BRAZIL 2014: FOOTBALL, FAITH, & THE FUTURE Overlooking Rio De Janeiro, is the famous giant statue of Christ the Redeemer. It sits on top of Corcovado Mountain with its outstretched hands. The very first time I visited Rio a few years ago, I was struck by its sheer size. Postcards and video dont do it justice. Its simply breathtaking. Here millions of Brazilians and tourists come each year to say a prayer - for themselves, and over the last few weeks, for Selecao, the national team. Leading up to the now infamous battle with and devastating rout by Germany, understandably, Christ the Redeemer became a mecca of sorts for many of the football faithful. In Brazil, faith and football are intertwined. At the Casa Paraquai cathedral, a Catholic church in Salvador, the building was completely draped in Brazilian swag - yellow, green and blue - the colors of the national flag. Inside, two lines formed - one for those who wanted to confess their sins, the other for those who had come to say prayers for Selecao. Football and faith go hand in hand in Brazil. In 1958, its reported that Pele and his team mates lost their nerve just before the final game when they heard that hosts, Sweden, would be playing in yellow shirts. What finally saved the day was a pep talk about how Brazils blue away kit had the same colour as the Virgin Marys shroud. It worked wonders. Pelé and cos nerves were calmed. Manager Luiz Felipe Scolari is said to carry around a statue of the Virgin Mary with which he blesses dressing rooms before any game. Evangelical players such as David Luiz, Fred, and Thiago Silva, have been quite open about their faith in Christ. Win or lose, David Luiz in particular has been consistent in his post-game ritual - falling to his knees, raising both hands in the air, and giving thanks to God. Its a consistency I admire. Which brings me to Brazils future. A devastating 7-1 semi-final loss to Germany, followed by a 3-0 trouncing by the Netherlands in the third place match, has caused a crisis - of football and faith. Brazil created the beautiful game. Deft touches, mesmerising dribbles, choreographed passes, and sensational goals have defined Brazilian football for more than 50 years. But against a merciless and compact all-attack all-defensive German machine, we may just have witnessed the beginning of the end of a style we have grown to love. One thing this World Cup has shown, Spain included, is that Tiki-Taka - beautiful, crisp, and flowing football, is dead. Brazil now has to go back to the drawing board and re-invent itself. Re-wind to the 1950 World Cup final in Brazil. Playing against Uruguay at the new Maracana Stadium in Rio before a record breaking crowd of 173,850, Brazil just needed a draw to win the title. Instead, to deafening silence, Uruguay ran away with a 2-1 win. Till today, Brazilians call it the Phantom of 50 or the Maracana Blow. In 1953, sensing that its then white-on-white outfits was either jinxed or unpatriotic, Brazil held a competition for the design of a new national kit. The result? The now famous bright yellow and green tops with blue shorts. Fast forward. Following the Phantom, Disaster, or Annihilation of 2014, Brazilian football will need more than a kit makeover. While I still love the Brazilian colors, I doubt very much that they will ever command the fear and respect they once did. As for the faithful, now may be the time to recognise that God is God, and yes, idols always have a way of crashing down! Written by: Victor Oladokun (Pastor at Bethel Church, Hampton VA)
Posted on: Sun, 13 Jul 2014 22:08:05 +0000
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