Although it’s hard to point out the political preferences of Adenor Bachi, the Brazilian coach better known as Tite, it’s safe to say that he would have voted for Hillary over Trump.
But the slogan that drove Donald to the White House has a lot to do with the 8-games-8 wins of the Brazilian coach. After the disappointment that hit the entire country in the last World Cup, Tite’s mission is to rescue the spirit of football-art and the fans' confidence in Brazil. Besides the slogan, they also share some other important themes.
China
The 1,4-billion-people country is one of the biggest of Trump’s headache. His aggressive position regarding the deals and the tense relationship with the Asian country keep everybody alert and concerned. On the other hand, China was Tite’s headache healing. Two untouchables pieces of his midfield play in the recent-wealthy Chinese football league. Renato Augusto (former Bayer Leverkusen) is the right-hand man of Tite inside the pitch, making the ball goes from defence to attack. Paulinho (former Tottenham Hotspur) just planted the flag in the first team after scoring a hat-trick against Uruguay and two assists against Paraguay.
The icing on the cake is that both players have great chemistry with Neymar, the company's star. Nobody could bet that the two midfielders would keep appearing in the Brazilian list after returning to China. But they do—no tensions or concerns for Tite about The Land of the Dragon.
The Wall
Brazil usually gets in trouble playing against Mexico. But the wall that Tite prepared with his defensive players has nothing to do with Chicharito team. In eleven games, Tite’s Brazil has conceded only three goals, averaging 0,27 goals per game. With Dunga, the last coach, the average was 1,3 goals per game.
The Brazilian Wall is built by two very experienced side backs, Dani Alves and Marcelo, and two consistent centre defenders, Miranda and Marquinhos. Behind them, the 24-year-old Roma goalkeeper Alisson convinces Tite that he’s the best option to cast out undesirable things from his zone. Trump would love it.
Russia
The largest country in the world is also the key point for both figures, Trump and Tite. Nobody knows what the first want in Putin lands. Everybody knows what the second is planning to do near the Kremlin next year. The obscure relation between Russia’s and USA’s presidents is as difficult to understand as the 7–1 Germany drop over Brazil, in 2014.
Tite is not very close to Vladimir, as far as we know, but his goal is to be very close in 2018, specifically on July 15, when the Russian president will deliver the World Cup trophy by hand to the champions. Maybe with a smiley-clapping Donald Trump behind in the tribunes.
Fábio Felice is a Brazilian football fan that drives his life calendar according to the World Cup countdown. Follow him here.