NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Sport / Football

In WCup spotlight, Brazil's jersey loses shine

AP
25 Nov, 2013 10:11 AM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

SAO PAULO (AP) Brazil's traditional yellow jersey has lost its all-conquering allure.

The most famous shirt in football, which graced the shoulders of Pele, Garrincha and Tostao, Romario, Ronaldo and Rivaldo, now isn't attractive enough to lure Diego Costa, the striker who would rather play for Spain.

A decade ago, it would have been hard to find a player willing to say "No" to the Selecao. But when Costa chose a few weeks ago to play for Spain instead of Brazil, not many people were even surprised.

Quarterfinal losses at the last two World Cups left big dents, still visible today, in the golden aura of the national team which reached three straight World Cup finals from 1994-2002, winning two of them.

At its own World Cup next year, Brazil's team will be far from a sure thing. It has star forward Neymar. It brought back coach Luiz Felipe Scolari to try to repeat his success from 2002. It convincingly won the Confederations Cup in June, beating world champion Spain in the final of that World Cup warm-up tournament.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

But FIFA ranks the Selecao 11th in the world behind Colombia, Switzerland and England. Brazil wouldn't even be seeded in the World Cup draw on Dec. 6 if it wasn't the tournament host.

The five-time world champions can't even claim to be the most stylish team in football anymore. Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta and the rest of the Spanish national team commandeered that label as they took over as the dominant football power. Brazil's enduring reputation as home to the "Jogo Bonito" the beautiful game owes more to its glorious past than its present.

The 2002 winners arrived as a top contender at the 2006 World Cup. Coach Carlos Alberto Parreira, the World Cup-winning coach in 1994, packed his team with stars Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Kaka, Adriano and Roberto Carlos. But they fell to France and Zinedine Zidane in the quarterfinals.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Brazil's glow didn't return at the 2010 World Cup. Coach Dunga revamped the team after the disappointment of 2006, picking few stars and relying mostly on Kaka and Robinho. The result was identical elimination in the quarterfinals, this time by the Netherlands.

Brazil's current squad would be the envy of lesser nations but doesn't impress compared to its most illustrious predecessors.

It must be considered a candidate for the world title in seven months because Brazil is still Brazil, because it will be at home and because of Scolari.

The defense should be solid, with Paris Saint-Germain's Thiago Silva alongside Chelsea's David Luiz. AS Roma veteran right back Maicon will be Daniel Alves' reserve, while Real Madrid's Marcelo is set to play on the left.

Tottenham's Paulinho and Wolfburg's Luiz Gustavo will protect the defense. Chelsea's Oscar will feed the attack. Neymar carves through opponents with his speed and ball control.

But the weaknesses are glaring.

The goalkeeper will be Julio Cesar, whose mistake led to Brazil's loss to the Netherlands in 2010. He isn't playing at Queens Park Rangers, a lack of action prompting concern.

Neymar, the top player at the Confederations Cup, will be only 22 next June, carrying a lot of weight for such young shoulders.

One of Neymar's partners up front will likely be Fred, who didn't even make the 2010 team and hasn't played in nearly three months because of a muscle injury. The other is Hulk, extremely effective in Scolari's scheme but not as impressive as past Brazil strikers.

With few attacking options available, Scolari again picked Robinho to play in the team's latest friendlies, and the 29-year-old striker now has a chance to make the World Cup squad despite playing sparingly with AC Milan.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

With his goal-scoring skills, Costa could have walked into Scolari's starting line-up. Instead, in becoming an asset for Spain, his naturalized country, Costa demonstrated that football's center of gravity no longer lies with Brazil.

To wrest it back, Brazil must win its World Cup.

___

Follow Tales Azzoni at http://twitter.com/tazzoni

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Football

All Whites

All Whites stun Ivory Coast for notable win as Fifa World Cup countdown begins

08 Jun 02:09 AM
Football

David Beckham to be awarded knighthood – reports

07 Jun 12:57 AM
New Zealand

On The Up: Inside the provincial football team beating big city clubs

04 Jun 05:00 PM

Why Cambridge is the new home of future-focused design

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Football

All Whites stun Ivory Coast for notable win as Fifa World Cup countdown begins

All Whites stun Ivory Coast for notable win as Fifa World Cup countdown begins

08 Jun 02:09 AM

This was the All Whites' first match since they qualified for next year's World Cup.

David Beckham to be awarded knighthood – reports

David Beckham to be awarded knighthood – reports

07 Jun 12:57 AM
On The Up: Inside the provincial football team beating big city clubs

On The Up: Inside the provincial football team beating big city clubs

04 Jun 05:00 PM
Manchester United captain rejects $450m Saudi Arabia move

Manchester United captain rejects $450m Saudi Arabia move

03 Jun 11:35 PM
Clean water fuelling Pacific futures
sponsored

Clean water fuelling Pacific futures

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • What the Actual
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven CarGuide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP