In order to avoid potential fallings-out in Brazil, people are advised to refrain from discussing three subjects: religion, politics and football. One thing that everyone can surely agree on at the moment, though, is that the national team are struggling. The team usually give a nation of vira-latas with an inherent inferiority complex a rare chance to boast superiority over the rest of the world – perhaps only matched at the height of Ayrton Senna’s powers, or by the people who believe that Alberto Santos‑Dumont and not the Wright brothers invented the aeroplane – but watching the Seleção has been a dismal experience of late.
Brazil are expected to win every game, usually in style, so being knocked out of the World Cup at the quar…