandals off the pitch and underperformance on it.
It was simply over a yr in the past in May 2025 that a Rio de Janeiro court ordered the removing of former Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) president Ednaldo Rodrigues for allegedly falsifying paperwork to win re-election earlier that yr.
The ruling got here simply three days after Carlo Ancelotti was introduced as head coach, because the staff was going by way of its worst World Cup qualifying marketing campaign in historical past.
Brazil completed a lowly fifth in CONMEBOL standings with simply 28 factors from 18 video games, 10 factors behind arch-rival Argentina which completed prime. The low level additionally got here in opposition to the Albiceleste, who thumped them 4-1 in Buenos Aires with out Lionel Messi.
Captain Marquinhos known as the outcome “embarrassing” to Brazilian broadcaster TV Globo and mentioned it “can’t happen again,” even going so far as providing a public apology: “I’m sorry for our fans.”
The apology was actually warranted, given the Seleção’s greatest loss to Argentina since 1964, which in the end value Dorival Júnior his job and accelerated the arrival of former Real Madrid boss Ancelotti.
However, no second symbolizes Brazilian soccer’s decline greater than the 90 minutes of chaos at Belo Horizonte’s Mineirão stadium when the host nation took on Die Mannschaft within the World Cup semifinals on July 8, 2014.
The Seleção discovered itself 5-0 down after half-hour, then in a 7-0 gap 10 minutes from the ultimate whistle, earlier than Oscar scored essentially the most insignificant of comfort objectives within the last minute.
The debacle grew to become often known as the Mineiraço and – maybe as well as to being surprised 2-1 by Uruguay within the decisive match of the 1950 World Cup, the primary time it served as host – it’s the most traumatic sporting end in Brazilian sporting historical past.
“7-1 has entered the language,” South American soccer professional Tim Vickery bluntly advised NCS Sports.
“You just refer to any massive humiliating defeat, in any walk of life, as a 7-1. … That’s a stain on the carpet that’s not coming out anytime soon. The only way they can get over it is by winning the World Cup.”
But for the Seleção to obtain that, the staff should probably do one thing it hasn’t managed since Ronaldo & Co. defeated Germany within the 2002 last: beat a European nation within the knockout levels.
France, the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium after which Croatia all broke Brazilian hearts during the last 5 World Cups. And as embarrassing because the “7-1” was, it was a part of a wider phenomenon of the nation falling quick in opposition to European opposition.
“I know some journalists who are saying, ‘I don’t even mind if we don’t win this time, as long as we beat a European team in the knockout stages,’” Vickery – co-author of the brand new ebook, “Mundiales: A South American History of the World Cup” – mentioned humorously.
If Ancelotti’s facet does prime Group C as anticipated, it is going to be set on a path to probably meet Euro 2020 and 2024 finalist England in the quarterfinals – ought to The Three Lions additionally prime their group.
However, even when that blockbuster conflict does come to fruition and Brazil is victorious, it received’t be sufficient for many – solely a sixth star will suffice.
The story of the World Cup can’t be advised with out “Brazil 1970” – it has grow to be an idiom in international soccer vocabulary.
For many individuals, their first reminiscences, or earliest references of this showpiece event started with Pelé in Mexico. Partly as a result of it was the primary World Cup to be broadcast in colour, that means the yellow shirt shone brightly on TV screens for the very first time.
But primarily as a result of O Time Belo (“The Beautiful Team”) was expressing itself with its toes in a approach that hadn’t been seen earlier than.
Because of this, “it was absolutely natural for people at the time to make a connection between that and the moon landing a few months earlier,” mentioned Vickery.
Just 20 years prior, Brazil had suffered its first nice sporting heartbreak on the newly-built Maracanã – the shock loss to Uruguay dubbed the Maracanaço. But victory over Italy in 1970 etched a third star, and ensured the Seleção saved everlasting possession of the then named Jules Rimet Trophy.
More importantly, it solidified the nation’s standing because the gold customary in worldwide soccer.
“In 1958, Brazil was really the third force in South America behind Argentina and Uruguay,” Vickery advised NCS Sports.
“Then over 12 years, they became the country of football, and the yellow shirt was associated with all that was good and pure in The Beautiful Game.”
However, regardless of that success giving the Seleção unequalled pedigree, it has created a burden for the next generations as a result of “every World Cup has since been judged by 1970,” in accordance to Vickery.
Alongside that, it additionally positioned an onus on those who adopted to play a model of soccer that paid homage to the heroes of the previous.
That is why 24-year World Cup drought “feels more serious than the last 24-year gap,” mentioned Vickery. “Because what you thought of Brazil wasn’t just winning, it was winning with style. Sometimes… it was even not winning, (just) in style.”
This is exemplified by the Seleção’s 1982 facet. Often considered the greatest team never to win the World Cup, it’s nonetheless revered to this present day, regardless of not even reaching the ultimate 4 in Spain.
But as Vickery mentioned, “over the last few years, they haven’t been winning, and you don’t really think of them with the same monopoly on stylish football they had before.”
One participant, nevertheless, who does nonetheless exude that model is Vinícius Jr., and he should take heart stage if Brazil is to achieve success.
Every Brazilian World Cup triumph has had a defining determine: Pelé in 1958 and 1970, Garrincha in 1962, Romário in 1994, and Ronaldo in 2002.
If the Seleção is to win this event, the Real Madrid famous person will probably want to be a part of that listing.
“It’s his cup. It’s the cup for him to shine and stand out,” Brazil’s 2002 World Cup-winning captain Cafu advised NCS Sports in April.
“All eyes will be on Vini Jr. And I am sure that, if he has the calmness and he is conscious that this is his World Cup, he will really help the Brazilian team.”
Four years in the past in Qatar, Vinícius was already a key participant, however the highlight nonetheless belonged to Neymar Jr. Now, the hopes of greater than 213 million Brazilians will relaxation largely on the Los Blancos star’s shoulders.
The 25-year-old, nevertheless, appears unfazed by this. “It’s nothing out of the ordinary,” Vinicíus told FIFA through the March worldwide break.
“I’ve been playing for the Seleção since I was 19. Before, I was just a wonderkid, but now I’m at the forefront, leading the team and trying to take Brazil back to the top of world football. It is a huge responsibility, and one I truly value.”
A two-time Champions League winner, Ballon d’Or runner-up and FIFA’s finest males’s participant in 2024, Vinícius has already achieved greater than most gamers might dream of.
But main Brazil to its long-awaited sixth World Cup would elevate him into a completely different class altogether.
Yet, there’s one man with much more at stake: Neymar.
When Ancelotti named Neymar in his 26-player squad, eyebrows have been raised.
The 34-year-old has not performed for Brazil since October 2023 and has spent the final two years battling accidents. Yet, when his identify was known as, these in attendance in Rio de Janeiro erupted in celebration.
“Olé, olé, olé, olá… Neymar, Neymar,” was being chanted all through the Museum of Tomorrow, because the Seleção’s all-time prime goalscorer had one last likelihood to fulfill his World Cup future.
In some ways, Neymar embodies the imaginative and prescient Brazilian soccer first showcased to the world again in 1970. But extra importantly, it comes again to that fateful day in Belo Horizonte.
A defining second of the 2014 World Cup was when David Luiz and Júlio César, whereas belting out the nationwide anthem earlier than kickoff, have been holding up the star ahead’s No. 10 shirt. Neymar missed that fateful day with an harm suffered in Brazil’s quarterfinal win over Colombia. Twelve years on, he nonetheless evokes hope.
“Neymar is a guy that we don’t need to evaluate to take to a World Cup,” Brazil icon Ronaldo advised NCS en Español in March. “Maybe he won’t play all the games, but (he) is a very important player who has shown his value.”
O Fenômeno additionally had one last message to followers forward of the event.
“Believe, as we always do in World Cup times. Let’s go back to painting the streets (and) filling them with flags. I hope that we can bring the sixth title to Brazil.”