Why everyone loves Brazil How the Selecao inspired us all
Pele was adamant. It was July 1966, and the Brazilian dream was over. Their greatest player had made up his mind: he never wanted to play at the World Cup again. A winner in both 1958 and 1962, he was still only 25 years old, but enough was enough. The famous forward had lasted only two group matches in Chile 62 before injury denied him any further action in the Selecao’s march to glory. Four years later, he had been mercilessly booted around Goodison Park first by Bulgaria, then Portugal. Reduced to a limp, he was powerless to stop Brazil exiting before the quarter- finals.
The common denominator was clear to him: European referees offered no protection, and he wasn’t willing to risk his health at another World Cup. “I was determined never to play for
Brazil again,” he later revealed to Fourfourtwo.
Pele would not be going to Mexico 70.
It felt like the end of an era, because not only was Pele leaving the national team, so too was an ageing Garrincha. The duo had transformed the Selecao into two- time champions after an inauspicious start to their World Cup history: first- hurdle falls in both 1930 and 1934, then suffering the shame of a shock home defeat to Uruguay in the 1950 decider – forever known as the ‘ Maracanazo’.
Embarrassment was so severe that even the team’s white jerseys were blamed for the 2- 1 defeat, after Brazil had scored 21 goals in five games beforehand. A Rio newspaper insisted it suffered from a “psychological and moral lack of symbolism”. It just wasn’t Brazilian enough, so they redesigned it, using the colours of the country’s flag. The most iconic shirt in football history – vivid yellow – had been created.
It would be 20 years until television viewers could enjoy it in its full glory, though. Coverage was black and white, and only selected games were screened live when Brazil won the 1958 World Cup in Sweden. None went out live when they retained the trophy in Chile – footage was flown in from South America and broadcast to British audiences two days later.
For all of their success, the Selecao’s global popularity had not yet peaked. Maybe it never would have done, had Pele’s World Cup career ended after the 1966 finals. Several attempts to lure him back into the Brazil fold failed, but as 1970 approached, he relented.
“I chose to play because I was in great form with Santos,” he said. “I wanted to put to rest the idea that I couldn’t play at the World Cup without getting hurt.”
His decision changed everything. Brazil had football’s first universal superstar back in their
midst – the man who had shot to fame at just 17 in 1958, and was in demand everywhere he went. “In Chile, we went to the cinema and he wore a hat so that he wouldn’t be recognised,” recalls Pepe, a team- mate at both the ’ 58 and ’ 62 World Cups. “The film was on and we were sitting comfortably, then a guy sits next to us, holds up a recorder and asks, ‘ Hey Pele, are you enjoying the film?’ He went back to the hotel.”
Even with their talisman in the squad again, disaster almost struck before the 1970 finals.
BRAZIL’S LAST GOAL IN THE 1970 WORLD CUP FINAL REMAINS THE EPITOME OF THE BEAUTIFUL GAME
Dysfunctional under manager Joao Saldanha, the Selecao lost feebly to Argentina in a March friendly, prompting opposing defender Roberto Perfumo to label them “the poorest Brazil side I’ve played against”.
When Flamengo coach Yustrich weighed in with criticism, Saldanha charged down to the Rio hotel he was staying in brandishing a gun. Luckily Yustrich wasn’t in, and Saldanha was replaced as boss by 38- year- old Mario Zagallo, twice a World Cup winner as a player.
All of the ingredients were in place. Awful in March but reorganised under Zagallo, by June they had been anointed as the greatest team of all time. Lapping up live matches and even the novelty of colour TV, the world watched on open- mouthed as the serene Selecao dazzled sides in a way that no team had done before – spearheaded by Pele in his prime, having been allowed to flourish following a crackdown on
brutal tackling. Carlos Alberto’s goal in the final against Italy remains the symbol of footballing perfection; the epitome of the beautiful game, O Jogo Bonito.
Across the planet, football fans were falling in love with Brazil, and that affair has carried on for 50 years via the supreme team of 1982 – led by Socrates, king of the hipsters – and the World Cup winners of 1994 and 2002.
Everything about Brazil has always seemed unique. The skills – a tradition that has passed through generations from Jairzinho to Neymar. The almost reckless commitment to attack – who needs full- backs anyway, when you can employ Cafu & Co. as auxiliary wingers? The constant ability to produce the unexpected, like Roberto Carlos’ mind- bending free- kick at 1997’ s Tournoi de France.
Even the names themselves refuse to follow convention: why use lengthy surnames when first names will do? No matter that Ronaldo is a common first name in Brazil and it could get confusing: when they had too many Ronaldos in 1994, they just called the first one Ronaldao ( Big Ronaldo) and the second one Ronaldinho ( Little Ronaldo). When a third one came along, Ronaldinho was simply renamed Ronaldo to make room for, er, Ronaldinho.
And if first names became boring, nicknames would do nicely. Hence why we ended up with Tostao ( Little Coin), Dunga ( the Portuguese for Dopey from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs) and Zico, which derived from the name Arthur ( it’s a long story). ‘ Pele’ has no meaning at all in Portuguese, and was the legendary striker’s third nickname – he was originally called Dico, then Gasolina. Just think of the free advertising the petrol industry could have had.
Not only have Brazil won the World Cup more times than anyone else, but each of their five successes have come away from home. Of the other seven countries to have lifted the trophy at least once, six have used home advantage at some point ( Spain being the only exception).
The Selecao’s greatness has spread beyond international football, too. Since the Ballon d’or was opened up to non- Europeans in 1995, no nation has produced more than two different winners – except Brazil, who count Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho and Kaka. Each have won the prestigious prize in a non- World Cup year, their dominance exuded at club level as much as with the national side. Between them, they have scored iconic goal after iconic goal: think Ronaldo’s run at Compostela, Rivaldo’s bicycle kick against Valencia, Ronaldinho’s toe poke at Stamford Bridge or Kaka’s dash at Old Trafford.
Given such an alluring combination of style and success, it’s little wonder that brands like Nike have attached themselves to the Brazilian team for so long – a partnership that began in 1996 and spawned the legendary airport ad.
It all followed on from the 1970 World Cup – the Selecao’s finest hour – and that one pivotal moment shortly before the tournament. After vowing he would never represent Brazil again, Pele came back. Few decisions have been more significant in the history of football.