Forget about the searing injustice. Try, if you can, to eradicate the memory of one of the worst refereeing displays ever seen in a major tournament.
Yes, the hapless Uruguayan referee, Andres Cunha, dropped an almighty blunder by allowing Raul Ruidiaz’s winning goal for Peru on Sunday night despite a clear handball. The result, and the repercussions which will be long, arduous and potentially leave people searching for new jobs following Brazil’s shock exit from the Copa America Centenario, was, however, about more than just a bad call.
It’s a story of the kings of soccer, the five-time world champions, the purveyors of o jogo bonito taking a two-year journey to skid row. It’s a story of a vibrant, fascinating, culturally rich country tearing itself apart in the midst of a debilitating economic and political crisis. A story of fans sick of the incompetence of CBF, the game’s governing body in Brazil, bringing shame to proud people who deserve much better.
Sunday’s result was greeted with shrugs back home. On the whole, people have been more interested in domestic action: apathy and disillusionment concerning the national team have seeped in ever since Germany delivered that astonishing 7-1 beating in the World Cup semi-final two years ago.
The Selecao, once seen as the team of the people, a vestige of hope for those who live with nothing, had betrayed a nation, and there is a worrying disconnect manifesting itself right now. Many in Brazil question the billions of dollars spent on staging a World Cup and Olympic Games when millions remain, and continue to live, in abject poverty.
The former CBF head, Jose Maria Marin, was indicted with nine others last May in conjunction with the FBI crackdown on FIFA corruption. A few months later his replacement, Marco Polo Del Nero, also received a knock on his door.
It is, perhaps, little surprise that Brazil have failed again in a major tournament when men such as these are in charge of leading the team’s recovery, and two years on from that incredible, unforgettable night against Germany, there are scant signs of improvement. The defeat to Peru was just another kick to a team already sprawling on the turf.
On Sunday the Brazil coach, Dunga, looked forlorn on the sidelines. In his second spell as national team manager, his days are surely numbered. Indeed, if it wasn’t for this summer’s Rio Olympics, his seat would surely already be vacant. The man who lifted the World Cup in 1994 – in the US incidentally – knows a gold medal on home soil is the priority.
There still remains quality in the ranks – Neymar, Philippe Coutinho, Casemiro, Willian as well as the injured Oscar – are top-class talents. But despite those bright spots there is a worrying lack of striking talent from the country that produced names like Pele, Romario and Ronaldo, just to name a few.
Change at the top needs to be made, and fast, though the timing couldn’t be worse. The Brazilian people, and their glorious football legacy, certainly deserve better.