Why is Brazil no longer the “country of football”?

at the gates Qatar World Cup And a six-time champion who could fall into the lap of the Brazilian national team after 20 years, hearing that we are not the country of football can be, to say the least, eerie – or revolting. Mainly because Brazil is the largest exporter of footballers in the world, with 1,219 of them playing away from home, according to research by the International Center for Sports Studies, and also because ours is the team that has won the most cups so far.

idea that Brazil is not a country football It came from the mouth of Brazilian sports journalist Juca Kfoury in an article for publication on June 7, 2010. Le Monde Diplomatique. In this question, he cited a survey conducted by DataFolha that showed that more people than Flamengo fans said they do not have a favorite team, while in Argentina only 7% of respondents claimed not to have a favorite club.

In addition, he criticized that the Brazilian does not respect the peripheral games of the championship, only the giants, and hardly does it during the cup. Quite different from what happens in Europe where sport is the star, and in the United States, although considered a country where football is weak.

The democratization of sports

(Source: Tudo Esporte / Reproduction)

Despite being British in origin, football has been so deeply absorbed by Brazilian culture that it has become a part of the national football system The brand of the nation From the country, along with Carnival, the supposed hospitable instinct, dancing, beaches and music – completely overwhelms the UK.

The sport arrived in the middle of 1894 via Charles Miller, who is considered the “Father of Brazilian Football”, coming from Europe with some balls and a rule book about the new sport. This method spread among the white elite, after all, preventing blacks from playing any kind of sport from the “inheritance” of slavery – this introduction would only happen in 1920. This is what made it popular, mainly as an escapism in society’s vulnerable backgrounds. The reality of the Brazilian, because it is a sport and means of its practice within the reach of all social strata.

(Source: Open Release Journals / Reproduce)

It is not known for certain when Brazil was called the “country of football”, although there are those who speculate that this happened after the 1970 World Cup, when we lifted the trophy for the third tournament. At that time, the football played here had already gained international fame due to the unique dribbling and techniques of the players, which led to an increase in rivalry between teams, especially from Latin American countries – the longstanding feud with Argentina.

In addition to the technical characteristics, football became a harbinger for those on the periphery, as real stars becoming players, mostly from poor backgrounds in the country, meant a chance to dream of winning in life, when all the privileges were not in favor.

Sport has also been a tool for easing tensions and de-escalating political and economic polarization. Narrowing down enormous social boundaries, not only here in Brazil but in the world, by strengthening attachment in favor of the ideal.

Lack of credibility

(Source: fans / reproduction)

But Kfoury’s controversial idea diplomacy It is not unique. Mauro César Pereira, also a sports journalist, has already been tipped on the fingers in an article for ESPNwhere he pondered why Brazilian football does not resonate abroad beyond the performance of its players.

Arguing that the Europeans, with the Champions League and the final football tournament, move fans and tons of money with their competitions, resonate all over the world, the journalist backs up Kfoury’s statement that Brazilians only remember football during the World Cup – and look there.

“Corinthians have fans, traditions, titles, sponsors, stadium, media and a good football team. How was it possible for a club of this kind to be practically ignored by so many European fans and journalists until winning the final?” Pereira asked about the 2012 FIFA Club World Cup, in which the team was a champion.

The journalist emphasized, then, that the football played in Brazil is practically not seen abroad, and that this needs to be faced by Brazilians, from the highest levels to the stands, so that problems can be found and solutions can be thought of.

(Source: The Irish Examiner / Reproduction)

What we do today in terms of football, on and off the field, said journalist and broadcaster Marcel Cabrets, cannot be considered the best on the planet, and there are many countries that play sports and everything that surrounds them. quality from us.

“Our technicians do not undergo any minimum training to perform their job. Capretz wrote on the site Football League. “Our calendar is a bad joke for 80% of the country’s players. Given this scenario, it’s not strange not to win a cup. It was strange to win five.”