Maracana, the haunted house
The survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings are called Hibakusha in Japanese language. The survivors of the Hitler’s gas chamber, however, did not have any different name. But their life stories were same. As a matter of fact the whole humanity was the survivor of heinous Second World War. Like Hibakusha, it had a sigh of relief of survival and on the other hand had the anxiety of an uncertain future.
After Russia, China experienced communist rule. India gained its freedom. The Soviet-US cold war intensified. The African colonies, like their Asian peers, continued their struggle for independence. These all were effects of World War.
Exactly the halfway stage of the century arrived with new hope, anxiety, dream and fear and an important event was staged in Brazil. The World Cup after twelve years, a tournament that created profound trauma to Brazilians. And it was also the World Cup of a rumour that India denied it as they were not allowed to play barefoot.
Brazil and Germany both wanted to host the 1942 World Cup. But Germany, which was divided in two by then, were not allowed to play let alone award the right of hosting.
As hosts Brazil did not need to play qualifiers and Italy qualified as defending champions. But their strength was reduced losing some crucial players due to an airplane crash and the team went to Brazil thorough a ship.
The effect of various ideologies propagating the earth also effected on the World Cup. Communist countries like Soviet Union and the finalists of last two editions- Hungary and Czeckoslovakia- did not take part. Austria and Belgium also did not play and as a result teams like Turkey and Switzerland got the chance to play. Turkey and France, however, decided not to play in the eleventh hour.
For the first time British thought the World Cup is enough prestigious for them and they played qualifying round between them. Two spots were allotted for them but Scotland took a vow of not playing had they not secure the first spot of the qualifying round. They failed to do so and did not come to play the World Cup.
India also denied the opportunity which they got as countries like Philippines, Indonesia and Burma did not show interest. For years a story circulated that India did not play as they were not allowed to play barefoot. But it was a mere myth.
World Cup and football in India and Bengal
From the statesments of Shoilen Manna, erstwhile Indian captain, and works of historians proved India basically did not regard World Cup as high as Olympic in 1950. So, they did not have must interest traveling faraway Brazil although the hosts promised to bear all the costs.
While talking about Indian football the first thing that will pop up is the rivalry of East Bengal and Mohun Bagan and its historic importance.
The people who were forced to migrate to West Bengal from East found a new identity through East Bengal. They found a new meaning of life, which was ravaged in refugee camps with starvation and epidemic of cholera, and got united.
This story of becoming united and finding a new identity is seen in many arts of the world. (Two of the finest examples: One of the best books of sports history- Beyond a boundary of CLR James- that describes the saga of this fight centring with cricket. British historian EP Thompson showed, the migrated workers, who were forced to leave their rural homes, found their new identities and hopes with the club). Mohun Bagan, on the other hand was the clubs of local West Bengal people. But amid the romanticism of rivalry we must also remember most of the times they had mutual respects.
But beyond these two teams there was a third club whose story is as important if not more. Mohammedan Sportting Club was the pride of Indian Muslims, who were often ignored as ‘others’ by academia and media alike.
But Mohammedan showed the desire of ‘Muslim Renaissance’ in 30’s. The club became champions for five consecutive times in Calcutta League and also clinched the title of most important cricket tournament of the colonial India, Bombay Quadrangular, where teams would be chosen acoording to religion, five out of six times from 1934 to 1939.
Kazi Nazrul Islam wrote famous poem upon their wins, Golam Mustafa scribed lyrical waxes while the gramophone records of Abbasuddin Ahmed were best sellers. Muslims used to adorn their houses with the pictures of Mohammedan players and trophies. Even, they used to pray in congregation during Ramadan at the club premise.
But the success of Mohammedan caused wrath of Bengals’football federation, which was controlled by elite Hindus, and were punished wrongly. Mohammedan boycotted in protest and East Bengal joined them in the cause. In that tumultuous time of history, two class of people fighting for their identity got together. This alliance played a vital role in their fight against the colonial masters. Later, it also plays a pivotal role for the uprise of communists in West Bengal. That is another long story. Let us talk about Mohammed Salim now.
Salim, who was born at Metiaburuz in Calcutta, was the instrumental for the success of Mohammedan. He wowed Scotish Club Celtic, one of the powerhouses of European football in that era. The mesmerized Scottishes offered him a big deal but he returned home. He even donated the orphans 1800 pounds that were raised from a friendly match arranged for him. (One may imagine how big the amount was considering the fact the average annual income of a British during that year was around 130 pounds.)
Salim even received offers from Germany. But he refused them. For many, Bengali muslim Salim could realise the Jews in Germany are facing the similar hatred that his own people were facing in their own land. So, he decided to return home and convey the message that the Bengali people may beat the colonial masters even with barefoot. It is arguable what was the main reason behind him rejecting Germans but he was nonetheless rejected in his own land. His name was forgotten with the nasty wave of racism. The same happened with the first Indian superstar of cricket- Palwankar Baloo. He was not worshipped as he belonged to a lower caste.
Let us go back to World Cup 1950.
The tournament begins:
The new world realised the opportunity of commerce with football. That also effected the fotmat.
The organisers were desperate to recoup the huge costs of building stadiums and structures and as a result the knock-out system in the beginning was abolished, the number of games increased. The teams were divided in four groups and due to this new setup, the number of games increased to 30 from 16. Not only that, as teams were ensured at least three games, none had to return home with a solitary game having made an ardous, long journey.
English Lions won the first match against Chile but lost the next one against USA. English media, the ever overhyped one, assumed English would win the match against a disinterested US side. But they lost thanks to a brilliant goal of a black man. Joseph Edouard Gaetjens, Haitian immigrant scored the only goal in the 38th minute to cause one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history. The surprise was so much for British Media that some reported the result as a typo of telegraph and the original result had been 10-1 in favour of England. No wonder about their hubris, the rate of betting was 500:1 in favour of a US win.
The English team was also beaten by Spain. Telmo Zarra, whose La Liga record of highest number of goals broken by Lionel Messi, scored the only goal at Maracana. However, Brazil ravaged Spain by 6-1 in the second and final round which was consisted of four teams. Uruguay beat Sweden 3-2 but drew with Spain 2-2. Brazil on the other hand thrashed Sweden by 7-1 and as a result their clash with Uruguay on June 16 at Maracana became the final. One must remember, the winner would be decided with the standing of the group. So, Brazil just needed a draw to clinch the trophy.
Perhaps the greatest number of people gathered in the stadium in the history of the game. Some say it was 199 thousand, some said it was 205 thousand. Whole Brazil was ready to celebrate. The football federation officers brought gifts for every Brazil player gold-plated watch where the words ‘For World Champions’were scribed. More than 5,00,000 t-shirts, which had written the saga of Brazil winning their first World Cup, were sold.
Maracana made defeaning scream when Brazil got ahead in the 47th minute the sound was reduced as Schiaffino equalised in the 66th minute. And when Ghiggia scored another goal for Uruguay in the 79th minute, the whole stadium got as mute as a graveyard. Despite the presence of around 2,00,000 people, one could hear the drop of a pin, the carnival transformed into a haunted house.
And it was Moacir Barbosa Nacimento who had to endure all the blame. Barbosa, the man with brilliant footwork and confidence, was one of the best in his time. But on that ill-fated moment when he dived to save the Ghiggia shot from the right wing the ball slipped and slotted to net. His life, an unfortunate one, entangled with that curse till his death.
Brazillians never absolved him. Even during the 1993 World Cup qualification when he tried to meet Brazil players to say goodluck, he was not allowed to enter into the training camp.
Barbosa had to undergo a life of hardship and poverty from that day the Maracana got muted. His only income was a pittance given as pension and had to live at the house of his wife’s sister. Brabosa, who died after the 10 days of his 79th birthday, told in an interview, the maximum sentence in Brazil is 30 years but I had to endure 43 years without doing any wrong. Barbosa’s fate was actually like the myriads of Hibakushas who face punishment albeit doing nothing in this world of inequality.
Do you know who outlived everyone among the 22 players that played in the final at Maracana? Ghigghia, the winning goalscorer of Uruguay. He died on July 16, the exact same date after 65 years of that match.