There are some unforgettable moments you are meant NOT to miss! Brazil’s second goal in their first game of this World Cup against Serbia was a bicycle kick by Richarlison which was possibly the goal of the tournament to cherish. Though a big Brazil fan, I had missed waking up at the half past midnight start in India and found myself catching the game in the 64th minute just after the same guy had put Brazil in the lead by tapping one gently in front of an open goal. This “gem” of a bicycle kick came soon after to be etched in memory and minutes later the scorer of two was substituted. Just like that. Scored twice! No fuss, no frills. Taken off. Because Coach believes I need to. That’s TEAMWORK!

‘WE’ is better than ‘Me’ anyday in a team game

The Football World Cup reminds us of the human quest for excellence even while running after a ball! The big difference is having a GOAL to reach and setting a measurable target while following rules and controlling yourselves emotionally while being painfully vulnerable physically.

What makes Brazil outstanding in this particular sporting arena is the record of having qualified to appear in each and every edition of The World Cup since 1930! It could be a personal bias since I grew up on stories of Pele and all the famous no. 10 shirts till Neymar now!

What flair on the field to create open spaces as a team? Poor Serbia looked stoic and clueless! Looks the best teamwork as of now…. GO, BRAZIL GO!

‘GO’…….with a ‘GOAL’ to win!

MAY THE BEST ‘TEAM’ WIN – though I would love it to be Brazil!

At MANTRA – our Attitude Consulting company which is an acronym for Management Training Research Associates – we believe that while talent can win you matches, it takes teamwork to win Championships! Brazil’s long standing record of qualifying in all and winning 5 times is a good reason to believe it’s teamwork more than just a few talented superstars once in a while!