REVIEW: ‘USA 94: Brazil’s Return to Glory’ Reignites World Cup Fever

USA 94: Brazil’s Return to Glory is a Portuguese-language sports documentary created for Netflix. Directed by Luis Ara, the documentary follows a now-legendary Brazilian team as they fight to win the World Cup in the USA. The film combines not only match footage and interviews with several footballers from that Brazilian team but also previously unseen behind-the-scenes footage captured by the players themselves.

USA 94: Brazil’s Return to Glory is a well-rounded, in-depth documentary that provides important context. Brazil is the darling of international football, famous for its incredible talent, passion and attitude towards football. But leading up to the 1994 World Cup, the mood around the national team was low and negative.

Not only had the performances been poor at previous tournaments, but there were also a series of high-profile and devastating deaths. The most notable demise was the tragic loss of Ayrton Senna, a legendary Formula 1 driver, which created national sadness across Brazil. So there was enormous pressure going into this World Cup.

USA 94: Brazil’s Return to Glory sets the stage early for the mood in Brazil leading up to the World Cup.

The structure of this documentary is fantastic, beginning at the qualification period heading into the World Cup to really set the scene. Each subsequent game within the tournament is given a lengthy discussion. Ara shows the lead-up to the match, the game itself and the general mood before and after the game. The transition from malaise to reverence is captured superbly within USA 94: Brazil’s Return to Glory.

When discussing the World Cup final, the section runs for half an hour in USA 94: Brazil’s Return to Glory. It is given the detail and diligence it deserves, capturing every important moment in the match. Any time a major talking point arises, there are a heap of voices and a lengthy discussion. It shows a dedication to telling a story.

The interviews are fascinating and surprising, given the names included. Major figures within Brazilian football are included in USA 94: Brazil’s Return to Glory. The manager, Carlos Alberto Perreira, and several high-ranking members of the playing squad are all given long interviews. This included Brazilian captain Dunga, striker Bebeto and most notably, Romario. The latter is an absolute icon of the game, so getting such insight into his experience in the tournament is extraordinary.

Unfortunately, the heavily publicized home footage component of the documentary doesn’t add much.

Bebeto is also very talkative, one of the major orators within the documentary. After his playing days, he became a politician, and this comes across in how well he speaks. But all the players included are jovial, chatty and willing to be interviewed. At no point do they seem irritated or bugged by the interview. There are also Brazilian journalists, fans and even physios included in the selection of interview subjects. Whenever a specific viewpoint is needed, that particular person appears to be there.

Not only that, but for other teams at the World Cup. Whichever opponent Brazil faces in each round of the World Cup, members of that team are interviewed. Players within the Cameroonian, Swedish, Dutch and other national teams are all represented in USA 94: Brazil’s Return to Glory.

They get to offer their opinions on what happened and what it was like to play against this elite Brazilian side. It gives the documentary a well-rounded feel, bringing in the viewpoints of many countries. When the film reaches the final, it then details the opposing team’s route, highlighting that a World Cup is made up of many stories.

The addition of other team players’ perspectives adds a different layer to the recollection of events.

The production and editing are effective, though there could be even more to make it shine. Much of the documentary isn’t necessarily special. It moves between modern-day interviews and the footage of the matches, news reports and other key moments. There’s no effort to enhance the footage or change the aspect ratio, and that adds to the natural, classic beauty of the televised games. The party atmosphere that Brazil always brings comes across gorgeously.

But what is new is the handheld camera footage taken by members of the Brazil squad themselves. This means that there are clips laced into the movie of the team bus, dressing rooms and elsewhere. It adds a personal touch and is a great idea. The look fits the style well, but most of the time it’s just shots of the team on the bus.

There aren’t incredibly intimate moments or anything more pivotal than could turn these home videos into the crux of the documentary. These videos are the selling point of the documentary, but they aren’t really used or presented in a way that is overly exciting or educational. Nonetheless, it is a unique glimpse at the players in their natural habitat, away from broadcast cameras.

USA 94: Brazil’s Return to Glory reignites World Cup Fever. It’s energetic, entertaining, and brilliant at generating love for the game around international tournaments. The devotion Brazilian football fans and the players themselves have injects joy and adrenaline. It is always fascinating to humanize legends like Romario, and there is a terrific personality at the heart of this documentary.

USA 94: Brazil’s Return to Glory is now streaming, exclusively on Netflix.