The Crisis in Brazilian Football: Challenges and Solutions

The problems or crisis in Brazilian football today have their roots in decisions made long ago. Sacking Dorival Júnior is merely a reactionary move, not a long-term solution. One must delve into coaching philosophies, player skill sets, and grooming methods to truly understand the issue. However, merely identifying the problem won’t fix it—one must address the systemic flaws. Football has traditionally served as a means to escape poverty in Brazil and across Latin America. However, in Brazil, football is more than just a game. Children use various football-related activities from a young age as a form of training. Games like Futevôlei, Futsal, and Altimeto play a crucial role in player development. Futevôlei (one kind of volleyball played using legs) helps improve ball control, while Altimeto enhances quick passing instincts. Despite having over 2 million registered players, many miss out on learning technical fundamentals in their formative years. Additionally, Brazilian football has never emphasized positional play, which is crucial in modern tactical setups post-Cruyffian revolution.

Then comes the question of application. Just as Burger King outlets are everywhere in America, football academies are omnipresent in Brazil. Another key factor is the political influence in football. Local politicians fund academies and clubs to maintain relevance despite high corruption charges on numerous politicians), which contributes to the grassroots development of Brazilian football. As a result, players across different tiers of Brazilian leagues exhibit a unique domestic footballing identity.

What Is Going Wrong in Brazil?

Currently, Brazilian football faces two major issues, the two Crisis in Brazilian Football. First, players rarely stay long in domestic leagues after leaving academies. They move to Europe before maturing fully. Previously, legal barriers restricted this movement, but since the repeal of the “Pelé Law” (Lei Pelé) in 1998, transfers have become easier. But why was this law repealed?

For clubs, there are only two ways to stay afloat—sponsorships and player sales. The quality of sponsorships in Brazilian Serie A and Serie B is nowhere near the level of, say, the IPL in cricket. Betting companies dominate sponsorships, leading to unethical practices. Additionally, club owners operate on a short-term capital gain model, relying heavily on player sales for revenue. Examples include Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo Goes, who joined Real Madrid at 18, Endrick at 16, Gabriel Martinelli at 18 for Arsenal, and Marcos Leonardo at 19 for Benfica.

Now, the question arises—why does this not affect Argentina in the same way? The answer lies in coaching academies. Argentina has a well-structured system for training coaches. In Brazil, there are 1,927 coaching schools compared to 300 in Argentina. However, Brazil’s coaching schools are relatively small considering the geographical size. Moreover, in terms of quality, Argentina’s coaching institutions are superior.

Today, Argentine coaching methodologies have influenced Latin American cum world football significantly. Concepts like “La Salida Volpiana” and structured counter-pressing have been methodically ingrained. However, this discussion is about Brazil, not the success of Argentine coaching schools. If Brazil wants to improve, it must focus on tactical education alongside player development.

Currently, there are no Brazilian managers in the top five European leagues. Thiago Motta is not counted as he graduated from Italy’s prestigious Coverciano coaching institute. Even within the Brazilian league, Brazilian managers are scarce. Out of 20 teams, 9 have foreign managers, including major clubs like São Paulo (Luis Zubeldía), Corinthians (Ramon Diaz), Botafogo (Renato Paiva), Palmeiras (Abel Ferreira), and Santos (Pedro Caixinha). Additionally, 4 Argentine managers and 5 Portuguese managers hold key roles. Among the 11 Brazilian managers, some hold UEFA coaching licenses, such as Juventude’s Fábio Matias, who possesses a UEFA Pro License.

How Can they Solve the Crisis in Brazilian Football?

As Europe continues to raise the economic bar, Brazil cannot compete in this financial battle. Instead, the focus should be on properly training Brazilian coaches. It will be difficult for them to secure jobs in European clubs since academy-trained European players will struggle to adapt to their methods.

1. Since football academies develop players based on market demand, it will become increasingly difficult for Brazilian managers to secure jobs based solely on their footballing philosophy. Therefore, the domestic league itself must undergo structural changes.
2. Latin American football, particularly Brazilian football, is highly entertaining. Leveraging this, Brazil should enhance branding, especially targeting Asia, with a massive fanbase for Latin American football. Selling broadcasting rights at lower prices and adjusting match timings to fit foreign markets could be a strategic investment.
3. 
   Tourism should be a focus area. Latin America suffers from a violent image, discouraging many from attending matches despite their enthusiasm.
4. Not just clubs but the league’s business model must evolve. Regulatory bodies must become more administratively proactive to ensure sustainability.
5. There should be forums or open platforms to grow up coaching debate culture around football. Otherwise, the game will be limited to feet rather than boards.    

Bringing in European managers may yield short-term success but will not serve as a long-term solution. The core issues embedded within the system must be addressed first.