Lessons from the World Cup

Before we saw the crowd, we heard it: “Brasil, olé, olé, olé!”

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The moment we stepped into the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on June 13, we were enveloped by the roar of Brazilian fans. Their chants echoed through the massive arena as yellow jerseys shimmered in the summer sun, Moroccan flags waved proudly, and dozens of languages blended into a vibrant hum. For a few hours, the stadium became a small reflection of the world itself.

As an Indian family living in the US, the experience carried special significance. Our sons—Abel and Adith—were born and raised here and, like many American children, grew up with American football, basketball and baseball as their primary sporting passions. Soccer—football to much of the world—has always occupied a secondary place in their lives. Yet even they were swept up by the spectacle. When Brazil’s stars, Neymar Jr and Vinícius Jr, walked into the stadium the atmosphere became electric. The chants grew louder, strangers exchanged high fives, and entire sections of the stadium moved in rhythm. For a brief moment, nationalities, backgrounds and allegiances seemed less important than the shared excitement unfolding around us. That is the unique power of the FIFA World Cup.