By Juan Samuel Santana Chávez

The Brazilian national team, the most successful in World Cup history with five titles (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, and 2002), is going through one of the most challenging periods in its history. Since winning their fifth title in South Korea-Japan 2002, "Canarinha" has not won a World Cup again and, after their elimination in the 2026 World Cup, they will reach a drought of 28 years without lifting the trophy, the longest since they were first crowned champions.

At the continental level, the picture also reflects a loss of prominence. Since the 2019 Copa América, Brazil has not won the South American tournament again and has seen teams like Argentina take over the competition in the 2021 and 2024 editions. In the last six World Cups, the Brazilian squad has been eliminated in the quarterfinals in 2006, 2010, 2018, and 2022, reached the semifinals in 2014 —when they suffered the historic 7-1 defeat against Germany— and were knocked out in the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup.

Despite remaining one of football's greatest powers and having international stars, the results have not lived up to their recent history. Brazil continues to be the only country present in all World Cup editions and the tournament's most successful champion, but the lack of titles in major international tournaments for over two decades has marked a transitional phase for a team accustomed to dominating the world stage.