Eternal Champions
ESPN The Magazine|June 26, 2017

Seven months ago, Brazilian underdogs Chapecoense boarded a plane to play in the game of their lives. Instead, their biggest moment turned into a tragedy no one can forget.

Sam Borden
Eternal Champions

There is rain in Chiquinho’s pockets. Rain running down his shoulders. Rain squishing through his shoes. The rain is so loud, he barely hears the music. The rain is so thick, he barely sees the coffins. Chiquinho tries to focus. He has a job. He is the groundskeeper. He takes care of the undersoil and the topsoil. He takes care of the field. This stadium is his home. The members of the club are his friends. One of the goalkeepers, Danilo, used to joke with Chiquinho about the bare patch down at the end of the field. All that mowing and feeding and watering in the warm Brazilian sun and Chiquinho still couldn’t get grass to grow there. “Where is the grass?” Danilo would ask with a sparkle in his eyes, and Chiquinho’s leathery face would crinkle.

One of the team’s trainers, Anderson Paixão, used to talk with Chiquinho about the stray dog Chiquinho found lying outside the gates one morning a few years back. The dog was hurt and whimpering—a boy nearby said he thought it might have been hit by a car—and Chiquinho and his crew took it in. They gave the dog dried meat and bought it medicine. They rubbed its belly and cleaned its black fur. They got it a leash and built it a tiny house out near the shed with the rakes. They named it Pitico, which is Portuguese for “something little.”

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der June 26, 2017-Ausgabe von ESPN The Magazine.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

Diese Geschichte stammt aus der June 26, 2017-Ausgabe von ESPN The Magazine.

Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.

WEITERE ARTIKEL AUS ESPN THE MAGAZINEAlle anzeigen
The Rape Allegation Against Cristiano Ronaldo Reveals Fame's Protective Shield
ESPN The Magazine

The Rape Allegation Against Cristiano Ronaldo Reveals Fame's Protective Shield

To be the world’s most famous athlete means Cristiano Ronaldo can appear on screens everywhere yet somehow elude the fallout from a rape allegation.

time-read
8 Minuten  |
April 2019
Michelle Waterson Reps More Than Herself In The Cage
ESPN The Magazine

Michelle Waterson Reps More Than Herself In The Cage

MMA is a violent and unforgiving sport. But instead of shielding her young daughter from her career, Michelle Waterson is bringing her along every step of the way.

time-read
10+ Minuten  |
April 2019
Kyler Murray Owns His Future In A Way No Other Rookie Has
ESPN The Magazine

Kyler Murray Owns His Future In A Way No Other Rookie Has

As Kyler Murray decides which sport will win his talents, at least one thing is clear: He owns his future in a way no other rookie has.

time-read
6 Minuten  |
March 2019
Kyle Kuzma Turned A Sneaker Obsession Into A Legit Business Opportunity
ESPN The Magazine

Kyle Kuzma Turned A Sneaker Obsession Into A Legit Business Opportunity

No eight-figure shoe deal? No problem. The Lakers’ Kyle Kuzma walked his own path to sneaker supremacy.

time-read
4 Minuten  |
March 2019
Bryce Harper Is One Very Big Deal
ESPN The Magazine

Bryce Harper Is One Very Big Deal

He’s baseball’s best-known face and now its richest player. In this exclusive interview, the All-Star talks rejecting $300 million, recruiting Mike Trout and becoming a Phillie for life.

time-read
10+ Minuten  |
April 2019
Kyler Murray - Will Past Be Prologue For The Possible Top NFL Draft Pick?
ESPN The Magazine

Kyler Murray - Will Past Be Prologue For The Possible Top NFL Draft Pick?

Sizable expectations? Kyler Murray’s got a few: go No. 1 in the draft, become a franchise player and—oh yeah— completely blow up decades of doctrine about short quarterbacks.

time-read
10+ Minuten  |
May 2019
Eternal Champions
ESPN The Magazine

Eternal Champions

Seven months ago, Brazilian underdogs Chapecoense boarded a plane to play in the game of their lives. Instead, their biggest moment turned into a tragedy no one can forget.

time-read
10+ Minuten  |
June 26, 2017
What's In A Name?
ESPN The Magazine

What's In A Name?

With the founder of Bikram yoga facing assault allegations, it seems simple: Studios should distance themselves from his name. But it’s not so easy.

time-read
3 Minuten  |
June 04, 2018
One Formula For Change
ESPN The Magazine

One Formula For Change

To inject excitement back into its races, Formula One needs more than a tweak or new twist—it needs to correct its course.

time-read
2 Minuten  |
June 04, 2018
All About The Goals
ESPN The Magazine

All About The Goals

U.S. national team hero and Chicago Red Stars defensive midfielder Julie Ertz shares her secrets for keeping her world-champion mindset.

time-read
1 min  |
June 04, 2018