The outlook for South Americans does not look very encouraging ahead of the appointment in the Middle Easteither. The gap widened in almost all areas: economic potential, more competitive tournaments and the exodus of young people from the region at an increasingly younger age, conspire against less unequal competition.
In the bid for the leadership of soccer, South America can fight in practically only one aspect, although of qualitative importance: the contribution of their great talents who are able to cut a negative series started in Germany-2006 (Italy champion).
In that period of four World Cups, only European teams won the cup, with a peak in Russia-2018, where the four semifinalists were teams from the old continent (the champion France, Croatia, Belgium and England).
This streak turned the balance and now Europe leads South America in world titles with 12 conquests against 9. To the unquestionable economic superiority that absorbed great South American figures, Europe added the concern for the formation of their own figures, relegated by the expensive signings.
“In other words, the investment was not only to buy global stars from South America and Africa, but also to invest in their own players,” Argentine journalist and writer Ezequiel Fernandez Moores told AFP.
Fernandez Moores, author of the book “Brief history of Argentine sport”said “this is noticeable. Europe started playing football well, it wasn’t just the money. That combo made the distance get bigger and bigger.”
Nevertheless, the South Americans trust that in Qatar the great moment of Lionel Messi as leader of an Albiceleste that accumulates 35 games undefeated -including the Copa América 2021 in Brazil and the bicontinental ‘Finalissima’ against Italy- or the solidity and category of Brazil, can change history.
“For me, the two top candidates are Brazil and Argentina. I think they are better than the rest today. The great European teams have many problems and not only injuries, but also internal, operational problems,” Uruguayan Gustavo Poyet, the Greece coach, told AFP.
The same assessment was made by the Brazilian Cafu, world champion in 1994 and 2002. “Brazil is coming off a very good season. Argentina has a very good team too. I see both teams with great potential to win the World Cup”. he explained to AFP.
Fernández Moores argued that in order to maintain an eventual change of course, it is necessary to “return to work very solidly on the projects” and “the greater the precariousness, the more the project suffers”.
“And there is precariousness in football in this region, except for Brazil, which has taken a long distance. Just as Europe took a great distance from South America, Brazil took a very wide distance from South America”, he pointed out.
End of game! With goals from Raphinha (2), Richarlison, Neymar and Pedro, the Seleção Brasileira beat Tunísia 5-1.
📷: Lucas Figueiredo / CBF pic.twitter.com/6ag0ABR5AT
– CBF Soccer (@CBF_Futebol) September 27, 2022
Less $$$, more talents
The emergence of various groups of talented footballers, now the generation led by Messi and Neymar, are the ones that can make the difference in narrowing the gap between Europe and South America.
“Brazil has had a generational change: in the last 20 years it has become a stronger, organized team (…) This way, creative players have more support behind them and feel safer”, said Poyet, former Betis coach, among others.
Regarding the other South American colossus, he opined that “This team from Argentina knows how to win with Messi, so he starts to have another leading role. (Lionel) Scaloni has achieved it, that’s why they are candidates to win the World Cup”.
The Argentine crack, who will play his fifth World Cup, got rid of a heavy backpack by winning the Copa América in Brazil-2021 after 28 years of albiceleste drought and now he looks liberated, without ties.
“Sometimes large groups of players come out and that helps: we said that a genius like Maradona was never going to appear and Messi appeared“Fernández Moores highlighted.
🏆 #Friendly#DatoAlbiceleste 🇦🇷
Celebrate the #Scaloneta 🚍! @Argentina extends its unbeaten run to 35 games, the best current streak in national team football ⚽
📝 https://t.co/kONKgk4Yqe pic.twitter.com/OmIpcZBWA5
– Argentina National Team 🇦🇷 (@Argentina) September 28, 2022
Mbappé lit the fuse
Among those destined to occupy the scepter of the best footballer on the planet, the Frenchman Killian Mbappé had once again lit the fuse of the old controversy of the rivalry between Europe and South America, six months before the World Cup.
“In South America, football is not as advanced as in Europe, and that is why when you look at the last World Cups, it is the Europeans who win them”launched the striker.
Almost immediately, many South Americans went for the jugular. The Brazilian DT Tite, able to speak on the subject with great authority, replied:
“For me, the cut that Mbappé is referring to is not the knockouts. Maybe he’s talking about these Nations League games or European friendlies, but not about the qualifiersTite told ESPN.
And I add: “We do not have, with all due respect, Azerbaijan to play with. We don’t have one to give you a break. They are all games with a very high degree of difficulty in the knockout rounds” South Americans.
Starting in 2002, with the fifth title for Brazil, all the World Cup trophies went to European showcases: Italy in 2006, Spain in 2010, Germany in 2014 and France in 2018.
And also in 2014 a European team won a World Cup in America for the first time. Complete sports drama for South America, seeking revenge in Qatar. Before it is too late.
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