But, as Littlefinger, Game of Thrones’ smartest character, would say, “chaos is a ladder.” And in the absolute chaos that devastated São Paulo, between Mirassóis and Penapolenses, impeachment and beatings between leaders, the nickname of idol remained vacant – waiting for someone to climb the steps of this ladder that is destined for a beautiful place in the hearts of São Paulo people. Some candidates presented themselves, but perhaps none of them met the mandatory characteristics to occupy this title.
The player needs to have a collection of inexorable virtues and defects, customized ingredients to become an idol. Or better yet: an idol of the new times. And Luciano has it. Luciano has more than 200 games for the club, Luciano has more than 70 goals for São Paulo, Luciano decides big games. Luciano provokes rivals, Luciano mocks opponents, Luciano teases referees. Luciano bothers commentators, Luciano sends hints in interviews, Luciano takes stupid cards. Luciano plays for the fans, but he also plays for the fans. Luciano gives xilique, Luciano does flying, Luciano does cart. Luciano played for the rival, provoked the rival, traveled around Brazil and chose São Paulo to be the place to stay. Luciano was the 11 we expected, Luciano is the 10 he deserved.
He’s a complex character. Fascinating. With apparent flaws and limitations, but which does not hide or shy away from showing them. Is Luciano a great? He is not. Did Luciano deserve a place in the national team? Look… sorry, I let clubism speak for me. He doesn’t deserve it, no. But faced with these strikers who are enemies of the goal wearing the yellow card, it would be good to have someone who doesn’t yellow in this jungle that is Brazilian football. And what Brazil lacks in the Brazilian team is not written in the comic book.
Speaking of comics… Luciano is an anti-hero, a very rare item in today’s football. It’s difficult to like Luciano, even for São Paulo residents, both old and new generations. I know great São Paulo fans who can’t stand him and, in this sense, they are on par with Palmeiras and Corinthians fans, who also hate him – and that would be enough for every Tricolor to have him as their favorite player. In such a pausterized football, with so much media training, so much whitewashing, so much “let’s go in search of the three points”, so much “VAR will check the lines”, so much dancing on Tik Tok, a dose of personality needs to be celebrated.
Especially in an apathetic club like São Paulo in the last decade, which treated fifth place in the Brazilian Championship and the quarter-finals of the Copa do Brasil as mission accomplished. Luciano is a permanent reminder on the field that nonconformity is the fuel for any team that is willing to win. And in this historic title, he participated or scored goals against Sport, Palmeiras and Corinthians. In the final, he agreed to be a substitute and, when he came on, he helped the team defend the unprecedented cup.
There are other idols in São Paulo, but none of them, in my opinion, have the complete package.
2023-12-14 19:43:36
#Juca #Kfouri #Luciano #idol #times
