With Brazil hosting the FIFA World Cup, we wanted to share the song “Futebol” by Chico Buarque that is so popular it even has it’s own documentary.
Written and performed below by Brazil’s Chico Buarque, this samba compares the art of a great soccer player with the artistry of a music composer or painter. The lyrics in Brazilian say that the soccer player is as creative as an artist looking for just the right moment for inspiration to come and acting upon it – with the precision of an arrow. And since Chico Buarque and most of Brazil are enthusiastic soccer fans, the song is filled with imagery from the game and the names of famous players such Pelé, Mané, Didí, Pagão, and Canhoteiro. You can see a live version (with Portuguese subtitles) of “Futebol” here:
The documentary that mixes soccer and soccer music is called “O Futebol” and is an homage to the Brazilian love of the game.
More Songs of Soccer
This song is actually one of three soccer songs from Brazil chosen by Betto Arcos, a writer and Latin American Music maven. Want to see his two other picks for great soccer songs? Check them out at this NPR Global Hit post from the show called “The World”
Making Multicultural Music 