Brazil celebrates German victory as drubbing is forgiven
As Germany fired home their World Cup winning goal, the Maracana erupted. Thousands broke into song, but the chant that echoed around the stadium was in Portuguese - not German.
|Last Updated: Jul 14, 2014, 09:47 AM IST|Source: Reuters
RIO DE JANEIRO: As Germany fired home their World Cup winning goal, the Maracana erupted. Thousands broke into song, but the chant that echoed around the stadium was in Portuguese - not German.
The host nation was celebrating that rivals Argentina would not be lifting sport’s most prized trophy. Usually winning is everything, but on this occasion watching your neighbours lose was almost as good.
This was all the stranger given Germany had crushed the Brazilian dream of winning on home soil just days earlier in a 7-1 drubbing that spun South America`s largest nation into a melancholy of soul searching.
But the rivalry with Argentina runs deeper.
"Germany have brought great happiness to the Brazilian people," said Pedro Cozzolimo, 27, a lawyer from Rio de Janeiro. He was dressed in the black and red kit Germany wore in the semi-final against Brazil. "Thank you Germany," he shouted.
Another Brazilian was shown on the big screen inside the stadium kissing the crest on his Flamengo shirt - which also play in black and red.
ARGENTINE BOUNCE
It had almost been so different.
About 100,000 Argentines had arrived in Rio for the final, many driving the thousand-odd miles without a ticket or a place to stay.
Some camped on Copacabana beach, others were allowed to pitch tents or sleep in their vans in Rio`s Sambodromo, where the city`s carnival procession is held.
Brazilians, already knocked out, found it hard to stomach the invasion of bragging Argentine fans.
On the metro to the stadium, hundreds of Argentines made the carriage bounce. "We have occupied Rio, the Brazilians got cold feet," they chanted - taunting their hosts. A small, quiet group of Germans huddled in the corner and the Brazilians were silent too.
Argentina`s confidence off the pitch, however, was matched by Germany`s skill and composure on it. For many it will be a long drive back to Buenos Aires.
Commentators who like to speculate whether the Brazilian sense of relief will have a lasting impact after the World Cup should be mindful, however. As President Dilma Rousseff presented the trophy to Germany`s captain Philipp Lahm boos rained down from the stands around.
But for most Brazilians it was far better than Rousseff passing the trophy to Argentina`s Lionel Messi. That would have been almost unthinkable.
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.