The Brazilian team’s cycle for the 2026 World Cup sparked inevitable comparisons with a past that ended in celebration. The last time Brazil won the World Cup was in 2002, precisely the most recent edition played in more than one country. That year, the tournament was hosted by Japan and South Korea. Now, the competition will be hosted by Canada, the United States and Mexico.
But the similarities go beyond the World Cup format. Although the world has changed, technology has advanced and football has undergone profound transformations, the Brazilian team arrives at the World Cup surrounded by doubts, just as happened 24 years ago.
The team arrives for the 23rd edition of the World Cup under strong distrust from the fans. According to a survey by the Quaest Institute, 72% of Brazilians do not believe in winning the sixth championship. Only 25% show confidence in a sixth world title, the lowest rate recorded in almost three decades.
The survey interviewed 2,004 people in 120 Brazilian municipalities between April 9 and 13, 2026. The confidence level is 95%, with a margin of error of two percentage points. The survey is registered with the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) under number BR-09285/2026.
And if the current lack of confidence draws attention, it is worth remembering that the Seleção also arrived at the 2002 World Cup discredited. Between finishing runner-up in the 1998 World Cup and winning the fifth championship, Brazil went through a period of instability, with four different coaches in charge of the team.
- Vanderlei Luxemburgo
- Candinho
- Emerson Leão
- Felipão
The same is repeated now, when, from 2022 to 2026, Brazil had:
- Ramon Menezes
- Fernando Diniz
- Dorival Junior
- Carlo Ancelotti
Ronaldo and Neymar
On the field, comparisons also appear. In 2002, the Brazilian attack was formed by Rivaldo, Ronaldo and Ronaldinho Gaúcho. In 2026, the expectation falls on Vinícius Júnior, Neymar and Raphinha.
Among the most evident parallels is precisely the situation of the team’s main name. 24 years ago, Ronaldo arrived surrounded by doubts after spending almost two years sidelined with serious knee injuries. Despite his undeniable talent, there were uncertainties about his physical condition and ability to return to protagonism.
Neymar lives a similar scenario. The number 10 is recovering from a calf injury which, according to the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), should sideline him for up to three weeks. The Brazilian team debuts in the World Cup on June 13, against Morocco.
The attacker is concentrated with the group at Granja Comary and continues to be monitored by the Seleção’s medical department. Still, his name divides opinions among fans. In addition to the sequence of injuries in recent years, the player’s recent performance also fuels distrust among some of the fans.
Despite this, Carlo Ancelotti adopted a similar stance to that of Luiz Felipe Scolari in 2002. Just as Felipão supported Ronaldo’s call-up, the Italian coach defended Neymar’s presence in the group. The difference is that he made a public reservation: the attacker will only enter the field if he shows that he deserves the place.
The numbers reinforce another coincidence between the two stories. Before being called up for the 2002 World Cup, Ronaldo had played just 16 games for Inter Milan after returning from injuries. Neymar, in turn, reached the 2026 World Cup with just 15 games played for Santos this season.
Technological changes
If in 2002 carrying a cell phone to record moments with friends and family was still unusual, in 2026 the reality is completely different. Today, practically everything becomes content. Every moment is photographed, filmed and shared in real time. In addition to photos, smartphones allow live broadcasts, video calls and instant access to social networks.
At the time of the fifth championship, the device that symbolized the communication revolution was the Nokia 3310. Now, smartphones dominate everyday life, with increasingly advanced models, such as the latest generation iPhones.
This technological transformation has also changed the way a World Cup is followed. Fans, journalists and players are connected all the time, following in real time everything that happens on and off the pitch.
At the same time, the constant use of social media has created new challenges for the national teams. The instant circulation of information, rumors and opinions increased the pressure on athletes and coaching staffs. It is no coincidence that some teams began to adopt measures to reduce the use of cell phones during periods of concentration, in addition to establishing guidelines on the frequency and content of publications made by players throughout the tournament.
But the changes are not limited to behind the scenes. On the field, technology has also transformed football.
The ball, which in 2002 was just a sports equipment, today has internal sensors capable of providing data in real time and even requires recharging for its technological resources to work. Furthermore, tools such as video referee (VAR) and semi-automatic offside have become central elements of matches.
These advances significantly reduced the margin for refereeing errors and made it more difficult for the controversial moves that marked previous editions of the World Cup to occur.
One of the most remembered examples happened precisely in Brazil’s debut in the 2002 World Cup, against Turkey. After the Seleção went behind on the scoreboard and tied with Ronaldo, Luizão took off at speed in the 40th minute of the second half and was hit by a Turkish defender outside the area. However, the attacker fell inside the area and the referee signaled a penalty.
From the kick, Rivaldo converted and guaranteed Brazil’s 2-1 victory. With the technological resources currently available, the call would probably be reviewed and corrected.
In an interview with ge, Luizão recalled the episode with good humor and recognized the importance of the move for the Brazilian campaign. “This penalty was very important in our fifth championship,” he said.
That victory was just the first step on a path that would end with Brazil winning its fifth world title undefeated, a feat that the Seleção is trying to repeat now, in a much more connected and technological scenario than the one experienced 24 years ago.
