Rita Augusta de Sousa from Calangute enjoys watching football. This World Cup she is supporting Brazil and watches every match no matter how late it is. At the age of 85 years, Rita has been a late sleeper since her young days, reading James Hadley Chase and now staying awake to observe every nuance of the game. She watches the matches with her daughter, Sports Director Suzanne D’Souza and when the game has been too exciting, she calls up her daughter Yolanda the next day, to share the tidbits. She makes up for her sleep the next day but makes sure not to miss a match.
The football fever has caught on with everyone and the women are not too far behind. Right from school girls supporting football teams with their dad
and brothers to grandmothers wearing the colours of Brazil and Germany. Though the alliance has changed from Portugal or Spain to Brazil, a huge ellow and green wave is flying over Goa.
Karen D’Mello from Panjim is a fan of football who supported both teams, Portugal and Brazil. A bit more of Portugal as she sported painted cheeks for the screening of the games at Don Bosco, Panjim. “By now, World Cup has reached its peak, with the best matches taking place at the semi finals. Neymar will be missed but the rest of the team will come up tough. I am sure Luis Scolari will have a fabulous replacement in Dante. Brazil plays a fair game and we will be the champions of 2014,” says Karen.
Larissa Simoes is now backing Brazil after England crashed out in the first round. “I enjoy watching the games at home with my brother and it makes up for great conversations the next day with friends especially the strategies used for the game.” Besides sporting jerseys to show loyalty to a team, the colours of the country are part of the match watching fiesta.
The Fernandes household in Alto de Guimaraes,Panjim brought home a 55 inch TV especially to watch the matches. Sister Benzie and Berneen show their loyalty, “I requested my sister to especially make a hand band with the Brazilian colours and I painted my nails and she also painted her nails for the team. My niece and nephew are also football lovers so it makes up for great fun to watch the games at home. I have a special bond with Brazil and I enjoyed the games right when Ronaldo and Ronaldinho were part of the squad. So far, they have performed brilliantly with a new game every time. With their star player Neymar out, they will play and win for him,” says Berneen.
Yolanda De Souza Kammermeier from Calangute was voted Player of the Decade by the Women’s’ Football Federation of India in 1980 and was the first
woman to score an international hat-trick for India. Her allegiance to the game is joined by her passion for painting. This is the third World Cup that has inspired Yolanda to paint portraits of the different matches that had zest, for instance the Suarez biting incident. “I am a Brazil and Portugal fan and when watching the games, the home will be decorated with the flags of one of the teams. I love the game and it builds a bond that inspires me to put it down on canvas. This time, I have selected water colours as a medium for my exhibition, ‘Brazil Mundial 2014.”
