Thursday, October 28, 2010

Is Brazil The Microsoft Of Soccer?

Fans celebrating the upcoming 2010 FIFA World ...Image via WikipediaBrazil is supposed to be one of the eternal powerhouses of soccer. Or so I thought. This year a lot of the old powers were gone by the wayside. Italy was nowhere in the picture. England was out fast. France, did they even qualify? This year saw a new world order in soccer.

Facebook Photo Album: Brasil

But soccer is to Brazil what democracy is to the United States. Soccer is too ingrained in the Brazilian culture. Kids grow up playing soccer in that country. Four years from now they will perhaps do better. Even this year they did pretty good starting out. But then you are always just one game away from losing. When you lose, you lose.

I am all for new soccer powers emerging. But I want them to emerge from places like Africa and Asia. A country arriving on the World Cup scene is also a country arriving on the scene in many other ways. Maybe their economies are now doing better.

But the history of soccer in Brazil is worth exploring. You have no idea. When I was going through high school Pele was god.

Brazil: The Overconfidence Of A Soccer Superpower
Brazil
Brazil And Argentina: My Choices And Those Of My Favorite Actor

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