The desire for the title to remain in South America, the contagious atmosphere of the Argentines and gratitude for the neighbor appear among the reasons to forget the rivalry a little
In October, when 29-year-old Franco Loyola decided to leave Goiânia and spend two months in Buenos Aires, including the world Cup, friends warned him: “Get ready! You will be very laughed at by the Argentines when they find out that you are Brazilian.” Well, it was exactly the opposite: the Argentines welcomed him with open arms, making him feel at home. A month and a half later, he still hasn’t felt the weight of the famous rivalry.
“When I say that I am Brazilian, the reaction of Argentines is very different from what I expected. I am warmly welcomed. So, this is a country that I really like. Because of this unexpected affective affinity and South American identification, I rooted for the ‘Argentina in this cup and will be cheering for the final against France,” Franco said.
Débora Torres, 36, from Minas Gerais, arrived in Buenos Aires eight months ago, the time to exchange rivalry for affection, to the point that, even if Brazil lost against Argentina in a hypothetical semi-final, the Brazilian would not be sad about the elimination.
“I had this rivalry relationship before coming here. But now, getting to know the Argentines better, the rivalry is set aside. I tend to think that, in a confrontation between the two teams, I would support Brazil more, but I don’t I’d be sad if Argentina won,” he said. “One thing that makes me want to support them is how they cheer, always encouraging their team. I like it. It’s different from the Brazilians who, for whatever reason, start insulting and complaining about their team.”
Edson Carvalho, 43, from Paraná, has been cycling for two months. He left by bicycle from Florianópolis, in Santa Catarina, towards Ushuaia, in Tierra del Fuego. During the World Cup he parked in Buenos Aires. “Ever since Brazil was eliminated, I’ve been rooting for Argentina. My motivation is to root for South America,” he said, even though he was aware of the risks of an Argentina victory. “I’m rooting for Argentina even if this implies some mockery by the Argentines.”
For four years, Denise Santos, 36, of São Paulo, was one of an estimated 10,000 Brazilian medical students in Argentina. Since you arrived in Buenos Aires, you have gradually moved from classic rivalry to gratitude towards your country. She now cheers on Argentina with the blue and white flag painted on both cheeks. “When I lived in Brazil, I was a fan of Argentina. They were the typical rival. But now I’m grateful for the opportunity to study here and I love the Argentinian fan party,” said Denise, noting that the “hermanos” have only two titles.
Boyfriend Léo Clemente, 41, still lives in Brazil, but has come to Buenos Aires to attend the party. “We came to cheer for the happiness of the Argentines and see the victory party.”
Thaís Souza, 35, also a medical student, is supportive: “There are already five of us. Let them win one more time, right,” she said.
REASONS
In general, there are six reasons why Brazilians support their arch-rivals: 1) Admiration for Lionel Messi’s football now and Diego Maradona before. 2) The contagious party of Argentine fans capable of singing and jumping tirelessly. 3) Gratitude to the country that offers free education to Brazilians. 4) Emotional relationships with the country, with friends or relatives. 5) A regional feeling for cultural identification with South America and 6) A balance in the balance of titles between Europe and South America.
Until 2002, when Brazil were five times champions, the balance of titles was balanced, but the last four World Cups have been won by European teams. Of the 21 world cups, Europe has 13, while South America has 9. Both Argentina and France have two.
CROWD IN BRAZIL
You don’t have to live in Argentina or have emotional ties to the country to support Lionel Messi’s national team. Tourist Thaís Oliveira, 30, stopped by Buenos Aires this week and, back in Belo Horizonte, will be cheering for Argentina. “I’ve never supported Argentina. I’d rather support Argentina than distant countries. I like Argentine football and I like Messi a lot. The Argentina national team is playing very well. They deserve to win,” said Thaís.
At his side, the 32-year-old Giulia Alves, also a tourist from Minas Gerais, agrees. “Unfortunately, Brazil has been eliminated. Now my heart is Argentinian. I will see the final in Brazil, but I support Argentina,” indicates Giulia, highlighting the best destination for the cup. “Argentinians only have two stars on their chests. They deserve this title. France also have two, but I will remain loyal to our region.”
110 YEARS OF RIVALRY
The rivalry between Brazil and Argentina in football began exactly 110 years ago. In 1912, in a friendly that did not enter the statistics, former Argentine president Julio Argentino Roca traveled to Brazil during the September 7 celebrations. This presidential visit included a match between the Argentines and the Brazilians at the Fluminense stadium.
At half-time, when the Argentines already led 3-0, Julio Roca asked his players to have the sensitivity to understand that Brazil were celebrating their homeland and that they had to give up the match. The rivalry speaks louder: Argentina 5-0.
TO ANALYZE
For the Brazilian researcher Alexandre Mesquita, author of books such as “Clássico Vovô”, “Almanaque dos Velhos Brasileirões” and “As 100 Melhores Crônicas (Commentedas) de João Saldanha”, identifies three main points of history to be explained, from the point of view of football, that the Brazilians support Argentina, despite the well-known rivalry.
“In chronological terms, in first place, the Argentine football school emerges with a classic style of collective play and rush that, from the 1930s and 1940s, has always been much admired in Brazil,” Mesquita describes at the Estadão.
In the 80s the second motive begins: Diego Maradona, who adds dribbling and disconcerting maneuvers to the collective game. “Maradona shows up just after Pele stopped playing in a period of fasting in Brazilian football going through five World Cups without a title, more or less what happens now with Messi as Brazil complete another five World Cups without winning,” said the writer , underlining the third reason: Messi. “For the new generations, Messi is Maradona’s successor. Anyone who loves football admires Messi and wants him to become champion.”
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Source: Terra
Camila Luna is a writer at Gossipify, where she covers the latest movies and television series. With a passion for all things entertainment, Camila brings her unique perspective to her writing and offers readers an inside look at the industry. Camila is a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in English and is also a avid movie watcher.
