“Brasil Chegou” (“Brazil Has Arrived”)
The Brazilian men’s Olympic soccer team is not the only one with an official anthem. When the women’s team was eliminated from the 2019 World Cup, Gabi Fernandes (one of the composers of that other anthem) approached the players with a song of support she had written. This lead the CBF (the Brazilian Soccer Confederation) to invite her to write this official anthem for the Olympic games two years later. Unfortunately, the team was just eliminated from the 2021 Olympics, but the general message here still applies.
Listen to the song and watch the official video
(that’s coach Pia Sundhage on guitar with the mask)
At 1:15 in the video, there is an actual newspaper headline that says: Women prohibited from playing soccer - The National Sports Council approved the conclusions of General Newton Cavalcanti - Sporting activities that are allowed or prohibited for the female sex in the country followed by another that says: “Women’s feet were not made for putting on cleats!” - Women’s matches are not included in legal provisions - - timeline statements from Iguesil Marinho, Assistant Coach from the Ministry of Education.
“Brasil Chegou” (“Brazil has arrived”)
by Gabi Fernandes
[spoken] Play for me!
What used to be the backyard at home
Is today a soccer stadium
What used to be just a girl’s dream
Today is reality
The time has come, go play ball!
[sung] How many times have you dreamed about getting exactly where you are now?
Right! Your time has come, girl
How many times have they told you that you wouldn’t succeed?
And you succeeded… Today you’re among the best in Brazil!
Shutting the mouths of the doubters
And the impossible was just a matter of the opinion of who was speaking
They said it but they were wrong
You have a guardian angel protecting you and it told me to give you a message
It’s that, the angel’s voice whispered in my ear
There are a lot of good things coming around here
Try to be happy, your turn has come
Starting now there are 90 minutes
You all and the ball and all of Brazil together
Everybody is with you
Run after your golden dream
Don’t forget there are 10 at your side
You remember your past really well
How much you fought to be here
Your time to smile has come
So put a smile on your face,
Hug the one next to you
Go out and play with enjoyment
And now yell really loud
Let people know Brazil has arrived
Let them know there will be goals
You can let them know Brazil has arrived
It’s here, it’s here, it’s here, it’s here
Let them know there will be goals
Yes there will, there will be goals!
[various voices] Play for me! Play for us!