Brazil coach Pia Sundhage confronted widespread criticism within the South American nation after the workforce was eradicated within the group stage on the Girls’s World Cup.
Commentators and followers complained in regards to the workforce’s lack of aptitude and Sundhage’s techniques following a 0-0 draw Wednesday in opposition to Jamaica, a workforce Brazil beat 3-0 within the earlier Girls’s World Cup 4 years in the past.
The 63-year-old Swedish coach beforehand led the USA to 2 Olympic titles and has been accountable for Brazil since 2019. However her workforce misplaced within the quarterfinals of the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and completed third of their World Cup group behind France and Jamaica. It’s the first time since 1995 that Brazil did not attain the knockout stage of the Girls’s World Cup.
The hashtag ParabensPia (CongratulationsPia in Portuguese) flooded social media channels in Brazil after the sport, with many followers complaining that the workforce lacked creativity and that Sundhage was too cautious in making her substitutions. The 37-year-old Marta began for the primary time within the event and performed till the 81st minute however failed so as to add to her report tally of 17 profession World Cup targets.
Ana Thais Matos, one of many primary soccer analysts for TV Globo, criticised Sundhage’s model of teaching however added that the gamers lacked the character to transcend the coach’s recommendation and belief their abilities.
“I’ve mentioned this workforce had issues over the past 4 years. And all we heard was about renovation. The brand new factor Brazil introduced was the mediocre soccer on the newest Olympic Video games and now on the World Cup,” Matos mentioned. “What Brazil confirmed on this World Cup was disappointing. However our historical past is large and no coach must be larger than Brazil.”
Former Brazil participant Formiga, now a TV analyst, mentioned she feels the frustration of each one among these women, as a result of it is extremely painful to exit like this.
“The frustration was painful for Brazilian youngsters, too, particularly women.”
A bunch of 16 women and younger girls gathered in Rio de Janeiro’s working-class Manguinhos neighbourhood to look at the match and pray for a win. When the ultimate whistle blew, lots of the women sank their heads into their fingers.
One of many attendees in Manguinhos was Kauany de Paula Souza, a 16-year-old who performs within the so-called Favela Cup that pits groups from totally different low-income neighbourhoods throughout the nation in opposition to each other. Souza hopes to sooner or later play for the Brazilian nationwide workforce, and nonetheless believes that her nation will some day raise the World Cup trophy.
It did not occur now, however we’ve got to proceed with our lives and hope for the following time, she mentioned, including that she additionally thought Brazil ought to have been extra attack-minded in opposition to Jamaica. Proceed and persist, till we win.
9-year-old Clarice Acayaba Moraes awakened early at her downtown Sao Paulo condominium, wearing Brazil colours and acquired chocolate truffles with inexperienced and yellow sprinkles. She anticipated to eat one for every objective her workforce scored in opposition to Jamaica. She watched Brazil fail time and again to attain in opposition to their rivals and went increasingly more silent because the match approached the ultimate whistle. On the finish, Clarice ate the truffles in disappointment.
“I’m upset that Marta will stay along with her 17 targets,” mentioned Acayaba, who began her Girls’s World Cup sticker e book weeks earlier than the event started. “A minimum of it’s Jamaica going by way of.”
