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SOCIAL SIGNIFICANCE OF SOCCER IN BRAZIL.
Term Paper ID:26149
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Essay Subject:
Examines symbiotic relationship between sport & nation. Overview of Brazil & soccer, soccer clubs, World Cup, socioeconomics, symbolic power.... More...
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9 Pages / 2025 Words
5 sources, 12 Citations,
APA Format
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Paper Abstract:
Examines symbiotic relationship between sport & nation. Overview of Brazil & soccer, soccer clubs, World Cup, socioeconomics, symbolic power.
Paper Introduction:
THE SOCIAL HISTORY OF SOCCER IN BRAZIL
To understand the sport of soccer is, in effect, to understand Brazil. In a nation that is facing economic disaster and an IMF bailout, the only emotional event that has affected the 165 million people of Brazil was losing the World Soccer Cup this year, an event tantamount to major disaster. In a wrap up story, the Associated Press quoted several South American newspapers that captured the mood:
"Brazil left all its talent, ability and creativity in the locker room," wrote Jose Trajano of the sports daily Afinal. In Argentina, Brazil's loss was banner headline news. "Brazil Weeps" and "Rio is an ocean of tears," said the Buenos Aires daily Cronica. Former Peruvian soccer great Teofilo Cubillas, in a column in the
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Each of the states also has its own Soccer Club, a social institutionunlike any other in the world. Commenting on the poverty in Brazil, hepoints out that "most people could not even think of, say, buying a tennisracket... References Brazil mourns World Cup loss. In a wrap up story, the Associated Press quoted several SouthAmerican newspapers that captured the mood: "Brazil left all its talent, ability and creativity in the locker room," wrote Jose Trajano of the sports daily Afinal. is stabilizing, bolstered by legislativeprogress on administrative reforms that will cut billions from thegovernment deficit" (1997, D1). The World Cup, that saw Brazil'sdefeat, was watched by an estimated 33 billion people around the world foralmost 27 days. Young girls wearing yellow and green face paint hugged each other with tears in their eyes. Proweb. KingEdward'sproclamation said: "For as much as there is a great noise in the citycaused by hustling over large balls, from which many evils may arise, whichGod forbid, we command and forbid on behalf of the King, on pain ofimprisonment, such game to be used in the city future" (Infolondres, 1998,Online). A strong consumer economy, Brazil accounts for over a quarter of allimports from around the world into Latin America and the Caribbean. First, the playersare not costumed in massive uniforms that hide their physical shape andfeatures. It is a strong voice in global trade negotiations, a supporter ofnuclear nonproliferation, and a provider of troops for peacekeepingoperations. This description by theAssociated Press, suggests the depth of emotion the fans experience. Associated PressDispatch, Online at http://www.ass The clubs. (1998). The threat to the real was cited as a reaction to the Asian currencycrisis of the last several months. All this is ending. A recent article inthe Los Angeles Times describes the economy as volatile and headingdownward. Even if this happens, the middle class will still have soccer starsto argue about, and coaching strategies to criticize, all events which,according to most observers, tend to bond the country. The economy used to be protected by largetariffs and tight quotas on imports, and some products like computers andcars were kept out completely. But these statistics do not reveal the real nature of Brazil. Infolondres. In King Edward's reign of England (13 7-1327), laws werepassed that threatened imprisonment to anyone caught playing soccer. So many ancient cultures played a sport similar to modern soccer thatno one can say with any certainty when or where soccer began, but it isknown that the earlier varieties of what later became soccer were playedalmost 3 years ago.One of the earliest forms of soccer in which players kicked a ball on asmall field has been traced as far back as 1 4 B.C. The typical Brazilian would be hard put to explain in logicalsequence why he or she is so fascinated by soccer. The country has a highlyadvanced technological base, and huge requirements to build a moderninfrastructure in such areas as transportation and communication-- bodingwell for its potential as an ever greater trading partner for the UnitedStates. This sport isbigger than baseball, football and basketball combined.Soccer: The World's Largest Party Soccer has been wildly popular in Latin America and Europe since theearly 19 s, a fact that puzzles most Americans who did not follow socceruntil Pele, Brazil's legendary player, was brought to America to play forNew York in the short-lived North American Soccer League. As Peres, quoted above, says "In Brazil, there is nothing aspervasive as guitar music, Carnaval and soccer" (Peres, 1997, 2). In Argentina, Brazil's loss was banner headline news. Online at: www.proweb.com/mprais/futebol/brasil/culture.html Thescene described below took place shortly after some 1, , fans hadgathered on Copacabana Beach to cheer the Brazil team on its fifth questfor the World Cup, playing against France. "This trend in fact was pioneered by the Fluminese Club of Rio deJaneiro as early as 192 , when other sporting facilities were incorporatedinto the club grounds" (The clubs, 1998, Online). What are all those people doing?" "They are partying sir," answered the guide. It is a spirit that makes newspapers and televisionstations concentrate on soccer news and features far more than on storiesabout the economy.Soccer: Easier to Understand Than Inflation The Brazilian economy is in such bad shape that most Brazilians lookat it as a joke. An online analysis ofBrazilian clubs revealed these statistics of memberships: Parque Sao Jorge 14 , members Parque Antartica 78, members Rua Javari 186, members. In this essay, comparisons will be drawn between the sport and thenation, attempting to discover why this symbiotic attraction is so strong.Given this challenge, the first task would be to get a more solidunderstanding of the nation itself.Brazil: The Exciting Giant Brazil is the largest country in South America, both in populationand also in geographical territory. "Brazil Weeps" and "Rio is an ocean of tears," said the Buenos Aires daily Cronica. In a nation that is facing economic disaster and an IMF bailout,the only emotional event that has affected the 165 million people of Brazilwas losing the World Soccer Cup this year, an event tantamount to majordisaster. There has beensubstantial trade liberalization and an unprecedented welcoming of foreigninvestment. Los Angeles Times. that mentions games very similar to soccer that were playedbetween teams from China and Japan. Some in the crowd claimed not to be bothered by the loss, but their expressions said otherwise. In its raw and vital energy, there is a spirit that seems to capturethe Brazilian mindset. In 1829, an account of such match inDerbyshire spoke of "broken skins, broken heads, torn coats and lost hats"(Infolondres, 1998, Online). Sycopated flux: The common thread of Brazilianculture. Brazilian slowdown means shake-up inUnited States. Brazil is also playing a larger role on the world stage than everbefore. Former Peruvian soccer great Teofilo Cubillas, in a column in the Lima newspaper El Sol, said: "At no moment during the game did Brazil deserve even a tie... (1998, June 15). It will be recalled that that currencydevaluation saw the value decline of many Asian currencies -- Korea's won,Thailand's bhat and the Japanese yen. They are having a party just like that, in themiddle of the street, in the middle of the day, for all to attend?" "You see sir, this is the way they party here. WithoutBrazil's bid to protect the value of its currency, the real, the falloutcould have been even worse" (Kraul, 1997, D1). As you noticed, this is a party for all" (Peres, 1997, 1).Soccer: The World's Oldest Sport? Soccer is a brutal, energetic, highlyactive and challenging contact sport, one in which even the scoring makesperfect sense (i.e.,one goal equals one point). Even when it was pointed out that theIMF's bailout will almost certainly throw Brazil's economy into a recessionthat may improve the current-account imbalance but will certainly furtherbrutalize the poor and dampen the aspirations of the middle class. However, as Kraul reports, "The signsnow, however, are that Brazil... The early Olympic games in ancientRome featured twenty-seven men on a side who completed so vigorously thattwo-thirds of them had to be hospitalized after a fifty-minute game.When the game finally did get to England, it had acquired a bad enoughreputation among British royalty that the government sometimes passed lawsagainst soccer. The Sao Paolo soccer club, for instance,has restaurants, swimming pools, spas, running tracks, activity playgroundsand other amenities for its 93, members. It isthe single largest destination for American investment in South America,and is America's largest trading partner there. This made international investorshesitant to put more money into Brazil, which resulted in a Brazilianmarket tumble in third quarter 1997. Becauseof the tremendous size of the country, each of the states holds its ownchampionship matches, with the major ones being held in Rio de Janeiro, SaoPaolo, Minas Gerais and so on, with the toughest league competition in theworld (Sycopated flux..., 1998, Online). Evidently judged to be vulgar and indecent, soccer was at timessuppressed by the English sheriffs who followed royal orders describing thegame as a useless practice. Another possibility is that soccer, unlike its boring counterpartAmerican football, is a much more involving pasttime. in Japan, while theMunich Ethnological Museum in Germany has a Chinese text from approximately5 B.C. Their arrogance was properly punished by the 3- loss." (Brazil mourns..., 1998, Online). The game became so popular by 18 s that, incertain annual contests in northern and middle England, large groups roamedand raged through towns and villages. but anybody could make a ball out of old socks and kick it aroundin alleys (believe it or not, that was how Pele learned to play soccer!)(Peres, 1997). THE SOCIAL HISTORY OF SOCCER IN BRAZIL To understand the sport of soccer is, in effect, to understandBrazil. "What do you mean? Online at:www.demon.co.uk/Itamaraty/body.html Peres, R. Football in Brazil. Second, a soccer game is much faster-moving than football, withits infinite delays and time outs. Charles de Gaulle, former president ofFrance, is rumored to have said, "Brazil is the country of the future ...and will always be." For Brazil, the future is now. Some tried to samba and celebrate anyway, but it was apparent their hearts were not in it (Brazil mourns..., 1998, Online). Laws, however, failed to stop the sport, which had earned officialsanction in England by 1681. Peres cites onepossibility in his analysis. D-1(2). (1997). Instead, the disbelieving crowd stayed after the game, their eyes glued to the screen waiting for some kind of explanation. "Earnings estimates of companies from Ford Motor to TexasInstruments were downgraded, growth projections modified and expansionplans put on hold as expectations grew that, at the very least, Brazil wasentering a deep recession that will last through most of 1998. King Henry IV and Henry VIII passed lawsagainst the sport, and Queen Elizabeth I "had soccer players jailed for aweek, with follow-up church penance" (Infolondres, 1998, Online). With stories like that appearing almost daily, and faced with theprospect of constantly rising prices and dimishing jobs, the great middleand lower classes of Brazil (about 85 percent of the population) probablyfinds relief and pleasure in discussing something that makes "sense," likewhether Ronaldo, by some accounts the greatest soccer player who has everlived blew it at the World Cup? (1998). Brazilian Embassy in London. (1997, November 23). Atypical story of the mythos of Brazil is revealed in this anecdote.Brazilians like to tell the story (true or not is not important) of anEnglishman who was visiting the nation and saw a vast group of peoplesinging and dancing in the streets asked: "My goodness. Membership in theseclubs guarantees seating at the stadiums for the soccer events, a fact thatmakes them quite popular with the soccer fan.What Caused Brazil's Love Affair With Soccer? Online at:www.demon.co.uk/Itamaraty/fifa 3.html Kraul, C. In all my soccer life I have never seen a Brazil team like this one: without personality, sense of purpose or motivation. They seem to have grown numb to stories about fiscal belttightening and new economic plans. Such an outpouring of emotion by people who had never been any closerto the players than being in front of a television screen is an unusualsocial event, and one which seems to be endemic to Brazil. Anybody can join inanytime. Today, undisputedly soccer is the most watched and played sport inthe world enjoyed by 8 billion people. This makes soccer, the most watched single sports event inthe world's history not surpassed even by the Olymplics. They [the fans] stood before a large screen television set-up by the mayor's office in anticipation of a party that was supposed to run all night. Historically plaguedby hyperinflation, sometimes as high as 2,5 percent per year, under itslast and current government Brazil has reduced annualprice rises to below 15 percent.
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