Something is wrong with Brazilian football. Something is very wrong — but what?
After their latest dismal showing at a major tournament, the South American giants have sacked another manager.
The 1994 World Cup-winning captain, Dunga, has now been dismissed from his position as national team boss for a second time in six years.
Copa America Centenario humiliation at the hands of minnows Peru has seen the country fall to new depths.
Since being crowned world champions for a record fifth time — in 2002 — it’s been a gradual decline.
But just where has this come from?
Why has Brazil’s famous flair been replaced by a robust core of strength and grit?
SunSport analyses the Samba Stars’ journey from style icons to unfashionable also-rans.
Brazil are the only country to have appeared at every single World Cup finals, dazzling fans around the globe— even in tournaments they failed to win.
The Samba Stars really came to the fore when they reached their first final, as hosts, in 1950.
Defeat to Uruguay in front of 200,000 fans Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana was seen as national disgrace.
But, Brazil recovered. Led by 17-year-old Pele, they won their first world title eight years later — while Garrincha and Co. retained the trophy in the following tournament.
It was in 1970 when the world stood up and took notices of the majesty the South American giants had to offer.
A side generally considered the greatest to have ever graced a football pitch lit up the world as they won the Jules Rimet trophy outright with a third title in Mexico.
Carlos Alberto's majestic fourth in a 4-1 final win over Italy is etched in football folklore as one of the game's most glorious moments.
A decade of relatively obscurity ended with the culmination of their next ‘Golden Generation’ which prepared to shine at the 1982 World Cup in Spain.
Zico, Socrates, Falcao et al. were sensational but their undying loyalty to attacking football became their undoing as they failed to break down Italy’s ‘Catenaccio’.
Paolo Rossi's hat-trick earned the European giants a 3-2 victory — and robbed the world of further glimpses of one the best sides ever assembled.
Zico was one of Brazil's main men as the Samba stars dazzled the world in 1982
A fourth title followed in 1994, but the dour tactics were met with a mixed response back home.
Entertainment is the requirement, winning is just the aim.
The 1982 side went out playing ‘the right way’ and were greeted as heroes. A penalty shoot-out victory following a dull 0-0 draw meant Romario and Co. were met with difference upon arrival back home.
Four years later, Brazil impressed in France but a reported seizure suffered by star man, Ronaldo, on the eve of the final against the hosts cost them, as they went down 3-0.
They came back stronger in 2002.
France and Argentina were the favourites heading into the tournament in Japan and South Korea with Brazil not expected to even be in the final mix. Ronaldo had spent most of previous season out with a second serious knee injury and was considered by many to be a spent force.
Luiz Felips Scolari’s men proved everyone wrong as the then Inter star — along with Rivaldo and Ronaldinho — was imperious as he won the Golden Boot on the way to another Samba success.
Brazil were overwhelming favourites coming into the 2006 World Cup, but star men Ronaldinho and Kaka failed to show up, and they crashed out at the quarter-final stage.
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The Samba stars had won the World Cup in Europe, South America, Central America, North America and Asia.
A first-ever edition in Africa saw them instilled as favourites despite the lack of star players.
They delivered arguably their most underwhelming performance as they fell to another quarter-final defeat against Holland.
It was 2014 they were building up to.
Yes, 64 years after the biggest national sporting indignation in Brazilian history, they were ready to host the World Cup again — and make amends.
Neymar was the poster boy. The 22-year-old was the first real national icon in almost a decade —he was ready to star.
But they staggered through the group stage before narrowly defeating Chile on penalties. Each successful step was greeted with great relief by desperate Brazilians.
A plucky quarter-final victory over the impressive Colombians saw the hosts reach the last-four — but it came at a great cost.
Neymar was ruled out of the clash with Germany with a serious-looking back injury.
A nation wept, but still believed.
However, the dream turned into a nightmare.
Germany romped to a 7-1 victory, humiliating Brazil in their own backyard.
Scolari, who had returned as manager to attempt to lead his country to a second World Cup success, was sacked and replaced by Dunga.
But nothing improved.
Brazil were humbled in the two subsequent Copa America tournaments.
Last year, they went out after a penalty shoot-out loss to Paraguay, while this time around it was failure to progress from a group which included Ecuador, Peru and Haiti.
It's been quite a unbelievable 64-year cycle in between hosted World Cups.
For the 2014 tournament, Brazil made sure everything was in top shape — the cities, the venues, the fan parks.
But the team?
Other than Neymar, what world class players do Brazil have?
Full-backs Dani Alves and Marcelo can both have claims to be elites in the game — likewise centre-back pairing, Thiago Silva and David Luiz.
But Brazil are famed for their attackers.
Every year, there is talk of a new young star coming through the ranks — this time around, it’s Santos’ Gabriel Barbosa — with only Neymar truly living up to the billing in the past decade.
Since 2002, the likes of Gilberto Silva and Felipe Melo have been the centre-points of Brazilian teams.
While Real Madrid holding midfielder, Casemiro, is another who has impressed this season.
Strength has replaced flair as the present for the South American giants. Could it be their future?
Perhaps pressure to reproduce the success of old is too great, and a desperation to win has replaced a determination to entertain.
Football is worse off without an exciting Brazil to watch.
But it’s difficult to see the Samba Stars dancing their way to World Cup success any time soon.
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