less than three years after the most humiliating loss in its proud football history, a resurgent Brazil has become the first team to qualify for the World Cup in Russia.
With a convincing 3-0 victory over Paraguay on Tuesday and results going its way elsewhere in South American qualifying, the Brazilians ensured they'll join host Russia at the World Cup next year. Not bad for a group filled with players who endured the 7-1 trashing by Germany in the 2014 World Cup semifinal - a group many fans not long ago treated with disdain.
The road to qualification was rocky in the beginning, though. Dunga's surprising appointment as head coach after Brazil lost its home World Cup distanced many fans. Frustration built after a quarterfinal elimination to Paraguay at the 2015 Copa America.
Elimination in the group stage at Copa America Centenario in the United States in 2016 ended Dunga's run as Brazil coach.
In that time, defeats gave popularity to a new Brazilian saying every time something goes terribly wrong: "Every day is a new 7-1."
Brazil's football confederation didn't need merely a successor for Dunga. It needed a national hero.
The most popular choice was Corinthians coach Tite, who was overlooked after the 2014 World Cup debacle.
Tite was not in charge of the Brazil team that won gold at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, with Neymar back in fine form, but his advice was surely heeded. That title gave Brazil some confidence back, players say.
When World Cup qualifiers resumed in September last year, Tite's team was ready to dominate. A 3-0 win at Ecuador was followed by a 2-1 home victory over Colombia made Brazilians sure they were on the right path. With the 3-0 victory over Argentina in the same stadium where Brazil had been humiliated against Germany, the coach's reputation was enhanced.
Results and style have become so impressive that Brazil secured one of the top four South American direct places at the World Cup with four matches remaining in the qualifying tournament. It has become a team to fear again, as adversaries such as Uruguay's coach Oscar Tabarez acknowledged. When Tite took over, Brazil was sixth in the standings.
Now, the coach who made the contemporary Brazil team more like the Brazil of old is in celebration mode.
"Thank you, my good God. I will have a caipirinha this big," the coach said, showing with his hands that he wanted an extra-large drink.
Brazil no longer depends entirely on Neymar, and it can play without its teenage target-man Gabriel Jesus and still score many goals. The strong defense has conceded only two goals in eight matches. There are still weaknesses, including the lack of experience of the coach against teams from outside South America and the corruption scandals that affect its football confederation. But the momentum is clearly wearing yellow again.
Argentina in danger
Argentina, playing without suspended star lionel Messi, lost 2-0 to Bolivia in the altitude of la Paz earlier and slipped from third to fifth with four matches remaining.
The top four in South America earn direct places at the World Cup. The fifth-ranked South American team goes into a playoff against a team from Oceania for a spot in Russia.
Argentina has 22 points from six wins and four draws, putting coach Edgardo Bauza under intense pressure to step aside.
Argentina's best chance of qualifying for the next World Cup seemingly relies on winning an appeal to have Messi's suspension shortened. The Barcelona star made offensive remarks to a Brazilian linesman in the 1-0 victory against Chile last Thursday and, if the FIFA ruling prevails, will only return to the team in their last match for qualifiers in October against Ecuador.
From a TV set in the locker room, Messi saw Argentina little by little fade into an average side outrun by the Bolivians at the 3,600 meters of altitude. The last time the Argentines managed to win in la Paz was in 2005.
Of the five defenders Bauza wanted to field against the ninth-place Bolivians, only left-winger Marcos Rojo was available. Still, the Argentinians seemed to be handling the Bolivians, creating the best opportunities in the first 30 minutes. But then striker Juan Arce headed home a cross from Pablo Escobar in the 32nd minute to open the scoring for the hosts.
The Argentina started losing condition at altitude and Bolivia capitalized via striker Marcelo Moreno, who fired home from close range after a cross from Flores to make it 2-0 in the 52nd.
"We are alive and we want to qualify for the World Cup. This is a fight that we will keep fighting," Bauza told a post-match news conference, before admitting there were big concerns within the squad.
"Yes, the players are worried because no one likes to lose."