Brazilian football is synonymous with talent, yet the world’s greatest Brazilian players rarely make their names at home. Maria Clara Santana investigates Brazil’s hidden “brain drain.”

Pelé, Ronaldo, Neymar. Every football fan can recite the names of these Brazilian icons. What most fail to recognize, though, is that their fame is hardly ever obtained on the pitches of Brazil. Rather, it is a rite of passage for rising stars to exit the national market, to level up to the international stage. Even when a star returns – as is the case with Neymar, who recently came home to his boyhood club of Santos in São Paulo – it is an end-of-career move. The massive local talent fails to make up for the dwindling finances of several major clubs, creating a loss of national identity and, in many ways, Brazil’s very own football “brain drain.”

In political theory, a “brain drain” refers to a scenario in which national talents seek opportunities abroad, due to an absence of infrastructure or opportunities back home. “Brain drains” are challenging developmentally because the changes required to keep talent local are costly and time-consuming.

In the context of football, this theory can help to explain the absence of national stars on national fields. Ricardo Fontes Santana, author of “Hoje É Dia de Flamengo,” spoke to The Amsterdammer about this. His book chronicles the history of fan-favorite club Flamengo, acting as an archive of some of Brazil’s greatest talents. 

Santana explains that the first instances of footballers exiting to the international market occurred in the early 80s. Initially, the then-powerhouses of Italy targeted “mature” players, “ideally with track records on their national teams.” Over time, attention shifted to “younger players” who would “more easily adapt to a new country and its specific football culture”. He explains that the greatest focus nowadays is on “16-17 year old players whose talents and tactical concepts would be further amplified in […] youth football academies,” who abide by FIFA rules that prohibit international transfers of underaged players by playing a “one or two years maximum” for their original clubs’ senior teams. Nowadays, Brazil contributes the highest number of expatriate footballers, with over 1000 players abroad.

Recent stars such as Vinicius Junior, Endrick and Estêvão all fit this pattern, Santana explains. These exceptional youths achieved international recognition after fulfilling their obligations in their national teams. In many cases, these young players have been polished by local clubs’ training camps and football schools for most of their junior careers, such that these clubs see little return on their investments before they move abroad. 

To Endrick, moving abroad has always been a dream. The young Real Madrid player seems to enjoy his experience, emphasizing the learning opportunity of working abroad. However, like fellow Real Madrid star, Vinicius Junior, he has struggled with immense racism. The experiences of these footballers emphasizes the harsh realities of enduring racial prejudice in international football, helping to explain some of the difficulties that might result in players returning home.

For locals, the absence of true recognition of Brazilian talents creates a “lack of identification” with national teams, explains Santana. Local fans who watch a world cup will often barely recognize most of their country’s best players, or know only of their successes abroad. This creates a sense of sociocultural disconnect between Brazilian’s identities nationally and internationally, while also promoting the “brain drain” itself. Young hopefuls who dream of joining the national team are fed the idea that they must leave their country to succeed in doing so, which further perpetuates this cycle of dismissal.

President Lula has called for the national team to better reflect the local football landscape. Players abroad are “not better than those here”, the president stated in a radio interview. His statements reflect the broader desire for a national team that truly reflects national interests, echoing the sentiments expressed by Uruguay coach, Marcelo Bielsa.

Competing with the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona and The Prem teams will always be a  difficult task. Like with any “brain drain,” the true solution lies in long-term investment – an undoubted challenge. Some organizational changes may prove equally important, explains Santana. “Brazilian clubs […] have on average 10 additional matches per season, when compared to British clubs.” This exhausts local players extensively, who may become frustrated with national calendars and become further inclined to seek opportunities abroad. Additionally, it creates mismatches with the FIFA calendar that hinder the ease of international negotiations, as national players must often take leaves to compete at FIFA events; reduced matches could help retain more talent. Most importantly, local clubs would benefit from working together to “increase their negotiation power.”

Maybe one day Brazilians will be able to see their favorite players thrive in competitive national leagues. The best hope for such is, undoubtedly, to tap into what makes Brazil’s football so special: passion.