If they score, they keep scoring – Eduordo Galeano | Football Brazil-Uruguay | Football in Sun and Shadow | Football and Literature

The 1950 World Cup football final was played at the Maracana in Brazil. Strong Brazil and Uruguay head to head. There was only an equal distance between the Brazilian’s lips and the cup. For Uruguay, nothing less than victory would have been enough. A nine-year-old boy in Uruguay had his ears glued to the radio. Carlos Sole’s voice floated over the radio. The first news from the Maracana was heartbreaking for him. Brazil scored the first goal and took the lead. The fact that the canaries, who are ‘Jogo Bonito’ worshippers, have come to the fore would not have surprised anyone but the Uruguayans. They wouldn’t even have dared in their wildest dreams to bet on Uruguay winning. Expecting a miracle at the Maracana, the nine-year-old boy turned to his dear friend. It was God. He offered a pile of gifts if he appeared at the Maracana and changed the course of the game. Before hearing it, God appeared in Marakana. What follows is history. Brazilian hearts were broken waiting for their team to win the title at the new Maracana stadium and Uruguay cheated…