I want to know from you guys, why is Brazil such a powerhouse? Why do people hate on the Brazilian squad so much?
I don't think its hate. It's about our technically poor team compared to others WC, which it's upsetting some foreigners (and brazilians). I fear Brazil will never have some many outstanding players like before. Our Brasileirão is being badly managed year by year and our best players are going overseas too young.
After how your fans at the stadium disrespected the singing of our national anthem, before the match started between both of our teams, you've really won it this time (at least from a chilean perspective, now, it is hate)
Brazil is a powerhouse becuase its all Brazlians have did for years { amongst other things } in the street from a young age, Brazlians play. Its what they do. Its in their blood and often its all some have - to be able to play football. When its all you do you get good at it and technically at a young age the brazlians are the best. As for the hate, well many people just dont want to see the same teams win all the time. Thats all. Hate in that respect. This team isnt like past Brazilian teams at least at this stage and as the above said the jeering during the chilean national anthem was disrespectful but others have did this also. [mods note - personal attacks are also disrespectful]
I actually think Brazil in general get very little hate, especially here in Europe where they traditionally have been very popular and get very high ratings during broadcasts. It seems the hate mainly comes from other South American rivals. I never encountered a single European football fan that hates Brazil. Sure, sometimes Europeans might cheer for a team like Chile to beat them but that's not hate but simply the fairly normal tendency to support underdogs. As to why Brazil have been so good in the past? What sports a country excels in is usually a combination of tradition and the standing of the sport in the country. Why are New Zealand so strong in Rugby? Why is the Czech Republic so strong in Ice Hockey? Why are the West Indies so strong in Cricket? Because those sports have a huge meaning and tradition in those countries and young talents are more likely to play them than other sports.
Brazil is a football mad country with 200 million people. That's one reason. Brazil has always been well liked in England, although they might have lost a few fans after the Rivaldo incident.
I'm also not aware of any 'hate' towards Brazil, quite the opposite, but I'm sure many South Americans are probably fed up with losing to this soccer giant time & time again. Some people - myself included - are maybe a little disappointed that Brazil seem to have abandoned the 'Samba' style of the 1970's and earlier, and now play very similar to most European teams. I think the last time I saw a Brazilian player dribble, futvolei and magic trick his way through 3, 4 or more defenders was around 1982....... It's been long passes and hard tackles since. Might as well watch Germany vs. Scotland.
Brazil is a superpower because it's got the largest population of any traditional soccer nation. It's the same reason that Germany is a superpower and Poland is not, why England is better than Scotland, why the US is better than Canada, why Mexico is better than Honduras.
I'd like to know why they lack top quality forwards like the old days . Neymar stands out like a beacon , Hulk was decent yesterday but when Fred is a fixture up front you know you're in trouble . Brasil haven't got a chance of winning the WC because of that and the fact they have very little midfield invention and creativity . Why on earth they didn't take Liverpool's Coutinho I will never know !!
Fred is in the squad because he is one Scolari's favorites. I agree with you and he should not be in the NT.
It is a soccer crazy country of 200 million. Also they have developed good ways to locate talented youngsters and get them good coaching. Though they don't seem as strong as they have in the past. Why hate them, - that is easy, I root for Argentina and Chile.
No hating here. We have loved the Brazilian team for years, partly because our dear coach "Z," short for Zequinha (José Márcio Pereira da Silva), who coached both of my kids, was a Brazilian football player who imparted a love for the game in them. Also very very nice guy and always insisted our kids root for Brazil.
Population does matter, but there are exceptions. The Netherlands (14 million) have been oh so very close to 3 WC titles, Belgium (10 million) aren't exactly slouches, Uruguay (3.5 million) may have a food shortage, forcing some of their players to look for greener, erm, pastures, but they're pretty good, too. Teams from countries like Croatia, Bosnia, Slovenia, Hungary may wilt in the freewheeling tropical climate and atmosphere of Brazil, but they'll feel right at home 4 years from now. None of them have large populations, but it only takes 11 guys, they do have that many. Aside from the fact that counting medals isn't really what the Olympic Games are supposed to be about, Norway (4 million) are embarrassing everyone else, last time I looked, they were actually leading the overall Winter Olympics medal count. Switzerland (6 million) and Austria (7.5 million) aren't bad, either. I hear Aussie (15 million) account very well for themselves in the Summer Games.
No! Most developed countries have fields where boys can play there. In Brazil we usually play at futsal courts or streets, and most professional players came from that background. At futsal/street you have less space, so you must learn to do some tricks and play smartly.
Not sure if this is an urban legend but another day in a Sport shown on TV, a soccer pundit was saying Brazil got to be what Brazil is for football because of the 1958 Cup. They said that the way we played, which was a sharp contrast to the European game, capture the attention and the imagination of European public it seems that the public even chanted "Brazil, Brazil" thus it was the first time we had you country acknowledge for a country that produces something other than tropical commodities. Back in Brazil this story resonated with the mass so people stated to play the game and it became our national game. I have no clue if this is true but I liked this story ps.: I do not think Brazil is a super power. A super power wouldn't stay 24 years without a title. We are not like US in basketball. I think football do not have a super power and that is one of its main attrition to me.
Cross-post (my 2c): Basically Brazil is the country with 5th highest population in the world, performing relatively underwhelming at other sports. Then also the country with 6th or 7th highest GDP, with big foreign investments in football as small bonus. Still, they over-perform a bit according to the soccernomics book.
It's certainly to please me. Yes, even before I was born, Brazil was already winning titles in order to please it´s future most important person ever. I am that self-centered. seriously... I think one reason for that is that Brazil doesn´t have a speficic doctrine on how the game should be played. Brazil does everything to WIN. We lost 1982. What did we do? Let´s continue with this style because it pleases foreigners? NO. We changed style so we could win it again. I think the trauma of 1950 may have played a part in Brazil's obsession with the World Cup. In 1958, Brazil took a full team including dentists, psychologists, etc, etc, to Sweden. Tim Vickery says Zagallo was absolutelly surprised when Vickery told him that England did not even took a doctor. So yes, Brazil was ahead of it´s time in physical preparation. The "flamboyant" Brazilian style always hid some truths about Brazil, like the fact Brazil has the best defense of all countries in the World Cup (least average goals conceded). That brazilian players were usually very good athletes, with good stamina and speed, that Brazil plays to win, not to please the eyes of foreigners. If BOTH can be achieved, good, if not, the most important of the two is winning it.
Brazil is one of the best volleyballing countries on the planet, and was the absolute best for a 15 years period. foreign investments in football?
no, idiots at the stadium did. It´s a parcel of the population of Belo Horizonte. I saw however tons of brazilians regretting the behavior on the internet. So, did Brazil booed Chile´s national anthemn or did brazilians thought that action regretabble? Who are more "brazilian"? I think this may be a myth. Most players start already as kids playing mostly on football pitches, in soccer schools or clubs children divisions. a minority of professionals played at futsal courts or played for long on "the street".
That's the exception, as well as motor racing and the scarce world class swimmer. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazil_at_the_Olympics Certainly. Brazilian football is the type of entity that attracts this.