The Brazil legend gives his verdict on the tournament so far, as well as how important it is to celebrate the culture of all the nations competing at the World Cup.
Brazilian icon Gilberto Silva discusses how important it is to embrace and join in with the culture of the FIFA World Cup.
This summers tournament is well underway, and with 48 nations, this edition is by far the biggest in its history.
From the brilliance of Messi, a historic draw between Spain and Cape Verde, and unsung heroes shining through, it is safe to say the World Cup has failed to disappoint so far.
Gilberto won the tournament with Brazil in 2002, and with the Selecao topping their group, they look towards a game against the runner up of Group F: either the Netherlands, Japan or Sweden.
Brazil's Strong Start Has Built Momentum
Whilst Brazil were favourites to win their group, Gilberto believes that getting out of the group in style is massively important in progressing in the latter rounds of the tournament:
“We had a very tough opponent in Morocco, they are a very good team. The first game is always difficult; it is very important to win the first one as it gives you confidence for the other games.”
“It is important to qualify first, starting with Morocco and then Scotland.”
Brazil’s highly contested 1-1 draw with Morocco was then followed by two 3-0 victories over Haiti and Scotland, giving them strong form as they progress to the knockouts.
Why the Expanded World Cup Matters
The World Cup features 48 nations, with an increase from the 32 that competed in Qatar in 2022.
The decision to expand the World Cup to include 16 more nations has gathered many criticism from football supporters, however Gilberto is pleased that it gives an opportunity for diversity and for countries to display their culture on the World stage.
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Embracing the Culture of the World Cup
“When you are in the place where the World Cup is happening, the United States, Mexico and Canada, there is so much going on. The fan fairs, the restaurants… absorbing the culture of each hosting city is great!”
He added: “So many nations in one place is very special, and I enjoy it very much! I hope fans make friends all over the place. There are so many different nations in the competition! I hope the players respond well and enjoy it.”
“The culture, the music, dancing, the local culture is something very unique.”
The tournament sees representation from six different continents, with many countries varying in size. From the United States with a population of 342 million, to Curacao with a population of just 155,000, the tournament sees countries from all over the globe come to compete in the summers festival of football.
Despite going into the final round of group games, still a small portion of the games have actually been played, with another three weeks of football yet to come.
There have been games for everyone, from the brilliance of Messi and Ronaldo showing that class is permanent, to Cape Verde getting two draws against two previous winners, and Ecuador defying all the odds to beat Germany to progress, it is safe to say the neutral can not be disappointed with the World Cup so far.
What Gilberto Watches During Every Match
Gilberto says that he likes to enjoy and unpick the games, and has enjoyed the tournament so far: “As a neutral fan, I like to enjoy the game, but I like to observe the position and shape of the teams.”
“Looking at the style – if they play attacking football, or more possession (football).”
“I like to observe all of these things.”
“Of course I pay attention to the midfield, how do they position themselves? How do they approach the game? How do they assess not only the players in front of them but also the players behind them, these things I always pay attention to.”
“At the end of the day, I want to see good football.”
Brazil's Road to the Knockout Stages
Gilberto will be pleased with the way his beloved Brazil have started the tournament and will hope that they can follow in the footsteps of his team that won the competition in 2002.
After facing one of the Netherlands, Japan or Sweden, Brazil will then likely play the Ivory Coast or Norway, before a potential match against England in the Quarter-finals.
The Group Stage Matches Gilberto Can't Wait to Watch
With half the groups yet to play their final fixture, Gilberto invites everyone to give him their games that you can not miss, before the knockouts:
“3 group stage games that are unmissable for this World Cup? This is hard!
“I will invite everyone to help me and send me what their expectations are for which games can be interesting!”
“I am very curious to watch the newcomers! How will the newcomers behave? - and I am very much looking forward to this – they have nothing to lose!”
