Editing Brazil national football team (section)

=== The dry spell (1974–1990) ===
After the international retirement of Pelé and other stars from the 1970 squad, Brazil was not able to overcome the [[Netherlands national football team|Netherlands]] at the [[1974 FIFA World Cup|1974 World Cup]] in [[West Germany]], and finished in fourth place after losing the third place game to [[Poland national football team|Poland]].<ref>{{cite news| url = https://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/worldcup/2006-brazil-preview.htm| title = Brazil not too comfortable as World Cup favorite| work = [[USA Today]]| date = 23 May 2006| access-date = 12 February 2009| archive-date = 18 October 2011| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20111018081445/http://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/worldcup/2006-brazil-preview.htm| url-status = live}}</ref>

In the second group stage of the [[1978 FIFA World Cup|1978 World Cup]], Brazil competed with tournament hosts Argentina for top spot and a place in the finals. In their last group match, Brazil defeated Poland 3–1 to go to the top of the group with a [[goal difference]] of +5. Argentina had a goal difference of +2, but in its last group match, it defeated Peru 6–0, and thus qualified for the final in a match accused of ultimately-unproven [[match fixing]]. [[Brazil at the 1978 FIFA World Cup#Starting 11|Brazil]] subsequently beat Italy in the third place play-off, and were the only team to remain unbeaten in the tournament.

At the [[1982 FIFA World Cup|1982 World Cup]], held in Spain, Brazil were the tournament favorites, and easily moved through the early part of the draw, but a [[Brazil vs Italy (1982)|3–2 defeat]] in [[Barcelona]] to Italy, in a classic World Cup match, eliminated them from the tournament in the match that they refer to as "Sarriá's Tragedy", referencing the [[Sarrià Stadium|stadium]]'s name.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://ph.news.yahoo.com/day-paolo-rossi-changed-brazilian-140627796.html |title = The day Paolo Rossi changed Brazilian football for good |date = December 10, 2020 |website = Yahoo |access-date = December 22, 2022 |archive-date = 22 December 2022 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20221222124125/https://ph.news.yahoo.com/day-paolo-rossi-changed-brazilian-140627796.html |url-status = dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url = https://exame.com/casual/tragedia-do-sarria-da-copa-de-82-completa-30-anos/ |title = The Tragedy of Sarriá completes 30 years |language = Portuguese |website = Exame |date = 10 July 2012 |access-date = December 22, 2022 |archive-date = 22 December 2022 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20221222124153/https://exame.com/casual/tragedia-do-sarria-da-copa-de-82-completa-30-anos/ |url-status = dead }}</ref> The [[Brazil at the 1982 FIFA World Cup#Starting 11|1982 team]], with a midfield of [[Sócrates]], [[Zico (footballer)|Zico]], [[Paulo Roberto Falcão|Falcão]] and [[Toninho Cerezo]], is remembered as perhaps the greatest team never to win a [[FIFA World Cup|World Cup]].<ref name="Mirror.co.uk" />

Several players, including Sócrates and Zico, from 1982 returned to play at the [[1986 FIFA World Cup|1986 World Cup]] in Mexico. Brazil, still a very good team and more disciplined defensively than four years earlier, met the [[Michel Platini]]-led France in the quarter-finals in a classic of [[Total Football]]. The game played to a 1–1 draw in regulation time, and after a goalless extra time, it all came down to a penalty shoot-out, where Brazil was defeated 4–3.

After a 40-year hiatus, Brazil was victorious in the [[1989 Copa América]], this being their fourth victory in four tournaments hosted in Brazil. This achievement ended Brazil's 19-year streak without an official championship since the [[1970 FIFA World Cup|1970 World Cup]].

At the [[1990 FIFA World Cup|1990 World Cup]] in Italy, Brazil was coached by [[Sebastião Lazaroni]], who had been the coach in the 1989 Copa América. With a [[Brazil at the 1990 FIFA World Cup#Starting 11|defensive scheme]], whose main symbol was midfielder [[Dunga]], forward [[Careca]] and three centre-backs, the team lacked creativity but made it to the second round. Brazil was eliminated by [[Diego Maradona]]-led Argentina in the round of 16 in [[Turin]], losing to their South American archrivals 1–0.<ref>[http://www.espnfc.com/feature/_/id/696774?cc=5739 "World Cup 1990"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140425021202/http://www.espnfc.com/feature/_/id/696774?cc=5739 |date=25 April 2014 }}.ESPN. Retrieved 9 June 2018</ref>