Brazil from 2000 - 2001 - Lost to Honduras in Copa America and almost failed to qualify for WC 02; Brazil from 2011 - 2012 - Lowest position in the FIFA rankings - 13th place. Which of these Brazil national teams is the worst in its history?
Insights from other national team fans would be also appreciated, but I'll let the mods decide on this.
I can´t say for all time but since I´ve been a fan of soccer, I never have seen Brazil not have any of the top players in the game. At least in 2001, you had Rivaldo and Ronaldo injured so there was hope to the point of winning the next world cup. Yet I don´t see anybody now. Neymar, for all the future he might have, is not of the top players.
It's ONE TIME deal ... and the team in copa America were different in 2000-01 This Brazil 11-12 team lost to every big teams they faced (Argentina, Germany and France)
I agree. Neymar is far from the savior people hype him up to be. There is no true standout player anymore like Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Romario, or Ronaldinho (at his prime) Neymar is just Robinho 2.0 a lot of skills but nothing special. I think the Copa America 2001 team was the worst ever but this one is not too far off. Even Dunga's team was more effective.
I have to admit, it's not one of the best squads I've seen for quite some time too. We shouldn't judge on friendlies though or at the olympics where Brazil have never won it nor obviously have fielded a first string side { u-23 etc } They still have class in Oscar, Neymar, Pato, Ramires, Silva, Alves, Kaka and co. But I don't think those players will guide Brazil to winning the world cup. Of course theyre more than capable and could, nor would it surprise. But I think they may fall a hurdle or two short on winning it. Home crowd is huge though no crowd is more fanatical than the Brazilians. I think Argentina would beat them.
Current Brazil is only playing friendlies, so I have to go with the first option especially if you compare the quality (Ronaldo was injured but they still had Rivaldo, Romario, Cafu etc.)
That;;s what I meant ... people forgot that Brazil NT at copa 2001 were a 2nd string team not full force ( besides Ronaldo injured, they were without ... Romario, Rivaldo, Cafu Carlos, Lucio, Ronaldinhom..) almost half the team winning WC02
Cafu and a 35 year-old Romario? I mean, come on. .. The current Brazil team has players of the same level (Dani Alves, Neymar, Ramires). But yeah... nobody on the current team comes close to Rivaldo in his prime, so I'll have to vote for 2001 team too.
It was a surprise that Romario wasn't selected for the WC, Cafú was only 32. The Brazil back then could afford to keep strikers such as Romario, Elber, and Jardel at home. If they played now they would all be selected.
They were obviously great players, I'm just saying they aren't beyond anything what Brazil has now (Alves = Cafu; Ronaldinho = Neymar).
Again, I repeat Brazil at copa2001 were NOT the best selection NT but rather a team to test some new talents there ... like Alex, Rochembach, Giovani , Juan, Luisao and Ewerthon. Most players there were under 23,24 - only a few "senior" were there like Denilson, Juninho, Junior DiDa. Actually Jardel was selected in that team! So the team copa2001 were like a B team, not counted to represent Brazil NT. Romario was not selected at WC02 for he pissed off Scolari (refused to practice but found playing beach soccer somewhere) He was old at time but still clever and dangerous in goals than any young strikers (Elber, Ewerthon, Jardel, Luisao ... were not hot in Brazil shirt)
Players like Romario, Elber, and Jardel were not selected for WC02, which is an indication of Brazil's strength back then. Also, this isn't about the Copa alone, but the years 00-01. The Copa team may have been 'weak' but the 'main' team too, had poor results in those years.
Brazil almost always sends a "B-team" to the Copa America. Kaka and Ronaldinho didn't play in 2007 when they were at or near their primes.
Yes, this team has lost "marquee" friendlies, isn't as imposing as previous Brazil lineups but IMO can't decidedly judge this team until at least after next year's Confederations Cup. It's not the WC, but what better way to see how this team reacts to home pressure.
Can really judge this period until some of these players mature a bit. One big problem is that some of those experienced players that were expected to be transitioned out of the Selecao slowly while "passing the torch" have all become irrelevant. Ronaldinho, Adriano, Ronaldo, Robinho (to a certain extent) for example all became big time fuk ups. Kaka's physical problems have hindered his participation. Therefore the new team has no point of reference. Everything is new. Think about ... from 2010 we have Dani Alves and Ramires left over. And neither were starters. The 2001 loss to Honduras was big ... even for being a B team. As it has been mentioned we have taken B teams multiple times to Copa America. Even with Rivaldo, Cafu, RC and etc... in the WCQ, that team was playing really, really bad from 2000 to late 2001. The post Zico era teams were also pretty bad. I'd say from 87 till 93 things looked pretty damn bleak. Specially post WC'90. The only bright spot being the Copa America 89 which really came out of nowhere. I mean, who here remembers Careca Bianchesi ? Not the Napoli Careca ...
How exactly did Ronaldo the all time leading world cup scorer become a ******** up? At the end of his career sure he was past it, but every player fizzes out to be over the hill.
Your'e right ... Ronaldo returned from injuries (3,4 months) and showed up at WC06 with 2 friendly games as fitness check= overweight, lack practice. However he scored 3goals there (most of the team) That WC were supposedly a Ronaldinho + Kaka show ... and they both screwed! Imagine if Ronaldo was fully fit - 5goals or more are like at his will at WC level. Between 2000-01, without Ronaldo Brazil NT did badly (mentally tired?_ ) even with Romario , Rivaldo and Ronaldinho - Hence Brazil dropped from #1 to #2 ranking ... but in 2002, Ronaldo came back and tranformed Brazil NT back to it;s best rank FIFA #1 until 2006
They were a strong team, yeah, but that isn't necessarily why these guys were left out. IIRC, Felipao didn't want Romario because he ddn't want the team's chemistry altered by Romario's personality. And Elber and Jardel never showed the talent for Brasil that they showed for their clubs. Elber in particular didn't seem to really want the yellow shirt.