A Generation Of Brazilians Haven't Seen Their Country Win The World Cup. They Still Believe.
After Brazil's come-from-behind 2-1 victory over Japan, young Brazilians were feeling optimistic about their team's chances of a first World Cup title in 24 years
The idea that there is an entire generation of Brazilians who can’t remember seeing their country hoist the World Cup trophy is almost incomprehensible to me. I grew up at a time when Brazil were the undisputed kings of global soccer, winning the tournament in 1994 and 2002, and reaching the final in 1998. They had many (f not most) of the world’s best players: Romario, Bebeto, Rivaldo, Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos, and Ronaldinho, to name just a few.
That generation, of course, built on the legacy of Pele’s generation, which won the World Cup an incredible three times in four attempts: in 1958, 1962, and 1970. The power and lore of the yellow jersey was undeniable during my childhood, and Brazilian teams played with a singular swagger and style. They were aptly nicknamed the ‘Samba Kings.’
Now, it has been 24 years since Brazil won a World Cup title. Not only that, they’ve been eliminated in the quarterfinals of every tournament since 2002, except for 2014, when they reached the semifinals on home soil — only to suffer the most humiliating defeat in Seleção history, a 7-1 loss to Germany that was truly psychologically devastating to the entire country. (The team also lost the third place match to Croatia, 3-0.)
All of this has led some people to question whether Brazil are still a true powerhouse of world soccer. Has the rest of the world caught up and, in some cases, left them behind? Has the modern game rendered the traditional Brazilian style of play ineffective? Or is this simply a lull — part of the natural ebbs and flows of global competition?
I wanted to know what young Brazilians are thinking and feeling. So I spoke with some of them after Brazil’s hard-fought 2-1 victory over Japan in Houston.