Brazil’s Sports Minister tags 7-1 defeat “Terrible Blemish”, Calls for Improvement of Domestic League
By Opeyemi Oladunjoye
Brazil’s sports minister, Aldo Rebelo, has said that his country’s 7-1 loss to Germany would leave a deep scar on the nation’s football psyche while also calling for an overhaul of facilities and coaching to improve the development of young players.
Although the heavy defeat would leave a lasting mark on Brazilian football, he said it should act as the catalyst for a wide ranging overhaul of domestic football so that fewer players left for Europe at a young age.
“It will be a deep scar for our football. But the best attitude we should adopt is to analyse the root causes and long lasting causes of that disaster,” said Rebelo. “Learn the lessons, try to correct them and overcome these failings so this doesn’t happen again. So that Brazil can have a national squad with the status it should have in world football.”
Brazil’s domestic league has provided the four most recent winners of the Copa Libertadores but has been marked by hooliganism, falling attendances and the large exodus of young players to Europe.
“We are discussing special legislation with the clubs to make their management more modern, taking on more responsibilities and commitment in terms of financial accountability and in terms of the calendar and the respect of the players,” Rebelo continued. “We are already quite advanced in this. This effort should be done regardless of our defeat to Germany.”
“We should also do the utmost to increase the quality of the management of our clubs. Many critics have mentioned that we have problems that have to be faced,” he said. “We export prime material and import finished products in terms of football. We export our star players, not only those playing but those being prepared.”
Rebelo also said that following the draw against Mexico in the group stage and the narrow victory over Chile on penalties it “wasn’t a big surprise” that they lost to Germany. According to him, the manner of the 7-1 defeat was a “terrible blemish”.
