How can a nation, a single country that is home to so many cultures, so many races and so many traditions find a uniting identity? After years of questioning that exact question, soccer became the answer. Soccer or commonly known in Brazil as Football, is more than just a sport to many Brazilians, it’s a passion. An activity that has the power to unite so many people, making it a dominant part of Brazil’s heritage. Whether one starts playing it at a young age as many do in Brazil, in any common place, its typically present. Soccer is popular amongst those raised in higher class families and areas, as well as the more poor areas. This is likely because the equipment to play soccer is very inexpensive. All one really needs is a soccer ball. The rest is makeshift; goals can be a a tree, a side walk, really anything. Soccer can also be plaid anywhere, perhaps on the thousands of beautiful beaches along Brazil’s coast or possibly in random allies and street ways, the game remains constantly prevalent. Soccer is more than a physical workout, it’s a collective ritual, cultural narrative, and a uniting force.
How Soccer came about in Brazil is unknown exactly, rather, it’s an examination of many historical events leading to the first game. After acquiring independence from Portugal in 1822, it wasn’t until Dom Pedro II became emperor that Brazil was seen as an independent Brazil empire. São Paulo and Rio became two of the most important states as they were extremely agricultural, accommodating many coffee plantations in comparison to other rural areas of Brazil. Brazil was home to many different cultures at this time as well, indigenous people surviving both inland and along the amazonian river, settlers exploring Brazil, travelers moving throughout different areas and Afro-Brazilian’s, seen more so after slavery came to an end in 1888 . It didn’t take too long for the country to transform from rural to urban, especially in São Paulo. At this time Brazil was a hybrid of tradition, rich in culture. While Christianity was a powerful catalyst for unity, the country needed something less controversial to bring together the people. They needed something that would assimilate different social and racial hierarchy, didn’t create a language barrier and would create promise for the future- soccer.
Some theories suggest soccer was brought from British and Dutch Sailors mid 19th century, others claim Leopoldina Railway workers were the first to play in the 1870’s, and more commonly, it’s understood that Charles Miller introduced it. Miller was a Brazil native, educated in England who allegedly introduced soccer equipment to other natives in the late 1800’s (Brazil Travel, 1). Noted by a Brazil Travel website, On August 18th, 1898 the first soccer club team was established by the Associa of Mackenzie College, just four years after the first documented game was played in São Paula. A quick three years later, the São Paulo stadium was built. As soccer became more widespread, the players became more skillful. In 1927, a group of Brazilians were invited to tour Europe. This was the entrance ticket to make Brazil soccer what it is today.
With over 10,000 Brazilians playing professionally a year, soccer provides hope for many young boys. Regardless of the social class one may come from- the game is accessible to play anywhere. This is a wonderful game for many because you don’t need the extent of proper training you may need for other sports. You need two aspects to be successful in soccer: determination and discipline. Those two combined, breed skill. Some play soccer purely for the love of the sport and others play with the hope to one day make it as a world class player. Kids at a young age see the wealth soccer can bring to a man and the rise out of a lower class that follows him. The players that make it big however, never seem to be doing it just for the money. They play for the energy, the passion and the community. Kids look up to incredible players such as Pelé, Ronaldo and Garrincha and hope that they, too, can play a game beyond the confines of the concrete jungle, as a professional athlete.
Brazilian soccer super star, Manuel Francisco dos Santos, better known as Garrincha, was an incredible athlete, best known for his quick and tricky dribbling. Garrincha, which means “little bird”, was both right wing and forward, seen as one of the most talented, versatile players of all time. After growing in popularity amongst the Brazilians, he was given the nickname from his fans, ‘Alergria do Povo’ translating to peoples joy and ‘Anjo de Pernas Tortas’ meaning, bent legged angel. While Garrincha came from a humble beginning, this was no excuse from him not to make it big, eventually winning the FIFA World Cup with the Brazilian Team in 1958 and 1962. In the 1962 documentary, Garrincha: Hero of the Jungleas, we see a comprehensive narrative of Garrincha’s rise to successes.
The documentary starts with children playing soccer along the beach, giving us a sense of how Garrincha grew up practicing. Next, it slingshots us right to game day. The passion amongst the fans is so prevalent already. They’re standing in the rain with umbrellas above them, some bare headed, ready to watch history. (If one wasn’t aware when this film was created, the black and white videos and players extra short shorts give away some information.) The fans are all very engaged with the game- standing up for every goal, cheering on the good plays, sitting for the tough plays, nonetheless, never failing to show the soccer players their overwhelming support.
Garrincha says in an interview, “I got famous in 1958, upon my return. Then I went to my home town. I knew I was famous when my friends told me so.” He goes on to say he was tired of being an idol, but it’s the life he chose and he had to stand by it. He didn’t seem angry, rather just confused by the attention he was suddenly receiving. The video provides us with evidence on Garrincha’s day to day life. At first he isn’t recognized but as soon as one person realizes who he is, surrounding him becomes a mob of people excited by his familiar face. The documentary made it clear that at this point, Garrincha doesn’t let this new fame get to his head. He is kind to his fans and patient trying to go about his day. He lives in a simple home gifted to him after winning the 1958 World Cup, with his 7 daughters, wife and pet birds. To get away from the commotion, Garrincha spends his free days playing soccer with his friends- barefoot on a beach, reminiscing back to the days of his childhood. Garrincha comes from a poor town, where one goes immediately from childhood to working as textile laborer. Before accomplishing The Brazilian Dream of becoming a professional athlete, Garrincha, too, worked at the Mill. While he wasn’t the best worker, and even fell asleep on the job at times, each Friday he led his factory team to victory so when Monday came around, the factory couldn’t fire him.
At age 20, Garrincha left home and joined The Botafogo club team. He was announced as the newcomer with “crooked legs and killer dribbles.” Determination and disciple was clear in watching his new teams practice regime. Standing in military-like lines, the players conditioned religiously. Acquiring the teams discipline, Garrincha had to live at the club three days a week, where his legs were treated by a washerwoman. She treated him with holy water and herbs, a common regimen amongst Brazil. While seemingly religious, the team was also superstitious- they wore the same jerseys from their previous victory, even with the beautiful new ones donated from an Italian company. The team wasn’t there to look good, they were there to win.
Before the reign of Pele and Garrincha, Brazil knew much defeat. But since those two lead the way, Brazil was favored to win the championship again. However, when Pelé received an injury at the 1962 FIFA second match, he was sidelined for the remainder of the tournament. Garrincha lead the team in points, scoring 4 goals against England and Chile. The passion in the audiences eyes seemed to be almost as much as those playing, it was prevailing amongst the entire stadium.
Soccer has the ability to bring multiracial, multicultural people together. It can lead an entire nation to extreme joy and unwanted sorrow. The film explains this by explaining two phanomimoms: one says that ball is symbolic of the womb, explaining the players connection to it and the fans’ preoccupation as well; the other theory believes that soccer is played to release frustrations and anger from ones day to day life, like an outlet. The stadium is a field of human emotion. While soccer is easily the most played and watched sport in Brazil, it also became a prominent subject amongst artist. Ranging from Lowry to Portinari to Serpa, they all depicted the passionate soccer culture in their paintings. Poets like João Cabral Melo Neto featured players such as Pelé in his work, writers like Mário de Andrade’s uses soccer as a platform for her writing, Macunaíma and songs are composed specifically to play at games. While soccer is played everywhere, there is no crowd like the Brazilians, where soccer is deep in their roots, held by endless memories the nation has created around it.