Memories

It is hard for some one who grew up in US to understand what soccer represents in other countries. After post the games for the World Cup Qualifying I thought it would be interesting to write about it.
In Brazil we say that the national team is the mother land wearing cleats. When we play big rivals like Argentina it is like those countries were in war. In World Cup’s games, the country stops to watch it. There are no cars in the streets there is no one in the walkways. Every eye in the country is looking at the TV.
My strongest World Cup memory from childhood is a Brazil vs Italy game in 1982 Spain World Cup. Brazil 1982 team still considered one of the best teams in the history of soccer. No one in Brazil had any doubt we would win the World Cup, even more after scoring 10 goals, winning all the 3 games of the first round and beating our biggest rival Argentina in the first game of second round. Brazil went to play Italy on Sarria Stadium in Barcelona, needing a simple draw to qualify for the semi-finals.
Italy was a good team but had draws on its first 3 games, against Poland, Peru and Cameroon. In the second round beat Argentina by 2-1 but as Brazil had beat Argentina 3-1, Italy needed win the game to qualify.
The game started hot! At 5’ Paulo Rossi scored for Italy, and at 12’ Socrates tied it for Brazil. At 25’ Paolo Rossi scored again. I remember watching it on TV. I was 7 years old and started to cry just thinking it could be the last game of Brazil in that World Cup. At half time I went outside to flight a kite with my cousin (probably because my parents suggested it). We decided not to come back to that agony and kept playing in the desert street. Suddenly it was like the whole town shouted at the same time, the same world: Goooaaal!!! We ran inside to see Falcao celebrating an astonishing goal. That was it, we were in the semi-finals and we would be Champions of the World for the first time in my generation.
But the game only ends when it ends. Paolo Rossi again, at 74’, 16 minutes to the end, scored again. Italy won that game and the World Cup. My generation had to wait more 8 years to finally see our country win the World Cup, ironically playing Italy in the final game.