Tim Lovejoy's World Of Banter

Why I love the beautiful game: #2 – The Boys from Brazil

I watched a few matches at the Germany World Cup in 2006 thanks to my pals at Energizer batteries (seriously, give them a try), and the game that sticks out features the big daddies of world football themselves: The Mighty Boys from Brazil.

Now, you’ve got to say that Brazil are awesome. It’s a nation with its fair share of problems off the pitch – communism for one – but like every football fan, when I see a flair player doing a stepover in that famous yellow kit I get a shiver down my spine.

They were playing tiny Ghana when I saw them, and me, Tony, and Big Mick (top lads from Energizer!) were getting refreshed on Bosch beer in hospitality for about three hours before the game.

By kick off we were battered and I could hardly tell the difference between Roberto Carlos and Carlos Dunga (who both played brilliantly to be fair). Anyway, it was a great 3-0 game and me and the lads had some quality laughs watching the Ghana side try to cope with Brazil’s sublime skills.

It was sweet, really, seeing such an inferior nation trying to keep up with the big boys. We ended up sneaking into the tunnel afterwards and gave the Ghana team bus some friendly banter on the way out.

I made some, shall we say, ‘un-gentlemanly hand gestures’ while Tony and Big Mick told the players to go home and enjoy the rest of the tourney on telly! If they had one!

If I’m honest I don’t speak Ghanavian, but I’m pretty sure those boys won’t be sending us any Christmas cards. (Not that they celebrate Christmas in Africa, as Bob Geldof pointed out, poor blighters.)

Now, that’s football!

For all Tim’s latest chat head to banterlash.com

More from Tim Lovejoy's World Of Banter