“End of the myth: Argentina is the team Brazilians like best,” announces the headline in Portuguese. It’s no joke, the UOL portal interviewed 1,800 Brazilians “from classes A, B and C from all regions of the country” and from different age groups and the result places the selection of Lionel Scaloni among the favourites.
The key question was, for those who don’t support Brazil, which one will they support during the World Cup? and the result was surprising: 30 percent will do it for Argentina; 24 for Portugal and 22 for Germany.
The most striking thing was instead: which team won’t you support at the World Cup in Qatar? 21 percent indicated Germany, while Only 1% of respondents mentioned Messi and company. Those who do not change support and verdeamarelha always comes first, they also admitted to backing Portugal by 21%, Spain by 10% and Argentina by 9%.
Among the possible explanations, the portal that published the news highlighted some aspects. On the one hand, an unpleasant catchphrase from the most popular football reporter on Brazilian TV. “It’s tiring to hear Galvão Bueno repeat for the thousandth time that ‘winning is nice, but beating Argentina is better'”they explain.
“There are too many people who see this forced speech. Even more so at a time when European football is so popular among Brazilians. Fans love to see (Lionel) Messi, (Ángel) Di María and Lautaro (Martínez) on TV The jersey of these guys is present in Brazil and treating an Argentine player like a villain is something of the last century,” analyzes journalist Tales Torraga in his article.
The UOL poll predicts that there will be a Brazilian fans from Argentina in Qatar and the explanation is discontent with Brazil “on and off the pitch”, according to the statement. “For those who are dissatisfied, there is nothing better than declaring their support for their great rival, even more so when she too is playing a flashy game”, journalist Giancarlo Lepiani completes the idea.
Alerted by the phenomenon, UOL consulted Andrés D’Alessandro, who knew how to wear the Argentine shirt, but also played 14 years in Brazilian football. “There has always been admiration and affection between the two countries,” he told the portal. El Cabezón, on the other hand, underlined another factor: Messi’s charisma. “He is one of the best in history and he has always shown a lot of respect for Brazil. The fans take that into account,” he observed.
Another Argentinian from Inter, -Gustavo Grossi, sporting director- also underlines Messi’s role in the phenomenon. “Argentina is playing very well, with a Brazilian taste, with good passing and dribbling. Argentina today plays as the Brazilians have always identified themselves,” he explains before making a historical comparison with Diego Maradona.
“Off the pitch, Messi is polite, calm, respectful, he shows essential values for anyone who wants to show a footballer as an example for their children. The fierce confrontation that Maradona had with Brazil, for example, does not happen with Messi, who has no never raised the tone of the rivalry, despite being the captain of the Argentinean”, he analyzes.
The news is surprising, especially a few days before the World Cup, so it is inevitable that the reader will complete his personal anti-mufa rite, in case it was a device against Scaloneta.
Source: Clarin
