He will probably talk about it for decades, perhaps long after even Robert Mugabe is gone. Shaun Munemo had a day to remember today — the day Brazil came to play.
The six-year-old and his mother, Charity Munemo, 46, were among 60,000 people crammed into the national stadium in Harare for the biggest sporting event ever to hit Zimbabwe: a match against Brazil, the world's greatest footballing nation. Zimbabwe came to a standstill as the unity government declared a half-day public holiday.
“It’s a big thing for the country,” said Munemo with her son at her side. “We never imagined it would happen. We feel humbled to have Brazil in our land. In every corner, every market, every shop, people are all speaking of this Brazil match. My son is very excited.”
Warming up for the imminent World Cup in neighbouring South Africa, Brazil put on a display of artistry in the beautiful game in a country that, judging by the enthusiasm of the crowd, has been starved of beauty for too long.
It was also a day of peculiar collisions, none more so than when Mugabe and Morgan Tsvangirai, Zimbabwe's prime minister, strolled on to the pitch and competed with Kaka, millionaire star of Real Madrid and Brazil, for the crowd's biggest cheer. Rarely had politics and sport danced such a curious tango.
Mugabe, 86, carrying the Zimbabwe flag, and his wife, Grace, in white hat and jacket, greeted the visiting players after a brass band played the national anthems. It remains to be seen if the Brazilians will face the same criticism as Prince Charles once did for shaking the presidential hand.
But two months after this Chinese-built stadium witnessed one of Africa's most reviled leaders bask in pageantry marking his 30th year in power, it was the turn of the Samba Boys to whip up some rather more sincere adulation — and a chorus of vuvuzela horn blasts. Zimbabwe has become as synonymous with misery as Brazil is with football. Political violence and rigged elections, record hyperinflation and economic collapse, the erosion of civil liberties and human rights were an unsavoury backdrop to the strutting of football's finest aristocrats.
The healing power of sport can be tritely eulogised, but for Mugabe the match did appear to represent a publicity coup, despite awkward questions over why a country dependent on food aid, with 94% unemployment, had spent a fortune on wooing a team of multimillionaires. The tourism minister, Walter Mzembi, denied reports that Zimbabwe had paid the Brazilian Football Federation $1.8m (£1.2m) after a year of negotiations. Other sources put the figure closer to $1m. Mzembi said 70% of the cost of the game was contributed by a mining company and mobile phone operator. The remaining 30% of the bill was paid by the Zimbabwean government's tourism arm.
Judging by the feverish local reaction, the calculation appeared to have paid off. People walked for miles, paying from $10, triple the normal rate, to $60 for the best seats — or rather, the best positions on old-fashioned concrete terraces.
The big match was seemingly one thing that could unite Mugabe's Zanu-PF and Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change. Sports Minister David Coltart, from the MDC, told the BBC : “This is the biggest sporting event ever in Zimbabwe. It is a unique opportunity to rebrand Zimbabwe.”
Others shared the sense of occasion. Clarence Wega, 29, an accountant who walked 5km to get a ticket, said: “I never imagined Brazil would come here. It’s great for the morale of the people. We need to forget our troubles and enjoy the moment. It’s a historic thing. The World Cup has felt far away but this brings it back home.” He added: “This is a bullseye for the government.”
Cuthbert Muwani, 30, selling ice-creams to the animated fans, said: “I never thought I would see the Brazilian team here in my life. The country has scored big bringing them here. It will be in the history books for years to come. Whether Zimbabwe lose 2-0 or 3-0, just playing Brazil is a win already.”
Despite Zimbabwe's economic crisis, he defended the government's hefty payment to Brazilian football. “It’s a good use of money because other countries, especially the west, were shunning this country. It improves our image. People will now say, 'Ah, Brazil were in this country.'“
On the field, it was billed as one of football's great mismatches. Brazil, five times world champions and ranked number one, against Zimbabwe's “Warriors”, ranked 110th behind Rwanda, Tanzania and Azerbaijan. For these players, some of whom are based overseas, it was the biggest match of their lives.
And for the first 40 minutes it seemed possible Zimbabwe could pull off a coup beyond even Mugabe's propaganda department. Ovidy Karuru missed an open goal in the 19th minute by shooting over the crossbar, unlikely to please the watching president.
Finally, Brazil woke up when Michel Bastos scored from a free kick, winger Robinho added a second from inside the penalty area in the 44th minute and midfielder Elano wrapped things up from close range after half-time. In the end it had been a pleasant afternoon stroll.
For Zimbabwe, the result didn't really matter. “This is the best thing ever to happen to Zimbabwean football. I hope this is the beginning of many good things to come,” said Henrietta Rushwaya, head of the Zimbabwe Football Association.
But now they must come back down to earth against less illustrious opponents: Norman Mapeza, the team coach, said: “I must emphasise that we must not lose sight of the fact that we have a very important game again on Sunday against the Seychelles.”
© Guardian News and Media 2010
