Soccer SuperFans

By: Shameda Saffee, Toronto

Zico - Born Artur Antunes Coimbra at Rio in 1953, the youngest of five "footballing" brothers who made his league debut for Flamengo in 1973, and his international debut in 1976 against Uruguay, scoring with one 'dead-ball' shot which he became famous for.

Zico netted over 100 goals in his first two seasons and was South American Player Of The Year in 1977 (and in 1981 and 1982).

In the summer of 1982, my walk home to Oxford Street through Kensington market, was to the blast of soccer commentary from radios in almost all of the shops, blaring scores and blended commentaries in Portugese and English with high refrains of comments, curses, commands and responses from mostly men who worked in the stores.

Guys in white aprons and full coats, slipped outside, paused in sync with score announcements and called out comments to their neighbours across the street. As women working on vegetable arrangements in neatly orchestrated lines pursed their lips and tut-tutted their disapproval of the hustle and bustle jokes about soccer and sex, the summer of 1982 had a swirl of giddy excitement that only soccer could bring. Soccer from Spain was hot in the air, and people shopped, argued, agreed and contested scores in Portuguese, Spanish and English in Kensington market, in downtown Toronto.

Zico's name was on everyone's lips - soccer's latest superstar from King Pele's homeland.

Tongues smacked, hands slapped shoulders, and voices raised the roof as the radios' volume was turned up with every goal - higher and higher! His hat-trick against Bolivia clinched a place in the 1982 finals and in Spain his four goals, including the equallizer against Scotland, took his total for Brazil past 50. Zico ruled that summer. Later that year, we adopted a gorgeous Afghan dog. We called him Ziko absolutely because the name was resonating in our ears that entire summer.

In 1983 after 650 goals and four Brazilian championship medals, Zico made a £2.500.000 move to Udinese.

That summer, as I drove along Davenport Road and Dupont Street, the sycophancy of car horns followed me as I drove west towards Dufferin Street. It was the second victory for Brazil - this time in Mexico 1983. Victory was pregnant and born again, a year later.
Windows were rolled down, flags waved openly and soccer fans in Toronto cheered, chanted in Portugese and Spanish as a train of cars formed along this route that travels east and west. It was jubilation, joy expressed in motion as we drove along that day-sweet sounds of street celebration, not often downtown. Zico played in three games in the 1986 World Cup, all as a substitute. His last match was the quarter-final against France when Brazillian fans chanted for him. Alas, minutes later he missed a penalty. It was a sad end for one of Brazil's most popular players of all time. After 1047 senior games, including 71 for Brazil, he eventually retired in 1990 and was appointed his country's Sports Minister.

And, the sweet sounds of samba and stadium echoes continue in the streets of Kensington, Dundas, Dupont, Davenport and St. Clair: "Viva Brazil" from 1982-2010!!