Dida was excluded from Brazil's 1997 Copa América roster, but returned to the starting lineup for the inaugural FIFA Confederations Cup that year, keeping five clean sheets and allowing just two total goals as the "Seleção" lifted the trophy with a 6–0 rout of Australia in the final. Though he was called up for the 1998 World Cup, Zagallo lured Taffarel out of a three-year retirement to be his first choice, and Dida was third behind backup Carlos Germano as Brazil finished runners-up to the hosts. He would not play for the national team in all of 1998, which factored into his decision to leave club team Cruzeiro for Milan at the start of the next year. In 1999, under new coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo, Dida won his lone Copa América with Brazil after a 3–0 defeat of Uruguay in the final. He conceded only two total goals in the competition, and blocked a game-tying Roberto Ayala penalty in a 2–1 victory over archrival Argentina in the quarter-finals. He made his second straight Confederations Cup start that year as Brazil allowed no goals in the group stage and thrashed hosts Saudi Arabia 8–2 in the semi-finals, but were again thwarted by champions Mexico, losing 4–3 in the final.