Street painting has long been part of Brazil’s tournament culture, turning neighbourhoods into open-air declarations of belief. The colours are familiar - green, yellow and blue - but the meaning feels freshly earned after years of distance from the national side.
For Jorge Santana, an artist involved in one of the projects, the purpose is bigger than decoration. “Queríamos trazer isso de volta para as crianças”, he said. The revival gives younger supporters a connection to a custom they may know only from family memories and old photographs.
Brazil is again being discussed as one of the contenders, while the country carries a long wait for another World Cup triumph and a sixth title. That hope has not erased the pain of the past. Rafaela also recalled: “A gente simplesmente não conseguia se animar de novo depois daquilo.”
That honesty matters. The street paintings are not blind celebration; they are an attempt to reclaim joy after disappointment. Confidence is returning, but it remains tied to whether this team can produce the moments previous generations took for granted.
The projects reportedly stretch beyond individual households, bringing neighbours together before a ball is kicked. “Isso une a comunidade de um jeito que estamos perdendo hoje em dia”, said Carlos Magalhães, whose family has helped preserve the tradition.
When Brazil face Morocco, the result will shape the mood, but the emotional campaign has already begun. The next storyline to watch is whether the renewed colour on Brazil’s streets survives beyond opening night - and grows into genuine belief.