17 June,2014 08:24 AM IST | | Kashinath Bhattacharjee
When you are in the country of Brazil for the greatest show on earth, it's pretty evident that the passion for the game of football goes 'beyond' the 'boundary'!
A street in Sao Paulo is named after former FIFA president Jules Rimet. Pic/Kashinath Bhattacharjee
What do they know of 'football' who only 'football' know!
A street in Sao Paulo is named after former FIFA president Jules Rimet. Pic/Kashinath Bhattacharjee
Apologies to CLR James, the legendary cricket writer, for changing the most famous line ever written on cricket. When you are in Brazil for the greatest show on earth, it's pretty evident.
Passion for football goes 'beyond' the 'boundary'!
So much so, the arch-rivalry of Brazil and Argentina goes for a six here. An Argentine fan dating a Brazil supporter is something absurd for people from a country like India with a FIFA ranking of 154. But as they say, truth is stranger than fiction, and pictures prove this beyond doubt.
At the Maracana, where Lionel Messi's Argentina started their World Cup campaign against Bosnia, lots of Brazilian fans were present to cheer the most valuable star of the football world right now. They declared loudly, "Peace in the World".
It was an absolute pleasure to see Brazilian and Argentine fans mingle so freely. However, one shudders to think what lies in store if the two teams meet at the same venue for the final, come July 13! Nevertheless, for now, let's celebrate "Peace in the World" through football!
Honouring Rimet
Every four years, the football world bows to Jules Rimet. The French football administrator was a pioneer in shaping the World Cup in the 1920s. Under his leadership FIFA organised the first World Cup in Uruguay in 1930.
The trophy was named "Victory" or simply the World Cup then. To honour Rimet, the longest serving president of FIFA, the name was changed to the "Jules Rimet Trophy" in 1946 and for the first time countries played the World Cup to win the 'Jules Rimet Trophy' in 1950, in Brazil.
The government of France has named the street close to the Stade the France, where France won its first and till date, their only World Cup in 1998, after him.
But Brazil, too, has a street named after him. On the street is aptly situated the Sao Paulo club, one of the most famous clubs in Brazil. And Brazil had an obligation to name a street after Rimet since, in 1970, Pele & Co claimed the Jules Rimet Trophy for good after winning it thrice.
The trophy was stolen from Rio de Janeiro in 1983. But the street remains. A must-visit avenue for any football fan!
