Brazil is coming, which is no small feat. The five-time world champion, the team that has lifted the Cup the most times, returns to Barranquilla. And although he may not arrive at his best moment, he will always be a dangerous rival.
In recent weeks a phrase has made a splash in the media and on social networks: that this Brazil is the worst in history or, at least, the worst since the humiliation of the 2014 World Cup when Germany beat it 1-7 in the semifinals.
How true is that? From the point of view of the starting figures in the tie, this National Team equals its worst start, that of the route to the 2018 World Cup in Russia. The numbers are exact: two wins, one draw, one loss, seven goals for, four against.
That team then swept those qualifiers: first with 41 points and 10 ahead of second place, Uruguay. And Brazil was unbeaten in qualifying from the first day of that World Cup (2-0 with Chile, on October 8, 2015) until last October 17, when Uruguay beat it 2-0 in Montevideo. That is to say, they arrive at the Metropolitano beaten.
Since the World Cup in Qatar, Brazil had been stumbling: they lost to Cameroon in the group stage and to Croatia on penalty kicks, in the quarterfinals. That cost the head of the coach at the time, Tite.
Before starting the qualifying round, they played three friendlies: they beat the weak Equatorial Guinea (4-1), but They lost 2-1 to Morocco and then were beaten 4-2 by Senegal. First alert.
They have not looked so strong at the beginning of the tie either: they destroyed the worst team in South America, Bolivia (5-1), but then beat Peru narrowly in Lima, drew goalless at home against Venezuela and lost against the Uruguayans.
Brazil is in a transition period
There are mitigating factors, of course. Brazil is in a transition. They have a technician with more than proven ability, Fernando Diniz (the same one who just won the Copa Libertadores with Fluminense), but everything indicates that his time at Scratch will be a bridge for the arrival of the Italian Carlo Ancelotti, once his contract with Real Madrid ends.
Diniz, by the way, has the three figures that the merengue club projects into the future, Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo, who are already there, and Endrick, who they hope will come of age to travel to Spain.
Fernando Diniz seeks to implement his style with Brazil🇧🇷 and works on mechanization.
🔺️In this play you can see André making the exit.
🔺️Gabriel Martinelli would be the ‘9’ in Barranquilla ahead of Vini, Rodrygo and Raphinha.DINIZ BALLpic.twitter.com/HNEHSP4GVZ
— Express Futbol (@ExpressFutbolCL) November 14, 2023
And the team’s base is in the main clubs in the world. But he also has important casualties: the most important, Neymar. But goalkeeper Emerson, midfielder Casemiro, winger Danilo and attacker Richarlison are also missing.
The worst Brazil in history? It is debatable. They are injured and will go out to take revenge in Barranquilla. You don’t have to look down on them.
Jose Orlando Ascencio
Sports Deputy Editor
@josasc
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