Following the Copa America, Is Brazil’s Current Malaise as Dire as Made Out?

By
at Internationaled.org

Published: June 23, 2016

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With the Copa America Centenario reaching boiling point and Brazil nowhere to be seen for the second successive year, it may be tempting to reach for the panic button, especially with established rivals Argentina romping their way to the final. The 2007 South American champions have had, by their own high standards, a dreadful run of form in continental competitions.

Quarter-final exits in 2011 and 2015, followed by the ignominy of falling at the first hurdle in the United States, have left a bitter taste in the collective mouth. The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) had seen enough and parted ways with coach Dunga for the second time in little over half a decade.

On the surface, there was little to be excited about at this most recent of premature tournament exits.

No goals against Ecuador and Peru from a team that has lifted five FIFA World Cups and given the world blessings through the likes of Didi, Garrincha, Pele, Jairzinho, Zico, Romario and Ronaldo to name just a handful, made for a worried—not to mention disenchanted—public.

The bad feeling had been simmering for quite some time. Following last year’s elimination in the last eight to Paraguay—for the second successive Copa America after falling at the same stage to the same opposition in 2011—former Brazil international Casagrande went as far as to say this was the worst generation of players of all time (link in Portuguese).



He cited Neymar as the only player of reference the team had, and that without the Barcelona man in the ranks, there was little to get excited about.

Judging from performances in international tournaments 12 months on, it would appear that little has changed. Neymar, who will only appear at the Olympic Games this summer, having sat out the Copa America, left a gaping hole in the Brazil attack THAT Dunga failed to fill with a multitude of options.

Inde...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - International Football

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