The divorce between the selection and the Brazilian people is less from its poor performance at the World Cup in Qatar than in the disconnection of the players – mostly evolving in Europe – with their country, affirms the former striker of The Brazil team, in an interview with the “world”.
words collected by Bruno Meyerfeld (Rio de Janeiro, correspondent)
At 59, Walter Casagrande JR is one of the most listened to Brazilian football. Former Seleçao striker, the player was in the 1980s one of the pillars of “Corinthiane democracy”, who saw the players of the Corinthians of Sao Paulo resist the military dictatorship. Sweet colossus of 1.91 meters, thin and passionate, he now contributes as a columnist in the daily folha of Sao Paulo and at the UOL.com.br. site A few weeks after the elimination of Brazil against Croatia during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, he returned to the turpitudes of national futebol. last days. What does it represent for you?
He was the one who made me want to become a football player. Simply. His game, especially during the 1970 World Cup (I was 7 years old!), Was unforgettable. He had everything: dribbling, speed, shooting, physical strength, head strike … Some present it as a dated figure, outdated … None of that! He is the inventor of modern football. If Pelé played today, he would still be number 1!
On December 9, the day of the elimination of Brazil against Croatia during the World Cup, you signed a Tribune to the vitriol against the Seleçao. What are your main reproaches?
Already, our Seleçao was very bad sporting speaking. We did not make any good game. Some spectacular goals, such as Richarlison’s “chisel”, concealed our mistakes. On the technical level, there has been a blatant lack of preparation. We have not played enough friendly matches against high -level teams. We have not built a collective or thought of an effective strategic scheme. The responsibility of the coach, Tite, is enormous. He made a lot of mistakes, and summoned “stars” with bad or medium performance. Among them, Thiago Silva, Gabriel Jesus, Daniel Alves … He let rest all his strategy on a small square of players not at the level.
In your gallery, you evoke a break between the Brazilians and the Seleçao …
She is huge. But it does not come from sports. Admittedly, we no longer have players in the caliber of a Pelé, Romario or Ronaldo. The Brazilian game is less beautiful, less spectacular. But, in history, no defeat has diverted the Brazilians from their Seleçao. Between 1970 and 1994 (twenty-four years!), The team won no World Cup: that did not prevent supporters from encouraging him. The 1982 Seleçao, which bowed in the final phase, is celebrated as one of the best. The 7-1 defeat against Germany in 2014 was certainly a shock. But I would not make her responsible for this disaffection. Evil is elsewhere…
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