SAO PAULO, (Reuters) – Brazil have nothing to prove in today’s friendly against Colombia in New Jersey despite an embarrassing World Cup exit, said defender Gil who has been called up for the first time.
The Corinthians player watched the humiliating 7-1 defeat by Germany in the semi-finals and 3-0 loss to the Netherlands in the third-place playoff.
But the strapping centre half, one of three uncapped players in Dunga’s squad, said the new coach has the experience to turn Brazil’s fortunes around.
“It’s not about lifting Brazilian football up again,” the 27-year old former Valenciennes player told Reuters before joining the squad in the United States. “Brazilian football doesn’t need to prove anything to anyone.”
“Of course, when something happens like what happened in the World Cup some things need to change. But we’re not worried about it because the people in charge of the national side know what needs to be done. A new era is starting and it is going to work out for Brazil.”
Not everyone shares that optimism. Brazil were outclassed by Germany and the Netherlands and were not convincing in many of their other games, including the 2-1 quarter-final win over Colombia.
Some Brazilians wanted a foreign coach and a complete overhaul of the national game, which is frequently chaotic.
The leagues do not stop for FIFA friendlies and it is not unusual for games to be decided by sports courts rather than on the field.
As the lack of big name transfers to Europe showed this transfer window, there is a sense Brazil is not producing as many talented youngsters as before.
Dunga, however, agrees with Gil and believes Brazil still have the players to compete at the highest level.
SECOND SPELL
Back for a second spell in charge four years after he was fired for losing to the Netherlands in the 2010 World Cup quarter-final, Dunga has included 10 of the 23 players who were at the 2014 World Cup in his first squad to face Colombia and then Ecuador, also in New Jersey, four days later.
The former midfield general told his players Brazil did not become a bad team because of a bad result.
“It is not because we had a negative result that everything is wrong,” he said when announcing his squad last month, adding the caveat,