June has begun, and with it the World Cup fever intensifies. Not just here in Brazil, but all over the world. Newstands all over the world are flooded with cover spreads and features on Soccer, Football, or Futbol-depending on the country. The Beautiful Game, or Jogo Bonito as it is called here in Brazil, is perhaps the biggest global phenomina. Bigger than the IMF, than the World Bank, bigger than the U.S. imperial empire, and I may even dare say bigger than Jesus. It crosses cultures, lanuages, religion, class, color-it is a game that is watched, played, and respected all over the world. It is a way of life, an ideology, for some a religion, a part of culture and society for so many around the world. And a futbol field may be the only place in the world where humans are truly equal-unified by a passion to play, the love of the game, and the 17 rules that govern the play.
For me, as an American and as a Puerto Rican, all this futbol fever is new. The biggest event in America is the Super Bowl and in Puerto Rico Baseball is king. I grew up watching America's favorite passtimes. But since I left home on my global road trip last August-I have grown to, at first appreciate, and now love a sport that is beautiful in it's simplicity. I am a complete virgin to World Cup fever, and yet I have come down with a case of World Cup Schtzophrenia. I am perhaps the only person in the world-if not the only person in Brazil, who will be supporting not two, but three teams. It is by no means unfortunate, but it will make for some intersting moments during the next month, espcially if any of the three teams: Ghana, South Korea, or Brazil face each other.
But in all honesty, my heart and hopes lay with Brazil. Not just because they have the best players in the world, or because they are known to play the sport most beautifuly, or even because Brazil as a country has quickly won my heart over. No. all those reasons are vaild. But the true reason why my heart and hopes lay with Brazil is because I can't even imagine how amazing it must be to witness a collective scream of joy and happines by a country that is as large, if not larger, than the United States. That in itself will be worth it.
And so as my host country, Brazil, gears up to support their team in the 2006 World Cup, I gear up too. I will be going out to get my Brazilian flag, my yellow and green Brazil t-shirt, and my yellow and green Havianas-Brazilian made flip-flops. And when the first game is played, I will be watching with Brazil and the rest of the World. Watching skilled players perform on field where the only thing that matters is your love for the sport and your passion to win.
