Last July, after being humiliated by the no nonsense, ever efficient Germans, the Brazilian people found themselves disillusioned and highly perplexed. Much to their dismay, they were forced to accept one harsh truth – it was time for some deep soul searching: the samba-infused, South American kind.
Eight months on, the soul searching complete, the 7-1 World Cup semi-final defeat still hurts deeply. After leading the World Cup host nation to its first back-to-back defeats on home-soil in 74 years, Big Phil Scolari resigned.
Dunga, his successor, seems to have injected some potency back into their game. Like the Rio Carnival, with its bikinis, sequins and feathers, Brazilian football is once again sexy, and is now beginning to showcase elements of flair and creativity, and this was evident in Sunday’s 1-0 victory over Chile. The edgy Emirates affair saw Brazil, the longest country in the world ( it spans approximately 2800 miles from north to south), notch up their eight consecutive victory
Although the nation has the 9th highest number of billionaires in the world, poverty is rampant, and football serves to offer a welcome distraction from economic disparities. Here, undoubtedly, the beautiful game is more than a mere spectacle, it’s a way of life, a religion of sorts.
After the shambolic World Cup humbling, credibility needs restoring, and the recent eight game record shows real signs of progress: eight wins: eighteen goals scored, just two conceded
Captain of that epic 1994 World Cup winning side, Dunga, a man largely taken for granted in his homeland, seems to be winning his critics over.
Interestingly, every one of the last eight victories were secured on foreign soil, and Brazil won’t play a home game again until October, when the World Cup qualification campaign starts.
Luckily for Dunga, Neymar appears to be fulfilling the promise many have raved about for years, Pele included. When the attacker missed the German thrashing last year, his presence, or lack of, was clearly missed. Like any manager with a pulse, Dunga noticed this glaring fact. As Brazil’s most influential player for years, it made sense when the number 10 was named captain.
As important as the Barcelona front-man is, Roberto Firmino’s emergence also deserves a mention. Performing admirably for German side Hoffenheim, the centre forward was a rather anonymous figure before his debut call-up late last year, even in Brazil, but that all changed when the 23-year-old came on as a substitute against Austria back in November.
Scoring an audacious late winner, Firmino’s confidence is at all time high. Combining beautifully with more seasoned colleagues, the striker, once again coming off the bench, showed real composure to grab the winning goal against Chile last Sunday.
Finally, Brazil have found a replacement for the once moustachioed Fred, and two European heavyweights have noticed this development. Reportedly, Manchester United are eager to sign Roberto Firmino, but they’ll have to fight off interest from Atletico Madrid to land Hoffenheim’s star man.
According to Kicker, the widely-read German football magazine, Diego Simeone has voiced his admiration. Could the Vicente Calderon be Firmino’s new home?
Wherever he ends up, many agree that it’s the Rhein-Neckar Arena is no longer fitting to such a raw talent, and with Firmino’s work rate and physical prowess, his style is suited to both the Premier League and La Liga.
