Brazil, the most successful men’s team in the FIFA World Cup, with five titles, suffered an agonising defeat in the Copa America 2024 quarterfinal, continuing its trophy drought further.
Its last major trophy remains the Copa America in 2019, which it won after beating Peru 3-1 in the final. However, there were reasons to celebrate for its under-23 side, which successfully defended the gold medal at the 2020 Olympic Games, two years later, in Tokyo.
It beat Luis de La Fuente’s Spain in the gold medal match, with former Barcelona winger Malcolm netting the winner in extra-time. With two gold medals, it remains the joint-second-most successful team in the Olympics, with Argentina, Soviet Union and Uruguay.
However, the next edition of the Olympics, at Paris, will not see Brazil take the field, piling further misery in the country’s attempts to restore its lost glory.
WHY IS BRAZIL NOT PLAYING IN 2024 PARIS OLYMPICS?
Brazil will not be playing in the 2024 Olympic Games because it lost the qualifier to Argentina 0-1, off a strike by Valentin Barco, in February 2024.
This will be the first time that Brazil will not be playing at the Olympic Games since 2004.
In the decisive South American Olympic qualifier, Luciano Gondou scored the winner for the Argentina under-23 team coached by Javier Mascherano. He headed a cross from Barco past goalkeeper Mycael in the 78th minute at the Brigido Iriarte Stadium in Caracas.
South America’s Olympic qualifying for men’s football offers two spots in Paris 2024, with the remaining berth earned by Paraguay after it beat Venezuela 2-0.
Argentina finished its final group stage campaign with five points in three matches and cannot be overtaken by the other teams.
