The Soccer World Cup is going on right now in the Brazilian territory, Brazilian team jerseys are everywhere, soccer is now a “full-time subject” and, as a national passion, it is once again watched by the whole world.

What the entire planet also knows is that Jiu-Jitsu is another passion of this brave people. Even though we from BJJ do not wear soccer shoes or play on a soccer field, gradually we conquered our space due to the gentle art dissemination around the world.

Just like in soccer, we were gradually seen as part of the Brazilian culture in other countries and were associated with that when it comes to naming the country where the best athletes in the world came from.

Two different sports, loved by the whole world – especially by the Brazilians – would have something in common?

The national passion combination.

Besides all the feelings involved in the sports atmosphere, jiu-jitsu and soccer do have their interrelation. It could seem kind of impossible to imagine that, but we from GB Brazil gathered our team to think about what these sports may have in common.

And we found 4 points that connect ball and kimono:

1) A cradle of champions: Both in soccer and in the gentle art, one thing is certain: The Brazilians are born to be champions. To prove that we go to the very top. It’s just a matter of reflecting a little: The BJJ world champions come from the most-times Soccer World Champion country.

2) A warrior blood: Soccer players or fighters, when we start to play, it is to win. As the Brazilian national anthem says: “Verás que um filho teu não foge à luta” (You will see that your son will not run away from a battle.)

3) That well-known knee injury: Yes… There’s no way around it. Injuries are part of the life of any athlete. But particularly, who trains wearing the kimono knows that one of the hardest injuries (already faced or maybe to be faced sometime) is the knee injury. Regardless of minor differences, soccer players do get what we’re talking about.

4) Love: Be it that informal soccer match or BJJ practice between friends, by the ball or the kimono, the soccer field or the mat, the feeling is all the same. We are literally in love with these two sports. We scream, we cry, we celebrate… All these reactions are a constant part of these two sports settings.

In World Cup times, we will continue to train, but now proudly wearing our country’s jersey!

LET’S GO!

OSS