Luiz Felipe Scolari

FIFA.com: What did the FIFA World Cup mean to you as a boy?
Luiz Felipe Scolari: It was something I wondered about and used to be interested in, but I never imagined I'd be at a World Cup as a player or a coach. It was impossible. When I was a child I didn't even dream of such a thing. We just used to follow the tournament and enjoy watching the great moves, the great players and imagine what the atmosphere might be like. It never even occurred to me back then that one day I'd be involved in a World Cup.

Now as an adult, what goes through your mind when the conversation turns to the FIFA World Cup?
Now it's different. Having participated in a World Cup qualifying tournament and a final phase itself, I've taken a real liking to it. It's a fantastic event, one that every nation can get involved in, and where lasting friendships and relationships can be established between people from all over the world. There's an aspect of football, which, on closer inspection, is a reflection of life itself. That's how I came to enjoy competing in World Cups.

When you were asked by the CBF in July 2001 to take the job of Brazil coach, what was your reaction?
My initial reaction was to examine the qualifying table to see what position Brazil were in, what the problems were, who we were going to play and where, how many points we were going to need and where we might struggle. I did all that to find out if our chances were good before accepting the offer. I think that was an important period in my career, although I never worked at any club with the aim of working my way to the national team.
I always aimed to give my best at every club I worked for, to leave my mark and make history with the club. So, when I was offered the job, I sat down with the coaching staff who were working with me at that time, and we reached the conclusion that it was worth running the risk that Brazil wouldn't qualify, which would have been the first time in 17 or 18 World Cups. However, we felt obliged to do it, because we'd only get that opportunity once in our careers. We accepted the offer and put everything that we'd been doing at club level into practice with the national team.

What was that Brazilian team lacking when you took over?
There wasn't a good atmosphere in the squad, and friendship and team spirit were also in short supply. The players lacked motivation and an awareness that they were representing Brazil. I emphasised that they were all part of the same team, and how that was more important than problems with journalists, their clubs and their egos. We developed this ethic during the qualifiers and thus arrived at the World Cup with a fantastic team, almost like a family. It wasn't just a group. Everyone was looking out for each other.

So the key elements were work, discipline and passion?
Of course. I'm talking about optimism, group dynamics and hard work. Things like changing the way the more talented players work, in order to help those who don't have the same ability and really build a team which shares a common purpose. We worked away at this and achieved it in due course.

Why were you dubbed 'The Dictator'?
Sometimes when I'm asked my opinion, I'm very true to myself and really say what I think on a subject. My response isn't always what people want to hear. People can confuse authority, discipline and organisation with authoritarianism. I'm not talking about the authority of imposition, but the authority to demonstrate and educate in a simple and ordinary manner. At times, people don't like this, because they try to manipulate certain situations involving clubs or teams, and we can't allow that. But when this happens, you get stereotyped a certain way.

You have to be very strong in Brazil to stand firm and not take certain popular players to the FIFA World Cup. Tell us about this.
That was a situation for the Brazil coach to decide, and at that moment in time that was me. If we were going to play a slightly higher tempo style, which was what I wanted, with a bit more involvement in every area of the field, then I couldn't take Romario. If I was aiming for a different style of play, then yes I would have considered him. The World Cup was set to be played in Korea and Japan. Having observed the way the other teams played, using a high-tempo game, I realised that it wasn't the right moment and I made my decision. The choices a coach makes are sometimes right and sometimes wrong. But I had to make a decision and that's what I did.

For Europeans, Brazil is a country of football stars, all with unique personalities. Is it more difficult to make them play together, to harness their individual talent into a group effort?
Yes. Brazil are always a star-studded team. All their players have fantastic ability. The most difficult thing from a coach's perspective is to make them understand that we have to play with European levels of organisation. A Brazil team playing with European organisation, with tactical awareness, is a wonderful thing, one of the best in the world. But it's difficult making the players understand that decision. I worked with the Brazilian national team for a year, gradually getting this idea across with the use of videos and statistical data, sometimes taken from the club sides they played for. I showed them that if we were organised, disciplined, had a European framework in place and exploited our technical ability within that framework, then we would win. Winning the World Cup proved just that.
We only conceded one headed goal, even though Brazilian teams have always had difficulties defending high balls, principally against European opposition. But this goal came against Costa Rica, a very South American-style team coached by a fellow Brazilian. This header wasn't scored from a high ball; in fact it was a diving header. This example demonstrates the importance of a strong, well-marshalled defence, and knowing when to attack and when to defend, because when Brazil are in possession, they can use their individual talents fantastically well. The country is a breeding ground for talent, because players here are raised in a tough environment, playing on dirt fields or in tiny spaces, where they somehow manage to play games of three-, four- and even five-a-side, often with a makeshift football. It helps that Brazil's climate is perfect for football, but it's this ability to improvise that makes the difference.

Despite the innumerable fitness problems Ronaldo had before that FIFA World Cup, you kept faith with him. Tell us about that.
I always had that belief, because the people I was working with, the physios and doctors for example, gave me that sense of security. They told me that I could take him with us because, if we did everything we needed to do, he'd be 70 per cent fit by the time the World Cup began and would improve as the tournament went on, which is what happened. Because of the complete confidence I had in my staff, I always let Ronaldo believe that he'd be in good enough shape to play in the World Cup. And when the moment arrived, Ronaldo was in good form.

What did you tell the players before the 2002 Final, bearing in mind they had lost at that stage in Paris four years earlier?
We talked about that 1998 Final but didn't analyse what had happened, as that episode was in the past and we didn't want to relive the Ronaldo incident. So, we just talked about Finals in general and how to approach them. We spent a good while on this subject, particularly on the eve of the game. Everyone calmed everyone down a bit and I remember the players having a golf contest that day in the hotel corridor, which was about 50 meters long. The idea was for everyone to relax a bit, and not let their minds dwell on the 1998 episode, which hadn't been good for anyone. Instead, we talked about our future and how we could win. The idea was to calm the players so that when they ran out for the Final, it would be just another game for them. We had to appear confident, be conscious of what we had to do, but at the same time stay relaxed. In the end, we took to the field in perfect shape.

Relaxed, but still obliged to win, given that in Brazil to come second is the same as coming last...(Scolari completes interviewer's sentence)
Yes, coming second in Brazil is like being the world's worst. However, the players were so focused on their objective at that moment that there was no need to have them imagine match scenarios beforehand. Just before kick-off, we went over some match details on the whiteboard, and that's the way it worked out. When Brazilians come together to play for the national team, you work with them differently than you would if you were their club coach, say, in Europe. The culture here is very different, so we have to try to understand it to make use of it at the right moment.

In the Final, what made the difference, the Brazilian culture or the players' mentality?
I think that what made the difference was the Brazilian players' technical ability and the way they kept their composure during the Final. They knew that if they kept things tight defensively then a goal would come, be it in the first, fifth, tenth or fiftieth minute. They knew that they were going to score. So what they had to do was to keep their concentration at the back so Germany didn't get any chances on goal, and play their normal game. Because any team which has Rivaldo, Ronaldo and Ronaldinho will struggle not to score goals. So it was just a matter of keeping calm and knowing how to control the game well. And that's what happened.

Had you planned to use those tactics in the Final?
Yes. That's what we were working towards and, if you guys were looking for just one incident that exemplified this, Brazil's first goal came from someone doing something totally out of character. In this case Ronaldo Nazario, who's not used to chasing down defenders, stole the ball and battled for it. He's the kind of player who only shadows his opponents and runs alongside them. However, he was so deeply imbued with the idea that he had to show the Seleção spirit and work for the team, that he chased him down, won the ball and passed it for Rivaldo to create the first goal. (Editor's Note. Rivaldo's shot was parried by the keeper, enabling Ronaldo to score from the rebound). In other words, that was the spirit. That was what we were all about, as well as being a team that got on well together. And that's why we were so calm.

With seven wins out of seven and 18 goals scored, would you say the 2002 victory was on a par with that of 1970, widely regarded as the best FIFA World Cup of all time?
I'm someone who says what he feels and sometimes people misunderstand me. But I think that even if we'd only scored five goals in winning the World Cup, it wouldn't have made any difference to me. I know it's nice when people say your football is eye-catching and elegant, but you can't always play well. In that case the most important thing becomes the three points you need to go through to the next round, because if you play well and don't go through to the next round then you don't go down in history and you're forgotten. The 1982 Brazil team was fantastic, but Italy won.
That 2002 Seleção was one of the great Brazil teams. By that I mean that Brazil has produced some fantastic sides, but only five victorious ones, and that team was one of those. We had some good games, good performances, and I believe that the team put on a show. So, it was nearly a perfect side. But even if it hadn't been, and we'd still won, I'd have been happy.

What was going through your mind at the final whistle?
I thought about how far I'd come as a coach and how my life had turned out. It was wonderful. I didn't know what else to think or say. I don't know if I hugged the players, cried or spoke with my family. It was all so special that we don't know how to explain it. It's a unique feeling and one I wish everyone could experience. Unfortunately, though, only one coach and one team can do it at a time. It's very difficult to describe the emotion you feel at that moment.

What was it like on returning to Brazil?
First of all, we didn't sleep all night. We stayed together chatting, joking and talking about everything we'd done, about everything that had happened. We slept later on the plane. Then we had that reception in Brasilia, which was the largest I'd ever experienced in my life. There were 100-200,000 people waiting for us, and at least a million people in the streets. It should have taken us roughly half an hour to get to the Palace to see the President, and it ended up taking around three hours because of the massive public celebrations. We never imagined that it would be so great.
By then, we were anxious to get home, to sit down with our families, our partners, our kids, and just let what we'd achieved sink in. We wanted to be able to spend some weeks relaxing and talking about everything we'd gone through - an experience that would stay with us forever. By sharing this with others, they too could also feel everything we had experienced.

Aime Jacquet, the coach of the victorious France team of 1998, said he slept with the Trophy beside him in bed. Did anything like that happen to you?
No. They wouldn't allow it and took the Cup away straight away. I don't think there is a coach in the world, though, no matter how reserved, that wouldn't be moved at such a moment.
(Picking up the Trophy) It's all coming back to me now. This is a beautiful trophy. It symbolises everything to do with football. It's a shame that we can't all have a world championship trophy at home, to keep there. It's very beautiful.

Can you remember what the Jules Rimet Trophy was like?
Of course. It was a little different. It had an engraving here. Whoever creates a trophy like this is a great artist, because it's a fantastic symbol. Only a genius can make trophies like this one and the Jules Rimet Cup.

How did it feel when you laid hands on it for the first time at the end of the Final?
I just wanted to hold it for a while and then lift it up. I wanted that precise moment to be immortalized in a historic photo so everyone dear to me in life could see me that way. I had just such a picture taken afterwards, and I keep it at home. That's what I was thinking about at that moment.