Tags
agony, Brazil, embarrassment, Germany, heartache, humor, loser, moving on, Pain, winner, World Cup
“When defeat comes, accept it as a signal that your plans are not sound, rebuild those plans, and set sail once more toward your coveted goal.”
― Napoleon Hill
There are really no words in the dictionary to describe how painful this loss is to me and my country. Something about futebol being like a religion to us. My green and yellow heart cries in despair and confusion. How did this happen?
I sat totally motionless and emotionless staring at the TV while Brazil totally fell apart right before my eyes. It was hard for a moment to know how to feel. How could this happen to us, the land of futebol? We were playing at home and we wanted to re-write the past. In 1950 the World Cup was played in Brazil and we lost the final to Uruguay. This is not the happy ending we were dreaming of. I vote for no more World Cups in Brazil 🙂
Truth is we didn’t have a winning team from the beginning. I knew it was going to be hard against Germany, but I hoped the passion and soul of the Brazilian people would carry the team through. Passion alone didn’t help!
So we lost, but not really a simple loss, this was record breaking embarrassing loss!
Well, we now have another four years to lick our wounds and come back with a better plan and a better team. There are lessons here for everyone from the players to the fans. I still don’t know what they are, but pain always brings growth.
I don’t want, by any means, to take any credit away from Germany. They played a great game and made Brazil look like a bunch of amateurs. I take my hat off to them. The German fans should be proud! (thinking of you Ute and Steffi, to name a couple German friends among readers and fellow bloggers)
To Brazil I give you my tears and the hope that the country will unite in sorrow and come out stronger and better for it! It was not just a game!
“But man is not made for defeat,” he said. “A man can be destroyed but not defeated. ” ― Ernest Hemingway
ps. thanks Heaven for humor! My sister just relayed to me all the jokes that are being told in Brazil about this incredible embarrassment – now I am crying because I am laughing so hard. There is hope when we can see the humor in it and move on. I guess if we must lose just make it memorable. And we sure did!! We broke a bunch of records. And at least the loss was not to Argentina! 🙂
Blessed with a Star on the Forehead 
“pain always brings growth”–so true. Love that! And sorry for the loss 😦
LikeLike
Thank you! It hurts, but this too shall pass! 🙂
LikeLike
I did not watch the game but was informed of every goal and had to think of you how embarrassing it must have been to watch. I, of course am happy for Germany who seemed to have played well as a team. Keep up the humour …. 🙂 and keep laughing!
LikeLike
I am glad I decided to watch it alone at home, I can’t imagine being around other people, specially if they are not Brazilians. Indescribable pain! Germany has a great team, this is their year!
LikeLike
I hold a German passport (acquired through marriage) but I have Brazilian friends and was rooting for Brazil – so devastating! My heart god sour to you all. Day of national mourning, only way to deal with it. Hugs xx
LikeLike
Mourning – that is how I feel. I couldn’t sleep at all last night and I am dressed in black. I keep telling myself it is just a game, but it is not working! 😦 Thank you for the hugs. I really need them today!
LikeLike
I had no idea you were Brazilian. Sorry about the loss. I am in the fortunate position of favoring underdogs, and really have no affinity to any soccer teams. Even the US. It amazes me they can even pull off World Cup status when they don’t play together all year long.
That being said, I didn’t think Brazil had good chances anyway. In the opening round, they had a shootout and a tie with teams that they “should have” beat. Then when they lost two guys, they showed lack of depth. That might harken back to the first paragraph though, in what a challenge it is to field a team with guys who only play together once every four years. You have to hope there are enough good players every four years to begin with!
I was hoping to see Argentina/Brazil myself, but now I’d like to see the Dutch/German standoff. The Dutch though have had to go deep into matches to win.
Yes, get up and try again. One is only defeated if you think you are. With a track record like Brazil’s, that is hardly the case.
Bless you!
LikeLike
I am a proud Brazilian! (I am blessed to be both Brazilian and America) Thank you for the sympathy. I am one to favor underdogs too, but when it comes to futebol my heart and soul belongs to Brazil.
I agree, they never play together, and because we didn’t need to qualify for the Cup we spent even less time together as team, which clearly worked to our disadvantage.
Totally agree: we looked awful from the get go and seemed to be winning just by the grace of God. In a way if we won playing this bad it would not be deserved anyway. And now we can no longer be accused of buying the Cup 🙂 (the joke is Brazil is that we paid for it, but the check never cleared)
There were plenty of players to be chosen and for some unknown reason the coach insisted on players such as Julio Cesar (the goalie) that is way beyond his prime and Fred, that played well last year but this time hasn’t done anything. He also put players in positions that they are not normally used to playing.
You may still see Brazil and Argentina, but fighting for 3rd place, which really means nothing in the World Cup arena. I also want an European Final in South America!
This is a wake up call for Brazil, I hope we heed it. We haven’t been the big dogs of soccer in a long time, but this totally showed the need to change and evolve. Perhaps we should go back to our beautiful game, or perhaps totally follow the new European formula. Whatever it is we need to change. A less arrogant and know it all coach would be a good beginning.
Blessings to you too! 🙂
LikeLike
Hi! In recognition of your support, I have nominated you for the Reader Appreciation Award. You can pick up your award here:
http://idealisticrebel.wordpress.com/2014/07/09/reader-appreciation-award-2/
(sorry that I can’t provide an actual link)
LikeLike
Awesome! Thank you so much and I take this opportunity to thank you for the support also! Blessings! 🙂
LikeLike
I managed to get the live stats updates (I was at work and couldn’t watch it) and I thought of you at the 30 minute mark. I thought Germany would win, personally, but I didn’t think it would be that bad.
I’m glad that you’re being positive. That’s why sport is nice, but it’s not worth getting *too* passionate over it.
The finals will be interesting.
LikeLike
Hi Tania. Thank you for thinking of me!
Yes, Germany was going to win no matter what, but I thought that Brazil at least wouldn’t make it so easy.
But oh well, we need to learn to lose and take this opportunity to recess things.
Unfortunately not getting passionate about the World Cup is unnatural to me. I tossed and turned that night unable to rest, I kept telling myself: It is just a game, But it didn’t, it felt like it was more than a game, it was pride!
I am looking forward to the final. I don’t think anyone cares about the Saturday game. May the best team take 3rd.
Go Germany!!
Blessings 🙂
LikeLike
This:
“Truth is we didn’t have a winning team from the beginning.”
It hurts but it’s the truth.
I do want to give credit to Brazil for hosting a great world cup AND I was impressed how they took the loss. Even after the game an announcement came over the stadium speakers for the German fans not to leave the stadium until security could escort them out.
In the end, we didn’t hear/read of any stories/incidents in which Brazilian fans reacted negatively towards the German fan base, but just the opposite.
Kudos the Brazil. Your team laid an egg, but your fans came through.
LikeLike
The truth some times hurts but it also has the power to set us free. Acknowledging that Brazil had a team that didn’t mesh well together and wasn’t really play a good futebol helped me deal with that horrendous loss.
We needed a kick in the pants, and this one cannot be ignored.
I have never been to a Brazilian stadium but it is the norm to let the fans of one team out first and then after awhile the other team.It helps minimize the confrontations.
Overall I think that we showed that we can respect and acknowledge good futebol when we see it.
It did help that the German players have been nothing other than generous, kind and friendly to the Brazilians, specially in the area that they were headquartered.
Plus, as long as Argentina didn’t win, life is good! 🙂
Thank you for your experience and return often! Blessings! 🙂
LikeLike