If football is the opera of the people, then nowhere is the show more flamboyant than it is in South America. Not only is the continent famous for making football a matter of life and death, as Uruguay’s living legend Luis Suarez once said, in Latin America, entire governments have collapsed due to the defeat of the national team. It is home to international football’s past and present greats, it is the birthplace of the terribly beautiful game, and this June 11 all eyes will be on South America as the world’s most flamboyant footballing tournament will begin in Chile – the Copa America. Having just lost the I-league title in a dramatic finish, Bengaluru is one city that is ready for a footballing frenzy like no other, albeit from 12-30 am to about 5 am, when fans will truly burn that midnight oil.
With the Brazil-Argentina duel dividing entire families in the city, it is no wonder then that Bengaluru’s football crazies cannot wait for Copa America. With Suarez, Messi and Neymar proving to be the indefatigable triumvirate — MSN — for the Spanish La Liga title winners Barcelona with 120 goals between them yet, this season, all eyes will be on the three as they play for their nations now. Carlton Braganza is one who has no problem with the abysmal late nights. “I love the style of Latin American football. It is much more free-flowing than the claustrophobic European game. My eternal support has always been for Argentina. After tomorrow’s Champions League game, eyes will be on the regular suspects in addition to MSN, like Alexis Sanchez (Chile) and James Rodríguez (Colombia). I think that the tournament’s favourites would be Uruguay,” says Carlton.
On the other hand, the Brazil camp is rearing to intensify the Brazil-Argentina blood feud. City filmmaker and Brazil supporter Tharaq Andrews, who was in Brazil for the 2014 World Cup is all praise for the maddening atmosphere, “The lived-breathed excitement surrounding football is just a normal state of mind there. The matches of the Copa America will be more gutsy and their importance is at a completely different level. The real soul of football is in south America – and it’s easy to feel that even here. Brazil’s Neymar is in supreme form — I think he’ll be the one to turn the table for the Selecao.”
With kick-off times between 12:30 and 5 am, the matches are not for the sleepy-hearted. However, questions like ‘can Argentina dissolve the 22-year-old wait?’ or ‘can the Brazil defence be trusted without Diego Alves?’ can only be solved by being awake. Debaleena Ghosh, a 24-year-old maths teacher, who supports Uruguay is positive of the fruits the early mornings will bear. “This is one tournament when even well-written post match reports will simply not do. It’s something that all true fans should be prepared to go to work bleary eyed for,” she says.
