Hardly in need of any introduction, Brasil is a home from home of football. The most decorated nation in the game, it's largest city, Rio de Janeiro plays host to the latest edition of Nike's 'Inside Small-Sided' video series.
The 2014 World Cup gave the global audience a glimpse into the passion of this city where football mean everything. It is an outlet, a source of freedom and in the small-sided game, an expression. For many it is at the heart of communities. A city of flair, in Rio most children grow up kicking a ball practically in tandem with their first steps. Football equates to fun; a means to meet people, interact and grow. Many have honed their skills in the walls of a small-sided pitch.
The vast majority of pitches, both indoor and outdoor, in Rio’s inner city are designed for 7-a-side games or smaller. The city offers hundreds of local small-sided leagues for players of all ages and Brasil has one of the most established professional football leagues in the world, but most small-sided games are informal. Play can happen at anytime and on any surface, from beach to court to turf. The NikeFootballX collection factors in these variables and is explicitly designed with the small-sided style and surfaces in mind.
There's no denything the power that football possesses, uniting people together on a daily basis. From Mexico City to Rio de Janeiro, via Buenos Aires and Santiago – this Nike News series looks at how the small-sided game continues to influence the development of football in Latin America ahead of the 2015 Copa América and beyond.
A story well told, this first piece in a remarkable exploration of football around the globe is a celebration of why the game is like no other, especially on the small-sided court. Take in the full story from Nike.
