On July 7, in the quarterfinals of the Copa América, Brazil lost to Uruguay on penalties, ending their tournament run. With two disappointing campaigns in the United States, how can the Seleção overcome this challenge at the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico?
In this year’s edition held in the US, Brazil faced difficulties, finishing second in their group with one win, two draws, and five points. Their journey ended in the quarterfinals against Uruguay, as they were eliminated after a goalless draw and a loss in the penalty shootout.
Back in 2016, when the Copa América was also hosted in the US, Brazil had an even worse showing, managing just one win, one draw, and one defeat, which wasn’t enough to secure a spot in the knockout stages.
It’s worth mentioning that at the 2022 World Cup, Brazil was knocked out by Croatia in the quarterfinals on penalties, marking consecutive tournament exits at this stage via spot kicks.
The US used to be a fortunate ground for the Brazilian team. In the 1994 World Cup, they advanced to the final and triumphed over Italy in a penalty shootout, securing their fourth star. However, those glory days have turned into a nightmare, with Brazil faltering in successive Copa América tournaments held on American soil. This raises concerns about the team’s prospects in the 2026 World Cup.
