Can soccer really trump politics? It certainly seemed to be the case for the majority of the world’s population while footballers’ fates were still undecided but now that the veil’s been lifted, perhaps it’s time to answer the question at the tips of everyone’s (who shuns apathy) tongue. It was apparent as the opening of the world cup 2014 in Brazil itself that South America’s largest nation had certainly become acquainted with at least ‘one first world problem.’Even in the running up to the world cup, it’s been abundantly clear that the people have been split right down the middle about hosting this event and then some. Despite paixao—passion—for the beautiful game running especially deep here, the sheer disgust at wasted funds and resources that could have been better utilised in education, infrastructure, health etc. has trumped passions for most citizens. Worse still, everyone believes that millions of reals have been lost to corruption and graft. Still want to turn a blind eye? You wouldn’t be able to if you walked down the streets of Sau Paulo which wears countless murals and graffiti determined to showcase their discontent, screaming slogans of “FIFA FORA” (FIFA OUT)
While we were busy allowing cameras to paint happy pictures of seas of gold jersey-clad happy mobs, far less airtime was ever given to the latest rounds of street demonstration which even turned violent on several occasions as massed ranks of regional and federal police lashed out against protesters.
As the FIFA world cup has drawn to a close, so has Brazil’s struggle with duality. The euphoria may be gone but the discontentment is still very much intact—something for Brazilian president Rousseff to think about when she stands for re-elections this fall.
And as we’re left to opine on just how responsible we, as onlookers, and thereby supporters of an organisation (FIFA) that we know are corrupt, are all we know for certain is that few tournaments have showcased society’s struggle with duality more than FIFA World Cup 2014. Homegrown collated some of the best images to visually represent just this. Personal morality issues notwithstanding, the stark differences need to be seen.
