opinionThe Brazil delusion busted: It’s all enjoyable and video games, sure, till the penalty kicks John DoyleYesterday

So, there’s the shock of that: Brazil out of this World Cup. Crushed in a penalty shootout when, solely a bit earlier, it appeared like a single purpose of elegant ability by Neymar had the despatched the crew, the event favourites, previous Croatia and into the semi-finals.

The slick, dancing gods of South American soccer, defeated. The hype deflated. Winter is coming. It’s not the primary time that Brazil’s bubble has burst. It’s occurred so many occasions.

Like everybody of a sure age I swooned over Brazil watching the 1970 World Cup, the primary to be televised in color and Brazil’s yellow jerseys appeared to embody the crew’s joyous, always-attacking power. There was Pele, there have been feats with the ball that appeared magical. And there was a delusion all of us purchased into.

It hasn’t been the identical since then, and that’s Brazil’s tragic journey, a pilgrimage towards inevitable defeat by a European crew, regardless of the expertise it has. It’s a burden the Brazilians bear, that repeated pilgrimage towards defeat and being pilloried at residence for letting it occur once more.

Solely in 2002 did Brazil have the power, psychological and bodily, and ability to storm by a World Cup and beat Germany 2-0 within the remaining. Oh, it was so good then, it was supremely boastful.

I noticed Brazil play China in a beautiful stadium on Jeju Island, off the coast of South Korea. China’s gamers appeared petrified from the get-go. At one level I watched in amazement as Brazil’s Cafu, carrying the ball ahead, approached defender Li Weifeng, who stopped lifeless, panicky and uncertain of what to do. Cafu slowed, glanced on the defender who had neither the braveness nor the assets to sort out him, and Cafu made a brisk “come-here” gesture along with his hand. He was telling the defender, “Come on, play. Make a sport of it. Don’t be afraid.” It was like an grownup instructing a baby. And the kid froze, bewildered. Impatient, Cafu saved taking place the wing and crossed to an unmarked Ronaldo, who loitered on the again publish. With a sleek stroke on the ball, Ronaldo buried it behind the online.

Since then, Brazil’s genius has been chimeric and, unusually, Croatia has typically featured within the story of illusory brilliance. On the World Cup in Germany in 2006 I used to be within the stadium when Brazil defeated Croatia 1-0 within the opening spherical. It was a win, however what was famous by each crew opposing Brazil there may be how Croatia restricted Brazil and the way weak Brazil appeared for lengthy, lengthy durations. It was a really slender victory. Ronaldo, nonetheless taking part in, hung round with a sulky look and distinct lack of curiosity in doing something besides ready for the ball. Brazil was crushed by France within the quarter-finals.

In 2014, with Brazil taking part in host to the World Cup, it opened the event in Sao Paolo with a 3-1 victory over Croatia. It was a nervy win, settled by a doubtful penalty and Brazil allowed its first personal purpose at a World Cup. The crew appeared extra frenzied than relaxed, and there was nothing clean or elegant about it. Famously, Brazil was humiliatingly defeated 7-1 in a semi-final with Germany, permitting 4 objectives in a six-minute stretch. Uncovered as witless and disorganized, it grew to become the crew to neglect. Even nature agreed. Shortly after the sport, the heavens opened in Rio de Janeiro and it poured thunderous rain for hours and hours. It wasn’t a symbolic river of tears; it was just like the impulse to scrub every little thing away, down the drain.

In Russia in 2018, Brazil misplaced 2-1 to Belgium within the quarter-finals, having 27 photographs to Belgium’s 9. The sample is persistent: Since beating Germany within the remaining in 2002, Brazil has been eradicated in every of the previous 4 World Cups by European nations, together with three quarter-finals.

On social media there’s discuss of a “curse” when Brazil meets European groups. There isn’t any curse. As an alternative, there’s the Brazil delusion. It’s the parable of elegant expertise getting used to beat bodily and emotional burdens. It’s the parable of dancing, prancing soccer all the time successful in opposition to pedestrian opponents.

It’s a proven fact that the time spent dancing after scoring may higher have been spent finding out Croatia and recognizing that Croatia doesn’t know when it’s crushed. It’s a proven fact that finding out and practising penalty kicks is sweet preparation. You possibly can dance later, once you’ve received.

The parable will persist, most likely for years to come back. The parable is that it’s all enjoyable and video games. It’s, till the penalty kicks.