Last year Brazilian football transferred a total of 878 players abroad.
They went to destinations such as Kazakhstan and Malta as well as to the giants of Spain and Italy.
Many of these players will not live up to expectations.
Some will be unable to adapt to the local culture, while others will simply not be good enough.
Former great Tostão, nowadays Brazil's most astute football writer, made this point recently when I had the privilege of meeting him.
"Sometimes I'm amazed with European clubs - they spend fortunes on ordinary players just because they're Brazilian"
"There are times when I'm amazed with European clubs. They spend fortunes on ordinary players just because they're Brazilian."
He is undoubtedly correct.
Nevertheless, for one country to produce almost 1,000 players a year for the international market remains an extraordinary achievement.
Of course, the main factor pushing players towards the airport is financial. They can earn more abroad than they can by staying at home.
It is amazing how deep this has permeated in the culture of Brazilian football.
These days even an eight-year-old kid dreams of signing that contract with Barcelona, and going out the next day to buy a big car or a house for his mother.
The exodus has reached such proportions that many of the outstanding players in Brazilian football are foreign imports.
Magazine 'Placar' awards marks out of 10 for every game in the Brazilian championship.
According to its statistics, the best player in 2005 was Argentine striker Tevez of Corinthians, followed by Serbian playmaker Petkovic of Fluminense.
The top three centre-backs were all foreigners - the Uruguayan Lugano and the Paraguayan duo of Gamarra and Caceres.
Chilean holding midfielder Maldonado also scored highly, as did Colombian attacking midfielder Ferreira.
"Pelé had to overcome fierce opposition from his mother before taking up a career in football as safer job options were around. "
But it is hard to recall a time when the best players in the local championship were not Brazilian.
Instead, Brazilians are the outstanding figures in the championships of Spain, France, Italy, Germany and other countries around the world.
It is clear, then, that Brazil's clubs are utterly unable to hold on to the players they produce.
The country's economic problems have been very bad news for the clubs.
But that does not necessarily mean that they have been bad news for Brazilian football in the widest sense of the term.
First, because it is almost certainly true that more players are produced.
Pelé, for example, had to overcome fierce opposition from his mother before taking up a career in the game. In those days the country was growing, and safer job options were around.
Today the options are fewer and the rewards football success offers are far greater.
Second, because promising young players are not left languishing in the reserves. Constant selling pushes them towards the first team - where they shine breifly before being sold abroad.
Third, because it is evident that the problems of the clubs have no effect on the fortunes of the national team.
Indeed, the coaches of the Brazil team frequently point out that their players improve as a result of making their living in European club football. Brazil's chances in Germany this year are boosted by the fact that the entire squad is based in Europe.
And if they do win their sixth World Cup then the prestige of Brazilian football will rise still higher, clubs from all over the globe will come in search of the secret and perhaps even more than 878 players will be transferred abroad in 2006.