For many neutral fans, the World Cup starts on June 15, as five-time champions Brazil open their campaign in a Group G match against North Korea at Ellis Park here on that date. A resplendent history and, more importantly, an enterprising playing style have made Brazil the most loved team in football. Fans, irrespective of their nationalities, will be ready to spend their bottom penny to watch the Brazilian artists at work.
Coach Dunga is under immense pressure to deliver, for Brazilian fans have a collective feeling that the World Cup belongs to them. What makes Dunga’s job unenviable is his team are always expected to turn on the style, besides the small matter of winning the 5-kg Cup, designed by Italian Silvio Gazzanigga. “Can the Brazilian boss mix style and substance?” is the big question now.
Former Brazilian players have done their bit to heap more pressure on Dunga. Socrates, the majestic midfielder of Brazil’s World Cup teams in 1982 and 1986, has said in a recent interview that he would only watch Spain for good football. “Brazil have eschewed their signature style a long time ago. Spain are the only team that meets my aesthetic aspirations,” he added.
Dunga is not a romanticist. The captain of Brazil’s World Cup winning team in 1994 knows sexy football will not win his country a sixth title. He is more European in his approach than some European coaches. Results matter to him and not the method.
Dunga knows that his critics — there are a millions of them in Brazil — will not spare him if his team bows out early after playing sexy football.
Entertainment was the watchword for Tele Santana, Brazil’s coach at the 1982 and 1986 World Cups. He asked the class of 80s led by Zico to express themselves on the field. His disciples sure did but won nothing. A series of failures in that decade forced a change in the style of Brazil in the 90s. Carlos Alberto Parreira, not an attacking coach by any stretch of imagination, ended the 24-year Cup drought in 1994. You will get a clue of Dunga’s philosophy against North Korea, one of the most secretive teams in world football, on Monday.
Will Dunga keep his country’s sexy football tradition alive while chasing a sixth World Cup?