One of the great misconceptions of Brazilian football and the national team, since probably the early 1990s, is they are a team designed to dazzle.
Of course, the proud traditions and the popularity of the Selecao were established through Garrincha, Vava, Pele, Rivelino, Jairzinho and Zico etc, all showcasing their talents on the world stage.
The gradual drip feed of footballers moving from Brazil to various foreign outposts – Romario and Ronaldo to Barcelona via PSV Eindhoven, Cafu to Roma, even Juninho at Middlesbrough – then enhanced such a reputation.
But while the world remained wide-eyed about Brazil, exporting their game to other countries saw other traditions assimilated into their own football culture.
Consequently over the last 10-15 years the best Brazilians have not necessarily been those in attacking positions: Emerson, Lucio, Juan, Maicon and, latterly, Thiago Silva, David Luiz and Fernandinho.
In the dugout this ideological shift has been emphasised by the appointments of Luiz Felipe Scolari and Dunga – arguably the first great Brazilian pragmatist.
In 2002, Scolari won the World Cup, yes with the goals of Ronaldo and Rivaldo, but the unseen work of Gilberto Silva and Kleberson at the base of the midfield just as vital.
Brazil’s strengths at Germany 2006 were as much about the central defensive duo of Lucio and Juan as they were about Kaka, Ronaldinho, Adriano and Ronaldo.
Dunga took Brazil to South Africa in 2010 with a team built around powerful, physical players like Gilberto Silva, Felipe Melo, Luis Fabiano, Julio Baptista and Maicon. Robinho, as classic a Brazilian footballer as you can get, looked out of place.
The Selecao are, quite simply, no longer a flair team and haven’t resembled one since the dying embers of France 1998.
Technical director Carlos Alberto Parreira – whose 1994 vintage are another example – even said it on the eve of this World Cup: “In the end, what really counts is to win the World Cup. The way you do it doesn’t matter really.”
What is curious is that 2006 and 2010 were failures, bowing out in the quarter-finals to France and then the Netherlands with muted displays.
Yet here we are in 2014 with another Brazil team where flamboyance is no longer feted.
Against Mexico, forget the performance of Guillermo Ochoa, bar the save low to his right to deny Neymar the rest were about poor finishing more than anything.
Fred has so far looked hopelessly out of his depth, ditto Jo, Hulk was listless against Croatia and injured for Mexico, while to expect Neymar to drag them single-handedly to glory is presumptuous and unfair.
Scolari’s attacking options are looking increasingly limited – although the underused Willian could add something extra.
It’s obviously far too early to write them off but, with the knockout rounds pending, the jury is out on Brazilian pragmatism.
Parreira is right, winning stands above everything, but what about not lifting the World Cup in your own backyard, while playing a brand of football alien to your own national consciousness.
Wouldn’t that be the ultimate failure?
