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Your letters: The World Cup and soccer'€™s power

In less than a month the world will witness one of the most-awaited sporting events in the world, the 2014 FIFA World Cup

The Jakarta Post
Fri, May 23, 2014

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Your letters: The World Cup and soccer'€™s power

I

n less than a month the world will witness one of the most-awaited sporting events in the world, the 2014 FIFA World Cup. This year'€™s World Cup will be held in the festive and soccer-crazy Brazil.

However, with lots of controversy over whether the nation can pull off such a huge event, many people have doubted that Brazil will be ready for the World Cup on time.

With several stadiums still under construction and many protests going on in the country on how much money is being spent on the event has brought more insecurity than actual euphoria. Even the stadium that is going to be used for the opening ceremony and games is not yet fully finished.

It'€™s true that many Brazilians don'€™t care how great the stadium or the World Cup will be if the country still can'€™t provide proper roads, transportation and even education. The people of Brazil still prefer peaceful living over soccer.

Believe it or not, but soccer is its own superpower. It has the ability to bring all the people in the country together and have a moment in which they support their nation with their hearts set on victory. It can even bring peace to a country that is in the middle of a civil war.

Yes, peace to a civil war. Some might know him as a Chelsea legend, while some know him as a national hero. His name is Didier Drogba.

In October 2005, he picked up a microphone in his national team, the Ivory Coast'€™s dressing room, surrounded by his teammates, fell on his knees and begged both sides of the civil war factions to lay down their arms and stop fighting.

In one week'€™s time, a miracle happened. Before the match against Madagascar, both leaders of the opposing sides attended the match and stood side by side in the stadium stands and sang the national anthem of the Ivory Coast together.

Ivory Coast won the match 5-0 and sent the nation to its first World Cup.

That was the end of the civil war and the beginning of a new Ivory Coast. After five years of fighting, it took one man to give a speech and bring peace to the country through soccer.

With the World Cup coming and the people of Brazil still protesting about the event taking place, there are possibilities that after the World Cup the country will be better off and hopeful that everything in the country from its economy, transportation to education will be better.

It may be hard to believe and might be considered a fairy tale that a single sport can change something in a country. But it is, however, the most popular sport in the world and with so many eyes watching this upcoming event and them seeing the host country, it can make the world move and give a hand to those in need.

It is after all the World Cup, the most anticipated tournament for everyone around the world.

Wahyu Anggoro Chihayanto

Jakarta

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