Germany | In the Shadow of the Cup and My Journey from Munich to Berlin
A Personal Tale of Soccer Dreams, Family Bonds, and Discovering New Corners of Germany
⚽️ Certainty and Seleção (2006)
The year was 2006 and I had two certainties in life: death and that Brazil would win back-to-back World Cups. After winning in South Korea and Japan in 2002, the Seleção kept up the strong momentum and rolled through the qualifying tournament in the following years.
Until the 80s and early 90s, it was rare for Brazilian players to go abroad.
Only the very best achieved that feat. Legendary players like Romário and Ronaldo, for example, transferred to Europe very early in their careers, but most would remain playing in Brazil for a long time, often for their entire careers.
But things changed in 1995 when a ruling allowed Jean-Marc Bosman, a little-known Belgian player, to transfer to a French team. The immediate effect was tiny, but this was a seismic shift in the soccer world. From then on teams were allowed to have more than 3 foreigner players in their roster.
It was the dawn of a new era in soccer. Brazil, which since the 1950s had been one, (if not the) exponent of soccer excellence, started seeing its players choosing international careers.
And I don’t blame them. The vast majority of them came from backgrounds where soccer was the only way out of an unstable socioeconomic situation. They had grown up in the 80s in Brazil, a time of hyperinflation and rising inequality. A popular song in Brazil at the time summarized it well: the one on top goes up, the one at the bottom goes down.
Then, in the late 90s and, especially, in the early 2000s, the excellent, the great, and the good players had gone abroad. We were left with the rising stars until they turned 20 and nothing, the mediocre, and the old stars, that would go back to Brazil, play a few years, and retire.
My dad would tell me about the great teams in the 80s, and how they all were feeders to the Seleção. Take, for example, Flamengo. With Zico, Leandro, and Júnior, for example, they were great. They beat Liverpool in 1981 to win the Club World Cup, and for nearly a decade these players would double as Flamengo and Seleção stars.
However, when I was growing up, being a Flamengo fan meant you most relished in the glories of the past. Glories you never lived, but that it was kept alive for you through your dad, uncle, cousin, or whatever figure in your life who kept talking about it nonstop.
Yes, Flamengo fans can be annoying at times. Or at all times, I’ll admit.
Aside from a memorable comeback win in 2001, against Vasco, the cross-town rival, when the great Serbian Petkovic scored a free kick (from very far) in the 88th minute to win it all, my early Flamengo fandom was a collection of setbacks.
The team was never good enough. We would fight for survival against relegation.
The players would defend the entire time and desperately kick the ball away from the box, praying that the referee would blow the whistle when we had a thin 1-goal lead late in the game.
It was ugly. It wasn’t really pleasant to watch. It was a huge contrast from the Seleção, which in 2002 won the Penta (the way we call the fifth title in Portuguese), which wouldn’t just win any team that it faced.
The Seleção would destroy other national teams. Opponents not just respected the Seleção: they feared it. The opposing team knew they had to be at their very best game to have a chance to tie, or perhaps not lose by a large margin.
Few teams at the time thought they had a shot at beating Brazil. I’m no soccer expert, but in my view, during the 2002 to 2006 golden years, perhaps only Argentina, France, Germany, and Italy would compete toe to toe.
But there was one key difference between the Seleção and the others. The Seleção played beautifully. Joyfully. It was the years of Joga Bonito, and with Ronaldo, Ronaldinho Gaúcho, Kaká, and Adriano, the team was perhaps one of the greatest of all time.
Every now and then they would play… and the whole country would stop to watch them.
It was my childhood dream to watch them play. Getting tickets was hard. For they only played 9 times in a two-year period in Brazil, and each game would be in a different city. So they would play in Rio once, if lucky. In the 2006 qualifying campaign, they didn’t even play in Rio.
So I watched them on TV, religiously.
😲 The Surprise of a Lifetime
On a seemingly mundane Sunday morning, I woke up at home and I knew something was off. In other words, my sister woke me up and, as she poked me, asked me: “how would I feel if I were to travel and see the Seleção live?”.
I thought she was joking. “Which Seleção?” Very funny.
“Not a Seleção, the Seleção”, she insisted.
I got up and couldn’t quite put my finger on it. Very odd joke, I thought.
Then, as my parents were having breakfast, they asked the same question.
Immediately, I knew either one of two things would happen: I was either going to develop lifelong trauma from unmet expectations or… I was actually going to Germany to watch the World Cup.
Wow! I simply couldn’t believe it.
We could choose between the group stage, where we would watch three matches (in Berlin, Munich, and Dortmund), or the knockout stage.
If Brazil qualified at first, we would watch the games in Dortmund, Frankfurt, Munich, and Berlin, assuming we were going all the way.
Which of course we were. I mean, look at the team:
Goalkeeper: Dida
Defenders: Cafu, Lúcio, Juan, Roberto Carlos
Midfielders: Gilberto Silva, Zé Roberto, Ronaldinho Gaúcho, and Kaká
Strikers: Adriano and Ronaldo
Subs: Juninho Pernambucano, Cicinho, Ricardinho, Fred and others
Choosing the knockout stage came with its risks, but we truly thought we were going to win it again. The game against Ghana in the Round of 16 wasn’t stellar, but it was very solid. A 3-0 win where Ronaldo would score for the last time in a World Cup match in his career. And I was there to see that—I felt the World Cup magic.
🧑🏻🦲 The Zidane Curse
Then, the Seleção faced France. Our history against them isn’t that good. An upsetting loss in 1986, with Zico missing a penalty during regulation, then scoring during PKs, but with Brazil ultimately going home.
The next match was in 1998. Ronaldo had an epilepsy attack before the match and shocked everyone. Some were concerned about his health, some with not having the best player. For most, it was a mix of both.
He wasn’t going to play but then he ended up playing. He did not play well and Brazil lost to France 3-0, with Zinédine Zidane scoring twice—both headers.
It seems like he has a thing for headers in World Cup finals, doesn’t he?
The game was so controversial that even a congressional hearing was held in the aftermath. They wanted to investigate whether Nike, which sponsored Ronaldo, the best player in the world at the time, and the Seleção had a say in including him in the starting 11.
Ronaldo got called and a representative asked him: “Who was supposed to be defending Zidane on the first corner kick in the final?” Ronaldo, a bit shocked at the question in itself, replied something along these lines: “Your Excellency, I don’t know who was supposed to defend him, but whoever was supposed to didn’t do a good job.”
This time? This time it would be different. A lot of the main players were also in the 1998 final. Even though they were the reigning champions, they had a chip on their shoulder.
I was convinced there was no way we could lose. Then Zidane had a magnificent performance, again. No, he did not score. But he was a true maestro. A virtuoso elegantly commanding his team in the field, like a war General maneuvering his platoon during a battle.
After years following the mediocre Flamengo playing in Maracanã, being in Frankfurt watching one of the greats delivering an all-time best performance at a soccer field was definitely World Cup magic. It felt, however, like a World Cup curse at the time.
At some point during the second half, free-kick for France and he crossed it into the box. Thierry Henry, undefended, tapped it in.
France 1 x 0 Brazil.
The Seleção would attempt a reaction but not to avail. A late free-kick was our last dash of hope, but Ronaldinho Gaúcho’s shot went just over the crossbar. I left the stadium in tears. Sobbing.
Now, however, I see how much of a privilege it was to be there and witness it in person. It only took me almost a decade to get over it. The 7-1 fiasco may or may not have anything to do with it.
🇩🇪 Munich, Finally
All that to say that… my trip to Munich was overdue! I could swear that I’d go there in 2006. Perhaps this was my first stoic lesson (control what you can control), but I didn’t go there, for the semifinal, nor to Berlin for the final.
This time I went to Munich on my way from Italy before going to Prague. I originally meant to stay there for a weekend, but… the hostels were so expensive that I only stayed there for one night. Control what you can control.
It was enough to go to a local beer garden. Not the main one in Old Town. It really stank—it was full of dudes in their 40s and 50s since a manufacturing conference was happening at the time, and the scent felt like a mix of sweat, fart, and piss.
Then, the next day I walked around Old Town, worked on my photographic skills a bit, and told myself I needed to go to at least one museum.
There was one museum, the Spielzeugmuseum right on the main square. A beautiful building, that looked like out of a fairytale movie. I decided to go in thinking that I’d see traditional German toys (Spielzeug). I went in there, paid the ticket, and then realized they had a special collection this year, and they were only showing Barbies.
Yes, I had already paid for my ticket, so I spent the next 45 minutes staring at all sorts of Barbies, Kens, Barbie’s cousins, Barbie’s friends, Barbie’s dogs, and so on.
I guess you can’t always get it right! But even though I’m a thousand miles away from being a Barbie aficionado, it was cool to see Barbie #1 on display, and how the brand has changed and the dolls evolved over the years to fit cultural norms and shape girls’ aspirations.
🛝 Back to Berlin
I then took a train to Prague, where I fell in love with the Easter markets, before heading up to Berlin.
Now, unlike Munich, it was not my first time in Berlin. I had gone there two years ago to visit my cousin, Vitinho, who has been living there for a while now with his wife, Letícia, and their son, José.
I had seen most of the main sights: Brandenburg Gate, the Wall, Tiergarten, Alexanderplatz, and Checkpoint Charlie. We even went to the spy museum, which talked a lot about the Cold War. It’s crazy to think about the lengths countries would go to steal each other’s information. It sounds even silly nowadays.
Naturally, this time, I didn’t feel the urge to see it all. On top, it was the Easter weekend, which is a 4-day holiday. Not a lot was open, but that didn’t matter. Spending quality family time is precious, and those are moments I really cherish.
Living 13 years in the US has taught me that being home away from home is not always easy, and expats must take advantage of every opportunity to spend time with loved ones.
My first day there was spent going to a totally different side of town. My cousin now lives in Tegel, a lovely suburb in northwest Berlin, and on Thursday we went to a beer garden at Treptower Park, by Spree River, in southeast Berlin. I could feel the German spring (frühling, as they say), and soak in all the sun while eating currywurst with loaded potatoes and sipping Hellesbier.
Then we spent time with family activities. From playing with José at various parks and at home, the highlight was definitely a Saturday when we took him to go Easter Egg hunting at a “Family Farm”. A very interesting concept where the government subsidizes a small ranch to be kept open for public use and then the facilities and programs are free of charge for the local population.
Yes, there was a café and bar there, where you had to pay for what you wanted, but the egg hunting activity was open to all kids. People pay taxes, the government subsidizes the farm, and then people can go there on certain occasions. Though I haven’t seen the numbers on this policy to evaluate whether it is rational and fiscally sound; it is an interesting concept.
On Sunday we had the traditional Capixaba Pie. Not traditional in Germany, but in Espírito Santo, a state in Brazil where I’ve spent a lot of time. Usually, you mix cod with other seafood, such as shrimps and mussels, hearts of palm, and colorau, a natural dye. We almost had it all, creatively replacing hearts of palm for artichoke. It was delicious and mouth-watering!
On my last day there, we went to Charlottenburg Palace and Park. Beautiful building and well-kept garden, though there was maintenance going on and the flowers hadn’t bloomed yet.
🍺 A Quiet Bar, a Loud Thought
Then, Vitinho and I went to a bar close to his house.
It was great and we always share stories about our lives, talk about the world around us, and how our respective experiences shape the way we approach our decisions in life. When he got up to get another round, I noted my surroundings.
It was also sad. Almost all tables were busy, but it was quiet. Aside from another table far away, which had two people talking, all had someone by themselves. On their laptop, on their phone, with a book, or just staring at the sky.
I was told it is not uncommon in Germany to meet your “friend quota” in kindergarten, and these are your friends for life. They moved? Tough luck, you’re down one. I hope this is nothing beyond a wrongful observation, but it was shocking to see a bar so “well-behaved”.
In Brazil, and the US too, bars are places for congregating. Stay there long enough without chatting with anyone, I assure you someone will strike up some conversation, whether you like it or not!
🌍 Upcoming Itinerary
📍April 28-29: Krakow, PL
📍April 30-May 4: Budapest, HU
✉️ Enjoying the journey so far?
💬 I'd love to hear your thoughts — whether you grew up watching the Seleção, have a favorite World Cup memory, or just want to share your travel stories. Drop a comment and let’s chat!
Thanks for the visit. You are always welcome at my house.
I repeat your words: quality family time is precious
Those were really high quality times.
Thanks again, for everything.
Zizu’s game vs Brazil was one of his best. Glad you are enjoying DE!