Brazil is out of the FIFA World Cup! For some, it would be joyful news since only a few ‘stars’ adorned the team this year. My sadness began the day Dani Alves was taken off the team long before the group stage due to injury. He is the only former Barcelona player I did not hate. Yes, I hate Barcelona. I love to see them lose. The only reason I like Dani Alves is that he is a Brazilian.
The Brazilian team, in any World Cup, comes with the sole goal of winning. It doesn’t need stars to do that. That’s ‘Jogo Bonito’ – ‘The Beautiful Game’ of Brazil. It has proven this many times in the past.
It took me an hour to realise that Brazil was out of the 2018 World Cup. The shame of the 7-1 defeat by Germany four years ago still haunts me. I couldn’t sleep all night and had shaky hands.
This time around, the Brazilian team lacked the spear edge that players like Ronaldo and Rivaldo who played in 2002 gave the team. My unfathomable and undying love for the Brazilian team began after watching Ronaldo in the World Cup. I worshipped how he played, celebrated like him whenever I scored a goal. He was like God to me.
In terms of defence, the team was all right. Thiago Silva was good, but overwhelmed by the faith which one billion fans from all over the world put in him. Watching Marcelo committing errors was heartbreaking. It seemed like all he wanted to do was to leave for Spain. Coutinho was great along with Paulinho and Casemiro.
Firmino is no Ronaldo and Gabriel Jesus is no Rivaldo, and it doesn’t matter how many goals you scored in the EPL if you aren’t playing well for your country. Pray to the Lords to give back our glorious days.
I choose not to speak anything about Neymar. I cannot and I won’t.