Brazil faces Norway in Sunday's round of 16, extending a streak of advancing from every World Cup group since 1966 and reaching at least the quarterfinals since 1990. Yet the five-time champions haven't lifted the trophy since 2002, a 24-year drought that has ESPN writers across six nations debating whether the Seleção's once-unmistakable aura has dimmed.
ESPN correspondents from the U.S., Mexico, U.K., France, Spain, and Australia shared generational touchstones: Americans recall Romário and Bebeto's 1994 triumph on home soil; Brits and French cite Ronaldo's 1998-2002 brilliance; Spaniards remember the 2006 "All-Star" squad of Ronaldinho, Kaká, and Adriano; Australians grew up on Ronaldo Nazário highlights; Mexicans point to Guillermo Ochoa's 2014 masterclass against Neymar's side.
The consensus: Brazil's yellow shirt still carries unique weight globally. Casual U.S. fans equate the nation with soccer itself; Mexicans adopt them post-elimination; Europeans trace their earliest football memories to Pelé, Zico, or Ronaldinho. But the free-flowing jogo bonito that defined eras from 1958 through 2002 feels increasingly like nostalgia.
Tradition remains Brazil's identity — an attacking mandate that brings anticipation every match. Yet results haven't matched the myth. The Seleção still captures imagination, but the gap between memory and current evidence widens with each tournament.
Source: ESPN Soccer · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing