It may seem to some that the current version of the Club World Cup is an American version par excellence: American cities hosting matches, noisy festive scenes reminiscent of Super Bowl «shows, FIFA President Gianni Infantino shaking hands with US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office, and the US national anthem being played before Every match, according to »The Athletic«network. However, this superficial image conceals a different reality, confirmed by the language of numbers, and the technical levels: this is a Brazilian championship par excellence... Even if the world doesn't realize it yet.First, there are the numbers. 508 players participated in the first round of the group stage. 70 of them, or 14 per cent, were from Brazil. Argentina came after them with 57 players. Spain followed with 26. It is true that there are four Brazilian clubs in the United States this summer, but the spread of Brazilian players is amazing. There are Brazilians at Manchester City, Real Madrid, LA FC, but also at Esperance de Tunis and Urawa Red Diamonds, Pachuca and Al Hilal, ...
But this is just a footnote in the bigger story. Brazilian teams have played eight matches so far. She won six of them, drew two, and lost none. Each team leads its group after two rounds. And it's not just because they faced easy opponents. Flamengo defeated Chelsea. Fluminense faced Borussia Dortmund in Panda. Botafogo stripped Paris Saint-Germain, the European champion and the team that many currently consider the best in the world, of its prestige. Luis Enrique said admiringly after that match: «No one has defended against us like this this season».These results were received in Brazil with a mixture of enthusiasm and humor. One of the jokes circulating on Brazilian «WhatsApp» reads: «Europeans petition FIFA... They want to invite Vasco da Gama (the fourth of Rio de Janeiro's big teams) to the competition so that their chances of winning » increase. Former star Tostao, known for his sobriety, wrote in the newspaper «Folia de São Paulo»: «Imagine the joy and pride if a Brazilian team was crowned champion».
Viewed from a broad perspective, what is happening now may seem banal. In the early 1960s, Santos, led by Pele, won the Intercontinental Cup twice in a row, a tournament created in 1960 to bring together the European champion and the South American champion. Flamengo defeated Liverpool in the same tournament in 1981, and Gremio and Sao Paulo (twice) later won the title.When «FIFA» launched the first edition of the Club World Cup in 2000, Brazilian clubs shined. Corinthians won the inaugural edition at the expense of Vasco in an all-Brazilian final. The next two editions went to Sao Paulo and Internacional. But the subsequent years were harsh. In 2010, Mazembe eliminated Congolese Internacional. The following year, Barcelona crushed Santos. Teams such as Gremio, Flamengo, Palmeiras and Fluminense lost to European clubs in the final. Before the start of this tournament, no Brazilian club had achieved victory over a European team in an official match since 2012, when Corinthians beat Chelsea.
You could write an entire book about the reasons for this decline. The short version is that European football, at least in its major leagues, preceded Brazilian football in many areas; From marketing and investment to infrastructure and tactical innovation. It is no coincidence that another. The decline was not hidden; Regrets over the widening gap in quality were the subject of Brazil's 2002 World Cup victory, which was a perennial feature in the Brazilian media for decades.
Where did these results come from in the past nine days? At first, it is necessary to take some time before getting too excited. Borussia Dortmund and Porto, which tied 0-0 with Fluminense and Palmeiras respectively, are not currently from the first row. Fluminense also faced great difficulties against Ulsan. Flamengo fans were happy with their victory over Chelsea, but English Premier League followers may not consider it a major achievement. Even Botafogo's victory over Paris Saint-Germain came with a note: Luis Enrique rested a number of his key players.
However, these results remain remarkable. Even those inside the Brazilian teams seemed surprised. Flamengo boss Felipe Luis said after their win over Chelsea: "I'm amazed at these results. I know very well how good European clubs are, especially in the elite," he said.
There are three situational factors that play a role. One of them is the climate: Brazilian clubs are more accustomed to playing under the hot sun. Botafogo full-back Vitinho said last week: "We are used to this. I hope that plays into our hands," he said.
The other factor is timing: Brazilian teams are in the middle of their season, which runs from January to December. The local league started at the end of March, which means that the teams are at the peak of their physical readiness, compared to European clubs that seem exhausted after a long season.
Motivation is also important. There is no clear evidence that European clubs are not taking the tournament seriously, but are they making the same effort as in the Champions League or domestic league? This is debatable. For Brazilian clubs, as is the case with many non-European teams, this tournament is a priority. Even if motivation is only half a percent higher, it can make a difference. Felipe Luis said on Friday: "You see teams playing every game like it's a final. It makes a big difference," he said.
There are deeper factors, too. Brazilian football has developed a lot in the last ten years, especially behind the scenes. Many of the big clubs in the country, especially Flamengo and Palmeiras, have made great efforts to become more professional and stable. Its training facilities are comparable to those of Europe's top clubs. Marketing departments have finally succeeded in taking advantage of their huge audience in a huge country like Brazil.
The Brazilian government passed a law that introduced a new ownership model for clubs, aiming to make them more commercial, more sustainable, and perhaps in 2021 - in a whisper - more profitable. Foreign investment began to flow: John Textor, co-owner of Crystal Palace, bought Botafogo; Red Bull pumped huge sums of money into Bragantino Club.City Football Group joined the scene by purchasing Bahia Club.
Until recently, the lineup of most Brazilian clubs was a mix of young players on their way to Europe, and veterans at the end of their careers. Today, the best young talent is still leaving, but clubs can now sign players at the peak of their talent. The midfielder is the most prominent example of this trend, but it is 2,022 million euros in December 15 years), which Flamengo bought from Marseille for 2,8 gerson (not the only one).
And it's not just an individual quality. Inter Miami manager Javier Mascherano said on Sunday, ahead of their match against Sao Paulo: "Look at the Palmeiras squad, they have two or three high-caliber players in each position. The same applies to Flamengo, Fluminense and Botafogo. They spent a lot of money," he said.
This spending was accompanied by greater openness to new ideas. A wave of foreign coaches renewed the local scene and changed many old concepts. Four of the last six Brazilian league titles have been won by Portuguese coaches. It is not strange, then, that the public's view of the possibility of a foreign coach taking over the national team has changed.
All this was reflected in the results of the "Copa Libertadores". Never before have Brazilian clubs dominated the continental championship in this way. It won the last six editions, and four of the finals were between all-Brazilian teams. This may not be good for the overall health of South American football. But for Brazil, it is a sign that they are moving in the right direction. Another indicator is the increasing ease of attracting young talent from the rest of South America. "It is clear that they have economic power that other countries do not have," Mascherano said.
The next step remains a mystery. Some see huge potential waiting to be invested through good governance and a global broadcast deal. "Brazilian football looks like the next Premier League," The Economist wrote in December. Butafogo owner Textor was more confident as he touted the game's rise in Brazil.
matches per season, many of them in 80 to 70 tournaments, but challenges remain. The schedule is very busy: successful teams go through traditional localism with low appeal. This affects the quality of play, as does the condition of the pitches. The working conditions of coaches have improved, but there is still a culture of quick and short-sighted dismissal.
However, the Club World Cup offers hope that the gap can be bridged. No one, even the most enthusiastic fan of Botafogo, thinks their team is better than PSG. But perhaps the gap is no longer as large as we thought before the tournament started. Teams are ahead of everyone," said Felipe Luis, Flamengo's coach of the week. Behind them, I think Brazilian clubs in the last 10 or 8: "I think there is an elite in...
