Sepp Blatter, WWC organizers are fond to remind, told the world last summer that football’s future was feminine. He forgot to mention that it’s Brazilian, too.
No national women’s program has come so far so quickly as Brazil’s, which emerged as a force during the Atlanta Olympics and has improved steadily since.
The Brazilians have so much talent, so much moxie and such a huge pool of potential players that it is clearly within their reach to dominate women’s soccer as the United States and Norway have the last eight years.
“For sure, they’re not satisfied with their men’s team not being the best, I can tell you they’re definitely not satisfied with their women’s team not being the best,” says U.S. coach Tony DiCicco, whose team might catch up with the Brazilians in the quarterfinals or semifinals. “They’re somebody to be reckoned with.”
They haven’t always been. Their first two WWCs featured lopsided losses ù 5-0 to the U.S. in ’91, 6-1 to Germany in ’95 ù but were transformed into a technical, sophisticated team by ’96, when they lost in the bronze-medal game to Norway.
This time around, Brazil will be without Roseli ù their top striker, sidelined by torn knee ligaments ù but Sissi, Pretinha, Katia and Elane are as capable as, and far more spectacular than, anyone else in the WWC.
“I haven’t been intimidated by any international team until I saw Brazil play us [May 22 in Orlando, Fla., a 3-0 U.S. win],” former U.S. coach Anson Dorrance said. “They showed a quality that terrified me, and when I looked at the roster, I was more nervous. … They’re all 22 years old.
“Their arrogance on the ball doesn’t make sense for someone so young except that they’re Brazil and this is their heritage. The next challenge is figuring out how to stay on top of Brazil.”
by Soccer America Senior Editor Scott French