By Thales Machado, direct from Buenos Aires
Pressure. It is the word that is spoken in most press conferences and interviews with the Brazilian team. This is how it will be for the Seleção until summer 2014, when for the second time in history Brazil will host the World Cup and have a chance to win first title at home. Before that however, the pressure is different: to win the Copa America in the home of their biggest rivals, Argentina.
The pressure began in 2010, with elimination from the World Cup in South Africa and the realisation that very little preparation had been done for the almost obligatory victory in 2014. Thus, following the departure of Dunga, the coach Mano Menezes was named to head the renovation process of the team in order to overcome the tragedy of 1950 in the Maracana Stadium. Mano’s renovation work began and after a few games it was clear new players were his focus, although some of those defeated in 2010 can still contribute. And so comes the Brazilian team for the 2011 Copa America in Argentina, mixing experienced players with many caps such as Julio Cesar, Lucio and Robinho with new sensations of Brazilian football, such as Lucas, Ganso, and especially Neymar. The Santos stiker is a sensation almost unheard of, in that he is the star of the team, despite playing in Brazil and not Europe.
The good development of the idea of renewal and good performances in interviews have generated more support from the fans and the press of the national team, as opposed to what was happening with Dunga, but are not sufficient to rule out any kind of pressure for head coach Mano Menezes. In friendly matches played so far the team has scored quite a few goals, played well and only disappointed against big opponents, losing to Argentina and France and drawing against the Netherlands. However, boos were heard in Goiânia and São Paulo, the only friendlies played in the country.
The Copa America is the first official competition of Menezes and more than ten of the players in the squad. It is the first and penultimate tournament before the World Cup. Brazil, in hosting the 2014 tournament, will not compete in the traditional qualifying games and the lack of official matches is a concern for the side’s preparation. Should Brazil reach the final of the Copa America and the Confederations Cup (in 2013), Mano has only eleven competitive games before the start of the World Cup. It has left little time to prepare, and guess what? It has put even more pressure on the squad for the Copa America.
As if all that was not enough, Brazil still has the responsibility to defend the title since it was the champion in the last two occasions: in 2004 in Peru and in Venezuela in 2007, winning against this year’s hosts Argentina in the final, who, of course, want revenge in Buenos Aires on July 24. Brazil, moreover, has dominated the Copa America in the last 14 years. There were five titles in six editions, and the last elimination was to Honduras in 2001.
Interestingly, despite the rule change in recent years, Brazil has struggled in the first phase of the competition, often losing a game and falling apart, but recovering to win the competition. This year the team is in Group B, with relatively easy opponents, but ones which could spring a surprise. The hardest is Paraguay, which fell in the 2010 World Cup at the same stage as Brazil, the quarter-finals. The other two opponents, Ecuador and Venezuela, are in times of transition and may arise as hard or easy opponents, but it is hard to imagine Brazil not winning the group.
Playing your biggest rivals in their own country, with all the fans against you, needing to prove that you are on track, having to use the competition as a laboratory, but thinking about the win: these are all requirements for Brazil, a country that does not accept anything less than victory. They could not be under any more pressure, but never doubt the ability of a Brazilian team.
The Squad
Goalkeepers: Julio Cesar (Internazionale, ITA), Victor (Gremio, BRA), Jefferson (Botafogo, BRA).
Defenders: Lucio (Internazionale, ITA), Maicon (Internazionale, ITA), Dani Alves (Barcelona, ESP), Luisão (Benfica, POR), Andre Santos (Fenerbahce, TUR), Thiago Silva (Milan, ITA), Adriano (Barcelona, ESP), David Luiz (Chelsea, ENG).
Midfielders: Elano (Santos, BRA), Ramires (Chelsea, ENG), Lucas Leiva (Liverpool, ENG), Elias (Atletico Madrid, ESP), Sandro (Tottenham Hotspur, ENG), Jadson (Shakhtar Donetsk, UKR), Lucas Moura (Sao Paulo, BRA), Ganso (Santos, BRA).
Forwards: Robinho (Milan, ITA), Alexandre Pato (Milan, ITA), Fred (Fluminense, BRA), Neymar (Santos, BRA).
Group Stage:
Venezuela, July 3 in La Plata
Paraguay, July 9 in Cordoba
Ecuador, July 13 in Cordoba
Statistics:
FIFA Ranking: 3
Appearances in the Copa America: 32
Best performance: Champions eight times (1919, 1922, 1949, 1989, 1997, 1999, 2004 and 2007).
Last Copa America: Champions after beating Argentina 3-0 in the final
Follow the teams analysed by Sambafoot:
Don’t miss Sambafoot’s profiles of the 12 teams involved in the 2011 Copa America. Next up is Ecuador, one of the sides who have never lifted the trophy.
