Marta > Neymar

This is Bernardo. He recently switched his footballing allegiance from Neymar to Marta in a most emphatic way.

Why? In his own (hopefully translated correctly) words from the video below:

Marta is passionate, she likes to play football. She shows that women understand football.

The women’s team is winning everything, kicking ass, and for me this is a symbol of feminism in Brazil.

I think she fully deserves (the shirt). I think she deserves it more than Neymar.

That a young, Brazilian boy is saying words like this give me so much joy. And he is not alone in showing his (recent) love for the Brazilian women’s football team and its most famous player.

Both The Globe and Mail and The Guardian just published articles dedicated to the unprecedented attention and support the Brazilian women’s team is receiving during the Olympics, and to understanding the complicated gender, cultural, and financial dynamics within Brazil and Brazilian football being played out on the pitch. Basically, men are better than women at football and always will be. Sound familiar?

Now, I’m realistic and perhaps the sparkle of the Olympics will wear off and those on the bandwagon now will jump right back off of it. But, as Milly Lacombe, a Brazilian female sports commentator was quoted as saying, “To hear a stadium of Brazilians chanting ‘Marta’ – it has to give you goosebumps.”

It sure as hell should and does. Bernardo, you are aces!!

– hopechaser