On the plane ride to Rio, I asked everyone in the family what they were most looking forward to. Jeannette said she was eager to see travel through the eyes of our kids. Dylan selected the USA v Germany game, with the particular expectation that Jozy Altidore would score the winner and come to our section to celebrate. Adela opted for the turtles of Ihla Fernando de Noronha. For me, the answer was simple: watch Brazil play with a group of Brazilians. After all, I’ve been in stadiums in South Africa and the States with Brazil playing and they’ve been among the best fans: high energy, positive, knowledgeable. And I’ve seen how host countries revel in the success of their teams. In Italy in 1990, a victory by the Azzurri was followed by cars honking and speeding down the street with flags waving out the window. In France, I saw fans in the cafes go from indifferent to exultant as Les Blues outperformed expectations. And in South Africa, the hopes and dreams of a nation seemed truly to rest on the performance of Bafana Bafana each time they played. So, I expected the most from Brazilians watching the Selecao.
After Game One, I have to say I’m disappointed. Our group of 16 Americans is staying in a beach house up the coast from Salvador do Bahia. On the recommendation of our driver, we sat down at an open air restaurant with two giant screens and tables full of yell0w-clad fans. All looked right. But then the game started and the fans seems downright passive. No singing, no cheering for the good plays (except for the goals, of course). Some even left at halftime! Our table, mostly rooting for Brazil out of a mix of genuine support for the Selecao and a desire to stay on everyone’s good side, showed the most passion in the place by a country mile. Indeed, the only thing that reminded me that we were among Brazilian partisans was their firm belief that Fred’s dive in the box was a penalty.
Luckily, we have two more chances to watch with the Brazilians. Maybe we’ll get lucky and find ourselves among the die-hards. Not this time, though.