Sports play an essential role in any society considering the impact it has on the public, the economy of the country, mass media and even at an individual level. Many are the times when sports coincide with communal values that every society in every country holds. This and more can be said about football because it has turned to be a symbol of unity in the world because it can change things, people and life in itself. Many fans from all over the world display almost similar qualities when it comes to their love for the game in as much as there seem to be some differences in how they handle their winnings, losing and celebrating this beautiful game altogether. It has turned out to be a religion for many as millions of people participate in it whether actively or passively. Whether one is playing or just watching it from the comfort of their homes, football has turned out to be one of the most celebrated games in the world. This essay will discuss the similarities and differences of football as perceived in Britain and Brazil.
There is a common cliché that I widely shared by millions of Brazilians that says, “Os ingleses o inventaram, os Brasileiros o aperfeiçoaram” (Hollanda & Fontes 16). It simply means the English invented it, and the Brazilians perfected it”. The statement speaks volumes about the passion for this game in Brazil, and that can be confirmed by Fifa World Cup because records show that the Brazilian national football team is the most successful because the national team of the country has played all World Cup finals and have won a record five times (Nauright 26). That perhaps explains the passion with which Brazilians handle the game, leave alone celebrate it. Football in Britain too is widely celebrated because the English Premier League is one of the most widely watched football competitions more than any other league from other countries. Besides that, the country has only lifted the World Cup trophy only once as compared to Brazil’s four times. It goes without saying that football in these two countries is more of religion than a sport.
In Brazil, children are encouraged to start playing football at a very young age. They always have football players from their country who are widely celebrated, and many look forward to becoming as popular as those players. Some of these players are Diego Maradona and Pele. It is a cultural thing to find very young children playing football on street corners and alleys in Brazil because they cannot afford to go to the many football academies spread throughout the country (Hollanda & Fontes 21). In Britain, football is a celebrated game but coaching of young players is done in a more organized way in football academies. Playing football in the streets or at the beaches and alleys is uncommon. Perhaps the reason there is this disparity is because of the economies of these countries and how football is regarded by the two societies.
There is something about football that attracts millions of fans from across the globe. In Brazil fans come out to support various teams and players that are their favorite and the same happens in Britain. The only difference is their hooliganism and their violence meted against each other. Also, there is a difference in the way fans attend the games and their behavior while at it (Gibbons 89). For instance, fans of opposing teams go wild when they do not agree on something, and sometimes violence erupts. Many are the times when football hooliganism has caught world headlines especially when it leads to deaths and destruction of property. But one thing that creates a huge difference in the way fans react or behave during a football match is that Brazilians will often yell, scream and make all forms of noises and insult their opponents, British fans often chant throughout the game, this is often done in unison in a choir- like perfection.
It is astonishing that football is not a game for women in both Brazil and Britain. Women football is not given a lot of attention like men football. Women face a lot of obstacles, and even the rewards they receive for playing are way too minimal as compared to their male counterparts. Particularly in Brazil, women are denied adequate conditions for football training but then women have come out to use the sport as a way of tackling hegemonic gender problems that prevail in the country. The opposite is true about women in football in Britain. They have been given a place on a level ground just as men but are not yet on the equal level. Nevertheless, women football has not been appreciated by fans from all over the world, and these two countries have a fan base that would rather watch male football than women football. Football has always been a game played by men, and men play it with a lot of vigor and tactic that women are yet to master. The Brazilian women’s football is yet to gain popularity that can measure up to that of the British women’s team.
Football in these two countries is widely celebrated, and many are the times when it is viewed as the countries’ national games. Fans have always come out in big numbers to watch matches. Also, many of them align themselves with various teams making them part and parcel of the game. In Europe, British football attracts a lot of attention just like Brazilian football reigns in South America. The truth is that the levels of appreciation of this beautiful game may not be the same, but there is so much to prove how important the game is to the two countries. More importantly, it is worth noting that football is a game that cuts across borders and even if a lot of differences exist, it makes the game, the fan base and the cultural appreciation of it similar in many ways. It is hard to ignore that these two countries influence world football because they draw a very wide fan base from across the world. Many are the times when fans wish these two countries compete on international platforms.
Works Cited
Gibbons, Tom. English National Identity and Football Fan Culture: Who Are Ya? Surrey: Ashgate, 2014. Print
Hollanda, Bernado Buarque & Fontes, paulo. The Country of Football: Politics, Culture & the Beautiful Game in Brazil. New York: OUP, 2014. Print
Nauright, John. Sports around the World: History, Culture and Practice. Santa Barbara, 2012. Print
