It's here. The World Cup is in full swing. Everything is green and yellow. Days Brazil plays are national holidays, and for those two or three hours, the city stops. Stores close. Streets are empty. Everything is quiet, still. Until the first goal, at which moment everyone runs out to the balcony to shoot fireworks or blow appropriately obnoxious horns, to dump magazine confetti from the windows and shout victory.
But, let's be real. Of all the people I know, I am the person who least deserves to be in Brazil during the World Cup. I'm learning to watch soccer (and like it!), I recognize players sometimes, and...yep, that about sums up my expertise. So, it really didn't make sense for me to write about soccer. Also, I'm not Brazilian (what?!?), and the World Cup will have roughly zero impact on me, so it seemed silly for me to write about the impact of the Cup.
So, instead, I interviewed Caetano Pinilha, one of my hosts from the last time I lived in Brazil, and who graciously allowed me to work alongside him in São Paulo with the people of Crackland, including girls and boys living on the street. Caetano digs soccer, digs Brazil (is Brazilian), and is just generally an awesome dude. Here's what he has to say about the World Cup in Brazil.
What’s your relationship with soccer?
My dad was a good soccer player, and my grandpa said he could have been a professional. Since I was I child I always loved football, and even though I’m not a fanatical spectator, I like to play whenever I have the opportunity.
For three years I taught soccer for children in my church’s neighborhood, and I believe in soccer generally as an instrument of social inclusion and transformation.
Soccer is the main sport in Brazil partly because of the lack of structure and incentive for practicing other sports. Also, Brazilian media excessively advertises soccer, leaving other sports by the wayside.
What are the impacts (social, political, economic, cultural, etc.) of the Cup that you’re seeing?
Aside from the happiness, the parties, the exorbitant spending and dishonesty of the Brazilian government and FIFA, I don’t personally see much impact of the Cup on Brazil.
The World Cup has, without a doubt, brought tons of excitement and happiness to the Brazilian people. The songs on the television—the mantras, rather—say: “Show your strength, Brazil!” And the media emphasizes that the World Cup victory will be for all Brazilians—that in being the host country, we’ll show the world how strong we are.
Can you speak a little bit about the conflict between the love Brazilians have for soccer and the problems with the World Cup and FIFA?
I’ve got nothing against parties, the effort of the players and the fans’ love for them, the brotherhood between different countries. This is all awesome!
My primary critique and sadness concerns the organization of the Cup, on the part of the Brazilian government and FIFA. The Brazilian government spent $3.6 billion (8 billion reais) constructing and remodeling stadiums, and economists predict that fans will spend around $3 billion (R$6.7b). It doesn’t seem like we’ll be getting the return on this investment that the government continues to advertise and defend.
There are complaints about overpricing in the construction and remodeling of the stadiums. The materials could only be bought from companies affiliated with FIFA. Several stadiums were built in cities and states that don’t even have soccer teams; what’s going to happen to these places after the Cup?
In Brazilian stadiums it’s illegal to sell or consume alcoholic beverages, but FIFA rewrote Brazilian law. World Cup stadiums are selling beer—but only the official beer of FIFA.
There was a lot said about a “lasting legacy,” but that’s not what we’re seeing. According to a report in Veja magazine this month, bars and restaurants will see a 25% increase in revenue relative to this time last year. Airports in host cities will see a 10% increase—but those in other tourism and business destination cities will decrease. Of the 37 thousand temporary employees in food and hospitality, only 15% will keep their jobs after the Cup.
It was discouraging watching the news the other day. They were reporting about the preparations and expenditures of the Cup, and in the following segment they talked about Brazilians with cancer, who need radiotherapy sessions. Some of these people can’t get treatment, including in Rio de Janeiro, because the machines are broken or there’s no one to operate them.
What is the impact of the Cup on children and adolescents who live on the street?
For children and adolescents who live on the streets where I work, there really isn’t one. They’re cheering, and the city is trying to send them to shelters.
Anything else you think deserves attention, that the world outside of Brazil (or Brazilians themselves!) should know in relation to the Cup?
We threw a huge party. We spent a ton. We hardly made a profit. We have tons of other problems as a nation. But we are happy!
But, let's be real. Of all the people I know, I am the person who least deserves to be in Brazil during the World Cup. I'm learning to watch soccer (and like it!), I recognize players sometimes, and...yep, that about sums up my expertise. So, it really didn't make sense for me to write about soccer. Also, I'm not Brazilian (what?!?), and the World Cup will have roughly zero impact on me, so it seemed silly for me to write about the impact of the Cup.
So, instead, I interviewed Caetano Pinilha, one of my hosts from the last time I lived in Brazil, and who graciously allowed me to work alongside him in São Paulo with the people of Crackland, including girls and boys living on the street. Caetano digs soccer, digs Brazil (is Brazilian), and is just generally an awesome dude. Here's what he has to say about the World Cup in Brazil.
What’s your relationship with soccer?
My dad was a good soccer player, and my grandpa said he could have been a professional. Since I was I child I always loved football, and even though I’m not a fanatical spectator, I like to play whenever I have the opportunity.
For three years I taught soccer for children in my church’s neighborhood, and I believe in soccer generally as an instrument of social inclusion and transformation.
Soccer is the main sport in Brazil partly because of the lack of structure and incentive for practicing other sports. Also, Brazilian media excessively advertises soccer, leaving other sports by the wayside.
What are the impacts (social, political, economic, cultural, etc.) of the Cup that you’re seeing?
Aside from the happiness, the parties, the exorbitant spending and dishonesty of the Brazilian government and FIFA, I don’t personally see much impact of the Cup on Brazil.
The World Cup has, without a doubt, brought tons of excitement and happiness to the Brazilian people. The songs on the television—the mantras, rather—say: “Show your strength, Brazil!” And the media emphasizes that the World Cup victory will be for all Brazilians—that in being the host country, we’ll show the world how strong we are.
Can you speak a little bit about the conflict between the love Brazilians have for soccer and the problems with the World Cup and FIFA?
I’ve got nothing against parties, the effort of the players and the fans’ love for them, the brotherhood between different countries. This is all awesome!
My primary critique and sadness concerns the organization of the Cup, on the part of the Brazilian government and FIFA. The Brazilian government spent $3.6 billion (8 billion reais) constructing and remodeling stadiums, and economists predict that fans will spend around $3 billion (R$6.7b). It doesn’t seem like we’ll be getting the return on this investment that the government continues to advertise and defend.
There are complaints about overpricing in the construction and remodeling of the stadiums. The materials could only be bought from companies affiliated with FIFA. Several stadiums were built in cities and states that don’t even have soccer teams; what’s going to happen to these places after the Cup?
In Brazilian stadiums it’s illegal to sell or consume alcoholic beverages, but FIFA rewrote Brazilian law. World Cup stadiums are selling beer—but only the official beer of FIFA.
There was a lot said about a “lasting legacy,” but that’s not what we’re seeing. According to a report in Veja magazine this month, bars and restaurants will see a 25% increase in revenue relative to this time last year. Airports in host cities will see a 10% increase—but those in other tourism and business destination cities will decrease. Of the 37 thousand temporary employees in food and hospitality, only 15% will keep their jobs after the Cup.
It was discouraging watching the news the other day. They were reporting about the preparations and expenditures of the Cup, and in the following segment they talked about Brazilians with cancer, who need radiotherapy sessions. Some of these people can’t get treatment, including in Rio de Janeiro, because the machines are broken or there’s no one to operate them.
What is the impact of the Cup on children and adolescents who live on the street?
For children and adolescents who live on the streets where I work, there really isn’t one. They’re cheering, and the city is trying to send them to shelters.
Anything else you think deserves attention, that the world outside of Brazil (or Brazilians themselves!) should know in relation to the Cup?
We threw a huge party. We spent a ton. We hardly made a profit. We have tons of other problems as a nation. But we are happy!