The Hindu : The secret to Brazil's success

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 03, 2002

Sport

Sport - Football

The secret to Brazil's success

Brazilian players and coaching staff saying a collective prayer on the field after defeating Germany in the World Cup final in Yokohama on Sunday. Brazil won a record fifth World Cup. — Reuters

Rio de Janeiro July 2. From Pele's wife to Brazil's World Cup stars, the secret to success has been revealed - divine intervention.

Brazil's fifth World Cup triumph in Yokohama on Sunday after their 2-0 win over Germany in the final was followed by the whole Brazilian delegation saying a collective prayer on the pitch before going on to hoist the trophy.

Amid the joyous scenes several of Brazil's players took off their tops to reveal t-shirts with colourful tributes to Christ and Jesus.

In another touching moment, two-time champion Cafu was thrust onto a pillar to raise the World Cup while his team-mates scribbled a religious message on the front of his top.

However it was reported here on Monday that Brazil's players are just a few of the country's sports figures who are part of an ever-growing Evangelical movement which can boast Assiria Nascimento, the wife of Brazil legend Pele, as one of the stars of popular Gospel music.

The ``Assembly of God'' Church can boast 4.5 million followers while the ``Universal Church of the Kingdom of God'' has two million followers - just two of the movements who are gaining ground on the traditional Catholic Church.

Although it is hard to say how many of Brazil's World Cup team are members, according to weekly Veja, the ``Association of the Athletes of Christ'' - founded by ex-racing car driver Alex Dias Ribeiro - now has 10,000 followers, including half of the Sao Caetano top flight football team.

``The climate in the world of sport has become less hostile since the creation of the Association of the Athletes of Christ,'' affirmed Ribiero.

Former Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira confirmed: ``Generally the players (who are members) have a much healthier way of behaving and a more positive attitude than the others,'' he said in Veja.

Evangelists, whose yearly income of 200 million dollars comes mainly from the sale of music and books, also attract people from a wide social spectrum, which has led many politicians to court their attention near to election time.

Gospel music is a big hit in Brazil, with five new CD's on average hitting the shelves every month. — AFP

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