Argentina Clearly In Transition | Tim Vickery
Their loss to Colombia is not disastrous, but clearly shows a team in transition.
Their loss to Colombia is not disastrous, but clearly shows a team in transition.
Where Is The Renewal In Chile’s International Side? | Tim Vickery
Veterans still form a big part of Chile’s Copa America squad.
Veterans still form a big part of Chile’s Copa America squad.
Ecuador Seeking FIFA U20 World Cup Success | Tim Vickery
Facing their semi-final match-up this week, Ecuador are seeking World Cup glory with two more wins.
Facing their semi-final match-up this week, Ecuador are seeking World Cup glory with two more wins.
Dani Alves To Replace Neymar As Brazil Captain | Tim Vickery
After another temper tantrum, it appears as if Neymar will lose the Brazil captaincy to Dani Alves.
After another temper tantrum, it appears as if Neymar will lose the Brazil captaincy to Dani Alves.
Aguero Could Miss Out On Argentina’s 23-Man Squad | Tim Vickery
Despite starring for Manchester City, Sergio Aguero may struggle to be part of Argentina’s Copa America campaign.
Despite starring for Manchester City, Sergio Aguero may struggle to be part of Argentina’s Copa America campaign.
Curious Situation Sees Tigre Relegated | Tim Vickery
Despite not having a bad season, Tigre have been relegated to Argentina’s second division.
Despite not having a bad season, Tigre have been relegated to Argentina’s second division.
The Rise and Fall of Brazilian Football
Following the 1955 election of Juscelino Kubitschek as President, Brazil thrived. Charismatic and energetic, Kubitschek ordered a new federal capital to be built. Brasilia emerged on an empty plateau to capture the imagination of Brazilians and foreigners with its dazzling modernity.
The late 1950s and early 1960s saw the rise of Brazilian football. The game matched the capital’s global impact: the nation won the World Cup twice owing to the talents of Pelé and Garrincha. Brazilian writer Gilberto Freyre once likened Brazil’s football style to its landscape: “It is not the right angle that attracts me, nor the straight line, hard and inflexible, created by man. What attracts me is the free and sensual curve; the curve that I find in the mountains of my country … in the body of the beloved woman.”
Organization
In 1958, João Havelange was appointed the president of the Brazilian Football Federation. He oversaw the World Cup campaign, raising the game to professional highs. First, came the medical checks. The team was diagnosed with diseases and malnutrition and subsequently treated. In Sweden, 25 hotels were tested before choosing the base, all female employees were replaced with males.
- In the final game, Brazil beat Sweden 5-2, demonstrating creative football. Pele scored the most spectacular goal. The Times wrote that Brazilians kicked the ball “as if it were a lump of cotton wool.”
- In the next World Cup in Chile, the Brazilians (nicknamed Seleção) beat the Czechs and emerged victorious again – this time thanks to Garrincha.
The Roots of Success
These two exceptional triumphs left a legacy. Brazil could finally get rid of its “mongrel-dog complex”. It was now the football nation. This brilliance grew out of vivid local football culture, with fans, music, clubs, poetry, and prose. Back then, clubs gave Brazilians more than football facilities. They provided identity and community at a price affordable even to the poor.
Football was integrated into the local culture, and fans became known as “Twisted ones” – Torcidas. This referred both to their wild enthusiasm and the distinctive whirred handkerchiefs. Icons and banners were ubiquitous. The chanting was directed by supporters’ own bands. The two World Cups saw over 35 football-related tunes, which drew on the richness of Brazilian music.
The Decline
The early 1960s were unstable, with soaring inflation and polarizing political opinion. Football teams, from Pelé’s Santos to tiny ones, went on foreign tours. After the military coup of 1964, national football suffered, as the regime tried to shape it in its own image. The military controlled the Brazilian Football Federation and the Seleção, and a national championship was established. As a result, the World Cup campaign of 1978 proved remarkably uninspiring.
By the early 1980s, the economic boom was over. Citizens were hungry, and the crime rate shot up. Amid the disheartening turbulence, The Jules Rimet World Cup trophy disappeared forever. During the times of hyperinflation, it was probably melted down.
Past Failures Continue To Haunt Flamengo | Tim Vickery
Agonising past experiences are still fresh in the memory ahead of Flamengo’s match on Wednesday.
Agonising past experiences are still fresh in the memory ahead of Flamengo’s match on Wednesday.
Jorge Jesus Would Be Wise To Wait | Tim Vickery
Reportedly in talks with two Brazilian clubs, Jorge Jesus would be wise to wait in terms of future employment.
Reportedly in talks with two Brazilian clubs, Jorge Jesus would be wise to wait in terms of future employment.
Palmeiras Coach Stoned By Own Supporters | Tim Vickery
Luiz Felipe Scolari felt the wrath of Palmeiras fans recently.
Luiz Felipe Scolari felt the wrath of Palmeiras fans recently.