Between scandals and failures: Why Brazilian football lost its soul

In football, it’s no different. This 2025 season is strange. Flamengo stood out as Brazilian champion and the Copa Libertadores da América, but failed in the Interclub World Cup, with that extravaganza of poorly taken penalties in the decision against PSG. The Brazilian team remains under suspicion, even with the hiring of renewed coach Carlo Ancelotti, on the eve of another World Cup.

The fans continue to wait for the team’s turnaround, which has failed in the last five World Cups, and for our clubs, who haven’t won a Club World Cup in 13 years.

For some time now I have been trying to find the reasons that led our football to this lower stage. After all, the secret of the game is creativity, and Brazilian players, especially those dozens of immortal stars from the past who so enchanted them, have always had that in spades.

Could it have just been the effect of the Pelé Law, which took control over the players away from the clubs, passing it on to businessmen and agents, who come and go in the clubs and in the CBF itself? In part, yes. However, the new generation of footballers has been poorly trained, for several reasons.

Football is still a passion. It is not just calculation, accumulation of money or tactical imposition of coaches that inhibits the initiative and creativity of modern players.

The million-dollar football business in recent years has completely changed the behavior of managers, coaches, executives and, above all, players.

It’s strange that our Brazilian team is no longer enchanting. No really convincing performance, no resounding result that reveals the emotion of the blood rushing through the body, no heat, just standard performances from athletes who, however, shine in defense of their European teams.