Why Don’t You Hate Brazil?
I have been reading with great interest the thoughts of Euler, WCB’s Czar of Brazil, over on his blog, as well as some of the comments coming from people around the world. It has gotten me thinking. I know very few people who despise Brazil’s team. I wonder why.
Generally in sports the teams that are the most successful are the ones that bring about the most reaction, both positive and negative. There are those who love a winner and there are those who always root against the favorite. Think of the top club teams in the world. Chances are you know someone who loves them and someone who wouldn’t support them for any amount of money.
With the exception of my friends from Argentina, I know very few people who foam at the mouth when you mention Brazil. This is interesting to me since Brazil is as close to a dynasty in international football as we have ever seen. A five-time champion, the team has made the finals the past three World Cups and is the prohibitive favorite in Germany this summer.
These are the results that would normally bring out the haters.
Sure there are plenty of people who don’t want Brazil to lift the trophy again. I fall into this category, but not because I dislike Brazil or because I am jealous of them but simply because I’d like to see someone new win this time around.
Perhaps Brazil avoids international wrath because of the way in which it plays. Entertaining, electric football is easy to admire and sometimes when I am watching Brazilian players it is like I am hypnotized. With a few exceptions, Brazil’s teams have played with class and has not earned a reputation for being especially dirty. On this year’s team I can’t think of a player who could be considered a villain.
Euler asks if it will be bad for the sport if Brazil captures the Hexa this summer. I don’t think it will be bad, but I think with every trophy there will be more people who become fans of Brazil and more that learn to hate the team. Such is the nature of being a champion. In Brazil’s case, it just seems like more people are falling into the fan category.
By the way, if you haven’t seen this Ronaldinho video yet, give it a look. It takes a bit of time to get going, but once it does you won’t be disappointed.
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Comments
By Chris | January 29th, 2006 at 2:50 pm 
I think most people when you say Brazil remember first the 1970 World Cup, the first broadcast in colour and featuring probably the best Brazil team ever.
You can guarantee to see highlights of Pele, Jairzinho, Rivelino and the rest whenever a World Cup comes around, and a lot of fans, me included, hope Brazil will come up with a team to match the way that side played.
The closest I’ve seen is the 1982 Socrates and Zico squad, but this year’s version has talent to burn so if they do win I won’t be disappointed.
By markus | January 29th, 2006 at 4:37 pm Well, you are right Chris, but don’t forget the fans! While some other nations are known to have very bad supporters, bazils are known to be the good party people. This is why I don’t hate them.
Posted from 
Germany
By Chris | January 30th, 2006 at 11:26 am Absolutely Markus, those beautiful brown bodies in bikini’s and a constant samba beat, got to be Brazil.
Posted from 
United Kingdom
By Myla | February 1st, 2006 at 7:21 pm It is funny how the 70’s team still has such an impact. People are very nostalgic of that time. Today’s football is so different that I find it hard to compare. The techniques have been shared over the different countries making it even harder to make such a big impact.
Anyways, I always thought it was easier to hate a team who thought of themselves as the very best – who despised their rivals and made fun of them. Brazilians have gone through a long period without winning (between 70 and 94). There were good teams in between (like 82 – so much class). In my opinion, most Brazilians believe that in Football match you cannot believe you are the winner, that you should respect your adversary. So, although I am not claiming Brazilians are humble, there is a certain fear of the game in us. A fear of the surprise element that is always present in a Football match. That’s what we think is interesting about this sport. A game is not lost or won before is finished.
Posted from 
United States
By Euler | March 4th, 2006 at 10:52 pm Thank you Chris, Markus and Myla! I feel what you are saying.
Chris and Myla, what the 1970, 1982 and today’s Selections have in common, I think, is the joy to play. Have you seen Ronaldinhos smile after a nice move or a goal?
And Markus… “partey”! The samba joy can be really contagious.
And, of course, every match is to die for. Australia can surprise us, as Croatia did with Argentina. Football is a game of passion and personal achievement for the players. Nobody goes to the World Cup expecting to lose. As Myla said “A game is not lost or won before is finished”.
Thank you for not hating Brazil!!! ;^)#
By Artur | April 17th, 2006 at 3:48 pm I am a Brazilian an i love it!!!
If somebody want to write to me, this is my e mail
arturabril@hotmail.com
By Alex | June 5th, 2006 at 8:43 am Sorry, I hate brazil. I hate the way brazilians despise other teams, specially other southamericans. I hate the whole cliché of samba, party, over-worked joy and a really bad attitude—which is what is really under the surface– when loosing. I hate the way referees help them out at very crucial moments–Have you forgot Turkey in Corea 2002?–I hate their relgious christian-pagan drift involved with a sport–praying after matches and singing horrible religious tunes. I am sorry, but they have paved the way for being hated by others.
They are so vain that they haven’t even noticed it yet. And yes, Ronaldinho and Ronaldo are both disgusting.
I hope this year, a good, strategy and defense focused team wins. Football deserves it.
By Fernando Souza | June 8th, 2006 at 11:39 pm I hate Brazil, country of soccer, samba and prostitutes. Something more?
Fernando
Posted from 
Brazil
By matilda | June 9th, 2006 at 7:42 am Interesting question.
Sport is often a substitute for, or at least strongly influenced by, politics and history. Brazil, though it is a large country with a huge population, isn’t very politically powerful or wealthy. There’s none of that automatic dislike of the USA – which seems to have more to do with their crap government than their actual football team. None of those “I remember when you bombed us in WW2″ undercurrents that run through European football. (see the Dutch “Give us our bike backs!” t-shirts and England’s dislike of just about everyone, including former allies).
Combine that with their obvious love of the game, lack of scary hooligans and superb talent and well, it’s kind of hard to hate them.
I’d still like to see a surprise winner in Germany though! Sorry Brazil.
Posted from 
Australia
By DaveC | June 9th, 2006 at 8:01 am I am a fellow Argentine who despises Brazilian Futbol (for the obvious reasons), but I luv Brazilian woman…what can I say, but….
I like big butts and I can not lie…
Posted from United States
By Mei | June 22nd, 2006 at 10:22 pm I’m rooting for Japan and South Korea (even though Japan is losing right now) in the World Cup. I hate Brazil because they are arrogant and selfish. They know that they’re good and they’re winning but they don’t give anyone else a chance. They are trying ot make everyone else look bad and I hate them for that.
Posted from United States
By Tim | June 28th, 2006 at 2:55 pm I despise Brazil, I hate the way their coach thinks he’s coaching a side of gods, Roberto Carlos is my pet hate. If you want to score goals, be a striker, don’t be a defender. Any other coach would punish him for leaving his wing in defense open, but nooooo not Roberto Carlos, if I had a team there is no way in hell I would put him in defense, unless I wanted to cope at least 2 goals a match. I hate their arrogance, I hate the way they are favored by FIFA, but most of all I HATE the people who are on the bandwagon, apart from people who are actually Brazilian, they are the only people who should supporting this team. I really wanted Ghana to beat them last night, to humiliated them in front of the world, which is what they deserve. Australia played them, supposabibly a “shit” country, and was unlucky to not draw or even win against them, they missed open shots at goals. They two goals Brazil scored, a disabled Grand-mother could score. I really hope a team which concentrates on good team work and strategy win this year, rather than a bunch of show offs who celebrate for 15 minutes with their shirts off without getting penalized by refs because they are too pussy to do so win. I also hope there is one team that can expose their weaknesses which are their defence and Dida.
Posted from Australia
By nobody | March 22nd, 2007 at 11:42 am yes, i hate brazil, and i live here, i can’t wait to get out of this country….
By edwmm | July 11th, 2007 at 11:57 am ok.. I agree that some brazilian players are a bit arrogant, such as roberto carlos, but there is no need to hate brazilian team, both ronaldinho and ronaldo are very charismatic and nice palyers.
Brazil do have the best players, but that’s not what it takes to win, as you seen on world cup 2006.
I noticed stupid comments about refs helping brazil, bullshtttt, of course brazil is hated, is the best team of all, you should know by now that whoever is ahead, is hated.
By jose | September 9th, 2007 at 7:18 pm I hate brazill! They are are almost as bad as the argentine drama queens. Taking dives when someone brushes their shorts……..whine like a bunch of school girls……..I HATE brazill
Posted from United States
By vitoria | January 25th, 2008 at 3:33 pm i am brazilian, and if you hate us sooo much, it is because you are jealouse!
we win because we are good at it, and you don’t have idea of what the players practise to be that good….
and the brazilians who hate brazil, yuo don’t know what are you talking about!
try to live in another coutry for 1 year and you will see! i did, and i can’t wait to go back to my country that i love!!!!
By mariana | January 25th, 2008 at 3:37 pm thank you vitoria!!!
i am in a interchange program, and i do know what it is to live 1 year away from my country…
By bore 12 | February 4th, 2008 at 1:56 am its envious one comes here in Brazil says this goes takes a gust of bore 762 in the way of the forehead the American nor plays ball knows nor has heading, the only good thing of the E.U.A is bone thugs ~n~harmony because my god hein!!!!rsrsssssss I have that to laugh it saw!!!!!!!!
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