A Batalha no Campo do Inimigo: Nike is pumping the CBF on the streets of BA on Copa America Eve.
With only four days to go until Copa America 2011, futbol fever is running high on the streets of Buenos Aires. The most important international soccer tournament since last year’s World Cup gives twelve Latin American squads an opportunity to shine on the world stage. For Argentina and Brazil, the 25-day event offers the chance for some redemption after painful Quarterfinal losses to the Germans (4-0) and the Dutch (2-1), respectively.
When Coach Mano Menezes and the Brazilians arrived in Buenos Aires last week, the heat was ratcheted up a notch, especially because the Selección and the Seleção are the oddsmakers’ favorites to meet in the Finals on July 25. Anticipating an influx of Brazilian tourists, Nike is pumping pro-CBF gear and advertisements on the streets of BA like its the Jardim Paulista.
Oversize window displays of Neymar implore passers-by to Join the Brazil Nation, while limited edition jerseys tout A Batalha no Campo do Inimigo (The Battle on the Field of the Enemy). While the Brazilian squad is training in the Province and camping out in a luxury hotel in Los Cardales, Coach Menezes has his squad on lockdown to avoid the cold weather and potential violence stemming from this afternoon’s River Plate-Belgrano match.
If River does not win by two or more goals and gets demoted to the Second Division, things could get ugly on the streets of Nuñez and the twittersphere where hashtags like #riBer and Boca-sponsored flyers have been pouring salt in an already gaping financial wound for River Plate. Ironically the Millonarios Club is reportedly US$19 million in debt. Win or lose, football passion and rivalries are alive and well on Copa America Eve.
