The first phase of the World Cup has just been completed in one fortnight in which 16 teams have been eliminated and the remaining 16 teams will be vying for the supremacy of this mighty soccer tournament. Never in the past this tournament received such a mighty attention from all segments of the society all over the world. During the last fortnight people around were talking of and even inhaling World Cup only and because of the craze to watch the matches even the late night matches soccer crazy people kept aside their routine obligations. This was visible in the absenteeism from work, from classes, from Churches early in the mornings and so on and on. In Mapusa Market one could easily notice less number of shoppers and customers in the mornings following the important encounters on the previous late nights.
Though our Indian national team was not in the list of 32 and possibly it will never be till the end of this century unless there is a total change in our soccer administration from top to bottom yet Indians supported their different teams as per their likes thereby making this tourney more important than the Cricket. Among Goans Ronaldo’s Portugal receved major attention not because of any other reason than the magical display of Ronaldo of which type no other footballer displays, not even mighty Messi. One Ronaldo has attracted the goodwill and love for Portugal just as one Eusebio did earlier. One Messi attracted the love of millions towards Argentina just as Maradona did earlier.
It s not only the elegance of the team but more than that the brilliance of the individual player of the team that gains goodwill and support not only for the national team concerned but also for the concerned nation and its national products as well. Because of one Pele the country Brazil and its citizens gained lot of goodwill from all around the globe making Brazil as the darling of the world. Not only this, because of the attraction of Pele, following their retaining of Jules Rimet World Cup permanently in 1970, the Brazilian products started selling like hot cakes in many parts of the world. And as a matter of interest, in the Gulf the sale of Brazilian VW Beetle Cars increased in leaps and bounds.
Somebody recently said that we in Goa should not sing hosannas in support of Portugal. I question him why and who are you to dictate terms to us? I will shower praises even on the enemy team if it deserves praises as I did once in Kuwait by writing in the local Daily there in praise of Pakistani Cricket team, of course deservingly and to the chagrin of some of the super patriotic Bharatis who even passed nasty comments against me calling me a pro-Pakistani.
To appreciate and judge rightly one must possess right frame of mind and judicious observation. Though Portugal ruled 451 years over Goa that does not mean we should treat Portugal as our enemy. Thru their lengthy rule over us we also gained lot of good from them. That they were evicted from Goa in 1961 by force is a different matter otherwise in 1974 Portugal would automatically leave from Goa on its own free will as it did from their African colonies after the fall of Salazarist regime in Portugal headed by Marcelo Caetano. We should consider Salazar and Goan Brahmin Bhattkars as our worst enemies who kept us in Goa in subjucation.
Good luck to all the remaining 16 teams.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Candolim,
Goa.