In the era of former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, right-wing Brazilians chanted, “Our flag will never be red!” However, this assertion may need to be amended regarding the national football team’s attire, as the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) reportedly considers introducing a crimson jersey for the team in time for the 2026 World Cup.
This suggestion has ignited fury among right-wingers, who regard red as the color symbolizing Brazil’s left-wing president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and his Workers’ party (PT), as well as the Landless Workers’ Movement (MST). Conservative governor Romeu Zema, a prospective successor to Bolsonaro, rejected the idea vehemently, stating, “Our team’s shirt will never be red – and neither will our country!” In a social media video, Zema flung a mock-up of the red jersey away in disgust.
Bolsonaro’s son, Flávio Bolsonaro, also decried the proposal, insisting that the Brazilian flag is not red and never will be.
The controversy surrounding the potential switch from the team’s traditional blue away jersey, which has been worn since Brazil’s first World Cup victory in 1958, to a red one transcends political lines. Football purists from across the political spectrum have criticized the “leaked” plans, which first appeared in a viral report by the football website Footy Headlines.
The CBF was compelled to step in and deny the rumors, affirming their commitment to the traditional yellow and blue shirts and stating that designs for the next World Cup have not yet been created in conjunction with kit supplier Nike.
Walter Casagrande, a former player and commentator who supports Lula, dismissed the idea as “idiocy.” Sportswriter Paulo Vinícius Coelho argued it was a move lacking in sense, likely driven by commercial interests. Renowned commentator Galvão Bueno called the concept “a crime” and an insult to Brazil’s football legacy.
Conversely, some left-wing Brazilians are in favor of the idea. Over the past decade, the traditional yellow shirt has become associated with the far right and is often donned at pro-Bolsonaro demonstrations. As a reaction, many progressives have stopped wearing the yellow jersey.
Columnist Milly Lacombe voiced her support for the red shirt, stating it represents revolution, change, and transformation. Juca Kfouri, a left-wing football writer, opposed the change, arguing a red shirt would further polarize political divisions among fans.
Kfouri also referenced Brazil’s name, which originates from the redwood tree called pau-brasil (brazilwood), and pointed out that the first Brazilian flag featured red. He suspects the red shirt story may have been a “trial balloon” to gauge public reaction before moving forward with a potentially lucrative kit design.
The CBF, meanwhile, found the commotion advantageous as it diverted attention from the organization’s struggles, including the failure to appoint Carlo Ancelotti as Brazil’s new manager and an embarrassing exposé in a Brazilian magazine. The contention over the jersey’s color underscores the political divide within Brazil and the passion with which even the simplest of matters, like a team’s uniform, can be embroiled in controversy.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/apr/30/brazil-red-world-cup-jerseys
