It is only 10 in the morning and already the heat in Pasadena is somewhere in the region of ‘face-melting’.
The sea breeze that kindly buffets the waterfronts of the west coast is nowhere to be felt. Here, hemmed in by hills that form a dramatic natural amphitheatre, all is still, sweaty and parched.
In the middle of it all, gracefully defiant in the sun, sits the Rose Bowl.
The stadium, 102 years young, understandably holds a beloved position in the American sporting consciousness. Five Super Bowls have been contested here, plus the 1999 Women’s World Cup final, Brandi Chastain and all that. It wears its history lightly — a few plaques, a couple of modest statues — but it is known as ‘America’s stadium’ for a reason.
It is not only US sports fans who revere the place, however; the Rose Bowl is also on the list of Brazilian football’s holy sites. It was here, 30 years ago, that Brazil sealed their fourth World Cup title, pulling away from Germany to become the most successful nation in men’s football history.
Close your eyes a touch and you can almost see the after images: Roberto Baggio sending his penalty into orbit; Romario smooching the Jules Rimet trophy; Dunga, joy untrammelled, howling into a cloudless sky. That 1994 Brazil team is not nearly as beloved as those of 1958, 1962, 1970 or even 2002, but success always leaves an indelible mark.
Brazil celebrate winning the 1994 World Cup at the Rose Bowl (Mark Leech/Getty Images)
This kind of nostalgia will come to the fore in two years’ time, when the World Cup comes back to the US. There will be no triumphant return to the Rose Bowl — the stadium is not on the list of venues — but that will not prevent Brazil from wallowing in fond memories of Pasadena. Or from aiming for a repeat.
As they prepare to get their Copa America started at the SoFi Stadium against Costa Rica this evening, it is fair to say that the Selecao have a good amount of work to do if they are to make good on that target in 2026.
Halfway through this World Cup cycle, they would have hoped to have a settled team and a defined style, with perhaps a few small tweaks still needed. Instead, things are still entirely embryonic, the result of some world-class faffing from the federation, who hung around waiting for Carlo Ancelotti for 12 months, got jilted, then promptly sacked the guy who had been holding the fort.
As a result, coach Dorival Junior comes into the Copa America with just four friendlies behind him. He says he is still searching for the right balance when it comes to tactics, which is both understandable and admirably honest. There were encouraging signs in the March friendlies against England (1-0) and Spain (2-2) but pre-tournament performances against Mexico (3-2) and the USA (1-1) were less convincing.
Normal teething troubles? Undoubtedly, but Brazilian fans are not known for their patience once the competitive stuff begins. For Dorival, then, the next few weeks constitute a trial by fire.
It is to his credit that the mood around the camp has been positive and light. That is in part down to a generational shift: old timers like Casemiro, Thiago Silva and Neymar are absent, replaced by youngsters with less baggage. Dorival’s personality — affable, paternalistic — has also been a factor with players and journalists alike.
Importantly, he has also talked a good game. “What I want is to provide pleasure and happiness to our public,” he said on Sunday. “I want them to feel that the team is giving everything to bring back a sense of joy.”
Those are noble objectives and Brazil have the talent to pursue them. Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo and 17-year-old sensation Endrick are capable of lighting up the Copa America and ushering the Selecao into a bright new era. Capable of propelling the team to success at the World Cup, too, if the rest of the side is correctly set up.
But there is always another way, too. For all the stereotypes, there is only one non-negotiable when it comes to football in Brazil, and it’s not joy or beauty — a point underlined by Selecao captain Danilo on the eve of the Costa Rica game.
“I hope we can meet expectations,” said Danilo . “Not in terms playing beautiful football — that’s something for the press and the fans to talk about — but by winning games. We’ll play attractive football if we can. If not, we will win through determination.”
The Rose Bowl class of ’94 would heartily approve.
(Header photo: Mark Leech/Offside via Getty Images)
