The Disappearing Doves
At the Education City Stadium, Qatar, the dove's dance has disappeared. For Brazil, the dance was like a foreshadowing; joy would turn to sorrow in an instant. Brazil drowned in tears after being eliminated by Croatia.
Sindhunata
In soccer, anything can happen unexpectedly. When Brazil crushed South Korea 4-1, it was like a dove flying high with hope. Every time they scored a goal, the Brazilian players danced, imitating the doves as best they could.
This “Selecao” style celebration received critical attention. "I do not like it. Even if it is said that it's their culture. In my opinion, it shows they lack respect for their opponents," said Manchester United legend Roy Keane.
Brazilian players did not care what people said. They were determined to continue the dance celebration. According to them, that was how they expressed joy. Raphinha said the dove choreography had been trained and prepared for a long time and ready to be displayed many times. That meant they believed they would win again.
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South Korea is definitely not like Brazil. It was reasonable if Brazil pitched and styled themself with the scenario of staging a dance choreography every time they scored against South Korea.
Brazil was increasingly favored as the favourite. They did not expect that going to the semifinals they would encounter such fierce resistance from Croatia. Only then did they feel that they were facing a real opponent. Luka Modric and his friends beat them in a very dramatic match. In the Brazilian camp all became quiet. The dove's joy was gone.
Brazil's Neymar cries at the end of the World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Croatia and Brazil, at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar, Friday, Dec. 9, 2022.
Brazil is a five-time world champion. In Qatar in 2022, they hunted for a hexa, the sixth world champion title. However, that hope ran aground at Croatia's feet. The Brazilian newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo wrote, “Quarterfinal nightmare. Neymar's generation was bewitched. Their hands were bound. The sixth star was out of reach.”
The newspaper Zero Hora lamented that the defeat was a blow to the hearts of Brazil and their dreams of the hexa melted into dust in the Middle East.
Brazil was very sure that the match against Croatia was the way to reach the hexa star. All players were optimistic. Outside the match, Neymar Jr. was caught on camera in his luxurious outfit, accessory rings, necklaces and ear ornaments accompanied his joy. He looked sure.
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Then came the game against Croatia and the optimism began to recede. Neymar did not expect Croatia to fight him so fiercely. He did not have time to dance. Only in extra time, in the 105th minute, Neymar was able to shoot the ball past Dominik Livakovic, the Croatian goalkeeper, and it was 1-0 for Brazil.
Neymar's emotional goal seemed to free Brazil from suffering. However, two minutes later, Croatian player Bruno Petkovic kicked the ball hard and found Alisson Becker's goal. Hell for Brazil. And after the penalty kicks of Rodrygo and Marquinhos failed, their hopes of winning the hexa were destroyed. Neymar limped away in tears, which did not stop when Dani Alves, Thiago Silva and several other colleagues came to comfort him.
The tears of the Brazilian people also could not stop. In Brazil, soccer is a symbol of hope. Because of this, in Brazil, the ball is almost inseparable from the socio-political movements that fight for the fate of the people, especially during times of crisis.
Fans of Brazil react after watching the live broadcast of the Qatar 2022 World Cup Quarter-final round football match between Brazil and Croatia at the FIFA Fan Fest of Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on December 9, 2022.
Democracy
We remember, for example, the Selecao in 1986. In it were Socrates and Walter Casagrande. Both played in Corinthians, São Paulo. Together they founded a movement called Democracia Corinthiana. Its motto was, “Lose or win, but never without democracy.” Their actions clearly wanted to restore democracy, which was threatened under the ruling military dictatorship.
According to Casagrande, before the Qatar World Cup, many Brazilian fans no longer wanted to wear the national team's jersey. The reason was that the costume had been worn and abused by followers of Jair Bolsonaro, the former right-leaning, anti-democratic president of Brazil, who was accused of being a fascist and wanted to take back power with the help of the military. Several Brazilian players, including Neymar, Dani Alves and Thiago Silva, were considered pro-Bolsonaro.
Casagrande said the Brazilian team this time was a team isolated from social problems. Compared with some of the other soccer teams, socio-politically speaking, they had nothing to say. Even Neymar, the Brazilian star, was not free from this critical scrutiny.
"Neymar has no more roots in Brazil. Here people are talking about 30 million hungry people. Meanwhile, Neymar owns a yacht, a private jet, cars and a luxury home. And he is proud of it. This certainly creates a gap,” said Casagrande.
Neymar has no more roots in Brazil. Here people are talking about 30 million hungry people. Meanwhile, Neymar owns a yacht, a private jet, cars and a luxury home. And he is proud of it.
In Casagrande's eyes, the soccer player is different from a celebrity. However, Neymar did not separate the two. "Neymar exists 24 hours a day as a celebrity. Even when he is on the field. Because of that, he lost focus. When going to the World Cup, people have to concentrate on the World Cup, not on their hairstyle, dance or luxury vehicle," Casagrande criticized.
He added that soccer players were idols. This predicate does not even belong to a government minister. Young people turn on the television not to hear the minister's speech, but to watch a soccer match, especially when their idol is playing. So, soccer players also have a social responsibility toward the self-development of the youth.
Brazil is indeed a special country, where soccer lives in the spirit and destiny of its people. If they are detached from their people, they will lose their lives. If Casagrande's criticism is correct, the loss of people's lives may have been one factor in why the doves flew away from Brazil's hands.
SINDHUNATA
Journalist
This article was translated by Hyginus Hardoyo.
