"Worst Brazil I've ever seen", "Ronaldinho was right" - X explodes as Costa Rica hold Brazil to 0-0 draw in Copa America 2024 clash

Brazil entered Copa America 2024 as one of the favorites to win the tournament, but their performance in the first match against Costa Rica was underwhelming, to say the least. Starting with the feared trio of Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo, and Raphinha, fans expected the Selecao to be lethal in front of goal. However, underdogs Costa Rica were able to hold them to a goalless draw on Monday, June 24

Fans of the Selecao have taken to X (formerly Twitter) to make their disappointment known. Here is a selection of their posts:

"So embarrassing," a fan said of the game.

"How did we draw that my God. We can't score," lamented another.

"This is not the Brazil I grew up watching. NO WHERE CLOSE," another chimed in.

Many hailed Ronaldinho as a visionary for predicting the fate of his nation ahead of the tournament.

"Ronaldinho was right, these guys don’t represent Brazil. they are all sh!t," a fan vented.

"This is the worst Brazil I have ever seen!" concluded another.

"All the ball and no quality in the final 3rd. Raphinha, Vinicius & Paquetá really poor. Rodrygo the only positive," a fan analyzed.

The Selecao lacked coherence, especially between the midfield and attack, while the Costa Rican defenders were easily able to read and block passes into the final third. Even when the nine-time champions came close, they fluffed their lines and ended up squandering many good chances.

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What did Ronaldinho say about Brazil before Copa America 2024?

Paris Saint-Germain v RB Leipzig: Group A - UEFA Champions League (Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)

Legendary footballer Ronaldinho called the current Selecao squad 'one of the worst teams' in recent history and slammed them in an interview with YouTube channel Cartoloucos on June 15. The 2005 Ballon d'Or winner opined that the current Brazil squad lacked leaders and was made up of a congregation of 'average players'.

“This is a sad moment for those who love Brazilian soccer. It’s getting hard to find the spirit to watch the games,” he said. “This is perhaps one of the worst teams in recent years, it has no respectable leaders, only average players for the majority. I’ve been following football since I was a kid, long before I thought about becoming a player, and I’ve never seen a situation as bad as this."

The 44-year-old concluded by saying he would not watch Copa America 2024 nor celebrate any of his nation's victories.

“I’ll repeat, our performance has been one of the worst things I’ve ever seen. Such a shame,” he said. “I therefore declare my resignation. I will not watch any CONMEBOL Copa America game, nor celebrate any victory,” he said.

The Selecao will face Paraguay in their next match on June 28. Dorival Junior and his players will need to step-up their gameplay if they are to proceed into the knokout stages of the continental competition.