Football is indeed the reason we have all gathered here in Qatar, but the World Cup, which is considered a mega event, is much more than the most popular game of all.
In the Saturday games we witnessed this phenomenon in full force, in the stands, but mainly on the grass.
It started with Robert Lewandowski.
The striker of the Polish national team scored for the first time in his career in the World Cup.
It was not a winning goal in the final, but only a second goal in the game that secured victory over Saudi Arabia, but it was enough for him to celebrate with tears of happiness, even though behind him are ten championships in Germany, 18 top scorer titles in various enterprises and 603 goals in his career (76 of them in the national team's uniform).
He was followed by Lionel Messi, with a permanent poker face, who has already scored close to 800 goals in his career.
He also wildly celebrated his goal, and even more than that - he hugged Enso Fernandez with tears in his eyes, after the latter's goal that ensured the Argentine victory over Mexico.
Besides, the World Cup is not only a collection of moments of happiness.
There is also another side, even when your team wins.
One of these moments was in Brazil's game against Serbia, when the great star Neymar injured his ankle and went down in tears to the dressing room.
Although his coach Chiche calmed down and said that Neymar will return to play in the round of 16, but still this human moment, of a super player, with an image of one whose football is not always at the top of his mind (his birthday parties at the beginning of February that cause him to be absent from games, the rolling and over-dramatic in the World Cup in Russia and more), showed how important the success of the national team is to him.
Neymar was injured against Serbia.
Showed how much success in the team is important to him, photo: Getty Images
He highlighted how important the ratification of the return of the most important trophy of all to Rio is for his legacy, and again, how national team soccer brings out the child in a player, the one who just wants to play soccer, the one who grew up on the legacy of Pele, Romario and Ronaldo.
The boy who just wants to be happy and make everyone who loves him happy.
leave the sadness behind
So Brazil will have to manage without Neymar (and also without Danilo, but it is less significant professionally) for at least the next two games against Switzerland and Cameroon, but it doesn't seem that the Brazilian fans have reasons to worry.
Despite Neymar's magical presence, he has good replacements to step into his shoes (Rodrigo, Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus).
The Celso is first of all a strong team, in the image and image of its coach and most important player, Carlos Henrique Casemiro, or simply his stage name - Casemiro.
His story is amazing.
A boy from a difficult home, who managed to conquer the world thanks to character, determination and the maximization of talent.
He said in the past that as a child he went to bed hungry and sad, and that for weeks and even months, after training in the youth teams of Sao Paulo (he grew up in the shadow of Lucas Mora, who is considered the biggest star of the department), he would stay sleeping on the street near the training complex, because he didn't have Enough money to go home by bus.
Alongside this, he made it clear that he always had hope in his heart that one day everything would change.
No Neymar?
Trust Casmiro, photo: Reuters
Indeed, everything has changed.
Casemiro has been the anchor of Real Madrid's wonder link in its last five Champions League victories, and has also become an irreplaceable player in the national team.
Many claim (and I am among them) that if he had played against Belgium in the quarter-finals in Russia (he served a suspension due to yellow cards), Brazil would not have been eliminated and would meet France in the semi-finals.
Also in the game against Serbia, with all due respect to Richarlison and Vinicius, the number one player was Casemiro.
The first to release from the pressure, ruled without Egypt in the middle, supported the attack, and if it wasn't for the crossbar - he would also have scored the first goal in the World Cup.
Brazil wants to continue the momentum from the second half against Serbia, and secure the home lead this evening against the efficient Switzerland, who dreams of adding another surprise to this World Cup.
But - and with all due respect to the stars of the Brazilian attack - as long as it depends on the boy who slept after training in the street, the Selção will collect another victory.
In conclusion: Brazil will go where Casemiro and Chicha take them, and they can certainly take them until the Holy Cup is lifted.
Winner ratio for a Brazil win 1.40, for a draw 3.90 and for a Switzerland win 5.80
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