World Cup hangover
Decked out in the Seleção’s yellow jerseys, Brazilians anticipated a challenge when facing a formidable German team at the World Cup. But no one, not a single Carioca, Paulista or football fan of whatever stripe, could have envisioned a more staggering humiliation in sporting history than Brazil 1 Germany 7.
Five early goals by Germany left the faithful weeping. Disbelief turned to disgust by the close of the second half, as the South American nation’s players dove desperately in the hope of penalties.
More European
Blame for the most unexpected scoreline in the tournament’s history lies not just on the shoulders of Brazil’s national team and coach Luiz Felipe Scolari, but perhaps more so on the country’s tradition of jogo bonito, or “beautiful game.” CNN World Sport anchor Don Riddell commented that the Seleção defended “like they were a pub team,” and their defeat should shock them into adopting a faster-passing, more cerebral, more European style.
The shameful performance will doubtless leave a stain on Brazil’s footballing psyche and this karma came at a steep price. Brazil reached the semi-final after kicking Colombia’s James Rodriguez throughout the quarter-final. The loss of captain Thiago Silva to a suspension and the absence of poster boy Neymar due to a fractured back added to the nerves. Fans wore Neymar masks at the match to show support for the injured Barcelona star, but it was futile. Never was a host country’s desire to win its own World Cup dashed with such roughness.
Happiest moment
It’s funny how a World Cup can make an entire nationality fashionable. Colombia reached the quarter-final for the first time after decades of underachievement, and the brio of Selección Cafetera has thrilled audiences around the world. Despite failing to secure the trophy, the Andean country may be experiencing its happiest moment yet.
The clean-cut and charismatic James (pronounced Ha-mez) Rodriguez typifies this renewed confidence. The 22-year-old usually starts on the flanks and glides undetected into the penalty area to score, following up successful attempts with joyful salsa moves. His turn-and-volley for the goal of the tournament against Uruguay left me misty-eyed. His drubbing during the intensely physical Brazil-Colombia quarter-final was soul-crushing.
I once called Colombia home and these changing fortunes, in the best tradition of Gabriel García Márquez’s magical realism, are of particular interest to me. Overshadowed by a long and troubled history of drug-fueled violence, Colombia now has in their football squad a new source of optimism and a chance at a hipper, more positive image overseas.
Human brilliance
Most games at most World Cups are boring, such as the agonizing Netherlands-Argentina spectacle, and can lead you to question why anyone would want to watch it. On the other hand, when they are filled with action and melodrama — like the tense Brazil-Colombia show or the controversial Italy-Uruguay bout — they can offer flashes of human brilliance, dramatize the role of luck in history, and initiate a global conversation.
Here are men at their prime, winning — but often losing — the most important matches of their lives while other young athletes kick, taunt and bite them. That a majority manage to restrain themselves and shake hands afterwards is a testament to their professionalism.
The task now is to figure out exactly why this Brazilian World Cup has been more engaging than the ones in South Africa and Germany so that we can harness its essence and decant it in Russia in 2018 and Qatar in 2022. Witnessing the final between the high-speed Germans and the Argentinean underdogs is a mere bonus. Football fans have, in a lot of ways, already won.
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