It’s the same, but different. The ironic phrase may sound like a contradiction, but for Dudu Patetuci, it’s an accurate summary of his first days in Qatar. The current Seleção head coach returns to the FIFA U-17 World Cup™ six years after being on the winning side as an assistant coach.
Speaking exclusively to FIFA ahead of Brazil’s opener against Honduras on Tuesday, Patetuci reflected on what it means to be back at the tournament – this time as the commander-in-chief.
“You can’t really say you’re not feeling nervous, can you? It’s a World Cup – a competition of the tallest order,” said Patetuci. “Although I was there at the 2019 tournament, it’s only natural that I’m feeling a little nervous.
“But you have to compose yourself. You feel the nerves mainly in the lead-up to the tournament, don’t you? After that, you start to relax and loosen up, but yes, there’s still some level of anxiety.”
In 2019, Brazil won the tournament as hosts, when 24 teams competed to lift the prestigious trophy. Despite winning all seven outings, the journey to that title was far from plain sailing for the Brazilians. In the knockout phases, they had to muster up comebacks against Chile, France and Mexico.
“Having a strong mindset is crucial,” said the experienced tactician. “Brazil went behind in the round of 16, the semi-final and the final. We kept our cool, trusted our approach and style of play, and emerged victorious in all three matches.
“We need to be mentally strong. It’s not just about being balanced on the pitch; it’s also about having a close-knit group. We know that we’ll need every player and that no player is more important than any other.”
According to the man himself, those traits are already part of his current team.
“The Canarinho is a very strong collective unit, aggressive out of possession; in possession, we take our time in the build-up, look after the ball to retain possession, and bide our time to attack when we find the space,” said Patetuci.
This time, however, the journey will be different. Not necessarily because of the matches – which are always unpredictable – but because this will be the first-ever 48-team FIFA tournament.
The challenges start right from the outset in Group H, against Honduras, Indonesia and Zambia. These three opponents don’t have the same track record as Brazil, as the four-time world champions compete for another title that would put them level with Nigeria, the most successful nation in the tournament’s history.
“Although these teams don’t have a successful history at youth level, I’ve told the staff and the players that we must have our wits about us and treat Honduras, Indonesia and Zambia as serious rivals,” he said.
“We have to respect everyone given the globalisation of the modern game. Just look at Morocco – they were recently crowned U-20 World Cup champions. We’ve already taken a good look at what we’re up against. We’ll go into the group stage aiming to blow the competition away and progress to the knockouts.”
While Patetuci is currently focused on the group stage, he is well aware of the responsibility that comes with representing Brazil at a World Cup.
Having been down this road before, he knows how long and arduous the journey will be. However, he has one ambitious goal in mind: repeating the success of 2019 and claiming that top spot once more.
“As Brazilians, we always have our sights set on winning the title, at any tournament,” said Patetuci. “This generation has been working together for about three years, since U-15 level. We’re all very well prepared and familiar with each other. The unbeaten reigning champions of South America are here, and we’re ready to fight for the title.”
