The America Football Cup happened in Chile a few weeks ago it was in my understanding like the bread and circus used in Rome to distract the people from the many problems facing the country.
It was embarrassing to see the president of Chile, Michelle Bachellet, attending the stadium to watch all the matches of the Chilean team and tacking a "selfie" with the Chilean team, while teachers and students around all the country protest by improvements in the educational system. The news used the most of the time to cover irrelevant details of Copa America like if the whole country revolved around football, once again silencing the voice of the people. It also bothers me that the celebrations turn into madness: people getting drunk on the streets, making noise with their horns and bugles, acting as if the world where about to end.
On the other hand I'm glad that Chile won for first time in its history a football competition, many people who have sad lives forget all their problems for a couple of hours and that's good, we all need a break. But no big deal, Chile has won several competitions in other sports just as important and exciting than football.
I like soccer because it is an exciting sport which can be practiced by people of any social class, you just need a ball (or even a plastic bottle) and a pair of stones or trees to play, but today the professional football has become a very lucrative business and when money becomes the main factor, everything goes to hell.
Finally, I hope Chile keeps winning sports competitions because it is a great way to encourage children to be physically active, leading to a country full of happy and healthy people.
