4 Defeats in 6 Games… Should Brazil Fans Be Worried?

Prior to the World Cup in Qatar, Brazil were a team on the up. They had won seven straight games, were unbeaten in 15 and had only lost four of Tite’s 76 games in charge. Fast forward half a year and they’re rudderless, with no permanent manager in place, their famously attacking frontline misfiring and on a dismal run of four defeats in six games.

The Seleção’s poor form encompasses losses against Cameroon, Morocco and Senegal, all teams they would have been expected to brush aside in the past. Their last game against the latter outfit, a chastening 4-2 reverse in Portugal, is a particularly bad result and has caused unrest among the fanbase. So do they have legitimate grounds for concern?

The coach conundrum

As often happens in the wake of international tournaments, many sides parted ways with their coach. However, unlike most others, Brazil have dragged their heels on appointing a replacement for Tite, with under-20s coach Ramon Menezes stepping into the breach in the meantime. His success with the youngsters has not been replicated on the biggest stage of all.

The trouble is, the two frontrunners for the post – Carlo Ancelotti and Abel Ferreira – have both ruled out taking it up in the immediate future. Ancelotti wants to wait until his contract with Real Madrid expires, while Ferreira is keen to see out the domestic season with Palmeiras. That leaves the Brazilian FA with little room to maneuver. 

Misfiring forward line

Brazil has always been known as practitioners of the jogo bonito, where outscoring the opposition has been the order of the day for decades. In theory, this team should be no different, with a wealth of attacking talent that includes the likes of Neymar Jnr, Richarlison, Gabriel Jesus, Vinicius Jnr, Rodrygo, Raphinha and Gabriel Martinelli vying for a starting berth up top.

However, things haven’t quite worked out that way of late. Neymar has been injured for several months now and Richarlison has struggled to follow up on his impressive performances at the World Cup, while Vinicius Jnr and Rodrygo have been a shadow of themselves on the national stage compared to their form at the Bernabeu. Brazil may have scored four goals apiece in their last two victories, but those came against relatively weak sides in South Korea and Guinea.

Important games on the horizon

While the recent performances have certainly been below par, Brazil fans can at least console themselves with the fact that the losses against Morocco and Senegal were both friendlies. However, that is all going to change very soon; the second half of 2023 will see them engage in six World Cup qualifiers for the 2026 tournament, with the final game of that run coming against bitter rivals (and current global conquistadors) Argentina.

Things don’t relent from there. 2024 sees the USA host the Copa América, where Brazil will be keen to avenge their defeat at the hands of their all-conquering neighbors in the 2021 final of the same tournament. As such, the team could really do with their management situation being sewn up long in advance of any of those important games kicking off.

Form is temporary, class is permanent

Taking all of that into account, there is certainly some grounds for the apprehension among certain quarters of the Brazilian fanbase. However, it should be remembered that the team has been the victim of circumstance quite regularly of late; untimely injuries, accusations of racism and a pervasive uncertainty over their head coach has served to destabilize the Seleção.

Nonetheless, there is every reason to believe that Brazil will overcome these hiccups and canter towards qualification for the next World Cup. Anyone who has a fondness for in-play football betting with cryptos will be well aware that the bookies invariably fancy Brazil to steady their ship and for good reason. The current squad boasts a wealth of talent across the board, including arguably the two best goalkeepers in the English Premier League (Ederson and Alisson), a fine center back pairing (Marquinhos and Eder Militão) and a strong midfield base (Joelinton, Bruno Guimarães, Casemiro and Lucas Paquetá). They should fear no one.

Brazil may be enduring a tough patch of form at the moment. However, this squad is blessed with an array of incredible footballers and under the right leadership, they can surely go on to achieve great things. Time will tell if they fulfil their potential.