Brazilian football legend, Ronaldinho on Saturday criticized the current Selecao squad selected for the upcoming Copa America, labeling them as the ‘worst team’ and announcing he would boycott all national team matches.
“This is a sad moment for those who love Brazilian soccer. It’s getting hard to find the spirit to watch the games. This is perhaps one of the worst teams in recent years, it has no respectable leaders, only average players for the majority.
“I’ve been following football since I was a kid, long before I thought about becoming a player, and I’ve never seen a situation as bad as this.
” Lack of love for the shirt, lack of grit and the most important of all: football,” Ronaldinho posted on Instagram.
“I’ll repeat, our performance has been one of the worst things I’ve ever seen. Such a shame. I therefore declare my resignation. I will not watch any CONMEBOL Copa America game, nor celebrate any victory,” he added.
The Brazilian squad, coached by Dorival Júnior since January, has played only two friendlies under his guidance, showing little of his strategic plans for the tournament.
Compounding the issues is the absence of the aging superstar Neymar, now 32, who is sidelined with an ACL injury.
Historically, Brazilian teams have been known for their sharp dribblers up front, full-backs that dominate both ends of the pitch, and robust defenders capable of scoring goals.
However, the one standout in the current squad is Vinicius Júnior, a top contender for the Ballon d’Or after leading Real Madrid to a Champions League victory, scoring in the final against Borussia Dortmund.
He will be Brazil’s main star at the tournament, which runs from June 20 to July 15.
Brazil is in Group D for the Copa America, where they will compete against Costa Rica, Paraguay, and Colombia.
