This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jul/02/world-cup-brazil-players-single-mothers
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| World Cup spotlights Brazil’s great players – and their single mothers | World Cup spotlights Brazil’s great players – and their single mothers |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Round the corner from a gang member with a pistol in his waistband and an automatic rifle in his hands, the Women’s Bar in Rio’s Complexo do Alemão favela was showing the World Cup on a big TV. | Round the corner from a gang member with a pistol in his waistband and an automatic rifle in his hands, the Women’s Bar in Rio’s Complexo do Alemão favela was showing the World Cup on a big TV. |
| Among the crowd watching the Brazil-Serbia game, women in team shirts outnumbered men, while children bounced on a trampoline or queued to have Brazilian flags painted on their cheeks. | Among the crowd watching the Brazil-Serbia game, women in team shirts outnumbered men, while children bounced on a trampoline or queued to have Brazilian flags painted on their cheeks. |
| “You meet everyone here. There’s a great vibe,” said Maira Quirino, 26 – who like many of those at the bar – is a single mother. | “You meet everyone here. There’s a great vibe,” said Maira Quirino, 26 – who like many of those at the bar – is a single mother. |
| The Seleção has so far had a successful if unspectacular World Cup. | |
| But away from the pitch, this tournament has thrown the spotlight on the player’s mothers whose hard-luck life stories appear to resonate with ordinary Brazilians in a way that the team’s more glamorous wives and girlfriends do not. | But away from the pitch, this tournament has thrown the spotlight on the player’s mothers whose hard-luck life stories appear to resonate with ordinary Brazilians in a way that the team’s more glamorous wives and girlfriends do not. |
| According to a widely-shared story in the Brazilian edition of El País, six of the players who lined up against Serbia – Miranda, Thiago Silva, Marcelo, Casemiro, Paulinho and Gabriel Jesus – grew up without fathers. | According to a widely-shared story in the Brazilian edition of El País, six of the players who lined up against Serbia – Miranda, Thiago Silva, Marcelo, Casemiro, Paulinho and Gabriel Jesus – grew up without fathers. |
| According to government figures, women are the head of the household in 40% of Brazilian families, even where they have a conjugal partner – up from 23% two decades earlier. But single mothers are often overlooked in popular culture. | According to government figures, women are the head of the household in 40% of Brazilian families, even where they have a conjugal partner – up from 23% two decades earlier. But single mothers are often overlooked in popular culture. |
| Many of Brazil’s great players have come from backgrounds of crushing poverty. | Many of Brazil’s great players have come from backgrounds of crushing poverty. |
| And their mothers connect with ordinary Brazilian women because they have lived similar lives, said Debora Diniz, a professor of anthropology at the University of Brasília. That contrasts with the upscale lifestyle enjoyed by of players’ wives and girlfriends – who in many cases are lighter-skinned, unlike the team which is a typically Brazilian racial mix. | And their mothers connect with ordinary Brazilian women because they have lived similar lives, said Debora Diniz, a professor of anthropology at the University of Brasília. That contrasts with the upscale lifestyle enjoyed by of players’ wives and girlfriends – who in many cases are lighter-skinned, unlike the team which is a typically Brazilian racial mix. |
| “[The mothers] are much more universally Brazilian women,” she said. “There is a racial contrast that is very important. There is a class contrast that is very important.” | “[The mothers] are much more universally Brazilian women,” she said. “There is a racial contrast that is very important. There is a class contrast that is very important.” |
| In Brazil – and other South American countries – feminism is on the rise and the issues it raises are increasingly discussed on television soap operas, said Leticia Bahia, a consultant to the United Nations Foundation and co-founder of feminist site AzMina. “The idea that you have to stay in a marriage because of the children has really collapsed,” she said. | In Brazil – and other South American countries – feminism is on the rise and the issues it raises are increasingly discussed on television soap operas, said Leticia Bahia, a consultant to the United Nations Foundation and co-founder of feminist site AzMina. “The idea that you have to stay in a marriage because of the children has really collapsed,” she said. |
| At the Women’s Bar, Quirino’s friend Daiane Oliveira, 23 – who has the name of her daughter Camilly, 7, tattooed on her calf – said Brazilian mothers are increasingly choosing to go it alone if relationships aren’t working out. “Brazilian women today are independent. They don’t need men for anything.” | At the Women’s Bar, Quirino’s friend Daiane Oliveira, 23 – who has the name of her daughter Camilly, 7, tattooed on her calf – said Brazilian mothers are increasingly choosing to go it alone if relationships aren’t working out. “Brazilian women today are independent. They don’t need men for anything.” |
| A grimmer factor in Brazil’s growing number of single mothers is the country’s ban on abortion, which forces many women into unwanted pregnancies, said Thaiz Leão, 28, who runs a Facebook page called Mãe Solo (Single Mother) with 80,000 followers. | A grimmer factor in Brazil’s growing number of single mothers is the country’s ban on abortion, which forces many women into unwanted pregnancies, said Thaiz Leão, 28, who runs a Facebook page called Mãe Solo (Single Mother) with 80,000 followers. |
| “The father can abandon the child and the woman cannot,” Leão said. Brazil’s entrenched machismo is also a factor, she said: many men regard infidelity as their birthright and refuse to help at home. “We deserve better relationships,” Leão said. | “The father can abandon the child and the woman cannot,” Leão said. Brazil’s entrenched machismo is also a factor, she said: many men regard infidelity as their birthright and refuse to help at home. “We deserve better relationships,” Leão said. |
| For many women, the spotlight on the team’s mothers has been been a timely reminder of where the players came from. “None of them are middle class,” said Mariluce Souza, 36, who runs the Favela Art project in the Complexo do Alemão. | For many women, the spotlight on the team’s mothers has been been a timely reminder of where the players came from. “None of them are middle class,” said Mariluce Souza, 36, who runs the Favela Art project in the Complexo do Alemão. |
| Alô mãe 📞 Te Amo ❤️ ! #chefeéchefenémãe | Alô mãe 📞 Te Amo ❤️ ! #chefeéchefenémãe |
| A post shared by Gabriel Jesus (@dejesusoficial) on Nov 20, 2016 at 3:16pm PST | A post shared by Gabriel Jesus (@dejesusoficial) on Nov 20, 2016 at 3:16pm PST |
| Vera Lúcia, mother of Manchester City and Brazil forward Gabriel Jesus, is a former maid who raised him and his three brothers alone. | Vera Lúcia, mother of Manchester City and Brazil forward Gabriel Jesus, is a former maid who raised him and his three brothers alone. |
| Now, however, she often appears on chat shows and toured Russia – alongside Neymar’s mother Nadine and Fernandinho’s mother Ane – for a six-part TV Globo series called As Matrioskas – The Russian Dolls. | Now, however, she often appears on chat shows and toured Russia – alongside Neymar’s mother Nadine and Fernandinho’s mother Ane – for a six-part TV Globo series called As Matrioskas – The Russian Dolls. |
| Her strong, supportive relationship with her 21-year-old son, a star at Manchester City, resonated with mothers in the crowd at the Women’s Bar. | Her strong, supportive relationship with her 21-year-old son, a star at Manchester City, resonated with mothers in the crowd at the Women’s Bar. |
| “Gabriel Jesus is from a favela and was raised by his mother,” says Rita de Cassia, 38, a single mother of three children – the middle of whom, Andry, 12, also dreams of becoming a footballer. | “Gabriel Jesus is from a favela and was raised by his mother,” says Rita de Cassia, 38, a single mother of three children – the middle of whom, Andry, 12, also dreams of becoming a footballer. |
| Brazil’s World Cup focus on footballing sons and mothers from tough neighbourhoods was encapsulated in a photograph which went viral earlier this month | Brazil’s World Cup focus on footballing sons and mothers from tough neighbourhoods was encapsulated in a photograph which went viral earlier this month |
| Wallace Rocha, 12, from Rio’s Vila Cruzeiro favela wanted a shirt with midfielder Philippe Coutinho’s name, but neither his mother, Sandra de Oliveira, 47, an unemployed cleaner, nor his stepfather could afford one. | Wallace Rocha, 12, from Rio’s Vila Cruzeiro favela wanted a shirt with midfielder Philippe Coutinho’s name, but neither his mother, Sandra de Oliveira, 47, an unemployed cleaner, nor his stepfather could afford one. |
| De Oliveira asked a local seamstress to knock one up, promising to pay later. | De Oliveira asked a local seamstress to knock one up, promising to pay later. |
| Photographer Bruno Itan captured the pair watching Brazil beat Costa Rica photo – then launched an online campaign to get it to Coutinho. | Photographer Bruno Itan captured the pair watching Brazil beat Costa Rica photo – then launched an online campaign to get it to Coutinho. |
| Pessoal eu conseguir encontrar o menino da camisa 11 do Coutinho, obrigado a todos de verdade! Agora eu quero pedir que vocês me ajudem numa missão bem louca. Esse da foto, vestindo a camisa 11, é o Wallace Rocha, morador e estudante da Vila Cruzeiro, uma comunidade na Zona Norte do Rio. Ele tem 12 anos e, no jogo do Brasil contra a Costa Rica, deu um show de humildade e criatividade ao escrever à mão a identificação do seu favorito em campo. Eu quero fazer essa foto chegar até o próprio camisa 11 Philippe Coutinho da seleção, pra que ele veja a inspiração que tem causado em meninos das favelas e possa mandar uma mensagem de incentivo ao Wallace ou quem sabe até uma blusa autografada, acho que ele ficaria muito feliz com isso. O que vocês acham da ideia? Compartilha essa publicação com a hashtag #Wallace11 e marca o Philippe Coutinho nos comentários. Vamos juntos produzir esse encontro entre craques! #philippeCoutinho #nãoèsófutebol #favela #paz #lazer #alegria #fotografia #brunoitan | Pessoal eu conseguir encontrar o menino da camisa 11 do Coutinho, obrigado a todos de verdade! Agora eu quero pedir que vocês me ajudem numa missão bem louca. Esse da foto, vestindo a camisa 11, é o Wallace Rocha, morador e estudante da Vila Cruzeiro, uma comunidade na Zona Norte do Rio. Ele tem 12 anos e, no jogo do Brasil contra a Costa Rica, deu um show de humildade e criatividade ao escrever à mão a identificação do seu favorito em campo. Eu quero fazer essa foto chegar até o próprio camisa 11 Philippe Coutinho da seleção, pra que ele veja a inspiração que tem causado em meninos das favelas e possa mandar uma mensagem de incentivo ao Wallace ou quem sabe até uma blusa autografada, acho que ele ficaria muito feliz com isso. O que vocês acham da ideia? Compartilha essa publicação com a hashtag #Wallace11 e marca o Philippe Coutinho nos comentários. Vamos juntos produzir esse encontro entre craques! #philippeCoutinho #nãoèsófutebol #favela #paz #lazer #alegria #fotografia #brunoitan |
| A post shared by Bruno Itan 📷 (@brunoitan) on Jun 25, 2018 at 10:25am PDT | A post shared by Bruno Itan 📷 (@brunoitan) on Jun 25, 2018 at 10:25am PDT |
| The photo went viral and four hours later, Coutinho replied with a video message. | The photo went viral and four hours later, Coutinho replied with a video message. |
| Wallace too wants to become a footballer, his mother said. “It’s my dream too,” she said. “It’s a good profession for him, to get him off the streets.” | Wallace too wants to become a footballer, his mother said. “It’s my dream too,” she said. “It’s a good profession for him, to get him off the streets.” |
| Brazil | Brazil |
| Americas | Americas |
| World Cup 2018 | World Cup 2018 |
| Poverty | Poverty |
| Women | Women |
| features | features |
| Share on Facebook | Share on Facebook |
| Share on Twitter | Share on Twitter |
| Share via Email | Share via Email |
| Share on LinkedIn | Share on LinkedIn |
| Share on Pinterest | Share on Pinterest |
| Share on Google+ | Share on Google+ |
| Share on WhatsApp | Share on WhatsApp |
| Share on Messenger | Share on Messenger |
| Reuse this content | Reuse this content |