“Beauty comes first. Victory is secondary. What matters is joy.” These are the words of one of Brazil’s greatest players and captains, Sócrates. Just like his namesake, whose ideas have shaped a hefty chunk of Western thought, Doctor Sócrates, in simple terms, expresses the underlying philosophy of Brazilian football, popularly known as “Joga Bonito”.
Around the late 1970s, Pelé – no less than a Brazilian god – popularised the expression “Joga Bonito” which translates as “play beautifully” in English. He also probably adapted the terminology from his teammate Waldyr “Didi” Pereira’s Portuguese phrase “Jogo Bonito”. Some claims, albeit disputed, say that the words “The Beautiful Game” were inscribed by Stuart Hall, an English commentator, in the 1950s.
Words by themselves are simply empty symbols and sounds, and if the question is what puts meaning into Joga Bonito, it’s undoubtedly Brazilian football and the enveloping culture that moulds it. Now, in the ongoing 2022 FIFA World Cup, there has been a lot of hype generated for La Seleção lifting the prestigious trophy after 20 years, and the stakes and world cup winner odds are with them.
It’s a philosophy of football, or even a way of life, that revels in jubilation and enjoyment for those playing and those watching. The emphasis is on playing stylish, attacking football where there’s no dearth of creativity and innovation. Flick it, flip it, dance with your feet, dribble past your opponents, you have the full license for liberation.
The team as a unit stays important but doesn’t transform into the well-oiled machines we commonly see nowadays. The set-up is supposed to primarily open windows for individuals to fearlessly and flamboyantly show their brilliance.
And who has been historically better than the Brazilians when it comes to mesmerising people with their flashy artistry on a football pitch alongside collecting the highest possible laurels in the sport? This is why Jogo Bonito is world-renowned and has become synonymous with the Brazil national team.
Neymar’s gonna come back stronger defo 🔥🔥🔥🔥#Brazil #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/rzyvcrWewe
— FootTheBall FC (@FootTheBallFC) November 27, 2022
Champions of Joga Bonito and the World
Even back in the 1920s and 30s, the teams from Brazil bamboozled their European opponents with their way of football on tours but the world cup, after its advent in 1930, somehow eluded them until 1958. That…
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