Dieter B
Brazil is the only nation to have won the World Cup five times and, heading into Qatar, he is the favorite to win trophy number six. What is the secret? A gigantic population (around 215 million people) undoubtedly helps; some would say all you need to do is grab 11 people on Copacabana beach and send them on their way. The truth is much more complicated and much more interesting.
Pelé makes most of the headlines, but there is one man who has done even more to establish Brazil as the premier footballing nation. Mário Zagallo was a player in the triumphs of 1958 and 1962, coach in 1970 and assistant coach in 1994.
His highlight as a player was the 1962 tournament in Chile and when I tell the 91-year-old that England went to that World Cup without even a doctor, he almost jumps out of his seat. "It's hard to believe," he said. “What an incredible amount of time! We are considered a third world country, but in 1958 we had what we call a technical commission, a whole team of specialists working together. »
Table of contents
Brazil: the road to glory begins with failure
As so often in success stories, the road to glory begins with failure. Brazil suffered a traumatic defeat at home in the 1950 World Cup. The players were accused of not being macho enough, so four years later in Switzerland they went on a rampage to kick the big Hungarian in what would become the famous "Battle of Bern", a quarter-final that Brazil lost 4-2.
But these mistakes will not be repeated. On the road to Sweden 1958, João Havelange supports the Brazilian federation. He would enjoy a long and contentious reign as Fifa president, but despite all his faults, Havelange proved himself a competent administrator and ensured that Brazil was organised. They scouted training locations and accommodations in Sweden months in advance. They brought in doctors and dentists. There was even a premature experience as it turned out working with a sports psychologist.
And, above all, there were specialists in physical preparation. At that time, and for many years afterwards, physical preparation in England consisted of a few laps of the pitch followed by a game of snooker. Brazil had a head start.
They also had a tactical lead. They had brooded over the 1950 loss to Uruguay and had come to a conclusion: they needed more defensive cover. An extra player was therefore removed from the heart of the defence, and the modern back four was born.
Zagallo personifies this process. He was a skilled left-winger who could also work from the back in midfield – a two-shirt player, as they were known at the time.
Zagallo coaches the team
In Mexico, in 1970, Zagallo is now the team's coach, and advances the tactical revolution. “I see this team as a modern 4-5-1,” he says. “We were playing as a block, in a compact way, leaving only center-forward Tostão on the pitch. We got the rest of the team behind the line of the ball, saving our energy, and then when we won possession the quality of our team showed. And not just the quality of physical condition, too.
"Our physical preparation was excellent," recalls Zagallo. “We won most of our games in the second half. We had a huge advantage because we had trained for 21 days at altitude, and no one else had. »
We had an advantage because we had trained for 21 days at altitude.
MARIO ZAGALLO
Discover: World Cup 2022 — Top 27 channels and sites to watch all matches for free & World Cup 2022: 8 Football Stadiums You Should Know in Qatar
Brazil at the 2022 World Cup
Brazil have never been so dominant again, although they won two more in the next 12 World Cups (in 1994 and 2002). It has now been 20 years since Brazil won a victory, two decades in which Western Europe have been dominant, but there is justified confidence that this long wait may be over. Individual talent? Tick. A fine and tactically astute coach? Tick. A good sports medicine support team? Tick.
Everything must be in place. The lesson from Brazil's history is that the stars shine brighter when the team's collective balance is right and the preparation work has been done. The formula worked five times. Could it be the sixth?
