«The Cat’s Curse» began after an incident in 2022 when a cat was thrown during a Brazil press conference. Since then, the national team has faced a crisis of results attributed to generational changes and the loss of their iconic «joga bonito.»
The last FIFA match of 2024 came to an end. Among all the matches played, Brazil’s draw against Uruguay stood out, leaving the “verdeamarela” in a questionable position in the CONMEBOL qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup: fifth place, just one point ahead of Paraguay in sixth.
With this poor performance in recent international competitions, along with their Copa América defeat to Uruguay in the quarterfinals, it’s inevitable to mention «The Cat’s Curse» which has become a popular belief surrounding the team. But what is this curse, and why is it blamed for the South American nation’s slump? Here’s the story.
A Surprise Guest Disrupted More Than a Press Conference
On December 7, 2022, during a press conference for the Brazil national team, an unexpected guest appeared on the table where Vinícius Jr. and the team’s press officer were about to address the media. It was a cinnamon-colored cat with black and gray stripes. As the conference began, the press officer abruptly grabbed the feline lying on the tablecloth and tossed it to the ground.
Initially, this created a humorous moment but was criticized by many for the mistreatment of the animal. Shortly after, Brazil faced Croatia in the Qatar 2022 quarterfinals. Despite playing well, they were eliminated from the tournament.
Many fans began to claim that the cat had cursed them because of its mistreatment, emphasizing the feline’s strong symbolic significance in Islam, a religion widely followed in the host country of the World Cup.
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The Poor Results Continued
The Qatar 2022 elimination was just the beginning, as adverse results plagued Brazil in the years that followed, almost as if by magic.
Brazil’s first defeats came in friendlies against Morocco and Senegal. Later, they drew against Venezuela, lost to Uruguay and Colombia in CONMEBOL qualifiers, and suffered a 1-0 defeat to their arch-rival Argentina.
After their Copa América elimination, Paraguay defeated the “verdeamarela” for the first time in 16 years. Brazil’s last two results included another draw against Venezuela and the aforementioned salvaging of a single point against Uruguay.
While cats have been associated with good or bad karma in various myths and beliefs, it’s evident that Brazil is in a football crisis. Their performance has been impacted by a generational shift that has disconnected from the «joga bonito» style that once defined them.
The “verdeamarela” must redefine its project with the new stars on its roster, as they have failed to embody the essence of Brazilian football the same that made them the greatest team in the world. Until they reverse this trend, «The Cat’s Curse» will continue to haunt them.
Cover photo: X (@RaulOrvananos)
