One more thing about Brazil... The players, their "jogo bonito" and their "Torcida" (supporting fans).
They emanate so much happiness and joy for the game that even when they lose people around them simply cannot resist but "join" them in their celebrations which are legendary (and much like an on going and endless carnival)... Of course, when they win, (and particularly today as they have become 5 times World Champions)... I would love to witness their display of celebration...
I have never seen anything similar in any other team or torcida, I suppose that is why.. Brazil is... well, Brazil and this time, they have "invaded" Japan... (and no doubt Korea as well).
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1 July 2002, 00:34 Seoul - Tokyo
Japan fans join the carnival
by FIFAworldcup.com
For a moment you could be forgiven for thinking Japan had won the World Cup. After the FIFA World Cup™ was lifted, tens of thousands of Japanese fans made their way through the driving rain, singing, dancing, shouting and cheering as if Nakata, Inamoto and co. had just won the tournament.
But these fans were not wearing the blue strip of the co-host. Rather, they were sporting the canary shirts of five-time world champions Brazil.
“I’m so happy that Brazil’s won. They have great players and they play very exciting, attacking football,” said Rie Riegoto, 45, from Yokohama, who was sporting a Brazil headscarf and walking with her husband in his Ronaldo shirt.
“I’ve been a football fan since childhood and it’s been great to have the Cup here … So it’s been a wonderful month for me and this was the perfect way for it to end,” she added.
From well before kick off it was obvious that the Japanese would turn this into a virtual Brazil home match.
The Japanese fans piled in amidst the bikini-clad, mascara-wearing, drum-beating, hip-shaking Brazilians, turning the 70,000 capacity Yokohama World Cup stadium into a wall of solid yellow.
A few of the locals kept up their sense of patriotic etiquette, sticking on a Japan cap, waving their country’s flag or draping a Japan scarf over their shoulders. But for today they were Brazilian and proudly so.
“They’re such a good team, they play fantasy football - skillful, exciting, fast. So once Japan was knocked out, I wanted Brazil to win and now I’m very happy” another Japanese, Hiroyuki Miyamoto, said as he threaded his way through the crowd with his family – clad all in Brazil’s yellow, green and blue.
And of course, the toast of this Japanese party was Brazil striker Ronaldo, who scored both of Brazil’s goals Sunday to end up as the FIFA World Cup’s leading scorer with eight goals.
“I love Ronaldo, I love his style, his goals, his smile, his cheerfulness. He’s just a great player and he was fantastic today,” said Isobe Masamuri, shouting to be heard over a group of young Brazilians wondering past banging drums and blowing shrill whistles.
Fabio Shimabuko, one of the 265,000 Japanese-Brazilians who live here, could only agree.
“I’m so happy for Ronaldo, he’s just the best and I’m very happy for the Brazilian people, they will be so delighted,” Shimabuko said. “Germany played well, they are a good team with a good goalkeeper, but Brazil were better. Now I’m off to celebrate our win.”
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