Every now and them something rare happens in football that surprises you. Something like this. The surprises comes in how suddenly you react to it. Euphoric and spontaneous. Almost instinctive.
People talk about "the power of football", and 99% of the time they're just trying to place importance in some arbitrary physical exertions. "Only a game." your cynical, world weary heart says bitterly.
Then something like this happens. United fans will remember Macheda. City fans: Aguero. Argentinians: Maradona. The Dutch: Van Basten and my Ghanaians? Well, we remember Gyan.
As a 7 year old, Zidane made France's moment in the World Cup Final.
Chale, on Sunday, as Brazil led Spain by 1 goal, deep down we were all Brazilians. Just like it was for this 90s kid growing up in the mid-late 90s/early 00s, Brazil's organic ways stood against the machine-like might of Europe.
In playground football, the first teams chosen were always, being in London, England and Brazil. France had a little period around '98 but the favourites were almost certainly more exotic.
On Sunday while watching Brazil in the 44th minute of the Confederations Cup Final, I found, to my delight, that I was Brazilian again!
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| "Yyyyyiiiiipeeeee!!"-Me after incredibly painful surgery and excruciating skin bleaching. |
Our moment? Neymar's goal was our moment.
I haven't been in a school playground for many a year now, but I imagine, in the last few years the unfortunate younger generations have often forgone Brazil for Spain, Germany and all the technicality Europe has to offer.
After Sunday, that may be no more because...
Its cool to be Brazilian again.
