Globalized world, football and basketball – 02/03/2024 – Juca Kfouri

Let us confirm, rare and rare readers: the best players of the best team in the world, the English team Manchester City, are the Belgian Kevin De Bruyne, the Spanish Rodri and the Norwegian Erling Haaland.

The best player at City’s biggest competitor in England, Liverpool, is Egyptian Mohamed Salah.

Rival of both with the conditions to defeat them, the Spanish Real Madrid has the Brazilian Vinicius Junior and, mainly, the Englishman Jude Bellingham, its most decisive players, not to mention the eternal Croatian Luka Modric.

Did you notice that none of these stars were born in the country of the teams that host them?

It’s been like this for a long time on Planeta Bola, and not just for the football ball, but also for the basketball ball, that orange one, capable of awakening emotions in the hands similar to those caused by the feet.

No one has ever discussed the hegemony of the Americans in the sport of hoops. Not even when by accident, distraction or lack of interest they lost the Olympic gold medal.

Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Tim Duncan and Shaquille O’Neal almost never had foreigners competing with them, although there were many of them, and excellent ones, on the courts. Americas and Europe.

Well, today, geniuses like LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry have those who threaten and defeat them.

The Serbian Nikola Jokic, the Slovenian Luka Doncic, the Greek Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Cameroonian of French origin Joel Embiid compete, and win, not only games and titles, but they are elected as MVPs without any favors, because they surpass records upon records.

It’s true that Nigerian Hakeem Olajuwon had already broken the barrier as MVP of the season in 1993/94; that Canadian Steve Nash won the award twice —but he’s North American… Is it worth it?— and German Dirk Nowitzki, hero of the Dallas Mavericks, was chosen in 2007 as the NBA’s most valuable player; exceptions to confirm the old rule.

Because the rule, for some time now, has been to choose only foreigners.

The Greek Antetokounmpo, in 2019 and 2020, the Serbian Jokic, in 2021 and 2022, and the Cameroonian Embiid, in 2023, once and for all ended the monopoly of Uncle Sam’s nephews.

And, you know, there are three things they don’t tolerate: warm beer, cold burgers and losing at basketball.

How do they react, how do they admit the invasion?

With the smile of someone who is not losing anything, quite the opposite, they are gaining more spectacular players for the show that cannot stop.

Retrogrades, reactionaries to the core, are those who rebel against globalization, and not because of the possible losses, but because of the benefits.

The Super Cup

Speaking of which, the Super Cups, which in Europe only have the value of opening celebrations for national seasons, in Patropi have taken on greater importance, even more so when they pit state rivals face to face, as on this 4th, between Palmeiras and São Paulo.

Because nothing is more universal than the corner of the street where we live.

Mineirão will be the stage for an unmissable Choque-Rei without a favorite, a situation enjoyed by the tricolor since last week — and because it was the only club in São Paulo to complicate the life of the strongest alviverde in recent times. Game!

LINK PRESENT: Did you like this text? Subscribers can access five free accesses from any link per day. Just click the blue F below.