Seen in the picture above is the sea of humanity attending the funeral ceremony in the stadium at Hannover in Germany. Also seen on top is the picture of the player holding his child.The recent incident of a renowned soccer player from Germany who committed suicide by throwing himself in front of the running train shocked the world. His name was Robert Enke and he was the first choice of German national team playing as a goalkeeper. He was at the time of his death 32 years old. He leaves behind his grieving wife who is deeply shocked by his sudden death in these horrible circumstances. He was an outstanding keeper on the field guarding his goal posts. The whole German soccer loving society cried when he died, so also innumerable soccer lovers all around the globe. As a mark of respect, in Germany regular games were also kept in suspension while elsewhere in the world one minute silence was observed before the start of the matches.
As a highest mark of respect and to pay highest tribute to his outstanding contribution to the German soccer, Enke’s coffin was brought to Hannover stadium in Germany before the burial in the presence of thousands of his fans. 45 thousand fans attended this ceremony along with his colleagues in German national team, so also coaches dressed in black. The president of Hannover in his brief address during this ceremony said “you were the number one in the real sense of the word. This is why our hearts are so heavy”.
Bringing one’s coffin to the stadium in such a manner is a rare honour one can pay to the departed soul and this type of honour was rightly accorded to the late German national soccer goalkeeper Robert Enke. In this way we show our love, affection and gratitude to the dead who during his lifetime created wonders for the country and soccer world.
This was not the first time such an honour was accorded to a footballer on his death. About quarter of a century back, when the great Brazilian footballer Garrincha died, his coffin drapped with Brazilian soccer Flag was also brought to the mighty stadium Maracana where a sea of humanity paid its last respect for their once hero; Hero of 1958, 1962 and 1966 World Cups who in all the three World Cup appearances dazzled the world with his sheer genius. With his bendy legs, he could easily score goals directly from the corner kicks. Experts in soccer said that he was as good as Pele but still he remained far behind Pele because Pele’s genius was unmatchable and Pele’s discipline on and off the field was something to be admired. What Pele could do for the ball with his right foot no other footballer could do. Pele could make the ball to do anything except talk.
Garricha played best of his soccer along with Pele for many years and this duo created wonders on the field. Many of his goals came from the feedings Garrincha received from Pele and vice versa. He would still survive on peak of his form like Pele to play for Brazil in Mexico as well in 1970 World Cup but he failed because he was addicted to liquour, night club life and sex. Thru these vices he lost his greatness and died a miserable death as a pauper having number of children. Garrincha coming from poor family background rose to the level of a king because of soccer but died as a beggar. However, soccer fraternity in Brazil and his fans never forgot to respect him in his death.
In my village Candolim, there was one village Church “Pedo” (Grave digger), his name was Bengalo. He was till his death in 1977 a football crazy. He was not a football player himself but was very good football tournament organizer and a referee at local level. During night time he was a number one “Bebdo” but during the soccer match perfectly o.k. He was very rich in love for soccer but very poor in money. Hence, he was robbing money from the village Church Pe. Vigar and purchasing beautiful Trophies and Medals to organize Inter Ward Soccer Tournaments in Candolim. By doing this he was not only showing his love for soccer but also uniting people thru the medium of soccer. During those days in my village, Bengalo’s tournament means something big and locals used to flock the ground to watch and cheer their favourites.
Once during Portuguese time at Nerul football ground, after finishing the match, Bengalo ran to the ground and presented a beautiful Medal to one Portugues Paklo, right outer playing for St. Inez, this Paklo was playing beautifully. When this Paklo saw a strange person running to him in torn banyan and torn short, he became alert but Bengalo went straight to him, hugged the Paklo and said to Paklo in Portuguese “Bom – Bom” (this was the only word illiterate Bengalo knew in Portuguese). Paklo laughed and laughed, so too the spectators. Next day while checking his money, Pe. Vigar noticed 100 Escudos missing from his bag. These Escudos – Portuguese currency in Goa – were robbed by Bengalo from Pe. Vigar to purchase a beautiful Medal to present it to that Paklo player of St. Inez.
When Bengalo died in 1977, I was in Goa on vacation. Thru my initiative and thru the support and co-operation of the locals, Club, Church and Panchayat, we made Bengalo’s funeral very grand with Bras Band in attendance and brought his coffin to the football ground to pay a fitting tribute to his love for soccer. In a small ceremony on football ground attended by number of people participating in the funeral procession, the Club president and Sarpanch lauded the efforts of Bengalo to promote soccer in our village. And after the funeral in the Cemetry, Pe. Chico Monteiro, the renowned Goan priest from Candolim who attended the funeral, in his brief speech praised Bengalo for uniting the locals and bringing them together thru the medium of soccer. Pe. Chico Monteiro concluded his funeral oratory with a statement saying “a peace maker has died in Bengalo”.
An ordinary man with ordinary background received extraordinary honour in his death, such an honour nobody received in Candolim till today. It all happened because of soccer.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.
Kuwait.
