Why we root for who we root for – 02/25/2024 – Juca Kfouri

As a rule, we are born with our parents’ team.

There are, of course, those who break the rule. And that’s okay.

Choosing a team to support, when you don’t come from birth, varies from person to person.

Hiding your favorite team is a weakness that is also up to each person.

I have never hidden mine and I would feel simply ridiculous if I did.

How can I look at my family, my friends, in short, at those who know me?

Hence the distortion goes enormous distance.

In fact, I catch more from Corinthians fans than from other fans.

As time passes, new preferences are installed, without harming the DNA.

Barcelona, ​​for Catalonia, arrived even before it was also that of Johan Cruyff, or of Romário, Ronaldos, Rivaldo, Xavi, Iniesta, Lionel Messi and, mainly, Pep Guardiola.

Supporting Guardiola is almost rooting against football, even more so when alongside him is a brilliant Belgian like Kevin De Bruyne.

But what about Jürgen Klopp?

How can you not root for him?

Even more so, repeat even more, when he manages Liverpool, from Planeta Bola’s most moving fans with their anthem “You will never walk alone”, without being able to field 11 players, six of them starters, in a cup decision, like the English League Cup, against Chelsea and in the sanctuary of Wembley, packed, civilly divided between reds and blues.

Virgil Van Dijk’s goal with three minutes left to end extra time in a game that should have ended 3-3 — and ended 0-0 because of monstrous saves from both goalkeepers and the antics of both goalposts — did justice.

Liverpool played in the decision with just five starters and it wasn’t because they wanted to, it wasn’t because they used an alternative team, but because of the possible team lineup, so many players were handed over to the medical department.

Klopp, in his farewell season with the Reds, wanted it because he wanted to leave with titles. And he has already secured one, in addition to being able to win the Premier League, which he leads, one point above Guardiola’s Manchester City, in search of an unprecedented fourth English championship.

Telê Santana already made me root for São Paulo, except when the opponent was Corinthians…

In fact, he refused to talk to me on the eve of Majestosos.

Mané Garrincha, Didi and Nilton Santos made me a boy from Botafogo, except when the opponent was Corinthians…

Tostão made me a Cruzeiro fan and Reinaldo made me an Atletico fan.

I moved with Rivellino with weapons and luggage to Fluminense when Fiel committed the greatest injustice in its heroic history against him.

How can you not get carried away at Maracanã to the sound of “Oh, my Mengão, I like you” and the ball at Zico’s feet?

There are those who say that Corinthians, with an h, don’t like football, they like Corinthians.

I must be an exception to the rule, because every midday and weekend I like the game more and I was moved by the epic achievement of captain Van Dijk and Klopp’s kids in London, so cold and far from São Paulo.

Because football transports us to a dream dimension that only those who love it are able to understand.

Sometimes, not even those who like it understand.

USTRAPALOOZA

Celso Rocha de Barros shone when baptizing.

What we saw in Paulista was limited to a neo-Pentecostal act by torture worshipers like Colonel Ustra and not even the tires were present.

Democrats just can’t underestimate the coup plotters.

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