World Cup Corner

Avid fans of football yearns for just one piece of clothing, and that is the 1970 version of the Brazilian shirt that seems to symbolize football at its finest. The garment alone can stir visions of a true football game, and all because of the team behind it. The Brazilian team, the Greatest Ever Team, displays their brilliance that most fans cannot seem to get enough of. In 1970, Brazil was at its peak, rejoicing their third victory, which was still to be followed by two more.

Brazil did not have a smooth ride to the top. In 1930, they were just like any other team. Beatable, nothing special. They even exited during the first round of the 1930 tournament after they were defeated by Yugoslavia. In 1934, they were just a pebble in Spain’s way to victory, and they were kicked off just as easily as one. But 1938 was a different year for Brazil. It seemed that their flame started to spark, and they entered the semi-finals in the France tournament, thanks to their player Leonidas. They scored goal after goal, and eventually won 6-5 against Poland. It seemed, however, that Brazil became a bit lax during the tournament, and were eventually beaten by Italy during the semi-finals. The loss was an undeserved one, looking at Brazil’s strength and abilities. It was due to a proud decision to let their strongest player sit out the match against Italy so that he could prepare for the final match, and that decision possibly cost them a trophy.

After that, they still had a long way to go before they reached the stage they’re in now. In 1950, they suffered a heavy blow, as hosts of the tournament and eventual losers to Uruguay. The loss affected the Brazilians so much that some of the players even suffered mental trauma from it. In 1954, it was Hungary’s turn to beat them at 4-2 during the quarter finals. In 1958, they still hadn’t recovered, even coming to the tournament with a psychologist. It was then that they started to show a side of the powerful Brazil that we know today. With Pele, at seventeen, and at the start of his legendary football career, Brazil was finally able to come back with a vengeance after their traumatic losses of the past years. They came out the winner after beating Sweden at 5-2, and it was like all the strength they had in store was just beginning to come out. For the first time, Brazilian hands help up the elusive trophy, but it was not to be the last time. Four years later, it was like they wanted more of the sweet victory that they experienced last time, and they wondrously won out over Czechoslovakia at 3-1, even with Pele injured on the sidelines. However, in England, Pele once again got sidelined due to injury, and it seemed that the injury came when he was much needed. Finally, the team had to say goodbye to the trophy as Portugal ended their dreams.

And then the 1970 World Cup tournament came around. It was a tournament that has become very much associated with the names of Gerson, Jairzinho, Rivelino, Pele, and the rest of the Brazilian team, all because of their undeniable dominance throughout the tournament. It seemed that all the players pooled their abilities together, until the trophy was once more undeniably theirs. In the final match against Italy, they dramatically swept the ball throughout their entire team and outsmarting their Italian opponents. The following years far from mirrored the wonder of the 1970 tournament. In 1978, they lost to Argentina through goalkeeper Ramon Quiroga. In 1982 and 1986, they failed twice over to regain the Cup before losing miserably after a strategy adjustment during the 1990 World Cup. The expectations of their nation mounted as years went by and not even a shadow of their former glory showed out. But it took yet some more years before Brazil reclaimed the trophy, and their glory as well. They also had to suffer a devastating and quite embarrasing loss before the 2002 World Cup arrived, renewing the hopes of Brazilians. The embarrasing loss in the tournament before the Japan and Korea World Cup seemed to have fueled their desire to show the world that they can still be champions, and so they did, beating Turkey and finally, Germany, by two goals.

Brazil’s track record in the finals is plagued with embarrasing losses and winning draughts. But when Brazil won, they do so in style and with so much intensity that no other team could have invoked in the audience that reminiscent football feeling that Brazil, especially during the 1970’s, had.