Yes, Brasil with an “s” – the way we write it in Portuguese. That’s how I like to start this post! And also, I can’t help but be optimistic about the Seleção, my beloved ‘Amarelinha’ – the yellow jersey cherished by Brazilians and feared by many. I grew up with the certainty that we would be there, competing fiercely for titles. And that feeling will never change.

The quarter-final elimination in the Copa América yesterday is another reminder that our history weighs heavily, but only on ourselves. I don’t think Brazil’s current generation of players is bad—quite the opposite. However, we lack some of the key players we once had in abundance. Since the 2022 World Cup, the CBF (Brazilian Football Confederation) has been completely lost, stuck in a time that was 20 years ago, a time we no longer have. But I will never believe that a Brazilian player lacks love for the jersey.

We have two years to find a way, not to guarantee victory, but to become competitive again and showcase our beloved beautiful game. The 2026 World Cup is around the corner, and the Seleção needs to demonstrate something—even if that something is just a tireless desire to refuse to lose. Our reality is no longer that of 2002, when we celebrated our fifth World Cup victory; this is perhaps the most challenging moment in the history of the Seleção. The disappointment of the 2022 World Cup still lingers, reminding us that we must adapt and evolve. We need to accept this new reality so that change can begin, starting with us, the convinced optimists. What we experienced with the Seleção from 1994 to 2002 was incredible, but that is in the past.

Image courtesy of Wikimedia