It sounds dramatic to say, but this summer will be one of reckoning for the Brazilian national team. Just a year on from their mediocre showing at the 2015 Copa América in Chile, the Seleção will attempt to redeem themselves at the special centenary edition of the competition. It's an opportunity to restore some much-needed belief at a major tournament after recent disappointments and to build momentum ahead of crucial World Cup qualifiers in September.
Yet circumstances have contrived to complicate things. The Copa is competing for attention with the Olympic football tournament, which kicks off in August, and injuries and other personnel issues are threatening to derail Dunga's plans ahead of his side's opener against Ecuador on June 4.
Here, then, are five questions that need answering as Brazil head into the gauntlet.
1. Will they live to regret Neymar decision?
The key moment of the summer for Brazil might already have taken place before a ball has even been kicked. In late April, after a lengthy and fairly tedious novela, it was announced that Neymar would be playing for the Seleção in the Olympics but not in the Copa.
The decision was a compromise with Barcelona, who didn't want the forward playing in two summer tournaments. Brazil (for whom Olympic football gold has taken on some significance given that it's the only senior title to have eluded them) decided that his presence at the Rio Games was more important and promptly left him out of the squad for the trip to the United States.
Simply put, his absence would be a major blow to any side; to Brazil, it feels like a death sentence. It deprives the side of its chief source of inspiration and of its sharpest edge in attack. Neymar has more international goals to his name (46) than the 23 players in the squad combined (37). The likes of Willian and Renato Augusto have begun to establish themselves in recent matches, but none can match the sheer star power of the absent captain. Douglas Costa's injury withdrawal (he's been replaced by Kaka, of all people) only blunts things further up front.
Yet it's not as if the side had been performing especially well with Neymar, either, and there is a sense of unease in some quarters that a chance for the first-choice XI to have a month working together is being squandered. "Some argue that this is a great opportunity for the team to learn to play without Neymar," former Seleção striker Tostão wrote in the Folha de São Paulo. "But it's the other way round: Brazil need to learn how to play with him."
One thing is for sure: it is not hard to see the decision backfiring.
2. Does Dunga have a future in charge?
There cannot be many managers out there less popular than the man who skulks up and down the touchline for Brazil. Dogmatic and truculent, Dunga has long been the object of scorn from the country's more progressive football minds, and now it appears that he might even be running out of the friends in high places who brought him back for a second spell in the hot seat.
Whispers of disquiet from within the squad are growing louder. Some players -- especially those who have played under more astute managers in Europe -- are understood to regard Dunga as something of a Luddite. The jury is still out on his 4-1-4-1 formation, but of greater concern is the lack of overarching philosophy, which leads to uncertainty on the field.
His backwardness isn't visible only in his tactics. Dunga's decision to dispense with the delegation's official psychologist ("Sorry to be blunt about it, but I'm an authentic guy and certain things aren't viable in the Brazilian national team") struck most as deeply misguided, not least because mental fragility had been such a factor in the disastrous 2014 World Cup campaign.
There have been belated attempts to soften his image: he insisted recently that "the players have to have fun and be happy" while on international duty. But given his manner, it came across as insincere and frankly a bit sinister, like a polite request made under duress. With respected Corinthians coach Tite waiting in the wings, this could be the endgame for the Sultan of Sulking.
3. Will Lucas Lima live up to his billing?
With Neymar missing, Brazil have handed the historic No. 10 jersey to Santos playmaker Lucas Lima, who plays in his first major tournament since making his international debut last year.
He might not be a household name yet, but he is a fantastic player. Busy, intelligent and blessed with a magical left foot, he was the best player in Brazil in 2015, creating countless goals for teammates with rapier passes. Throw in superb set-piece delivery and you're looking at a real force in attacking midfield.
The lingering effects of a minor injury might prevent Lucas Lima from starting against Ecuador but he is the most inventive player in the squad and, at 25 years old, surely will be aware that this could be his ticket to a big transfer. Opportunity knocks.
4. Who plays up front?
It tells you all you need to know about the dearth of top-level strikers available that an injury to a 36-year-old was a severe blow to Brazil's preparations. With Diego Tardelli, Luiz Adriano, Ricardo Goulart and Roberto Firmino all out of favour, the withdrawal of Santos hitman Ricardo Oliveira has left a significant void.
There are three options to lead the line. Benfica's Jonas is the favourite and, with his canny movement and willingness to contribute in buildup play, he is a solid if slightly uninspiring alternative. If more muscle is required, Hulk can play through the middle. He might blow hot and cold, but the 29-year-old is the only player in the squad to have reached double figures in goals at this level.
The joker in the pack is Gabriel Barbosa. Still just 19, he's been drafted in off the back of some commanding performances for Santos and is probably the best pure finisher in Dunga's 23-man squad. He will also go to the Olympics and could make an impact if he gets a run-out.
5. Is it time to bring familiar faces back in from the cold?
Brazil's squad is remarkably short on experience, largely because Dunga has taken it upon himself to jettison a raft of senior players.
Thiago Silva and Marcelo have long been in his bad books. The former was originally excluded after his histrionics at the World Cup and hasn't been called upon since a costly handball against Paraguay at the 2015 Copa América. Marcelo, meanwhile, continues to pay the price for some crossed wires regarding his availability for games late last year. It is safe to assume that "forgive and forget" is not a pillar of Dunga's personal philosophy.
The pair has been joined in the wilderness this summer by David Luiz and Fernandinho, both of whom were once first-team regulars but whose stock has fallen over the past year. Add players such as Oscar and Firmino to the mix and you are left with the foundations of a tidy hinterland XI that would arguably trump those on duty. If Brazil fail, expect this point to be rammed home by Dunga's critics.