Resumo

The article aims to investigate the role of soccer as an important element of Brazilian national integration in the XXI century. Our approach is theoretically based on the work of Stuart Hall about identity questions and on the considerations made by Ronaldo Helal about the importance of soccer as a social integrated element in Brazil. Our guideline is the institutionalization of soccer in Brazil, its trajectory to the organization of the 1950 World Cup and the expectations towards the 2014 Cup which will be held in the country. The questions we raise and that constitute the point of departure of our analyses are the following: How it would be defined, nowadays, the Brazilian cultural identity? What does it mean to be Brazilian in the XXI century? What is the role of soccer in these questions?

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