Matt Johnson
Soccer in Brazil is bigger than I could have ever imaged.
Today we played futsal against a local team. They were very good. All the players were very quick and skillful. Soccer is everywhere and soccer is on everyone’s mind. The commercials, television, and advertisements are always about soccer. Soccer has a huge affect on the Brazilian culture. In the mall all stores sell soccer jerseys and soccer balls. No other sport is advertised here. In America baseball, basketball, and football are all part of the culture. Here in Brazil soccer is the only sport that the people really care about. Today as I walked along the beach we had about 5 groups of people ask if we would like to play soccer with them. Everyone is very friendly and welcoming. We pulled out a soccer ball and right away 10 or 15 people came and wanted to play. This trip has really showed me how important soccer is to the people of Brazil.