Brazil don land Townsville on Thursday as di Selecao begin anoda rebuild after dia latest World Cup exit. Di five-time world champions go face Socceroos for friendly match wey Carlo Ancelotti dey use start im first full World Cup cycle as Brazil head coach.
Di game no be normal friendly for Ancelotti. E talk say, “It’s difficult to say it’s a friendly. For Brazil, it will never be a friendly game. It will be an important game. A new season, we have a goal to find new players, to find a new generation of players for the World Cup and Copa America. And we start in the game tomorrow.”
Ancelotti dey stay 10-minute walk from Mad Cow Tavern on Flinders Street. Im dey prepare for games in Townsville and Brisbane against Socceroos side led by Tony Popovic. Popovic once served as Ancelotti guest at Milan and Bayern Munich. Ancelotti say dem be good friends. E say sometimes dem get chance to meet and talk football. Dem spend time together when Ancelotti dey Milan, and dem spend time together in Brisbane two nights ago. Ancelotti call Popovic fantastic coach and passionate manager. E hope best for am and say Popovic World Cup good, im team show strong quality and compact.
Brazil touring Australia no be completely new thing. Dem last play Socceroos and Argentina here for 2017. Dem would have faced Argentina again at MCG for 2022 if La Albiceleste no pull out. But Socceroos themselves never play A international in Townsville. Di city dey rugby league heartland, population just over 200,000, and im A-League representatives collapse for 2011.
Region welcome di five-time world champions with some kind bemused feeling. Hotels across di town don book out. Friday afternoon street party go feature Brazilian jiu-jitsu and capoeira demonstrations, Brazilian band and line dancing. Brazil dey Sunshine State because Queensland government work with promoters and Brazilian football federation, and dem fork out money to bring dem to “events capital of the north” as part of major events strategy. State minister for tourism Andrew Powell yan for media release say di “Crisafulli government went out and secured” di games.
Even with Brazil arrival, local pecking order still get Brisbane Lions quest for three-peat for Saturday AFL grand final, and day after Dolphins meet Sydney Roosters for dia first NRL preliminary final. But few fish pass Selecao. Legacy of more World Cup titles than any other nation demand respect. Di aura of shirt worn by Pele, Socrates, Roberto Carlos, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo and Neymar still dey. Vinicius, Raphinha, Marquinhos and oda stars na global superstars, and joga bonito cultural cachet still dey everywhere. Good vibes, good people and goodwill dey follow dem. One Brazilian supporter with prop World Cup trophy inside hand dey among people wey dey navigate connection to Townsville from Brisbane airport Thursday morning.
These fixtures, plus game against India on 3 October, go lucrative for South Americans. Dem even go take field for Queensland as official “home” side. If Brazil want genuine Australian football experience, dem go get one at Lang Park in Brisbane next Tuesday. Dem go play on surface only four days after Dolphins v Roosters preliminary final.
But Brazil land at inflection point after another World Cup failure. Two Queensland games na Brazil first since last-16 defeat to Norway for World Cup, dia earliest elimination since Argentina crash dem out for Italia 90. By time 2030 roll around, e go be 28 years since dia 2002 triumph for Japan and South Korea, dia longest drought since dem first win World Cup for 1958. Brazil no be di dominant global force dem once be. Plenty theories dey why, too many to unpack. One hypothesis point at rise in individualistic, prosperity and gospel Pentecostalism at expense of Catholicism inside team. With games against European foes wey dey knock dem out of World Cup harder to come by due to Uefa Nations League, cash-spinning tours against lesser opponents staged overseas at expense of connection with football-obsessed population also dey floated as possible contributor. Whatever cause, Ancelotti get task to right di ship for years ahead. And di journey begin for Townsville.
Australia enter di fixture with one win, two draws and two losses from dia last five matches. Dia most recent outing na 1-1 defeat to Egypt for World Cup. Dem also fall 2-0 to United States during group stage. A 2-0 win over Turkiye give brighter moment, while draws against Paraguay and Switzerland round out mixed run. Across those five games, Australia score five goals and concede four. Brazil recent form tell more positive story overall, with three wins, one draw and one defeat across dia last five. Dem beat Japan 2-1 and Scotland 3-0 for World Cup, and also see off Haiti 3-0. A 1-1 draw with Morocco and 2-1 loss to Norway for round of 16 na low points. Brazil score nine goals for that five-match stretch and concede four. Di most recent meeting between di two sides come for 2017 friendly, which Brazil win 4-0. Head-to-head record across last three known fixtures heavily favour Brazil, with Selecao also winning 6-0 and 2-0 for earlier encounters. Brazil score twelve goals across those three matches without conceding. Today game between Australia and Brazil go kick off at 11:00.
Manager Tony Popovic go set up Australia for 3 – 4 – 2 – 1. Manager Carlo Ancelotti go set up Brazil for 4 – 2 – 3 – 1. Lineups don announce and players dey warm up.
