Defeat, soccer and the media: Paradoxical images and discourses of aging

The aim of this work is to analyze the paradoxical images and discourses of aging constructed by the (sports) media to understand and justify the Brazilians national team defeat in the World Cup of Mexico in 1986. This is done through a research using the main Brazilian magazines and newspapers – such as Placar, Veja, Estado de Minas e Folha de São Paulo –, from January 1985 to August 1986. The material examined – photos and articles – provided evidences on how the process of aging is depictured depending on the performance of the athlete. Moreover the analyses of the images and discourses allow us to reflect on the category of age in specific institutions such as sports.