Domestic Brazilian football is–and for the foreseeable future will continue to be–an export industry, its most promising youngsters syphoned off by European giants. But that does not condemn the Brazilian club game to perennial weakness. It still leaves plenty of talent at home, augmented by the addition of three types of player: veterans with successful European spells who are looking to round off their careers with a move back home, those in their mid-20s who have gone to Europe and, for whatever reason, not lived up to expectations, and those brought in from other South American countries.
There has been an increase in all three categories, as Brazil scouts the continent better than ever and as an influx of money makes the Brazilian clubs
