For the first time in my life, I feel happy that Brazil lost in World Cup football (aka soccer), and that too, in such a humiliating way.
Yesterday, they lost to Germany 7-1, in their worst football performance ever. And I was not even shocked to see them going down this way.
I’m happy for various reasons.
The first and foremost reason is, all their lies were nakedly exposed yesterday. Lies that Brazil still were the best football team in the world. They were not. Their glory days were long gone. I remember how growing up in Calcutta, I was a big fan of Brazil and Pelé and Sócrates and Zico and Carlos Alberto and in their not-so-glory days, Roberto Carlos, Rivaldo, or even the much-hyped Ronaldinho and Kaká. I was glued to their artistry and antics. Pelé and Carlos Alberto even played in Calcutta once. Oh, what a thrill it was to see them!
Their magic football was long gone. They lived on their legacy and hype. And global corporations and FIFA, the global corporate body of football that ruthlessly runs the trillion-dollar empire, only cashed in big profit by using and exploiting that hype.
In this World Cup, which I’m boycotting happily to show my strong protest against the lies and exploitation, Brazil could not even come to this point had it not been unethical (and some say, bribed) refereeing. Colombia, Chile or Mexico could defeat them weeks ago. Brazil used violent football and unscrupulous officials to win their quarter-final match against Colombia.
Don’t get me wrong. I feel sorry for the young Brazilian supporters, and especially those kids who cried helplessly after Brazil’s thrashing, historic defeat to Germany yesterday. But the way they put together this World Cup, with the massive and violent displacement of poor people in the name of development and building those stadiums — funneling billions of dollars that they did not spend on their most urgent needs such as employment, health care, education and transportation — was horrible. FIFA did not care. The global corporations that went in there to make big profit didn’t care either.
And the new Brazilian government and big politicians worked closely with the global 1 percent, to stay in power, and make more profit. Lula’s Porto Alegre and his participatory, democratic budget days were long gone too! Now, even the crying kid has Coke in his hand, while crying!! And McDonald’s are big sponsors.
So sad. The entire World Cup of 2014 was done in a scandalous way.
I would be very happy if Argentina loses too. Not because of Argentina’s ordinary supporters and kids. But because of Argentina’s 1 percent — working in collusion with the global 1 percent. They are cheating their own people exactly the Brazil way.
Footnote: The entire saga of lies, exploitation, profiteering and purposefully misplaced priorities has stark similarities to India and its cricket. Or Pakistan’s. Replace Brazil and Argentina with India and Pakistan, and the word football (aka soccer) with cricket. You’ll get the same story, told all over again.
Lamenting the loss of the poetry and magic that was Brazil’s football, and feeling truly sorry for the young Brazilian kids who got badly hurt,
Partha
Brooklyn, New York
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I'm Happy Brazil Lost 7-1 (and I was their big fan)
This is are my thoughts and feelings…
Germany & Netherlands Vs Life’s coming full circle for Brazil!
When the last nail sealed the deal for Brazil, we the PEOPLE who stood by in the solidarity of ordinary 99% of the common Brazilians cheered and had the last laugh… what goes around that comes around. Riding on high horses doesn’t make you superior. Take a note from history.
Thousands of protesters demonstrated ahead of the World Cup, decrying Brazil has spent $63 billion on infrastructure – an investment some citizens have questioned given the country’s flagging economy. Brazil’s 12 host cities for the 2014 World Cup, as soccer fans prepare to flock to the country where 7.2 million people still live on $1.25 a day or less. More than 1 million people took to the streets last year to protest inflation, corruption and poor public services.
Bribery? Corruption? Slavery? Sex trafficking? Match fixing?
“Among other things, the Qataris, unlike the Brazilians, know they can finance their World Cup construction projects with the use of virtual slave labor: More than 400 Nepali construction workers have already died on World Cup construction sites?”
As the WORLD watched the games, did they spare a thought for the young ones whose childhood was getting robbed, abused, bruised. While they cheered, did they spare a moment to listen to the cries of help from the children of Brazil who were forced into the sex trade? All under the age of 10 and for 50 cents.
I know, I know its not their child, their DAUGHTER or their loved ones. So no skin off their nose. Right?
And they might be wondering…there she goes again. What is it now? What is she babbling about? We’re not in Brazil, we’re thousands of miles away watching on cable TV. So what’s the big deal?
Well, if these so called “Cliff Clavin (s)” simply don’t understand that the Cable air time and its sponsors pay lump sums to FIFA and their watching does matter, then I weep for their intelligence and their fake empathy.
Here they are, hitting you with moral obligations for MONEY and Donation for women & children’s charities and other causes. But they have no problem participating in modern day slavery, corruption, human and sex trafficking and so on? Unbelievable DOUBLE STANDARDS. What a bunch of HYPOCRITES!
“The cost and corruption that comes with the games make them appealing to dictators, not democracies. 48 hours before the first match of the 2014 World Cup, the Brazilian president, Dilma Rousseff, took to the airwaves to declare that the “pessimists” had been defeated and her country was ready to greet the world. And if Brazil continues to follow the pattern, the moment of crisis will indeed pass. Relief will lead to euphoria—the national mood will lift, the crowds will be harmonious, the national team will be cheered—which will in turn be replaced by … REGRET.” (heard that on NPR somewhere around June’10th).
Enough said. I celebrated by having a wonderful lunch with a wonderful girlfriend that afternoon celebrating her big promotion and had a fabulous dinner with my family.
Thanks for your thoughtful comments, as always. Keep writing. Keep sharing.