In any other country, such a wardrobe change might have gone unnoticed, but not in Brazil where the national team's colors have become the subject of a deep political dispute.The Selecao's iconic yellow and green jerseys were co-opted years ago by conservatives aligned with far-right former president Jair Bolsonaro -- who is serving time for plotting a coup after losing the 2022 elections to Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.And while Lula has set out to reclaim the colors of Brazil's flag in his push to reelection in October, red -- not typically part of Team Brazil's gear -- is the color of the left and his party.
Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is often seen in red, the color of the political left © Evaristo Sa / AFP/File
When FIFA unveiled the group stage kits for each team's goalkeepers before the tournament began on June 11, it said Alisson would be in a completely red uniform for the team's final Group C match. The Liverpool shot-stopper wore black and pink kits in the first two games against Morocco and Haiti.But before the five-time world champions try to secure their place in the round of 32 in Miami, the change came down on the goalkeeper's dress code: the red kit was dropped in favor of the green.Prioritizing Brazil
