Copa

I was fortune enough that my last day in Brazil (13/Jun/2006), was also Brazil's first game of the Copa do Mundo (World Cup). Fortunate in that I at least got to experience one game of the Copa, Brazilian style. Here's how it went...

As you no doubt understand, "futbol" (pronounced "foo-chee-bowl" there)is religion in Brazil. Next to the 85% who claim to be Catholic (this is another interesting thing, 85% Catholic but I don't recall anyone going to church, ever), almighty Futbol is 100%. Each Brazilian male, and a healthy percentage of females, is required by law to have a favorite soccer team, and support them vehemently and to debate until words fail anyone who supports a rival club. Since the weather is nice year-round, so too are the soccer leagues. I never quite figured out how the leagues work - there just seems to be games on TV nearly every night. At the gym I went to, there was either a soccer game or novela playing nightly, but a soccer game of a local or regional team always trumped the novela. Period. Rumor had it that wearing the wrong team's colors into certain sections of the big cities is reason enough to rumble.

Brazil's first game was against Croatia. Croatia's not exactly a soccer powerhouse, but, hey if they made it to at least start the Cup, they had to be decent. About a month before the games, the schedule of work delays and closings appeared. The first game was at 4pm, so the plant closed at 2, just to make sure everyone had enough time to get to the bar, friend's house, or local restaurant where they and their friends/co-workers/family would gather to watch. The more games Brazil plays in, the more time off from work for everyone, so this is additional incentive to cheer for the home team. Not just my company either...every company. Stores lit up Green and Yellow starting about a month before, with as many Copa promotional tie-ins as possible. One sterotype that is proven true in Brazil is their love of the game, and their ability to play it. They recognize that the world recognizes this too, and they love it all the more. The Copa, in a very real sense, is Brazil's national pride on the line.

As game time approached, traffic slowed to a trickle, the streets cleared, and all that could be heard was the murmur of crowds and extermely loud party-favor noisemakers. Some noisemakers were powered by hydraulic cylinders, just to be sure. I met up with about 10 or so co-workers and headed over to a local watering hole. We were lucky to get an upfront seat, close to the ad hoc movie screen and projector setup for the game. Soon after, the beer started flowing, and the party was on. The game wasn't I believe Brazil's best effort, but they won 1-0. The crowd went wild at the goal, like you might in the States if your team scores a 50 yard last-second Hail Mary pass to win the game 24-23. Great stuff. Work and social life mix more than I find they do here, and watching a much anticipated soccer games is no exception. Thanks to my friends in Brazil for indoctrinating me in the ways of the Copa.

Altough I left Brazil the next day, I still followed their games. Of all countries to loose to, they lost to France and were denied getting out of the first round, something never before dreamed possible. Brazil and France are not at odds with each other as say the US and France are, but there is a bit of a rivalry. Argentinians consider themselves like the French of South America, and the Brazil/Argentina rivalry is well-known, therefore by default France is not a favorite of Brazil. When France eventually lost to Italy during the championship game, I felt better.

And so it went, my first and only Copa 2006 game in Brazil. Maybe for Copa 2010, I'll be back.