The Olympic Games, for women’s football, are as big as a World Cup. It is in this spirit that the Brazilian women’s team, trained by Pia Sundhage and led by Marta, travels to Tokyo in search of the first gold medal in its history. The last two Olympic editions, in which Brazil reached the podium, and an elimination in the last 16 of the last World Cup show that the mission will be difficult but, with the best soccer player of all time and a winning coach, there is a great opportunity. His debut will be against China this Wednesday, July 21, in Miyagi.
After failing at the 2019 World Cup with the same technical team that ended without medals at the Rio Olympics in 2016, the Brazilian Soccer Confederation (CBF) decided to change the leadership of the women’s team. Vadão and coordinator Marco Aurélio Cunha left, and Swedish coach Pia Sundhage and coordinator Duda Luizelli joined. Former Brazil captain Aline Pellegrino also took over as director of women’s soccer. The growth of female representation in the offices of the national team was not in vain and was also reflected in the technical committee. In 2016, no women were part of Vadão’s team of nine professionals. In 2019, there were two. Already in 2021, six women and seven men traveled to Tokyo.
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The Swedish coach is a winner. With her in charge, the Brazilian team played 18 friendlies in two years, with 11 wins, five draws and two losses. At 61, Pia has three Olympic medals: gold with the United States in 2008 and 2012, and silver with Sweden in 2016. And, on two of the occasions, Sundhage’s achievements came with victories over Brazil. In 2008, they defeated the Brazilians in the final and, in 2016, they beat the Canarinha in the semifinals.
Among those summoned, the name that stands out the most is that of Marta, chosen six times as the best player in the world by FIFA. She is the 10th and captain who commands the Brazilians on the field in their fifth Olympics. At 35, the player played only nine times for her team, Orlando Pride, in 2021, and arrives in good physical condition for Tokyo. The other historical name is Formiga, which is going to its seventh Olympic Games, a record among Brazilian athletes and soccer players. At 43 years old and 20 games for PSG last season, the new São Paulo player will also become the oldest footballer to compete in an Olympic Games. “Who trains with her [Pia] knows what we are evolving into and we are capable of evolving even more. We have to take care of ourselves, looking for a better performance because we will not have much time to work, “said Formiga.
None, however, played with Pia as much as Debinha, the number 10 North Carolina Courage jersey. The 29-year-old forward was the only one to enter all of Brazil’s games under the Swedish command and is also the top scorer with the coach, after scoring 12 of the team’s 49 goals. In defense, the owner is the goalkeeper Bárbara, from Avaí / Kindermann. The right back raises doubts between Letícia Santos, from Eintracht Frankfurt; Poliana, from Corinthians; or Bruna Benites, from Internacional. The rest of the defense is consolidated by Erika (Corinthians), Rafaelle (Palmeiras) and Tamires (Corinthians), a left-back who is one of Brazil’s strengths. In attack, Ludmila (Atlético de Madrid) and Bia Zaneratto (Palmeiras) must accompany Debinha. On the bench, the best known name is Andressa Alves, Roma forward. Cristiane, on the other hand, the team’s top scorer in the last Cup, was the most heartfelt absence on the list.
In its Olympic history, the Brazilian team hit the crossbar both times in the final in Athens 2004 and in Beijing 2008. The results marked the best generation that Brazil has had in sport, so much so that they are still the only medals ever won. Since then, the Brazilians have seen other teams evolve, as demonstrated today by Brazil’s ninth place in the FIFA world rankings. If before it was only Germany and the USA, now the Netherlands, world runner-up, and Sweden, who won silver in Rio 2016, already compete.
“The girls are taking care of themselves and they really want to. The chances of bringing this medal are great. I feel like this time the gold is coming to Brazil, “Formiga said. “I am very happy with the way the players responded,” said Pia. Brazil makes their debut against China and faces one of the favorites, the Netherlands, and then against Zambia in the first phase.
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