Brazil’s exit means that South America’s participation in the World Cup has finished. It almost feels like an overreaction to say that South American football needs to be ‘fixed’ after one tournament. However, it marks the continuation of a trend. In the last four World Cups (including 2018), South American teams have only formed three of the 16 semi-finalists, one of the eight finalists and none of the four winners.
This is despite the fact that the continent’s teams have included the likes of Lionel Messi, Neymar, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Kaka, Coutinho, Sergio Aguero, James Rodriguez, Alexis Sanchez and Arturo Vidal. Thus, it isn’t the production of talent that is the problem in the continent. Instead, it is the lack of tactical ideas that have come from the region.
Most of the breakthroughs in football over the last decade have come from Europe, something that was not true in the 1970s and the 1980s. That will have to change if South America are to do better in future World Cups.