Foot: Brazilian Rai, in the footsteps of his brother Socrates

Text by: Annie Gasnier Follow

In Brazil, in the midst of a coronavirus pandemic, the former captain of the national football team and of PSG, comes to the aid of the most deprived in the suburbs of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, on behalf of his Gol de Letra Foundation, for which he calls for donations. Raí also positions himself in favor of democracy, which is today undermined by the country's leaders. Interview.

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"Captain Raí" has hung up his crampons for 20 years, but his charisma has not faded. And the one who ignited the stands of Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo or Paris, commits every day more in the social field in the name of his Gol de letr Foundation , launched in 1998 in Paris, with the other former PSG member, Leonardo . Raí told us about the actions underway, his commitment to democracy as his elder Socrates did, and also a bit of football.

“  The Gol de letra Foundation has been for 22 years directed towards the education of young people in the suburbs, São Paulo where I live, and Rio de Janeiro. But in this moment of health emergency, we have adapted our activities and we are distributing cestas basicas, baskets of food to hungry families , explains the former playmaker. Hunger has never disappeared from Brazil, for example in the Northeast. But in the big cities, despite the great social inequalities, it was less present. The pandemic and containment since the beginning of March have made urgent aid for poor families locked up and destitute  .

RFI : Raí, is this situation only due to coronavirus and containment ?

Raí : The economic situation has already been fragile lately, we were hoping for a recovery, but with confinement, all the families dependent on odd jobs in the informal sector found themselves with nothing. More income, state aid complicated to collect, and we distributed more than 40 tonnes of food. This is why I launch this call for donations, especially in France.

Are calls for containment followed while the president of the country, Bolsonaro, opposes this method decreed by the governors to fight against the coronavirus ?

The message is confused, necessarily because the president and his supporters have a different position. Fortunately, however, the constitution gives governors, and mayors, local decision-making power. And governors and mayors alike have learned, with the examples of the epidemic in Asia and Europe, and also scientists, how to save lives. It's hard for the economy, but health must take precedence.

We, with the Foundation, advocate confinement because the health system is overwhelmed, there are no more places. However, given the great social inequalities in Brazil, we have among the best hospitals in the world, but private and reserved for a minority, and public hospitals with little means for the majority of the population. And I hope that faced with this dramatic situation, we will think about a fairer society in the near future.

Your big brother, now disappeared, Socrates, was an idol as a footballer but also for having fought against the military dictatorship (1964-1985). Are you taking over ?

Socrates, one of my five brothers, was an idol who influenced an entire generation, including me, his younger brother! I was eleven years younger, but I was able to follow his path. However, he was fighting against the dictatorship! They had invented democracy in the management of his club Corinthians, one of the most popular in the country. And I have often heard supporters and their fans telling me "  the first time I heard of democracy was thanks to Socrates  ". A whole generation had never lived in a democracy! And in a certain way I took over with the Foundation, in another role, of mobilization for a country more democratic and more just socially.

Mobilization through the Foundation ?

Yes, because in the neighborhoods where we work, it works! I even became, me and our whole team, a reference for associations. Gol de letra was awarded for his work.

We are currently experiencing a political crisis, where democracy and real human values ​​are being discussed. The limit too, of authoritarianism between powers. Now in a democracy we need the Congress (parliament), the Supreme Court and an executive power. I am taking a stand, in favor of democracy, to live in a country where there is a constructive debate. I am not in controversy, but when I see so much social injustice, that lives are threatened by the virus, I say it. The president was democratically elected, but you have to listen to science, to specialists, and not to endanger people's lives.

Football has been stopped since the beginning of March, the championships of each state are unfinished, the national championship Brasileirão has not started. You, who are the director of FC Sao Paulo where Dani Alves plays, do you favor a recovery ?

Not yet. Some clubs are preparing their health protocols, but as long as the number of victims increases, it would be hard to see football resume. In addition, several stadiums, such as the Pacaembu de São Paulo lawn, house field hospitals. Leaders, including me, try to plan a return, but not while lives are in danger. Only when everything is clean.

PSG is at a standstill, like Ligue 1, but it has two national cup finals and the Champions League to play. It is said that this team lacks a leader in the field. You, " Captain Raí ", do you think so ?

From a distance, it's hard to say, you have to know the atmosphere of the cloakroom to say precisely what is missing. In 2014, we said the same for the Seleção beaten here by Germany at the World Cup.

PSG has a great team, great players, there is money, it wants to win the European Cup but it is not easy when opposite there is Bayern or Manchester City or other! All the details count, you have to be the best in all areas, I don't believe in a single leader problem.

Is Neymar in the right club to win the Ballon d'Or ?

If this club wins the Champions League, it's easier. He has the potential to become world number 1, he has incredible technical qualities but in football, you don't win anything alone. If the team grows, Neymar will be bigger.

If you were still a player and could choose your club, which one would it be ?

I am very attached to the three clubs of my career, Botafogo de Ribeirão Preto, FC Sao Paulo and PSG, but I would choose to play in the Seleção of 1982, the one where my brother Socrates, Zico, Junior, Falcão, Roberto Dinamite played, with one of the best trainers in the world, Tele Santana. I had it in Sao Paulo, we won almost everything together and moreover, it was a dream. Brazil did not win that year, I was fortunately world champion in 1994!

Donations to the Gol de letra Foundation : https://bit.ly/34yd3j3
€ 20 allows you to feed a family for one month.

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