--- Frederick Noronha <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=33852 > > Mercosur Loses World Cup Hegemony > Mario Osava* > > RIO DE JANEIRO, Jul 4 (IPS) - "Shameful", "a team > with no soul", "at least the Argentines landed on > their feet," said indignant fans and perplexed > sports commentators here in reaction to > Brazil's defeat Saturday, which sealed the loss of > the Mercosur countries' longstanding hegemony in > the final stages of football World Cups. > Mario observes: > The way the Brazilian soccer team have been treated by their fans after their loss in the World Cup to a resurgent French team, has been absolutely disgraceful. Apparently, Brazilians have little else to look forward to or be proud of than their soccer team. > "Shameful"? "A team with no soul"? That's not what I saw. I saw the typical skillful ball control and joyful Brazilian style of soccer, unfortunately outplayed on that one fateful day by France, and one more strike by Zinadine Zidane and Thierry Henry, the wily "old guard" who combined once more as they have for so many years to break the back of another opponent. > Contrast this with the heartbreaking loss of the German home team, which also played hard only to lose to two stunning late goals by Italy. The German fans proudly hailed their team and joined them in their sorrow at the loss. There was no assumption made, as in Brazil, that the team had not tried their best. > The German team and their fans showed the world that this was just a game, and how to win with pride and how to lose with grace and dignity. > The Brazilians who treated their team so poorly should be the ones ashamed. The German fans were proud and sportsmanlike even in their heartbreaking loss. >
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