Campinense Conversion

Despite the magnificence of Romario at Vasco, the success of Corinthians and the overwhelming support for Flamengo, none of these clubs have managed to kick my beloved Aston Villa out of bed. Indeed, with their recent run of form, it is almost as if they have been calling me back home to England to renew my love. How could I ever have doubted them?

However, while Villa will always be my first club, I stated that one of my objectives for this trip was to find myself a Brazilian club to support. And in Campinense Clube, I think I have found my team...

The most successful club in Campina Grande, Campinense have won the Paraiba State Championship an unbeaten 17 times, including a record straight 6 wins which they display proudly in the six gold stars on their shirt.

Since they only qualify for the National Leagues following years they finish in the top two of the State League, they are almost unknown in the rest of Brazil. However, their greatest moment came in 1972 when they finished Runners-Up in the Second Division. This is recognised with a silver star on the shirt. Unfortunately, they weren´t promoted to the top flight.

However, my real reason for supporting Campinense is not past glories, but the supporters; they are amongst the best I have met anywhere in Brazil. Regular readers will already know of their dare-devil efforts to erect the club flag at their new ground. Since it was put up, it has become a social venue with taxi drivers, children and local fans hanging around it at all times of day. The support for the local team here is nothing short of true passion.

After last year´s disappointing 4th place finish in the State League, Campinense had to build an entirely new team which they recently unveiled at their training ground. Despite the extortionate 5 real entry fee, the event amazingly attracted 5000 supporters!

The new team has already won its first three friendlies, all against superior opposition, and
with the new stadium on the way too, the season can´t come fast enough. This is a club built not on money or superstars but purely out of love for the beautiful game, which is exactly what we came to Brazil to find. Vamo Campinense!

Nb. To find out results of Campinense Clube´s games in this year´s Paraiba state league, click here.

Why do the Brazilians love football so much?

Sitting down to reflect on our trip we tried to decide why it is that the Brazilians love football so much.

Most will agree that Brazil has the best players and the best team in the World, winning the World Cup more times than any other nation and currently having more representatives in the Champions League than any other nation. Thus, football has inevitably become a source of national pride and joy, something to give Brazil a conspicuous place in the World.

Of course, it is not enough to say that they love it because they are the best at it, so we were then faced with the question of why they are the best.

Firstly football is a game that is open to everyone regardless of age, race, wealth or social standing. Thus, as a game of the people, everyone has the opportunity to play and everyone can have the dream of making it as a professional player. For some, the simple chance to make money and escape poverty is probably incentive enough. For others, its a sport that can be enjoyed whenever and wherever.

Technically, the Brazilians are also considered the best in the World. We came up with a few ideas as to why this was: the of hours of beach soccer, futsal and futvolley, honing their skills in difficult conditions, their love for dance, samba and capoeira, giving them natural rhythm and flow to their game, and even the simple fact of their confident, happy natures enabling them to play with such gusto and freedom.

Yet despite all our rationalising as to why the Brazilians are so passionate about football, there is something more than that too, something unexplainable that gives them a special love for the game that you don´t find on the same scale anywhere else in the World...maybe its just in their blood.