Cafu isn’t backing down from criticizing Brazil’s woeful World Cup campaigns. The Brazilian legend lifted the country’s last trophy in 2002. His recent comments offer an honest assessment of the Premier League’s impact on Selecao’s players. Is the league helping or hurting the national teams’ success?
“I am afraid, the more we have Brazilians moving to the Premier League, the fewer chances for Brazil to win the World Cup. Imagine being brainwashed by the media every week that you are the best in the world, meanwhile, you are not near the best,” Cafu said. He praised Spain’s league instead: “I prefer LaLiga because they have a high mentality to reach finals and win them. In LaLiga, they don’t have a mouth in front of TV cameras telling lies about Spanish players or hyping them to the world. They speak football there, not myth.”
Cafu’s words strike because they go beyond tactics. He sees a cultural divide: England’s obsession with spectacle and hype compared with Spain’s habit of closing out finals. For him, the Premier League can elevate Brazilian players in the eyes of fans but does little to prepare them for the unique pressures of a World Cup knockout match.
Mentality versus myth
Since their last triumph in 2002, Brazil’s exits have often been defined by faltering under pressure—whether in penalty shootouts or decisive semifinals.
Cafu suggests that the Premier League media is to blame. It’s more about Hollywood validation than fostering resilience on the pitch. It’s a provocative claim, but one that resonates with frustration inside Brazilian football.
Spain provides the natural comparison. LaLiga has produced players accustomed to finals, where lifting European trophies is treated as routine. Clubs like Real Madrid and Barcelona built reputations on winning the last match, not just dominating headlines. Cafu admires that repetition of success, contrasting it with what he sees as England’s theater, which may leave players untested in the hardest moments.
Cafu’s statements deserve a rebuttal. Joao Pedro and Estevao Willian look like future Chelsea stars. Martinelli, although coming from the bench under Arteta, continues to shine with his latest golazos. Gabriel serves as a pillar of Arsenal’s stingy defense. Richarlison has overcome challenges at Tottenham, but continues to slot them in. Alisson still protects the back of the net for Premier League heavyhitters Liverpool.
However, Cafu’s frustration reveals a deeper and perhaps trickier tension. Spain focuses on trophies; England harbors the marketing stories, for which Brazilian starlets succumb. The Seleção needs a silverware mindset.
His warning is less about England or Spain and more about Brazil regaining the understanding of what it takes to become champions once again. Having Ancelotti at the help should bolster the country’s chances.
