Could Brazil's presidential election hurt the nation's World Cup chances?

In little than 3 weeks, Brazil -- the shot squad -- caput to the 2022 World Cup successful Qatar among the favourites to triumph it all. Not lone bash they apical the FIFA rankings heading into the tournament, but they've mislaid conscionable 2 competitory games successful the past six years and they boast an established blend of veterans and youngsters, led by a coach, Tite, who is simply a nationalist leader and a superstar, Neymar, who volition apt interruption Pele's grounds arsenic the country's all-time planetary goalscorer successful Qatar oregon soon thereafter.

On Sunday, Brazil -- the federation -- heads to the polls successful a bitterly contested runoff predetermination pitting left-wing erstwhile President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, known arsenic Lula, against the incumbent, Jair Bolsonaro. Even by the usually polarized standards of Brazilian politics, this has been an acrimonious and sometimes vicious contention that has divided the nation.

It's a reasonably singular juxtaposition of large events successful Brazilian life. Neymar has shown his enactment for Bolsonaro by appearing connected a livestream connected the president's YouTube channel and posting societal media videos -- the Paris Saint-Germain guardant has much than 180 cardinal followers connected Instagram unsocial -- backing the incumbent president. While he's not the lone subordinate of Brazil's Selecao to backmost him, fewer person done it truthful publicly, and nary tin lucifer his scope and popularity. This adjacent prompted Bolsonaro's challenger, Lula, to suggest that the existent president had struck a woody with Neymar and his begetter to pardon immoderate of his income taxation indebtedness successful speech for his endorsement.

We're successful uncharted territory here: 1 of 2 statesmanlike candidates is accusing the country's biggest prima of efficaciously selling his governmental endorsement to his rival connected the eve of a World Cup. But it doesn't extremity there.

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Brazil manager Tite, portion not mentioning Neymar by name, has lamented the "politicization" of the nationalist team. The oblique notation to Bolsonaro supporters, galore of whom amusement up astatine rallies successful the celebrated green-and-gold jerseys, was hard to miss. He besides reiterated that he wasn't going to conscionable Bolsonaro, neither for Brazil's pre-World Cup send-off, nor afterward, adjacent if helium returns victorious from Qatar.

If Brazil go satellite champions and Tite, arsenic coach, does not question to the superior Brasilia to conscionable the president, he'd beryllium breaking a contented that dates to 1958, erstwhile they won the archetypal of their 5 World Cups. It's the equivalent of a Super Bowl victor declining an invitation to the White House, with the added wrinkle that a Super Bowl victor is 1 of 32 franchises; the Selecao is the footballing embodiment of 214 cardinal Brazilians, and Bolsonaro volition beryllium president adjacent if helium loses the runoff since his word doesn't extremity until Dec. 31, 2 weeks aft the World Cup final.

There is simply a past of hostility betwixt Tite and Bolsonaro. In 2019, erstwhile Brazil won the Copa America and Bolsonaro handed retired medals to players and staff, Tite gave the president lone a cursory handshake earlier rapidly walking off. Two years later, he was captious of Bolsonaro for insisting that Brazil big the contention again, astatine abbreviated notice, and successful the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet Tite insists it's a substance of principle, saying helium wouldn't observe a World Cup triumph with Lula either.

"My presumption hasn't changed," helium said. "I spot the Brazilian nationalist squad arsenic portion of our corporate taste and sporting heritage... It's specified a beauteous thing, it transcends everything... It is our dependable arsenic Brazilians."

We've go accustomed to athletes taking a basal connected societal issues, but outright governmental endorsements similar the 1 Neymar gave Bolsonaro stay a rarity, astatine slightest among those who are inactive active. Part of it mightiness person to bash with the apocryphal Michael Jordan punctuation that "Republicans bargain sneakers too." Part of it mightiness beryllium a genuine knowing that if you correspond a squad oregon a portion (much little an full country), perchance alienating portion of that city/region/country is wrong. Whatever the case, Brazil arsenic a federation volition spell into their biggest quadrennial sporting juncture inactive bearing the scars of an acrimonious statesmanlike race. And, to immoderate grade -- fixed the nationalist stances taken by Tite and Neymar -- there's a morganatic fearfulness that they volition widen to a nationalist squad that, frankincense far, has been not lone successful, but a beacon of unity and patriotism arsenic well.

The irony is that during his six-plus years successful charge, Tite has done a masterful occupation with Brazil, ensuring egos are checked astatine the entranceway of the dressing country and that the Selecao is simply a genuine portion playing with the tone of a nine team, alternatively than simply arsenic a postulation of the country's champion footballers. Sure, it's easier to support unity erstwhile you're successful, but adjacent during Brazil's uncommon setbacks -- they were knocked retired of the 2018 World Cup astatine the quarterfinal signifier and mislaid the 2021 Copa America last -- they broadly managed to debar the recrimination, part and finger-pointing that truthful often follows nationalist disappointments.

Now the question is whether authorities person someway breached the bonds and unsettled the equilibrium that made Brazil nether Tite specified a powerhouse. Whether the superstar (Neymar) and the manager (Tite) having antithetic views connected Bolsonaro someway spoils what volition astir apt beryllium the past World Cup for some men.

Two-hundred and fourteen cardinal Brazilians are hoping it won't, praying that the differences are either purely tegument heavy oregon volition beryllium stowed to 1 broadside successful Qatar. Politics can't beryllium allowed to encroach and derail the nation's quest for a sixth World Cup.