World Cup

32 teams from 32 countries gathered in Brazil to participate in World Cup.  Compare to the Olympics, developing countries have relatively more opportunities to compete in this tournament.  Some would say it is a chance, a windows, for slam dog children to achieve unimaginable wealth and glory.  It brings hope to children living in poverty, that someday they will become a Neymar or Messi.  Personally, I enjoy watching the games very much.  Yet, I cannot help myself wondering if the game is lifting kids up and giving them a better future.

Let's take our host country as our example.  According to UNICEF report on Brazil, 17 million children live in poverty or "extreme poverty".  To put that number into prospective, that is more than half the population of Canada.  Assuming a national football superstar comes once per generation of about 20 years, these 17 million children are competing for one seat of stardom.  17 million children play soccer for the most part of their day because they perceive soccer as the only way to salvation, among them, one will get there. 

We do play a very similar game here in Canada.  We call it lotto 649.  Even with the infamous comparison to being strike by lightning, the odd of winning the big one lies in the neighborhood of 1 in 14 million - still better than World Cup.  Plus, we don't set aside our lives and devote our entire youthful days rolling the balls.  We get a degree, get a job, pay our taxes, and (if BCFT and the ministry decided to grow up) provide the same opportunity to our young.  Without a welfare and schooling system, the typical street children have no means to move up onto the middle class.  The cycle of poverty continues.

As usual, I am just ranting.  Let's go back to enjoy the game!