Brazilian teams often swing between winning and losing spells during a season, Tostão writes, with small mistakes and unpredictable moments capable of changing both results and performances. He points to Rodinei’s own goal for Santos against Bragantino as an example, asking whether it was a lapse in awareness or an unconscious attempt to score a spectacular header against the opposition.
When a team enters a poor run, clubs often turn to a new coach in the hope of finding a fresh strategy or a quick fix. Such changes can work, Tostão notes, thanks to a coach’s ability, emotional factors or circumstances that are difficult to predict. He argues that chance is not simply luck or mystery, but part of football’s familiar reality: decisive moments and spectacular goals often appear without being planned.
With major matches and decisions approaching, Tostão says Brazilian football must make progress both on and off the pitch. He criticizes disorderly matches, simulation, complaints and aggression, as well as the crowded calendar and poor-quality playing surfaces.
He also calls for greater investment in youth development, including funding and technical and scientific expertise. As an example, he cites Palmeiras and the recent rise of Endrick, Estêvão and Allan, who were called up by Ancelotti, won titles with the club and were transferred to Europe for large sums. Palmeiras used the proceeds to recruit several strong players while maintaining a deep squad and making a profit, he writes.
In Tostão’s view, Brazilian football needs structural reforms rather than isolated measures. He links the sport’s challenges to wider problems in Brazil, including corruption, violence, education, sanitation and productivity, and says the country has not resolved these issues over the past 50 years.
The column also considers the pressure facing coaches. Tostão suggests that Renato Gaúcho could call himself the world’s best coach if Grêmio avoids relegation and wins the Copa do Brasil, but might blame a weak squad and previous coaches if those outcomes do not happen. He adds that Leonardo Jardim could be dismissed if Flamengo fails to win the Brasileirão after being eliminated from the Copa do Brasil and the Libertadores.
Tostão concludes that football is more than a game of surprises and uncertainty: it is a lesson in humility and a reminder of human insignificance. He also congratulates Cruzeiro’s women’s team on winning the Libertadores after a 4–4 final against Corinthians, decided by a penalty shootout.
Sources: Folha Esporte.