Consistency is not a common virtue of human beings, even more so in football – 08/12/2023 – Tostão

Palmeiras, Fluminense and Internacional are still in Libertadores. In the Sul-Americana, Botafogo, Fortaleza, São Paulo, Corinthians and América, last placed in the Brasileirão, are classified.

The modest team of Olímpia, from Paraguay, created several goal chances from the beginning of the game. The three headed goals could have been with the feet. The arrogance of the board in thinking that Flamengo is one of the biggest clubs and teams in the world contaminated athletes.

Atlético Mineiro, with a huge salary sheet, above the individual quality of the players, is out of Libertadores, Copa do Brasil and still very poorly placed in the Brazilian. Against Palmeiras, with a goal disadvantage, Galo did not press, did not take risks or try to win the game on the counterattack.

The stadiums are still full, with beautiful parties and a lot of emotion. This occurs for several reasons. People want to enjoy the pleasure after three years of loneliness because of the pandemic. The stadiums are safer, more comfortable, although more expensive, without the presence of the poorest.

Television broadcasts are broadcast on several paid stations. People have no other entertainment habits. Violence in football almost always happens on the streets, not inside the stadiums. The matches are more exciting, intense, even with reasonable technical levels.

Football stadiums have always had good audiences, in all seasons. Today, the average is higher than in the 1970s, when all the stars played here and Brazil was three-time world champion. I participated as a player and spectator in several games in overcrowded stadiums.

When I was a boy, I used to go with my father to the sold-out Independencia stadium, and I would stand on the first step of the stands to watch the match from up close. On Saturday, my son and grandson watched the match between Cruzeiro and Botafogo in the crowded stands. It was pleasurable for my grandson as he was in my childhood.

In 1963, aged 16, when I was already in the starting lineup for Cruzeiro, I traveled to Rio de Janeiro by bus, with friends of the same age to see the Fla-Flu, the championship decision in Rio de Janeiro. We were in the middle of the crowd. It was the most attended match in history between Brazilian clubs.

In 1965, aged 18, I played for the Minas Gerais national team against River Plate, from Argentina, at the inauguration of the Mineirão, which was completely sold out.

In 1969, I played for the Brazilian national team in the most attended match in the history of the Maracanã, against Paraguay, when Brazil won a place in the 1970 World Cup.

Football is great because of the crowded stadiums and because the games are often surprising, not respecting logic and predictions. Commentators love to ask for players to be called up for the Brazilian national team and to choose the best teams and athletes from the championships and each position. The names and concepts change every week.

Coherence is not a common human virtue, even more so in football. There are many variables, temptations and crossroads. Without realizing it, we enter into contradictions. Furthermore,

Ideas, opinions and actions change over time. When this happens we are charged further.

People are increasingly careerist, biased and only see, hear and read what agrees with what they think. Radicalization is increasing day by day. There are times, absurdities happen on all sides. Meanwhile, they do nothing to mitigate the serious problems, such as the huge lack of basic sanitation in homes in Brazil.

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