Brazil women's national football team explained

Type:Women
Brazil
Badge:Brazil National Football Team (no stars).svg
Badge Size:175px
Fifa Trigramme:BRA
Nickname:Seleção (The National Squad)
As Canarinhas (The Female Canaries)
Verde-Amarela (Green-and-Yellow)
Confederation:CONMEBOL (South America)
Coach:Arthur Elias
Most Caps:Formiga (234)
Top Scorer:Marta (119)
Captain:Rafaelle Souza
Fifa Max:2
Fifa Max Date:March – June 2009
Fifa Min:11
Fifa Min Date:September 2019; December 2023
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First Game: 2–1
(Jesolo, Italy; 22 July 1986)
Largest Win: 15–0
(Uberlândia, Brazil; 18 January 1995)
15–0
(Mar del Plata, Argentina; 2 March 1998)
Largest Loss: 6–0
(Denver, United States; 26 September 1999)
World Cup Apps:10
World Cup First:1991
World Cup Best:Runners-up (2007)
Regional Name:Olympic Games
Regional Cup Apps:8
Regional Cup First:1996
Regional Cup Best: Silver medalists (2004, 2008, 2024)
2Ndregional Name:Copa América
2Ndregional Cup Apps:9
2Ndregional Cup First:1991
2Ndregional Cup Best:Champions (1991, 1995, 1998, 2003, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022)
3Rdregional Name:CONCACAF Gold Cup
3Rdregional Cup Apps:1
3Rdregional Cup First:2000
3Rdregional Cup Best:Runners-up (2000)

The Brazil women's national football team (Portuguese: Seleção Brasileira Feminina de futebol) represents Brazil in international women's football and is run by the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF). It has participated in all nine editions of the FIFA Women's World Cup, finishing as runner-up in 2007, and nine editions of the Copa América Femenina.

Brazil played their first game on 22 July 1986 against the United States, losing 2–1.[1]

The team finished third in the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup and runners-up in the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup, losing to Germany in the final.

Brazil has won the silver medal three times in the Olympic Games, in 2004, 2008 and 2024.

Brazil is the most successful women's national team in South America, having won eight out of the nine editions of the Copa América championship. Since 1999, they have been contenders for the World title. In 1998 and 1999, the team finished as the runners-up at the Women's U.S. Cup.

Brazil will host the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup; marking the first time that South America has hosted the tournament.

History

Although today the Brazilian Women's National Team is one of the best in the world, it was not that long ago that women were not even allowed to watch a game. The women's game filtered sporadically throughout Brazil with popular traction in the early 20th century. Magazines such as O imparcial and Jornal dos sports covered the women's game praising their achievements in local cup competitions.[2] Yet, the traditional order of futbol as "purely masculine" came into contention resulting in the games downfall. Until, the mid-1940s when Brazil became a dictatorship subsequently banning the women's game.

Banned by the Minister of Education and Health in 1941, eugenic ideologies from the new dictatorship called for the protection of womanly bodies, thus sports became a disqualified endeavor.[3] The game was male dominated, and those who could not perform well were even called feminine at times. Throughout the time of the ban, women were observed playing quite frequently forcing the Conselho Nacional de Desportos (CND) to take charge and reissue bans that were not working. In 1965, Deliberation no. 7 further forced an end to all women's sports in Brazil, not just football. This ban would not be lifted until the late 1970s, when Brazil passed Amnesty Laws allowing political exiles back into the country.

A surge of Brazilian feminists returned to their country eager to change the social landscape inspired by the Western feminist movements of the 60s and 70s. Fan bases for the women's team with a new identity rooted themselves in the fabric of history and with the support of the general public the women's game led a rise in feminism that swept across the country.[4] In 1979, the National Sports Council of Brazil passed Deliberation no. 10 reinstating the women's game. Early professional women's football club EC Radar, founded in 1982, dominated the first editions of the Taça Brasil de Futebol Feminino and served as Brazil's representation in the 1986 Mundialito and 1988 FIFA Women's Invitation Tournament.[5] Its players also formed the majority of Brazil's roster at the inaugural 1991 FIFA Women's World Cup, in which Elane scored the nation's first Women's World Cup goal on 17 November 1991.[6]

Today, the national team has won the Copa America 7 times and has made it to the world cup finals where they were beaten by Germany. While the team played its first official match in 1986, only 5 years later they won their first title in Copa America, and only 9 years after that they were challenging the world's best.

Futebol Feminino

Brazil was Latin America's first country to legally recognize futebol feminino. As the first nation to popularize the women's game it was a hard sell for many Brazilians caught up with traditional gender roles. Up until the national team started participating on the international stage. After the debut of women's association football in the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta the women's game skyrocketed in admiration. In order to capitalize off of the teams commencement and fourth-place finish the State of São Paulo created Paulistana.[2] The Paulistana was a domestic competition meant to attract young up and coming players for the national team. However, the methodology of Paulistana linked itself to the process futbol feminization. The administrators and managers who ran the competition scalped white, beautiful, and non-masculine players. An attempt to beautify the women's sport for the largely male population of futbol consumers. The 1999 World Cup golden boot winner Sissi noticed the negative effects of beautification over athletics and left for overseas competition. The introduction of the Campeonato Brasileiro de Futebol Feminino in 2013 reinvigorated the domestic competition attracting the Brazilian stars of the national team back into the country.

2017 controversy

In 2017, the Brazilian Football Confederation fired head coach Emily Lima, which sparked protest among the team's players. The dispute evolved into an argument for greater wages, and more respect and recognition for the country's female football players. As a result, players such as Cristiane, Rosana, and Francielle announced their retirement from international football, hoping that this decision might make a difference in the years to come.[7] [8]

2027 FIFA Women's World Cup

Brazil will hold the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup, which will mark the first time the tournament is taking place in South America, it will also be the first time to be held in Latin America. Brazil automatically qualified as host.

Team image

Nicknames

The Brazil women's national football team has been known or nicknamed as the "Seleção (The National Squad)", "As Canarinhas (The Female Canaries)" or "Verde-Amarela (Green-and-Yellow)".

Kits and crest

Kit suppliers

Kit supplier Period Contract
announcement
Contract
duration
Value Ref.
Topper1986–19911986–1991
Umbro1991–19961991–1996
Nike1997–presentDecember 19961997–2007Total $200 million~$250 million[9]
Unknown2008–2026€69.5 million per year[10]
Under the CBF requirements both men's and women's national teams are supplied by the same kit manufacturer. The current sponsorship deal is signed with Nike. Although, the details of the kit differ in style. The crest of the women's national team is produced without the five star accolades from previous men's World Cup titles. In honor of the burgeoning history of the women's team they will only attach star merits based on their own performances.[11]

FIFA world rankings

[12]

Worst Ranking   Best Ranking   Worst Mover   Best Mover  

Results and fixtures

See main article: Brazil women's national football team results (2020–present).

See also: FIFA International Match Calendar.

The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.

Legend

2024

Head-to-head record

Counted for the FIFA A-level matches only., after the match against .
style="background:#CCFFCC;" width="20"
Positive balance (more Wins)
Neutral balance (Wins = Losses)
Negative balance (more Losses)
Nationswidth=40First playedwidth=30width=30width=30width=30width=35width=35width=35Confederation
19952118127314CONMEBOL
19882182113034AFC
19955500401CONMEBOL
2012110050CAF
199634139125438CONCACAF
1991161510575CONMEBOL
198613661279AFC
1998111010444CONMEBOL
20005500201CONCACAF
2007631287UEFA
19958800672CONMEBOL
2017411245UEFA
2011110030CAF
1999211031UEFA
2024131571019UEFA
1995132471529UEFA
2008110051CAF
2012100101UEFA
2004110070UEFA
20032200120CONCACAF
19965500203UEFA
2017110010UEFA
2021110061AFC
19999810206UEFA
2007321080CONCACAF
1991166461923AFC
1998161501689CONCACAF
19888341119UEFA
20078422144OFC
2023110040CONCACAF
1999220074CAF
2008220041AFC
198895221810UEFA
2023220090CONCACAF
20065500192CONMEBOL
19984400260CONMEBOL
2019110031UEFA
2012220071UEFA
2024110010CONCACAF
19966420162UEFA
19965401213UEFA
2016321090CAF
19995401113AFC
2015421154UEFA
1991115241512UEFA
2015110041UEFA
1988110090AFC
20002200220CONCACAF
1996110070UEFA
20065410170CONMEBOL
19864245333390CONCACAF
19919900492CONMEBOL
2021110010CAF
Total (53 nations) 1986 371 216 57 98 972 367 All

Coaching staff

Current coaching staff

Position Name Ref.
Head coach Arthur Elias
Assistant coach Rodrigo Iglesias[13]
Roseli[14]
Goalkeeping coach Edson Júnior[15]
Fitness coach Marcelo Rossetti[16]

Manager history

NamePeriodPWDLWin %Notes
João Varella1986–1988
Edil1991
Lula Paiva1991
Fernando Pires1991
Ademar Fonseca1995
Ricardo Vágner (interim)1995
José Duarte1996–1998
Wilsinho1999
José Duarte2000
Paulo Gonçalves2001–2003
René Simões2004
Luiz AntônioSeptember 2004 – September 2006
José TeixeiraOctober 2006 – November 2006
Jorge BarcellosNovember 2006–30 August 2008
Kleiton LimaSeptember 2008–23 November 2011
Jorge Barcellos23 November 2011 – 23 November 2012
Márcio Oliveira23 November 2012 – 14 April 2014
Vadão14 April 2014 – 1 November 2016
Emily Lima1 November 2016 – 22 September 2017
Vadão25 September 2017 – 22 July 2019
Pia Sundhage24 July 2019 – 30 August 2023
Arthur Elias1 September 2023 – present

Players

The Brazilian Football Confederation does not publish appearance statistics for its female players, so statistics here are unofficial. Caps and goals as of 10 August 2024, considering only FIFA A-matches, after the match against .[18]

Current squad

The following 22 players were named to the final roster for the 2024 Summer Olympics.[19]

Recent call-ups

The following players were named to a squad in the last 12 months.

Records

[20]

Most caps

RankPlayerCapsGoalsYears
1Formiga206291995–2021
2Marta1861162003–
3Cristiane155972003–
4Tamires14872013–
5Debinha146612011–
6Bia Zaneratto124422011–
7Rosana Augusto114172000–2017
8Andressa Alves107212012–
9Andréia Suntaque9601999–2015
10Rafaelle9492011–

Most goals

RankPlayerGoalsCapsAverageYears
1Marta1161862003–
2Cristiane971552003–
3Debinha611462011–
4Roseli42451988–2004
Pretinha671991–2014
Bia Zaneratto1242011–
7Sissi33471988–2000
8Kátia Cilene29471995–2007
Formiga2061995–2021
10Andressa Alves211072012–

Competitive record

FIFA Women's World Cup

See main article: Brazil at the FIFA Women's World Cup.

FIFA Women's World Cup recordQualification record
YearResultPositionSquad
1991Group stage9th310217Squad2200121
19959th310238Squad5500441
1999Third place3rd6321169Squad6600663
2003Quarter-finals5th421194Squad3300182
2007Runners-up2nd6501174Squad7601304
2011Quarter-finals5th431092Squad7700252
2015Round of 169th430141Squad7511223
201910th420275Squad7700312
2023Group stage18th311152Squad6600200
2027Qualified as hostQualified as host
TotalRunners-up10/103721511714250471226818

Olympic Games

Olympic Games record
YearResultPositionSquad
1996Fourth place4th512278Squad
20004th520356Squad
2004Silver medalists2nd6402154Squad
2008Silver medalists2nd6411115Squad
2012Quarter-finals6th420263Squad
2016Fourth place4th623193Squad
2020Quarter-finals6th422093Squad
2024Silver medalists2nd630377Squad
Total Silver medalists8/842207146939

Copa América Feminina

Copa América Femenina record
Yearwidth=95Roundwidth=60Positionwidth=20width=20width=20width=20width=20width=20
1991Champions1st2200121
1995Champions1st5500441
1998Champions1st6600663
2003Champions1st3300182
2006Runners-up2nd7601304
2010Champions1st7700252
2014Champions1st7511223
2018Champions1st7700312
2022Champions1st6600200
Total8 Titles9/950471226818

CONCACAF W Championship

CONCACAF W Championship record
YearResultPosition
2000Runners-up2nd5311223
TotalRunners-up5311223

CONCACAF W Gold Cup

CONCACAF W Gold Cup record
YearResultPosition
2024Runners-up2nd6501152
TotalRunners-up6501152

Pan American Games

Pan American Games record
YearResultPositionSquad
1999Did not enter
2003Gold medalists1st4400142Squad
20071st6600330Squad
2011Silver medalists2nd532062Squad
2015Gold medalists1st5500203Squad
2019Qualified to the Olympic Games
2023
2027To be determined
Total3 gold medals4/820 18 2 0 73 7

South American Games

South American Games record
YearResult
2014Bronze medalists532091
2018 to presentU-20 tournament, see Brazil women's national under-20 football team
TotalBronze medalists532091

Algarve Cup

The Algarve Cup is an invitational tournament for national teams in women's association football hosted by the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF). Held annually in the Algarve region of Portugal since 1994, it is one of the most prestigious and longest-running women's international football events and has been nicknamed the "Mini FIFA Women's World Cup".[21]

Algarve Cup record
YearResultPositionMatchesWinsDrawsLossesGFGA
2015Seventh-place match7th421174
2016Runners-up2nd430183
Total2/278512157

SheBelieves Cup

The SheBelieves Cup is a global invitational tournament for national teams in women's football hosted in the United States.

SheBelieves Cup record
width=85 Yearwidth=110 ResultMatcheswidth=50 Winswidth=50 DrawsLosseswidth=50 GFwidth=50 GACoach
2016Did not enter
2017
2018
2019Fourth place300326 Vadão
Did not enter
2021bgcolor=silverRunners-up 32 0 1 63 Pia Sundhage
Did not enter
2023bgcolor=#c96Third place 31 0 2 24 Pia Sundhage
2024bgcolor=#c96Third place20 2 0 22 Arthur Elias
Total4/9 113261215

Tournament of Nations

The Tournament of Nations is a global invitational tournament for national teams in women's football hosted in the United States in non-World Cup and non-Olympic years.

Tournament of Nations record
width=85 Yearwidth=110 ResultMatcheswidth=50 Winswidth=50 DrawsLosseswidth=50 GFwidth=50 GACoach
2017Fourth place3012511 Emily Lima
2018Third place310248 Vadão
Total2/2 6114919

Torneio Internacional de Futebol Feminino

Torneio Internacional de Futebol Feminino record
YearResultPositionMatchesWinsDrawsLossesGFGA
2009Champions1st4400145
2010Runners-up2nd422084
2011Champions1st4301113
2012Champions1st421195
2013Champions1st4310101
2014Champions1st4310113
2015Champions1st4400222
2016Champions1st4400184
2019Runners-up2nd211050
2021Champions1st3300122
Total10/108 titles37296212029

Honours

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Seleção Brasileira Feminina (Brazilian National Womens´ Team) 1986–1995 . 23 December 2014 . 20 September 2014 . . 3 March 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160303211207/http://www.rsssfbrasil.com/sel/brazil198695w.htm . live .
  2. Snyder . Cara . 2018 . The Soccer Tournament as Beauty Pageant: Eugenic Logics in Brazilian Women's Futebol Feminino . WSQ: Women's Studies Quarterly . 46 . 1–2 . 181–198 . 10.1353/wsq.2018.0025 . 89661705 . 1934-1520.
  3. Web site: In Brazil, Female Warriors Fight for a Level Playing Field . 9 April 2021 . World Justice Project . en . 11 April 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210411215341/https://worldjusticeproject.org/photo-essays/brazil-female-warriors-fight-level-playing-field . live .
  4. Book: Elsey . Brenda . Futbolera: A History of Women and Sports in Latin America . Nadel . Joshua . 21 May 2019 . University of Texas Press . 978-1477310427.
  5. Web site: Dance moves . 23 April 2013 . . 17 June 1999 . https://web.archive.org/web/20011121084906/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/soccer/world/1999/womens_worldcup/news/1999/06/17/cup_brazil/ . 21 November 2001.
  6. Web site: FIFA Women's World Cup China '91 – Technical Report & Statistics . https://web.archive.org/web/20111227003624/http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/afdeveloping/technicaldevp/50/08/19/wwc%5f91%5ftr%5fpart2%5f260.pdf . dead . 27 December 2011 . . 20 April 2013.
  7. News: 28 September 2017 . Soccer: Cristiane among players to quit Brazilian National Team . en-US . Excelle Sports . dead . 29 October 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171030003248/http://www.excellesports.com/news/cristiane-quits-brazilian-national-team/ . 30 October 2017.
  8. News: Panja . Tariq . 6 October 2017 . Brazil's Women Soccer Players in Revolt Against Federation . en-US . The New York Times . 29 October 2017 . 0362-4331 . 30 October 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171030004750/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/06/sports/soccer/brazil-women-soccer.html . live .
  9. Web site: 네이버 뉴스 라이브러리. Declaration of conquest of the US Nike soccer equipment market. NAVER Newslibrary. 26 November 2022. 26 November 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221126132057/https://newslibrary.naver.com/viewer/index.naver?articleId=1996122100099125010&editNo=15&printCount=1&publishDate=1996-12-21&officeId=00009&pageNo=25&printNo=9633&publishType=00010. live.
  10. Web site: Most Valuable National Football Team Kit Deals. 2 September 2016. TOTAL SPORTEK. 4 February 2019. 5 March 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210305080434/https://www.totalsportek.com/money/lucrative-international-football-kit-sponsorship-deals/. live.
  11. Web site: Brazil Women's Team Drops Stars From Kit. 2021-04-13. Footy Headlines. 13 April 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210413232006/https://www.footyheadlines.com/2020/11/brazil-womens-team-drops-stars-from-kit.html. live.
  12. Web site: FIFA . . 25 June 2021 . 1 August 2021 . 1 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210801005955/https://www.fifa.com/fifa-world-ranking/BRA . live .
  13. Web site: Auxiliar de Arthur Elias na Seleção feminina fala sobre importância de amistosos contra o Canadá: "Hora de testar". Arthur Elias' assistant in the women's national team talks about the importance of friendlies against Canada: "Time to test". Gazeta Esportiva. pt-BR. 27 October 2023. 22 March 2024.
  14. Web site: Pioneira da Seleção Brasileira, Roseli é auxiliar de Arthur Elias nesta Data FIFA. Pioneer of the Brazil national team, Roseli is an assistant of Arthur Elias in this FIFA Date. Brazilian Football Confederation. pt-BR. 27 November 2023. 22 March 2024.
  15. Web site: Preparador de goleiras e analistas de desempenho explicam auxílio da tecnologia na Seleção. Goalkeeping coach and development analysts explain aid of technology in the national team. Brazilian Football Confederation. pt-BR. 26 October 2023. 22 March 2024.
  16. Web site: Seleção Brasileira realiza primeiro treino em Los Angeles. Brazil national team make their first training in Los Angeles. Brazilian Football Confederation. pt-BR. 1 March 2024. 22 March 2024.
  17. Web site: Brazil }} National Team – Only "A" Matches]. RSSSF. 2 February 2022. 5 January 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200105162839/http://rsssfbrasil.com/sel/brazilaw.htm. live.
  18. Web site: Arquivo da Seleção Brasileira Feminina (Brazilian National }} Team Archive)]. RSSSF. 2 February 2022. 31 March 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220331082957/https://rsssfbrasil.com/sel/nationalw.htm. live.
  19. Web site: Convocadas da seleção brasileira: veja a lista de Arthur Elias para as Olimpíadas de Paris. Called up for the Brazilian team: see Arthur Elias' list for the Paris Olympics. ge. pt-BR. 2 July 2024. 2 July 2024.
  20. Web site: Arquivo da Seleção Brasileira Feminina (Brazilian National }} Team Archive)]. RSSSF. 2 February 2022. 31 March 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220331082957/https://rsssfbrasil.com/sel/nationalw.htm. live.
  21. Web site: Women's game thriving in the Algarve . https://web.archive.org/web/20140313094122/http://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/womensworldcup/germany2011/news/newsid=1395062/index.html. dead. 13 March 2014. FIFA. 13 March 2014. 9 March 2011.