Thiago Silva has slammed critics of Brazil's national team for talking "a lot of nonsense".
The standing of world football's most iconic international side among their adoring public was heavily damaged by 2014's 7-1 World Cup semi-final thrashing on home soil against eventual winners Germany.
An upturn in form after Dunga replaced Luiz Felipe Scolari as head coach has since been undermined by a quarter-final exit at the 2015 Copa America and a patchy start to qualification for the 2018 World Cup.
Nevertheless, Paris Saint-Germain centre-back Silva still feels there is plenty of quality in the Brazil squad and called on critics from his homeland to acknowledge the success of players such as himself and Bayern Munich winger Douglas Costa at the pinnacle of European club football.
"I think former players talk a lot of nonsense," he told Omnisport. "Look, they passed by here and know it's not an easy situation. But you need more than just quality because the football has evolved.
"It [criticism] didn't stop in time, as some people said [it would], and sometimes it is unpleasant to watch on TV and see an old fellow saying bad things about colleagues who are still playing.
"It makes us really sad, but for me Brazilian football isn't lagging behind. Of course we have to evolve a bit, especially our style of play being more creative, because I think we lost this.
"I think we lost a bit of confidence, but Brazilian football is always well regarded, especially here in Europe.
"I think in Brazil we have this very strong self-criticism, and here in Europe people talk very well, especially of the players who play here - such as Douglas Costa, who arrived at Bayern Munich and is having an extraordinary season.
"This shows the quality we have and maybe we do not see with good eyes, but we have great players that can theoretically make the Selecao even stronger."
