Fanatical fans inspire Brazil to help improve Bangladesh football

Brazil is planning to help Bangladesh to make its football better as its government is impressed by the “incredible” fanbase of the five-time world champions during the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Brazilian Ambassador in Dhaka Joao Tabajara de Oliveira Junior said he along with the three journalists that the embassy has brought from the Rio de Janeiro to see the “impressive” supporters, would meet the sports ministry officials on Thursday to discuss possible collaboration.

Bangladesh is currently ranked 194 in the world by FIFA.

“I’ll be pleased to hear from them what can we do for football between Brazil and Bangladesh,” he said at the press briefing on Wednesday where the journalists of Brazil’s largest broadcaster Globo TV shared their experiences in Bangladesh.

He said they are ready to support building a football academy in Bangladesh, if asked. But first, he said, they are planning to bring professionals like former football star Zico to Bangladesh.

“We have talked with him already and he said he is available after the World Cup and he will be pleased to visit Bangladesh,” Oliveira Junior said.

“I never saw something like what we saw here,” Clayton Conservani, a reporter who has travelled many countries including those in Africa, said.

“I passed through many many African countries and they just know our players…but there was no passion like what we see among people supporting Brazil here,” he said.

They had gone to Manikganj and Chattogram and will be in Narayanganj on June 22, Conservani added.

“I did not expect such craziest fans,” he said, “It’s incredible to see the love of our football here”.

The journalist said during their visits in past five days, they felt like being home here with Brazilian flags all around and people painting their faces with Brazil’s national colours.

They also noticed the presence of Argentina supporters as people in Bangladesh are sharply divided between loyalties for the two Latin American giants in World Cup competitions.

Conservani is accompanied by producer Igor Abreu and cameraperson Mikael Bento. The aim of their visit is to broadcast the support that the Brazilian national football team receive from Bangladesh people in the World Cup.

He said they would give a complete idea to Brazilian people about what is happening in Bangladesh.

The ambassador said football has brought the two countries, some 16,000 kilometers apart, “closer”.

“We have plans to do even more in future,” he said, adding that the visit of the journalists is “just the beginning”.

“They are the catalyst of talks and possible cooperation between the two countries’ football,” Oliveira Junior said.