from the scream for Senna and Neymar, to the videos on TikTok-Corriere.it

Brazil has arrived, its voice has also arrived. Her cry “she is gloomy, she is gloomy, she is gloomy” (born as an abbreviation of “Seleçao tetracampeon”), triggered when Roberto Baggio missed that famous penalty, is part of the collective memory of a country. Galvão Bueno is more than Bruno Pizzul of Brazil, he is a real star, he accompanied the Brazilians in all the most important sporting events: it was he who told the microphones about the first World Cup won by Ayrton Senna (whom he was a friend of) in 1988, but also his death at Imola in ’94 (and the World Cup in the USA was dedicated to Ayrton like a closing circle), and also the Olympic silver medal in the 4×100 green and gold in Sydney, in 2002. All narrated by his voice. Today Galvão has even more sponsors than Neymar, only Vinicius among the players called up by Tite beats him. To give you an idea, on TikTok there is a function that allows you to use his voice to make videos.

He’s in his thirteenth World Cup, and at 72 he will be the last, at least as a Rede Globo commentator. Journalists from all over the world line up to greet him, he replies politely to everyone. «What was my favorite World Cup? The one in the USA has remained in my heart, I’m sorry for you Italians – he concedes -, but we hadn’t won for 24 years, it was the first to be decided on penalties, I was with Pelé, so the whole world came to celebrate us, it was an incredible emotion». However, legend has it that cohabitation with O Rei in the cabin was anything but peaceful: it is said that Pelé talked too much, someone in the direction complained about it and someone recorded Galvão’s outburst saying «Only if I turn off his microphone or I’ll hit him on the head, I’ll shut him up”. Can you argue with a monument? All false according to Galvão, who in his book recounted how Pelé laughed with him as he pronounced those words.

The World Cup in the Qatar desert excites him less: «I don’t really like the format and the period. And then I have the utmost respect for all cultures and religions, but human rights issues exist… well, it’s not all good». Luckily there is Brazil: «Yes, I see it clearly. A lot has changed, young people with great personalities have entered, who impose themselves to play, you will see that Vinicius junior will be the protagonist. Tite’s Seleçao is a mix of fresher and more experienced players, a solid squad with great balance. And then there’s Neymar…”

Luckily Argentina and Germany also lost, right Galvão? On Twitter yesterday he got funny after the defeat of the Germans by writing “The climate is becoming terrible”, a phrase said to the Brazilians at the time of Mineirazo, the 7-1 at home never digested. As for the beating of Leo Messi and his companions, eternal rivals and eternal favorites, “well it was a shock, in fact, no one expected it”. Ok but Galvão, how does this World Cup end? «With the Hexa», that is with the sixth cup. And has he already prepared the exultation? «Never, don’t bring it from home. It has to come at the moment.’