Rivellino urges Brazil to restore fans´ belief

Rivellino wants Brazil to take a step towards banishing memories of their World Cup humiliation on home soil when they compete in the Copa America.

Memories of Brazil’s stunning 7-1 defeat to Germany in the semi-finals of last year’s World Cup remain vivid for many – the result having been greeted with shock and embarrassment throughout the host nation.

After their fourth-place finish at the competition, Luiz Felipe Scolari was duly replaced as coach by Dunga, who has led the team to nine successive wins.

And Rivellino – one of the stars of the Brazil team that triumphed in the 1970 World Cup – has outlined the importance of Dunga’s side winning back the hearts of their adoring public in the Copa, which starts on Thursday.

“I think it is not a matter of winning, but showing a good football,” Rivellino told Perform.

“A football to give more confidence for the Brazilian people in order to believe more in the Selecao.

“People are not confident any more after that shame, for me it was a shame, to lose 7-1 to Germany, something I’ve never seen in football.”

In his second spell as coach, Dunga has impressed Rivellino.

“He is showing that he is the right man. You cannot go against numbers,” added the 69-year-old.

“Brazil are a side that are always looking for scoring. But, yes, he is looking at our defensive philosophy too, because before we’ve thought ‘well, if we don’t concede, Neymar can decide the game up front’.

“It’s [a case of] asking other players to make better plays, even though only Neymar is capable of doing it. It is his way of trying to find what is best for Selecao now.”