Earth to Self: "Its time to Joga Bonito!"

The following was written on 9th June, 2010, shortly before the start of he FIFA World Cup. I wrote it as a sort of Preview to the tournament. Okay, "What's the point of a preview, wehn Spain won the World Cup last night?", you may ask. Truth is, there isn't. Its just a nice article and I wanted it on my blog. A more relevant 'Review' may be on the cards soon. Anyways,I hope you enjoy reading this.

This is the first in a series of articles by Shoaib Sumar about life and the contemporary world. In this article, we discuss the FIFA World Cup and its profound impact on people from different parts of the world....

Earth to Self: "Its time to Joga Bonito!"
With the planet gripped in World Cup fever, I lay in bed one night, thinking. Thinking about what it is that makes this event unite all the nations of the world. Thinking about why it means so much to so many, everywhere. Thinking about something which I think about almost every minute of my humble existence- Football.

Call it soccer, futebol' or association football, the sport is undoubtedly the most popular game in the world. Pick up a newspaper anywhere in the world today, and I can bet my life there will be a section dedicated to the World Cup. In some countries, like Italy, even international news features forlorn somewhere in the back pages. Its football that dominates the print and visual media.

What fascinates me no end is how the same event can be viewed in different countries in so many different ways--with fear, excitement, hope, nervousness or indifference. The common denominator here is an unique sense of anticipation which even the Olympic Games fails to generate.

England: Hope.
The typical British sense of hope and loud confidence surrounds the English media. 1966 was the last time they won. But their fans remain confident that "this time, our lads will bring that trophy back to Wembley Stadium!" and with a galaxy of stars like Wayne Rooney, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard, who can blame them?

The European Power Houses: Euphoria.
Intense political activity, media frenzy and public gatherings are characteristic of this time. Politicians use the sport to further their interests and use the national teams to increase their Vote Banks. Its crazy, as if the Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi (who owns the country's biggest club, AC Milan by the way,) is going to put his boots on and get on the pitch. Yet, if the team wins, it'll probably be his biggest Pay-Day. Ever. Drugs, Drink and Illicit sex will be at an all-time high in the next month.

Asia: Its Party Time!
For those in countries like South Korea and Japan who have qualified for the Cup, its a chance to see their boys on the World Stage. Playing side-by-side their more illustrious European and South American counterparts, who they watch religiously week-in-week-out on the telly.
As for us, who have no representation (or no hope of any, in the near future at least) we watch as neutrals or sort of adopt a nationality for a month or so. Its humiliating how a country, One-Billion-strong, can fail to develop the talent, on account of lack of infrastructure! But India's misadventures on the sporting front is a story for another day.
Moving on to the Arab peninsula, who will be disappointed that Algeria is the only Arabic-speaking representative, but will nevertheless enjoy the spectacle in their usual way, Cafe's will be packed, roads bustling, children on the streets of Jordan and Qatar will be seen sporting their Ronaldo7 and Rooney9 shirts. Many a Sheikh in Dubai and Saudi Arabia will be scratching their beards, thinking about how all the money in the world cannot buy a World Cup team?

The United States: What? soccer? Your kidding,right?

Although I will admit that thanks to the large number of immigrants in the US and David Beckham, 'soccer-awareness' is growing. Yet, the vast majority of Americans are happy in their own little sporting world, where they refer to their baseball final as The 'World Series'. I didn't know the 'World' spread from New York To Los Angeles!Superbowl and the NBA mean everything to them. You can just imagine two fat white guys sitting on a couch talking in their Homer Simpson-ish voices,
"Hey Charlie, wanna watch soccer? I've heard its the most popular sport in the world!"
"Well thats why THEY don't need US watching them!. C'mon I'll buy you a beer. Lets go watch the Lakers game!"
"Beer! sure dude, c'mon screw soccer. Beer and the Lakers game. Hell Yeah!"

And Finally, the World descends on South Africa.....

Ecstasy is the word that best describes the feeling in Africa on the eve of the World Cup.The first one to be held in the Dark Continent will surely be an amazing spectacle. There are smiles and streamers on every street in Jo'berg and Cape Town.People sing "When i get older, I will be stronger, they’ll call me freedom
Just like a Waving Flag"


Its that time when thousands starving in Africa will forget their condition and cheer Humanity. When Palestinians will set aside the pain inflicted upon them unfairly, and cheer Humanity.As for us, we're just thankful to ESPN-STAR Sports for showing us The Beautiful Game and hope that the players do as Nike says in Portuguese- Joga Bonito.Play Beautiful.