Brazil's Hungry New Wave Launch Copa America Campaign

At this time last week, this column was discussing Spain’s attempts to recover from a World Cup humiliation the extent of which was hard to absorb. It was, of course, not even the defining humbling of the tournament.

That infamous title fell to the host nation, Brazil. Failing to lift the trophy on home soil was one thing. Enduring a 7-1 semi-final defeat, one that outstripped even the pain of the 1950 loss to Uruguay in the final match, was something else entirely.

Those 16 first-half minutes in Belo Horizonte in which Germany scored five times and trashed Brazil’s dream will continue to astonish for this generation and beyond. Yet while the starkness of this dismantling and the inability of Luiz Felipe Scolari’s team to react were remarkable, the ultimate fact that Brazil failed to win the cup was less so.

They had got away with it on more than one occasion on the road there, from Mauricio Pinilla’s last-minute shot off the crossbar against Chile (which the striker had commemorated in a tattoo, as per The Independent) to the spells that they were outclassed for in the quarter-final with Colombia in Fortaleza.

So like Spain, an overhaul of sorts was inevitable. That’s not to say that what happened at the World Cup didn’t matter—of course it did—but you get the feeling that it hasn’t radically changed the course of a team now preparing apace for the summer’s Copa America in Chile.

In this past week, Europe has had its first close-up look at where returned coach Dunga has got up to so far, having resumed work in a friendly with Colombia in Miami back in September. He was hardly an overwhelmingly popular choice, after been himself tainted by the failures of 2010 and having hardly worked since save a brief, unsuccessful spell at Internacional.

Yet based on the early results, on the evidence of the friendly wins over France in Paris and over Chile in London, the immediate future looks positive. Brazil played with rhythm and authority against the former and found the moment of decisive quality to turn over the latter—more of which later.

It may not seem like a revolution in the ranks, at least at a casual glance. Oscar, Neymar and Thiago Silva (in his adopted home city) were key in the Paris victory. Even goalkeeper Jefferson, starting in place of Julio Cesar, was part of last summer’s squad.

The changes have been subtle yet significant. Five of the starters against France were not in the World Cup squad, but it’s easy for that fact to escape the notice given that at least two of them, in the shape of Chelsea’s Filipe Luis and his former Atletico Madrid teammate Miranda, certainly should have been. The defensive pair are fairly representative of Dunga’s changes: simple, maybe even obvious, certainly overdue and quietly effective.

Danilo and Roberto Firmino fall into the same category. The two combined to magnificent effect in the second game. Right-back Danilo showed the quality that saw him also used as a midfielder at Santos with an incisive through ball before Firmino finished with the style and composure that Bundesliga watchers have become accustomed to.

Neither are stars; they are simply what Brazil needed. At least, they’re not stars yet. Danilo’s ascent seems inexorable, with a move to Real Madrid on the cards, according to Marca’s Diego Soto. His excellent development at Porto has been a gradual process over the past three years.

Tim Ireland/Associated Press

Firmino has matured organically too, at Hoffenheim. Long admired by many of Europe’s premier clubs, he could have already left for the bright lights but surprisingly opted to extend his contract last year, as per ESPN FC. Hoffenheim won’t be able to keep him forever, but his commitment to developing in the right place shows he has an eye on the long game.

He is more than just a scorer, having set up 18 Bundesliga goals, as well as scoring 22, in the last season-and-a-half. With Luiz Adriano, the scorer of 36 goals in European competition for Shakhtar Donetsk, Firmino shows that Brazil do have striking talent. Adriano started in Firmino’s place at the Emirates on Sunday.

All the newbies mentioned above had less than 15 caps to their name when called up, but there is everything to suggest that those modest numbers will quickly creep up. The Copa campaign, in which Brazil will face Colombia again in their second group match, promises to be built with these men.

Dunga may not represent glamour, but he is certainly overseeing an improvement.