Brazil and the World Cup: the end of a campaign, and a dream

OPINION

Brazil wanted to host and win the World Cup for a second try, but it went all wrong. Germany won the public relations war, mixing with the Indians in Cabralia–near where the discoverer of Brazil, Dom Pedro Cabral, landed, buying land, charming the locals and winning their support.

They also won their fourth World Cup, and it’s the first of a European team in the Americas.

SEE ALSO: World Cup: The last circus in Brazil

Brazil 2014 leaves a lot to process, and a few nuggets to chew over. The impositions FIFA required of the Brazilian hosts, including tax exemptions for their partners, became a problem. FIFA has now made an event with two strata: One that´s high class and expensive.

It’s for the sponsors, the high rollers and Mick Jaggers of the world, and the corporate types who want to say they were in the stadium.

The real passion in the World Cup and now has become peripheral, such as the streets and the screens at the Fan Fest. A paragon of this dichotomy was the “Budweiser Hotel” right on Copacabana’s Avenida Atlantica in Rio. With bodyguards at the front door, it was another planet from the event. There was no mix, no membrane, even though on the same avenue, in close proximity, were fans living in their cars.

Setting the tone at the World Cup from the beginning, it started wrong.

The opening ceremony did not say Brazil. It was a Cirque de Soleil-type European event in Latin America. On the field, the players gave plenty of emotions and unforgettable moments, but the mix of Brazil’s hosting and the inability of the people to take part in the festival was antithesis of what a Brazilian carnival is about.

Do you want the Swiss organizing your party?

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A Copa dos Ricos (The Cup For the Rich) did not run properly either. The fields were not properly maintained. Chileans broke into the press center and caused the stadium to be off-limits to non-ticket holders. To top it off, before the start of the final match, the Internet service went out in Maracana.

Ground zero at the “apagao” resembled what happened to the Brazilian national team in the 7-1 loss to Germany. In that historic semifinal loss, the coach could not explain the team’s six-minute ‘blackout.’

When asked to comment on Ray Whelan, a member of the “FIFA family” who runs Match Services and was arrested for the resale of FIFA tickets and packages, spokeswoman Delia Fischer said ”We have no comment.” Whelan then fled the country.

A technical failure in Maracana lasted two hours, and is also still unexplained.

Dilma Roussef, whose re-election campaign in October may be affected by the disastrous losses of the Brazil team, got a huge negative reaction. There was no angry reaction from the people after Brazil’s elimination and embarrassment, but they may collect in the next election.

The Germans made history in several ways, the first of which was winning the tournament in South America. Mario Goetzes’s goal in extra time gave a decision more satisfying than penalty kicks, but Germany’s victory was complete.

Costa Rica was close behind among the winners, but there was one absolute loser: Brazil, which has to ponder what their legacy from this World Cup will be..

Meanwhile, the Argentines who invaded Brazil and Rio just to be in the same city as their team during the tournament left without the Copa, but satisfied that their team made it to the final.

We also finished the tournament dented and tired, and like them, we will return home without a trophy, but with the memories and with the satisfaction that at least, we made it to the finish line of a gigantic event that has lost all proportion and some of its soul, but still provides emotion.

SEE ALSO: The limits of Brazilian soft power in the World Cup