In the past, the Brazilian national team was often used as one of the few good things that the people of Brazil could be proud of. But after the sporting disaster of the 2014 World Cup plus the millions spent on stadiums that now stand empty, and many other corruption schemes from Brazil's FA getting exposed, the team has lost its impact with the Brazilian public to the point where some couldn't care less about the Seleção. Others care so much that their love might start turning into hate. The latter is especially highlighted when one of the topics discussed in interviews is whether or not the players care about being booed by their supporters at home.
Brazil's loss to Chile was special though. Brazil hadn't lost a game to Chile in 15 years, playing 14 games during that time, and while La Roja had come close in some recent matches, they could never strike a good result. Some blamed the loss on Neymar's absence due to his Copa América suspension, others on the team as a whole. But there was focus on Chelsea attacking midfielder Oscar, too, who's expected to be Brazil's second-in-command behind the Barcelona star.
"Brazil without Neymar is pure crap. We were trying to find a synonym, so: Brazil is s**t. Isn't it? Bullcrap, poop."
"What's worse -- or 'best' -- is that 'boy' who isn't cold, but has cockroach's blood called Oscar, whom as a player is 'indefined' in every way; without a defined personality. He's capable of scoring Brazil's consolation goal against Germany in that 7-1, but he'll always be incapable of scoring the team's first goal in a hard game."
"In today's game [against Chile] he had the opportunity to score the first goal but he fluffed his chance. And then he goes on to take a free kick, and when it was about to be taken [narrator] Galvão Bueno said Willian scored four goals from free kicks in his last four games. Willian suffered the foul but Oscar takes the free kick and... it hits the wall."
-Juca Kfouri; source: ESPN Brasil
In a number of debate programs and media outlets, Oscar was elected Brazil's worst player on the pitch against Chile, and the player himself admitted he should have done things differently.
"[Brazil] was better than Chile in the first half and we started the second half playing well. We had four chances from counter-attacks that we should have taken on target."
"We screwed up in a dead-ball situation and suffered the first goal. I left the pitch sad because I think we were good."
"In the end I think I could have finished better. The best option was to take a shot with my left foot."
-Oscar; source: ESPN Brasil
But Oscar wasn't the only Chelsea player on trial in the Brazilian media, as Willian also suffered heavy criticism from pundits.
"Willian is a good player, but he's average. And he already has a certain amount of experience and we hoped that before the World Cup he would come into the competition as a player at another level, above his current one. He didn't show himself up in the World Cup and I think [...] he is a symbol of Brazilian football's current state."
"I don't think he will improve any further and he's a symbol of the Seleção; he's a starting player in this team despite being only average."
"You can imagine that Douglas Costa will evolve, you can think Philippe Coutinho be more than that, but Willian won't take the same step. He's already at the peak of his career. And he's completely average. He doesn't decide games. He doesn't score."
"He isn't [a protagonist]. But he plays in a position which needs someone to make more of an impact on the pitch, to do something different."
-Arnaldo Ribeiro; source: ESPN Brasil
While all of this could be seen as overreaction, many of the criticisms will feel familiar to Chelsea fans. Oscar going missing at crucial times. Willian not playing up to his billing and his price tag. And it a time when we're looking for any sign of hope to get us out of our malaise, this is certainly not the best development. Especially since those two were among the rare few who had managed to put a few good performances together so far this season.
Similarly to Chelsea, a lot of the anger in Brazil stems from the high expectations put upon the national team. A five-times world champion that has suffered the worst defeat in World Cup history only a year ago at home, Brazil has struggled to connect with fans both on and off the pitch ever since. Bad results and uninspiring play certainly won't help the team in that regard.
With a country struggling from top to bottom politically and economically, a national team which used to provide happiness to millions is now another thing to worry about. But unlike your job or your family's safety, football is something you can take your mind off. Football used to fill an entire nation with euphoria, now it creates indifference, at best.