22 August 1993, the Estadio Morumbi, Sao Paulo. Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira emerges from the tunnel, looks around him and takes a long, deep breath. The pressure is on for A Seleção. Defeated in a FIFA World Cup™ qualifier for the very first time the previous month in Bolivia, they have no option but to beat Ecuador and turn on the style in doing so, the very least expected of them by their ever-demanding supporters.
Parreira spoke of the tension and pressure weighing down on his side. Though they eventually saw off the Ecuadorians 2-0, his charges did not do enough to please the Sao Paulo fans, who unceremoniously booed the home players off the pitch, subjecting them to the kind of stinging criticism that perhaps no other national team has to endure in victory.
Much has changed in the 21 years since then, not least the fact that A Seleção Brasileiranow have five world titles to their name instead of three. Though Parreira remains part of the set-up as technical director, Luiz Felipe Scolari is the man who now calls the shots from the dugout, having guided Brazil to a much-celebrated triumph in last year’s FIFA Confederations Cup.
One other thing that has changed is the reaction of the Seleção faithful to adversity, of which there has been plenty for the host nation in their first two games at the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil. Made to work hard in securing a tense comeback win over Croatia in the Opening Match of the tournament, Scolari’s side then fell short of the fans’ expectations in playing out a goalless draw with Mexico, the first time since June 2011 that Brazil had failed to score at home.
In days gone by such a result could well have been greeted with disappointment, criticism and talk of a crisis or even a disaster. But at the Castelao last Tuesday there was no booing from the stands or even the slightest complaint
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