Many fans, coaches and sports journalists insist on the thesis that Brazilian football has worsened compared to European football because inventiveness, fantasy and improvisation have decreased. I’ve thought otherwise for decades. It got worse because it didn’t keep up with the evolution in the way of playing. This difference has been decreasing.
Brazilian football won the World Cups of 58, 62 and 70 because it already united individual talent with the collective, and not just because it had much more individual brilliance than the Europeans, as they insist on saying. In the 58 World Cup, winger Zagallo retreated and formed a trio in midfield. The defense started to score with a line of 4 defenders. It was 4-3-3, an evolution of the WM tactical system (3-2-2-3), with three defenders, two midfielders, two attacking midfielders and three attackers.
Another outdated concept, but one that is repeated more and more every day in Brazil, is that to be a center forward you need to be a fixed, tall, strong central attacker who acts as a pivot and finishes very well. Those who move a lot and participate in the collective game are called false 9, a gross simplification. On the contrary, these are complete center forwards, even more so if they are top scorers.
The current Brazilian team has several good center forwards, with different characteristics, but it does not have a fixed center forward of a very high level, like top scorer Haaland, nor a playmaker who is in all parts of the attack and who scores a huge number of goals, like Kane.
Ancelotti has many options depending on the moment. It could be a classic center forward (Pedro, Igor Jesus), one who moves a lot (João Pedro, Matheus Cunha) or a quick center forward to receive the ball behind defenders’ backs (Vinicius Junior, Kaio Jorge, Vitor Roque). If the World Cup were held today, Vinicius Junior would be the starter.
There is no single way to win the World Cup. As Luís Curro said, Brazil was already champion with two great center forwards with different characteristics — Romário, in 94, and Ronaldo, in 2002 —, with a typical, fixed center forward — Vavá, in the 58 and 62 World Cups — and without a classic center forward — Tostão, in 70.
When Zagallo took over the 70’s team, he called up two typical top-scoring center forwards (Dario and Roberto) and said that I would be Pelé’s backup, as I wasn’t in the position. Modesty aside, I was convinced that he would change his mind, as the team needed a center forward, a facilitator, to act between Pelé and Jairzinho, as happened. In the selection, I was to Pelé and Jairzinho what Evaldo was at Cruzeiro to me and Dirceu Lopes.
Even if Brazil does everything right and has a great team at the World Cup, the title, in a short championship and with other great teams, will be won in the details and the imponderable. “Life takes many turns, life is not ours” (João Guimarães Rosa).
Amazon
Before an adventurer invades and destroys the Amazon, I spent my vacation with my family in the region. With great guides, we walked along forest trails, took canoes and boats along the beautiful Rio Negro, ate very well and got to know the riverside and indigenous communities. Unforgettable!
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