Brazil breaks down racial barriers in soccer world

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Football was plagued by racism when it was first brought to Brazil from England. But that was more than 120 years ago. Now, most of Brazil’s best football players are black or mixed-race.

Some people in Brazil say football is a religion, not a sport. Brazil is a five-time, World Cup champion nation and when a football game starts, the country stops.

Brazil’s most famous footballers come from humble backgrounds, which are usually poor and predominantly black or mixed race.

Seeing their heroes sign lucrative contracts gives strong incentive for young Brazilians to train hard and practice. Some people, however, believe this inspiration can be more realistically directed.

The Bola Pra Frente Institute is making big investment in football to promote social change for hundreds of poor children.

Bola Pra Frente Institute/ Photo via Festival16.org

“Most of them think the only way to get out of poverty is through football, but we tell them that very few, or none, will make it, but sports can give them the discipline to become whatever they want to be,” said project manager Michelle Araujo.

In 1894, football was introduced in Brazil by Charles Miller, a Brazilian-Scott who formed the country’s first all-white team.

Slavery had been abolished just six years earlier. No one could have imagined Pele would become one of the greatest footballers of all time, or that there would be a player like Neymar.

It was the football club Vasco da Gama that first broke the racial barrier. The club won the Rio state championship in 1923 with an interracial squad.

It was the birth of Brazil’s “jogo bonito,” or “the beautiful game”.