Most popular sports in Brazil
Brazil is a very famous sports country worldwide thanks to the reputation of their soccer team. There are, however, other popular sports that Brazilians are good at, but the rest of the world does not know about them yet. Let’s take a look at what we can find out about Brazil sport-wise when we scratch the surface. Taking into account that Brazil is world’s fifth biggest country, I’m sure we’re gonna come up with some unexpected results about the most popular sports in Brazil. And if you happen to decide that this is reason enough for you to relocate to Brazil, we will be here to help you.
The overview of popular sports in Brazil
Given that they are all born and raised here, our international movers Brazil made a shortlist of most popular sports in Brazil with one honorable mention. Here they are:
- Football (soccer)
- Volleyball
- Capoeira
- Motorsports
- Mixed martial arts
- Swimming
- Rugby
First things first
Football is the sport that we cannot avoid talking about in this topic since though Brazil is most famous for it. Brazilian football association was established back in 1959 and since then, the national team of Brazil has won 5 World Cups. That is more than any other national team on the planet. Because of it, you can see kids in Brazil play football all around the country, no matter the conditions. Given the vast gap between the poor and the rich, you can see kids playing football with their bare feet or in top gear. No matter what the social background is, every Brazilian young boy’s dream is to play for the national team and win the World Cup.
Nevertheless, it is not only the boys who play football in Brazil. It is so popular that girls do it as well. They train together and are taught to nurture the beauty of the game, joga bonito, as they call it. Apart from playing it in training, kids also play street football. This allows them to develop their individual skills and dribbles. Football is one of the cheapest sports to play. Kids only need a pair of sneakers (in Brazil not even sneakers are a necessity) and a ball. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that so many of them do it. For Brazilians, it is a fun and a social activity, but also a way out of poverty.
Volleyball is second on the list of the most popular sports in Brazil
Second most popular sport in Brazil is volleyball. The national team of Brazil has been competing at the highest level for years now. They are always favorites for the Olympic gold. If they don’t win it though, one of the two remaining spots on the podiums is theirs. Furthermore, Brazil is one of the top nations in beach volley. It is a type of volleyball played on sand, 2-VS-2. With the number of beaches, beach courts and the love for the ordinary volleyball, it is no surprise that Brazilians are dominant in this form of the game as well.
Capoeira is one of the most popular sports in Brazil
Capoeira originated among African slaves during the era of colonization. It is a form of a dance that has successfully incorporated forms of martial arts. It was created in such a form because the slaves were not allowed to practice any martial arts back in the day. As the time went by, capoeira spread around the country and in the late 20th century over the world as well. It is accompanied by music and is good for developing motor coordination and agility.
Motorsports
Motorsports are also among the most popular sports in Brazil. The most important race of the year is the one in Formula One that takes place in São Paulo. Brazil has been participating in Formula One since 1972. Races have been driven on two circuits: Jacarepagua in Rio de Janeiro and Interlagos in São Paulo. Until 1990 the two tracks would use interchangeably for a few years. Since 1990 Interlagos became the main track and has hosted every race ever since. Obviously, you will not see many kids playing motorsports in the street for the obvious reasons. Still, Brazilians are avid fans of the sport and follow both Formula One and other racing championships. Some of the most famous Brazilian drivers include Ayrton Senna, Rubens Barrichello, Felipe Massa and Lucas Di Grassi.
Mixed Martial Arts or MMA
Mixed martial arts are gaining ground in Brazil. Fighting has been popular in Brazil thanks to Ultimate Fight Championship. Since its success, more and more Brazilians are starting to follow this physical sport. On the other hand, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has been gaining ground rapidly. The main characteristic of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is that it concentrates on fighting on the ground. The general idea behind this sport is that a smaller person can defeat the bigger and stronger adversary by applying choke techniques and joint locks.
Swimming
Swimming as a spectator sport is not very popular in Brazil. However, many Brazilians like to swim and learn to do it at a very young age. This can be regarded as normal, given the fact that Brazil is a coastal country with the length of the coast of 7,000 km. Still, it would be unfair not to mention other water sports. Surfing the waves comes naturally when a child lives so close to the ocean. If you’re thinking about settling in Rio de Janeiro, do your child a favor and enroll him in one of the local water-sports club. It will help him grow, develop and make friends.
Rugby
Rugby has been present in Brazil for many years now. However, quality of the game is still pretty low, so the league has not gone professional yet. This represents an opportunity for those who are moving from Australia to Brazil to influence and further develop the game.
Beach sports, in general, are the among the most popular sports in Brazil. They are inexpensive, inclusive and it is easy to find with and against whom to play them. In order to bring you closer to the culture of beach sports in Brazil, we would like to invite you to watch the following video. It will give you a sense of what to expect after you move to Brazil.
