by Andrew Jordan
The Brazilian style of football is, with a doubt, the most famous. This is due, in no small part, to the fact that it is simply the most fun to watch. Joga bonito, which is Portuguese for “The Beautiful Game” emphasizes beauty, style, and individual accomplishment. Brazilian players are world-renowned for their amazing skills with the ball. The archetypical Brazilian is not only adept at handling the ball, but also fearless in their willingness to take on opponents one on one. Unlike Spain, the player is the focal point of the Brazilian strategy. Passes are only used to move the ball to a player in a better position to score. They do not aim to maintain possession for the entire game, the emphasis is always upon creating chances and scoring goals (Mann).
In truth Joga Bonito is less of a strategy than it is a state of mind. The responsibility falls on the individual player to use their skills and creativity, not just to score, but to score beautifully. Discipline and work ethic are much less crucial for the Brazilians. It doesn’t suffice to just win; the expectation is that the Brazilian wins pretty. While this approach focuses less on competition and more on aesthetics, Brazil has still managed to produce some of the greatest players to step on a football pitch. Pele, Ronaldo, and Ronaldinho are just a few examples of the quality footballing talent that Brazil provides the world (Mann).
Good Football, Better Narrative
Great Teams or Just Great Players
How to Cite this page: “Brazil’s Joga Bonito: The Soccer Samba”, Written by Andrew Jordan(2016). Olympic Football 2016 Guide, Soccer Politics Blog, Duke University, http://sites.duke.edu/wcwp/tournament-guides/olympic-football-2016-guide/team-playing-styles-in-soccer/brazils-joga-bonito/brazils-joga-bon…better-narrative/, (accessed on (date)).
