From the first kick-off of Brazil vs. Croatia to Mario Götze’s extra time goal for Germany, this year’s FIFA World Cup was a whirlwind of emotion. Disappointment for Argentina, who made it further than anyone expected, anger for Brazil’s devastating 7-1 loss to Germany, and joy for many other nations. Names were made, legends finished their careers, and nations stood captivated. If the FIFA World Cup proves one thing, it’s that soccer (or football) is truly the world’s game, and one painter decided to put all that emotion into one amazing piece of street art.
Capturing the World Cup’s Intensity and Emotion
Marcos Jambeiro began his mural of the World Cup just days into the tournament, capturing the intensity and emotion as it was happening. The piece was commissioned by ESPN as a testament to what Brazil and the world felt for a month this summer. For the country of Brazil, this mural seems the perfect way to convey this. As Jambeiro said in a recent interview, “When we do a work on the street, it’s a museum that’s open to everyone,” Jambeiro said. “It’s an open cultural center for everyone to come to.”
In fact, major metropolitan sectors have passed laws that only encourage street art. Sao Paulo, for example, has a ban on public advertising like billboards, so there is ample more space for artists to take over and add their own flavour to their cities. In Brazil, street art is exactly like New York in the 70s, except for the complete opposite. Both are covered from street to building tops with graffiti, but in Brazil, it’s part of the culture and entirely encouraged.
Expressing Brazil’s Passion for Football
So when the muralist Marcos Jambeiro told The Washington Post that street art and soccer are essential components of a nation’s identity, he has tapped into something that Brazil is famous for, both in talent and pervasiveness. he connects the two further in his interview: “This is something specific to Brazilians: the spontaneity of playing football, joy,” he said. “Art is in all of this, not just in the painting, but in the song, the joy of playing football.”
Combining World Cup Highlights, World Flags, and Brazilian Points of Interest
Jambeiro combined World Cup highlights, world flags, and the most famous places in Brazil, fully encapsulating what makes these types of sports tournaments so wonderful. Jambeiro also made full use of technology, his smartphone always at the ready to capture famous photos of particularly incredible moments: Neymar’s tragic injury, Guillermo Ochoa’s incredible save in Mexico vs. Croatia, the list goes on. Coupled with the flags weaving in and out of the images, the fans holding their signs and their breaths, Jambeiro’s mural is a testament to all that made the World Cup particularly memorable.
