Brazil hopes to end a 24-year wait for World Cup glory. The pressure has never been greater
By Emile Nuh, CNN
(CNN) — The quest for a sixth star begins again for Brazil.
This storied, soccer-mad nation has lifted the World Cup five times – more than any other country – but its last triumph in 2002 is beginning to feel like a distant memory as over two decades of frustration have followed.
France ended the Seleção’s campaign in the 2006 quarterfinals, the Netherlands did so in 2010, Germany inflicted one of the most infamous defeats in the sport’s history in 2014 – a 7-1 drubbing that had fans crying in the stands – and quarterfinal exits followed again in 2018 and 2022.
An entire generation of Brazilians has never seen their country win a World Cup. Stories have been told about Ronaldo Nazário leading the Canarinha to glory in 2002 after the disappointment of France ’98. They have heard the tales of Romário ending their last 24-year drought in 1994.
Older generations passed down memories of the legendary team that shone at Mexico 1970. Some even witnessed Garrincha’s brilliance in 1962. Even fewer still can remember how a 17-year-old Pelé captured the hearts of a nation with his genius in 1958.
Now, after 24 years in the wilderness, a new generation is looking to write its own chapter, of which Vinícius Júnior is expected to be the lead author.
But despite the obvious clamor among Brazilians for world supremacy yet again, expectations appear to be at an all-time low.
Why belief is so low
An April survey carried out by Brazilian polling institute Datafolha found that only 29% of the population believes the Seleção can win the World Cup, the lowest figure since it began polling in 1994.
A further 46% do not even expect the squad to advance past the quarterfinals, where they have faltered the last two tournaments.
The pessimism exists for good reason, as Brazil’s journey to the World Cup was characterized by scandals off the pitch and underperformance on it.
It was just over a year ago in May 2025 that a Rio de Janeiro court ordered the removal of former Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) president Ednaldo Rodrigues for allegedly falsifying documents to win re-election earlier that year.
The ruling came just three days after Carlo Ancelotti was announced as head coach, as the team was going through its worst World Cup qualifying campaign in history.
Brazil finished a lowly fifth in CONMEBOL standings with just 28 points from 18 games, 10 points behind arch-rival Argentina which finished top. The low point also came against the Albiceleste, who thumped them 4-1 in Buenos Aires without Lionel Messi.
Captain Marquinhos called the result “embarrassing” to Brazilian broadcaster TV Globo and said it “can’t happen again,” even going as far as offering a public apology: “I’m sorry for our fans.”
The apology was certainly warranted, given the Seleção’s biggest loss to Argentina since 1964, which ultimately cost Dorival Júnior his job and accelerated the arrival of former Real Madrid boss Ancelotti.
The ghosts of Belo Horizonte
However, no moment symbolizes Brazilian soccer’s decline more than the 90 minutes of chaos at Belo Horizonte’s Mineirão stadium when the host nation took on Die Mannschaft in the World Cup semifinals on July 8, 2014.
The Seleção found itself 5-0 down after 30 minutes, then in a 7-0 hole 10 minutes from the final whistle, before Oscar scored the most insignificant of consolation goals in the final minute.
The debacle became known as the Mineiraço and – perhaps in addition to being stunned 2-1 by Uruguay in the decisive match of the 1950 World Cup, the first time it served as host – it is the most traumatic sporting result in Brazilian sporting history.
“7-1 has entered the language,” South American soccer expert Tim Vickery bluntly told CNN Sports.
“You just refer to any massive humiliating defeat, in any walk of life, as a 7-1. … That’s a stain on the carpet that’s not coming out anytime soon. The only way they can get over it is by winning the World Cup.”
But for the Seleção to achieve that, the team must likely do something it hasn’t managed since Ronaldo & Co. defeated Germany in the 2002 final: beat a European nation in the knockout stages.
France, the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and then Croatia all broke Brazilian hearts over the last five World Cups. And as embarrassing as the “7-1” was, it was part of a wider phenomenon of the nation falling short against European opposition.
“I know some journalists who are saying, ‘I don’t even mind if we don’t win this time, as long as we beat a European team in the knockout stages,’” Vickery – co-author of the new book, “Mundiales: A South American History of the World Cup” – said humorously.
If Ancelotti’s side does top Group C as expected, it will be set on a path to potentially meet Euro 2020 and 2024 finalist England in the quarterfinals – should The Three Lions also top their group.
However, even if that blockbuster clash does come to fruition and Brazil is victorious, it won’t be enough for many – only a sixth star will suffice.
Seeds of expectation sown in 1970
The story of the World Cup cannot be told without “Brazil 1970” – it has become an idiom in global soccer vocabulary.
For many people, their first memories, or earliest references of this showpiece tournament began with Pelé in Mexico. Partly because it was the first World Cup to be broadcast in color, meaning the yellow shirt shone brightly on TV screens for the very first time.
But mainly because O Time Belo (“The Beautiful Team”) was expressing itself with its feet in a way that hadn’t been seen before.
Because of this, “it was absolutely natural for people at the time to make a connection between that and the moon landing a few months earlier,” said Vickery.
Just 20 years prior, Brazil had suffered its first great sporting heartbreak at the newly-built Maracanã – the shock loss to Uruguay dubbed the Maracanaço. But victory over Italy in 1970 etched a third star, and ensured the Seleção kept permanent ownership of the then named Jules Rimet Trophy.
More importantly, it solidified the nation’s status as the gold standard in international soccer.
“In 1958, Brazil was really the third force in South America behind Argentina and Uruguay,” Vickery told CNN Sports.
“Then over 12 years, they became the country of football, and the yellow shirt was associated with all that was good and pure in The Beautiful Game.”
However, despite that success giving the Seleção unrivaled pedigree, it has created a burden for the following generations because “every World Cup has since been judged by 1970,” according to Vickery.
Alongside that, it also placed an onus on those that followed to play a brand of soccer that paid homage to the heroes of the past.
That is why 24-year World Cup drought “feels more serious than the last 24-year gap,” said Vickery. “Because what you thought of Brazil wasn’t just winning, it was winning with style. Sometimes… it was even not winning, (just) in style.”
This is exemplified by the Seleção’s 1982 side. Often regarded as the greatest team never to win the World Cup, it is still revered to this day, despite not even reaching the final four in Spain.
But as Vickery said, “over the last few years, they haven’t been winning, and you don’t really think of them with the same monopoly on stylish football they had before.”
Vinícius is Brazil’s next hope
One player, however, who does still exude that style is Vinícius Jr., and he must take center stage if Brazil is to be successful.
Every Brazilian World Cup triumph has had a defining figure: Pelé in 1958 and 1970, Garrincha in 1962, Romário in 1994, and Ronaldo in 2002.
If the Seleção is to win this tournament, the Real Madrid superstar will likely need to join that list.
“It’s his cup. It’s the cup for him to shine and stand out,” Brazil’s 2002 World Cup-winning captain Cafu told CNN Sports in April.
“All eyes will be on Vini Jr. And I am sure that, if he has the calmness and he is conscious that this is his World Cup, he will really help the Brazilian team.”
Four years ago in Qatar, Vinícius was already a key player, but the spotlight still belonged to Neymar Jr. Now, the hopes of more than 213 million Brazilians will rest largely on the Los Blancos star’s shoulders.
The 25-year-old, however, seems unfazed by this. “It’s nothing out of the ordinary,” Vinicíus told FIFA during the March international break.
“I’ve been playing for the Seleção since I was 19. Before, I was just a wonderkid, but now I’m at the forefront, leading the team and trying to take Brazil back to the top of world football. It is a huge responsibility, and one I truly value.”
A two-time Champions League winner, Ballon d’Or runner-up and FIFA’s best men’s player in 2024, Vinícius has already achieved more than most players could dream of.
But leading Brazil to its long-awaited sixth World Cup would elevate him into a different category altogether.
Yet, there is one man with even more at stake: Neymar.
A fairytale ending for Neymar?
When Ancelotti named Neymar in his 26-player squad, eyebrows were raised.
The 34-year-old has not played for Brazil since October 2023 and has spent the last two years battling injuries. Yet, when his name was called, those in attendance in Rio de Janeiro erupted in celebration.
“Olé, olé, olé, olá… Neymar, Neymar,” was being chanted throughout the Museum of Tomorrow, as the Seleção’s all-time top goalscorer had one final chance to fulfill his World Cup destiny.
In many ways, Neymar embodies the vision Brazilian soccer first showcased to the world back in 1970. But more importantly, it comes back to that fateful day in Belo Horizonte.
A defining moment of the 2014 World Cup was when David Luiz and Júlio César, while belting out the national anthem before kickoff, were holding up the star forward’s No. 10 shirt. Neymar missed that fateful day with an injury suffered in Brazil’s quarterfinal win over Colombia. Twelve years on, he still inspires hope.
“Neymar is a guy that we don’t need to evaluate to take to a World Cup,” Brazil icon Ronaldo told CNN en Español in March. “Maybe he won’t play all the games, but (he) is a very important player who has shown his value.”
O Fenômeno also had one final message to fans ahead of the tournament.
“Believe, as we always do in World Cup times. Let’s go back to painting the streets (and) filling them with flags. I hope that we can bring the sixth title to Brazil.”
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CNN’s Savannah Weiler contributed to this feature.
