Brazilian World Cup Divorce?

2006-06-26T21:05:00.000-03:00

Optimism - guest writer ANDY GOLD

My host holds up seven fingers and then bends three down as the full time whistle blows on Brazil’s final group F game. Four fingers remain, counting the four games to go. And he clearly thinks winning a sixth title is as straightforward as that. Another friend has just invited the assembled crowd to come and watch the quarter-final at her apartment building next Saturday. “I’ve booked the communal barbecue area, kick off is at 4 o’ clock so we can eat before the game.” I am aghast. Truly open-mouthed with shock at such awe-inspiring, superstition free, confidence. Brazil still needs to navigate past Ghana in the second round. I could never plan so far ahead with England, allow myself to be so presumptuous and cocky. In my mind I would so obviously be jinxing the team. Bitter experience with England has taught me to fear each game. The Brazilian experience is that you need only fear not having somewhere good to watch the business end of the tournament. England and Brazil have been remarkably similar in this World Cup so far. Both have talented players, who have produced results without really impressing and when they have played some attractive football it has been offset by displays of defensive ineptitude. If I’d just seen the less than heavyweight Japanese strike force score against England and carve out other chances I’d already be resigned to the fact that once again this is not our year. But none of my Brazilian companions are the least bit perturbed as an eventually comfortable win unfolds. The summit is getting closer and the mood is euphoric like mountain climbers starved of oxygen my Brazilians friends are looking upwards and onwards giddily. Win one more game, bend one more finger down, and Brazil is over halfway to lifting the Cup again. When you’ve climbed a mountain five times before it all seems so much more surmountable. You see no reason why you should slip and fall within sight of the peak. In England hidden crevasses and crushing rock falls are being predicted everywhere. In the last week I have read and heard complete nonsense from usually intelligent English broadsheet journalists, including suggestions that Ecuador’s mighty ‘Clockwork Banana,’ (as they are being humorously dubbed by the Quito press in an ode to the Dutch Clockwork Orange teams of ’74 and ’78,) will be too strong for England, and that Portugal and Mexico’s level of creativity has been far more impressive than that of David Beckham’s men. Fortunately I have been able to find a more measured assessment of England’s chances in the Brazilian press and have not joined my countrymen rocking back and forth quietly in a fit of manic pessimism. “Of course we’re worried as well” my girlfriend explains as we plough home through a sea of flag-waving cars, tunefully honking horns in celebration. “But when we won in 1994, we had Tafferel in goal. If a team can overcome that, well then anything is possible.” “This time the first choice full backs don’t have enough energy to run back and defend after they’ve run forwards to attack. Dida is useless and Ronaldo is just standing around, like Romario did back in ‘94, leaving all the hard work to everyone else. But it doesn’t matter this team can find a way to win four more matches.” We stop at traffic lights under the archetypal grim concrete São Paulo overpass. A young man jumps out of the car behind us and does a flag-waving dance around his car. Four lanes of traffic appreciatively salute, by manically pounding their horns before the lights change and break up the party. “Hexa-campeão, hexa-campeão” he shouts. It’s as easy as counting to seven on your fingers.

2006-06-26T21:03:00.000-03:00

Faking It- guest writer ANDY GOLD

My girlfriend knows I’ve been faking it. Once was easy. Twice in an afternoon was more difficult but I didn’t want to hurt her feelings so I just about managed it. But I defy anyone to simulate passion convincingly four times in one evening.

The build up, the anticipation, has been fantastic. She picks out something for me to where - a retro number in her favourite colour. We enjoy some food to set the mood, and loosen up over a drink and picture the future but when it really matters we’re in completely different places.

Ronaldo’s equalizer against Japan has my girlfriend leaping around. She’s ecstatic and has plenty of yellow clad friends to share the moment with but my frozen reaction is noticed. Fortunately the ‘galera’ are gathered in a high-ceiled spacious lounge otherwise the plaster would be having head and fist shaped holes butted and punched out of it. Brazil add three more goals of high quality and each time I’m belatedly to be found applauding politely.

It’s been a progressive realization that I don’t want Brazil to win. Five days earlier I climbed, not leapt, to my feet as Adriano broke the deadlock with Australia. Later in the same game I produced an audible groan of disappointment when Harry Kewell failed to put away a golden chance into an empty net as the erratic Dida went woefully walkabout. I pretended afterwards it was a sigh of relief but no one was fooled.

Before the World Cup I had announced I would be getting behind Brazil unless they were playing my homeland England. I love Brazil, particularly the hospitality and warmth of the place I’ve made home, São Paulo but clearly with football, however inconveniently, the heart wants what it wants.

As an Englishman I’d normally be about as likely to get behind Australia as a Paulista is to say something complimentary about Rio de Janeiro. But with my rationale England hat on I know I want to see Brazil banished to the other half of the draw. No amount of affection for my adopted home actually appears to surpass the fact that I know seeing Brazil out of the tournament opens the way for England. Should I feel guilty about such north-European coldness?

My girlfriend has celebrated every England goal in this World Cup with warm genuine enthusiasm. Admittedly while she high jumps dangerously after each Brazilian goal, for England she only manages a smaller perhaps hurdle clearing leap. I am not entirely pleased by her enthusiasm however. My conclusion is that she does not feel Brazil’s hopes are the least bit threatened by England’s progress into the knockout stages.

Andy Gold is a journalist and writer living in São Paulo.

2006-06-21T22:58:00.000-03:00

In 2002, Brazil swept all aside them on route to lifting the football World Cup for a record fifth time. However they struggled through qualifying and arrived in Japan and Korea with expectations that they would win the cup only found within the ranks of their squad.

Germany 2006 thus far has been the stark opposite, as since they won the famous trophy four years ago they have added the confederations cup in impressive style and consequently have arrived in Europe as overwhelming favourites. However two games into this years competition and things really are not going according to plan for the selecao and disquiet is growing in Brazilian society at large. It seems the favourites tag, as so often happens, is hanging like a weight around the team’s neck rather than acting as motivation.

Parreira, the team’s manger, confidently named his starting eleven a month before the tournament began, which included the infamous magic quartet of Robinho, Kaka, Ronaldo and the world greatest player Ronaldinho Gaucho. Ronaldo`s phenomenal girth initially attracted the most attention after his lame display in the teams less than convincing 1-0 victory over Crotia. The ever lovable Lula managed as ever to get himself involved as live on TV he directly asked the teams manger if the player was fat or not. Ronaldo not present at the time responded the next day by suggesting that if the press were correct in stating he was fat then they must also be correct in their reporting that the President is an alcoholic – only in Brazil!

The latest game saw Brazil take on Australia and again the eleven pre-selected players, or titulares as they are known here, failed to impress despite a 2-0 win. The general census in Brazil is that it is time to break up this aging side starting with Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos and Ze Roberto. Globo TV channel has a short nightly feature called “Nation of 180 million coaches” where they interview members of the public with regards to which players they would pick for the team. Time and time again the removal of the older key players is the recurring theme, it just remains to be seen if the manager has Globo playing through his Hotel TV.

In truth the second round of a world cup is no time to tear a side apart that has six points under its belt and is yet to concede a goal, however the growing feeling through Brazilian society that the time is ripe for a change on present evidence could well be correct. The next game against Japan may not be too important in terms points but will be time for a few players to rebuild reputations or they could well be making way for the likes of the ever lively Robinho or impressive Juninho Penambucano.

2006-06-14T18:21:00.000-03:00

The streets of Brazil have been hinting at the arrival of the world cup for the last couple of days. The illegal T-shirt salesmen have been slowly appearing on every corner and the colourful flag has been creeping into every bar and house.
Finally yesterday the world cup party arrived. All businesses, offices and shops closed down at 2.00 as Sao Paulo’s streets became locked up with flag totting cars and their horn honking drivers as everybody rushed home or to the nearest bar/square to catch the game. The local traffic agency CET reported 174km of congestion across the city at 15.30. The pavements too were littered with people in yellow, many heading for the packed subway lines which saw 350,000 more people than usual pass through its gates in the two hours before the game.
I sat in the traffic for while as myself and a few friends headed to a samba bar which fortunately, unlike many others, we arrived at in time to sip a couple of chilled beers pre-game. The atmosphere inside was a mixture of real excitement and tangible nervousness and as the game kicked off became electric and it felt great to be amongst these dancing, drinking Brazilians. As the half wore on though the nerves took over and it needed that golaco from Kaka to final settle them.
The second half didn’t offer the show that we are so used to but the three points were celebrated in some style never the less. Post game the tables were all immediately removed from the floor and the whole bar swung their hips to the live samba band, assisted greatly by the flowing cold beer.
In football terms two things happened during the match that clearly displayed a nations thoughts. Firstly the chant of “gordo” (fatty) aimed at the lame and uninterested Ronaldo echoed loudly throughout the bar from very early on. Significantly the biggest cheer of the evening was reserved for the man who replaced him, Robinho who is still considered by many as a local boy who tries to play the way Brazilians should.
The papers here have echoed the supporters’ views as they are full of reports lamenting Ronaldo’s weight problem and his apparent lack of interest in the game going on around him. Juca Kfouri, one of the most famous reporters, out of respected refused to even award him a mark out of ten. However it’s only fitting that the goal scorer and future of Brazilian football should have the final say and Kaka has been held up here as the present hero of a slightly mis-firing “magic quartet”. One front page ran with the headline “Kakasier” showing this countries love for a player who appears to be growing in stature daily.

2006-06-08T09:02:00.000-03:00

Sao Paulo was famously bought to a grinding halt this month as the PCC criminal gang produced a startling show of strength that sent shock waves around the world. The streets were deserted for three days and this great city of over 20million inhabitants seemed like a ghost town.I have been repeatedly told that this same lack of movement will be repeated shortly but thankfully not due to any criminal activities. “Brazil during the World cup is a country that stops” every Brazilian proudly informs me. From my experience I know that Brazil is a country that literally stops, Carnival weekend in reality is a week when banks, businesses and schools are effectively out of action and I have never been in country with so many random bank holidays, often two consecutive weekends in a row. I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of the world cup and can only imagine the power it will hold over Brazilian society at large.

This was confirmed to me through my weekly email from the British Consulate regarding the present situation in Brazil. The information passed on is generally related to the highest dangers or most likely disruptions to life over the coming weeks. Previous alerts have been about the PCC and outbreaks of the deadly dengue fever. This month the main area of concern:

Brazilian participation in the football World Cup is likely to affect bank and business opening hours during the tournament. Public transport will also be affected. See Local Travel Section for further details.

2006-06-07T21:08:00.000-03:00

Ronaldihno Gaucho(as he is known here) is presently inescapable in Brazil. He is the official face of what seems like at least one hundred products from banks, mobile phone companies, Nike and even the UN. His highly successful year at Barcelona is shown over and over on TV in between highlights of his greatest tricks, documentaries about his humble beginnings in Brazil and his present lifestyle in Europe.
Beckham has certainly lost his crown as the world’s most marketable footballer as the buck toothed one has wrestled away his crown. In pure football terms too he is presently a head and shoulder full of flowing locks above his peers and Brazilians have all rejoiced in the influential role he played in Barcelona’s deserved lifting of the Champions league this season.
Its hard to imagine but a player who has winners medals from most of the biggest tournaments in the world alongside his two FIFA world player of the year awards can still have more to prove, but there’s a feeling here in Brazil that the man owes his home country fans a good game or two. The player with the world at his feet has really yet to show his true worth for Brazil, there have been moments but not yet the consistent brilliance he displays in his club shirt.
Many of his fellow country men attribute this to the fact that in a Brazilian crown full of so many jewels it is hard to shine the brightest. I am not convinced by this argument but one thing is for sure we are definitely still to see the best of the samba band leader in his beloved yellow and with the whole of an expecting Brazil urging him on, that is a frightening thought.

2006-06-01T21:44:00.000-03:00

1. Will Brazil win? Thoughts from the Streets

Excitement surrounding The World cup in Brazil, like any good capirinha fuelled night out, is heading rapidly towards party mood. The amount of coverage the tournament is receiving in all walks of life gives the population little choice, but there is no hint of anyone complaining. I went out to gage the feeling of the population with regards to Brazil’s chances of retaining the famous trophy. In a country that is seen globally as the overwhelming favourites for the tournament there is a real mixture of pre-world cup opinion which from my experiences can be spilt into three main areas:

Supreme Confidence

he majority of Brazilians can’t see past their star studded line up and with a run through the starting eleven it’s hard to argue against.

“Brazil will win, Ronaldinho Gaucho is the world’s best player there is no doubt about that, he is ready for this world cup and with him Brazil cannot lose. There are a few other good European teams and Argentina but if we play to our ability then we will win”

Emmano – Tourism student, Teresina, Piaui, North East Brazil

This year is a wide open tournament

Another large percentage of the population have taken into account the views of the highly impressive manager Parreira and believe that this year is a wide open tournament with one of eight teams potential winners.

“For me Brazil aren’t favourites for this years tournament in fact no team is and it is very open. There is England, France, Holland, Czech Republic, Italy from Europe who are all capable and Germany because they are at home are dangerous. There is also the Argentineans who I will be praying to God don’t win”

Luiz – Restaurant and bakery owner, Sao Paulo

This year just isn’t the year

There are also a fair few people full of nerves and doubt more befitting the average English man. This can be hard to accept with Ronaldinho and co. but this lack of confidence can be attributed to the theory highlighted by Alex’s interview with Socrates that everything possible will be done to prevent Cafu from lifting the trophy high above his head once more come July. The idea is that a Brazilian victory will be some how prevented to stop the nations monopoly on the globally competition, the fear being that it would lower the level of global interest in the tournament. There is an slight element of believable truth to this conspiracy theory but it could just be the Brazilians getting there excuses in early just in case the samba group aren’t quite playing to the same tune come the finals.

“I just don’t feel that Brazil are going to win this year, Its going to be too boring for the world if Brazil win again. I think FIFA will do everything they can to prevent this but I hope that I am wrong”

Satie - Architect

2006-05-05T13:11:00.000-03:00

My Mrs. with her ex!

This picture was taken 4 years ago after the Brazil vs. Turkey group game in Korea.
We were both at the same game but unaware to me as I was heading to the nearest bar my future wife was sneaking into the Brazilian team hotel and stealing a few photos.

We were both living in Japan at the time but were having very different world cup experiences. As England went out in a quarter final whimper the Mrs was securing tickets all the way through to the final.

It is amazing how the country you are born in can affect your life, especially once every four summers. Imagine being able to swap your one time winning English nervousness for some five time winning Brazilian confidence.

World Cup updates from the Brazilian Streets

2006-05-04T09:49:00.001-03:00

Divorce?

Well hopefully not, but as me and the Mrs (and all the in-laws) head for a potential semi-final showdown between Brazil and England this summer we will be keeping you up to date on all the latest happenings here on the streets of Sao Paulo. Not only will we be keeping you abreast of whether our marriage survives beyond the tournament but we will also be giving you an insight into the atmosphere over here. Offering you the opinions of the average Brazilian and giving you some idea as to how the games are shown here and the reaction of the country.

How is the World cup celebrated in Brazil? Well lets see but my hope is that on July 10th with a banging hangover after celebrating an English or Brazilian triumph you’ll be off down the travel agents to book your flight over here for 2014.