DANIEL RAMALHO / AFP
When he was born on March 21, 1955, the way of the cages was all traced for little Bolsonaro. Born in Glicerio (São Paulo), from a family originally from Veneto, he would support without blinking the Palmeiras, ex " Palestra Italia » and the darling football club of the "Ritals" of the region. To baptize their child, his parents also opted for a symbolic name "Jair", in tribute to Jair Rosa Pinto, elegant mustache and one of the most famous strikers in the history of Brazilian football, then evolving in the said team .
Since then, six decades have passed. Jair became president. But he did not let go of football. And conversely. On the contrary. In power, the far-right president considers himself " the coach Of a government of " players ". His first "season" in power (ie one year of his presidency) will end, within days, at the same time as the national championship Brasileirão, whose last day is Saturday, December 8th.
The crampons in the grass, Bolsonaro is at home, popular among both leaders and players. The president likes to strut around the country's stadiums, testing his popularity in the shade of the bleachers.
Barely elected, in December 2018, the president-elect was in the arena of "his" Palmeiras, to celebrate on the lawn the victory of the team at the Brasileirão, raising the trophy with both hands in the middle of the hilarious players and under the Vivas of the stands.
Abroad, like its predecessors, Bolsonaro offers jerseys to the big of this world: in April, for Donald Trump, that of Selecão (flanked by No. 10, that of Pelé); in October, for Xi Jinping (a bit taken aback), that of the club Flamengo.
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A display strategy dating back to the 1930s
" All this is thought of as a strategy, Bernardo Buarque de Hollanda, sports sociologist at the Getulio Vargas Foundation (FGV). Bolsonaro wants to appear as a common man with normal tastes, close to the people. "
The maneuver is anything but original. In the 1930s, Getúlio Vargas, father of modern Brazil, linked football to the president and the balloon to the national identity, inaugurating large stadiums, encouraging the radio broadcast of matches.
Since then, all heads of state have had to appear with the cracks (stars) of the Selecao and indicate their clublistic preference: the Cruzeiro from Belo Horizonte for the "bossa-Nova president" Juscelino Kubitschek, father of Brasilia, but from Minas Gerais; the team of the elite carioca Fluminense for the intellectual-president Fernando Henrique Cardoso. The bearded and paulist "leftists" of Corinthians for the metallo Lula.
" But the reference of Bolsonaro is General Emilio Garrastazu Médicisays Mr Buarque de Hollanda. In power from 1969 to 1974, during the cruelest period of dictatorship, he did everything to look like an aficionado, and associate his image with that of football ".
In 1970, the third world title of the Seleção was used to the full by the propaganda and the photo of a triumphant Medici posing beside a "King" Pele to the angels served as image of Epinal to the junta, then to top of his power.
Change of jersey
For 2022, Bolsonaro has a dream: to raise the World Cup, in this year that will coincide with that of the bicentenary of Brazil's independence and the presidential election, where he aims to be reelected.
But in the land of the balloon king, where " football is played in the soul "In the words of the great poet Carlos Drummond de Andrade, there are rules to follow. And all may not be so simple. Because for a year, the game has evolved. Crushing Palmeiras, Flamengo won this year brilliantly his seventh national championship, trampling all competition.
Faced with this turnaround, Bolsonaro, whose popularity began to fall, did not hesitate a second, turning shirt and jersey, and swapping in mid-season the Verdão (big green) from his old team of hearts for the " rubro-negro "(Red and black) Flamengo, going to kiss in public, the shirt of his new team.
True crime, supreme betrayal, the kiss of " pig »To« vulture "(Mascots Palmeiras and Flamengo) has remained in the throat of many fans and observers.
" Bolsonaro is an opportunist! It's wrong from the hair to the toes! Enrage Juca Kfouri, one of the most famous sports journalists in the country. A real torcedor (support), he will never wear the jersey of an opposing team, and especially not kiss him, even if it is a gift offered by a friend! "
Division in the stadiums
The president, however, was not at his first infidelity: " in one year, Bolsonaro showed up with the jerseys of at least 20 different clubs »believes Euclides de Freitas Couto, historian, specialist in the links between football and politics.
Result : " Today, even in the stadium, he divides. He is not well seen and receives as much insults as applause. In the long run, it could become dangerous for him to go to the rostrum. ".
In mid-November, a Santos supporter's group (São Paulo) opposed the president's coming for a match, denouncing the use of the pitch as political platform ". Prudent, Bolsonaro did not attend the end of November in the final of the Copa Libertadores, in Lima, won by the Flamengo. Will he end up giving up the stadium?
One thing is certain: the Mengão, and its 40 million supporters, will not forgive him a new turnaround. Because we do not betray the most beloved club of Brazil ". His hymn is explicit: " Flamengo one day, Flamengo to death! "
