The fall of an empire?
Many once-powerful empires now belong to history. Some were victims of their own delusions of grandeur that pushed them into wars, only to be overpowered by other powerful forces spurred on by a hankering for a slice of global supremacy.
Hundreds of years on, some of these ex-empires are only remembered because of what has been handed down from generation to generation in historical accounts. That was all in the serious business of states seeking to dominate each other back then.
In modern times, however, the world had come to witness the rise and rise of one particular country to become a mighty empire because of how it turned football into an art best appreciated according to its rules. Talk about the world’s most popular sport without mention of Brazil was a boring affair.
Winning the world cup five times between 1958 and 2002 was the authority Brazil needed to stamp on the game. It virtually turned football into a patent owned by it. Because of how its brand of the game was enchanting to the eye, majority of its world-wide disciples felt an inexplicable sentimental attachment to it.
Believe it or not, the South American country became synonymous with football in its most beautiful form. Brazilian footballers came to be recognised as the finest breed of players one could think of anywhere on earth.
It’s not for fun that for years on end teams in the most glamorous leagues in the world have been in a stampede in the signing of Brazilian players. Their inclusion in any team simply meant quality on show.
It’s sad to relate, though, that Brazil 2014 that was to cement the five-time winners’ status turned into their waterloo, marking the beginning of the end of the great football empire. This was sparked by the 7-1 drubbing of Brazil by Germany at the semi-final stage and the 3-0 defeat to the Netherlands in the third place match.
The shock that reverberated across the world over the disgraceful fall of Brazil summed a disbelief that will be very difficult to deal with for years to come. It’s the kind of pride-puncturing defeat that sets things in reverse gear for a country as great as Brazil.
From all indications Brazil have suffered a calamitous damage to their image, and it will take more than a mere review of the situation to turn things around for them. Anything less than that will only amount to papering over the serious cracks left in the wake of the damage.
Brazil will have to swallow their pride and go back to the drawing board to analyse what went wrong with their campaign that has left millions, including non-Brazilians, heart-broken.
Being the second time they have hosted and failed to win the tournament, it’s time for a sober reflection, instead of being consumed with feelings of being the greatest in the world.
The painful truth is that a new era has begun, and Brazil will have to work extra hard if they want to remain relevant to the changing boundaries of supremacy in world football. With just one championship now separating them and Germany and Italy, they should understand the real threat to their stature more than anyone else.
I have absolute confidence in Brazil to rise to where they belong again. They still have talents in abundance, coupled with the economic might and passion to bring the desired results about.
True, Brazil’s image is in tatters now, but as sure as night yields place to day, the land of Samba football will smile again, sooner rather than later.