Brazilian soccer fans were already in a funk after a year that saw a string of poor results, a coaching void and a political tug of war at the country’s federation. Things got even worse after Brazil failed to qualify for the Paris Olympics thanks to a loss to archrival Argentina, meaning the two-time defending champion will not be part of the tournament this summer.
“It is sad, but it is more of an embarrassment,” striker John Kennedy said after the 1-0 loss. “We should have wanted to win more than we did.”
Brazil also failed to qualify for the 1992 and 2004 editions of the Olympic tournament, but those blips didn't coincide with a crisis for the senior national team. Brazil is only in sixth place in South American qualifying for the 2026 World Cup and its biggest star Neymar has been out with a serious knee injury since October.
Some fans and analysts had hoped 17-year-old striker Endrick — who is set to join Real Madrid this summer — would provide some cause for optimism by showcasing his talent during the Olympic qualifying tournament. And many supporters had been hoping to see Endrick and the 32-year-old Neymar play together on the Olympic team in Paris and lead Brazil to an unprecedented third straight gold medal.
This story is from the February 17, 2024 edition of Cricket Today.
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This story is from the February 17, 2024 edition of Cricket Today.
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