Life closely intersects with football.
Far from the revolution
Brazil’s latest bizarre coup attempt illustrates the country’s football rut. Fans of ex-President Bolsonaro, wrapped in national flags, broke through the premises of the Supreme Court, which recognized the election results in favor of Lula. They tried to occupy the presidential palace and the parliament building. Bolsonaro himself, who promised to fight for power to the last bullet, was relaxing in Florida at the time, eating hamburgers and drinking soda.
The official is accused of corruption. They probably hide behind lawyers. And the fans repeated the failed assault on the Capitol in Washington, which will end in the same way as in Brazil: nothing but solid conditions for the participants. Monkey gangs who steal personal belongings from tourists think better of their crimes. More than 300 Bolsonaro fans will face charges of varying severity and have been arrested. Such a “coup” echoes football.
Just as it is easy for Bolsonaro fans to pump populist slogans into their heads, it is easy to distract players from a merry country with trifles: money, a wild lifestyle, gambling and alcohol. There are few new Casemiros. All clubs are looking for the “new Neymar”, but it was worth making a revolution in children’s and youth football for quantity to become quality. There are problems with that, although they know how to make shows.
As in the “storming” of government buildings, so on the football field. But then the police will arrive: a Croatian with a rebound and another Croatian with a save, so the “chosen ones” will be without a World Cup for at least 24 years. The childishness of Bolsonaro fans is combined with the childishness of players and coaches. Remember how a year ago the players asked not to host the second consecutive America’s Cup, because in a country with failed vaccinations, people were dying by the thousands?
Then Casemiro and the others were sent to hell. Everyone was forced to play. Tite’s team lost in the final against Argentina, opening the doors to the World Cup for Messi. That empty Copa America was a turning point for Scaloni and for Martinez, who won on penalties against Colombia. And now, for the first time since 2016, Brazil is looking for a new coach, because Tite was unable, with a straight face, to prepare a carnival in United States of AmericaCanada and Mexico.
It takes a local craftsman
Interestingly, do modern Selesao fans know that Vicente Feola, who won the first World Cup for Brazil, was Italian by father and mother? It is clear that foreign coaches of such a team are usually not needed, and Feola is Brazilian by birth, but the bet on his man, as Rivaldo wants, should acquire weighty arguments in this case. Otherwise, he will come across as the protesting outcasts. They didn’t really know what they wanted and why they were engaged in vandalism.
Appointing a weak coach is dashing the hopes of a generation of Brazilian players. We need a man that Neymar will play with until 2026 and will not leave the national team in the near future. He needs an authoritative mentor, for whom it is normal to fight with the football authorities if they do stupid things. For example, when the president of the French Football Federation Le Gray said that he would not answer Zidane’s call, a real storm ensued.
Mbappe, Real Madrid and many others rightly defended Zinedine. This is an example of a respected person, they will defend it with a mountain. Which of the Brazilian coaches has such authority? Apart from Tite, perhaps I can’t think of anyone else. Scolari’s return will not bring a new level, and previously proposed Fernando Dinis is unlikely to suit referees, even if he is attractive to the players.
Europeans refuse
The Brazilian Ronaldo could not think of turning to Mourinho, Zidane and Ancelotti, whom he knows personally, but would receive three refusals. Guardiola is also in no hurry to leave Manchester City. Luis Enrique awaits the club from the Champions League playoffs. Argentine Sampaoli and Portuguese Jesus are probably ready to work with Brazil. But here it is worth thinking carefully about what they can give the team a new one? Unfortunately, the best candidates are hesitant.
Imagine yourself as a world-class head coach. Would you like to coach the Brazilians? Unlikely. If a young mentor is like Zidane, then you want to work with clubs and your national team. French a world Cup-2026 will be fine with experienced Mbappe and many solid players. England, Spain and Portugal will have a chance. Germany has an attempt at revenge. The Brazilians were the first to bookmakers, but the match showed that a revolution of conscience is needed.
As they rightly said after the penalty shootout with Croatia: the best snipers didn’t go first, although it was worth gathering the will into a fist. Tite made Brazil powerful, this is the first team in the table fifa right now, but the motivations of everyone, from Ancelotti to Zidane, who refuse to work for Selesao are understandable. Maybe someone on the list will be convinced. Ready to wait until summer. There’s still time. But for the Alves generation the train has gone, don’t be their world champions.
It’s a shame, but such is life. Those who are happy to be deceived will lose. Not to say that Brazil has failed world Cup, as they played solidly in the group, they did not notice the first opponent in the playoffs. But the class of performers is not as high as it was in 2002. Twenty years later, Neymar cried, and then Ronaldo went in an unsuccessful search for a coach. Ancelotti seemed like an interesting candidate, but he doesn’t want to. Who will make the Brazilian national team the first in the world of football?
