Santo André in Brazil: The Spirit of Campo Bahia

Was that what was missing in Qatar? In 2014, the German team prepared for the World Cup victory in Santo André, Brazil: in a village that has big tourist plans.

fot some Brazilians, Santo André is still the “seven-to-one beach”. Others object to the reduction of the former fishing village to defeat by the Germans. One thing is certain: the national team likes to think of “the best base camp of all time”. The bathtub-warm turquoise water, the golden-yellow sand, the coconut palms and the comfortable accommodation with a view of the Atlantic – all this also contributed to the victory over Brazil. In retrospect, the legendary march through even justified the criticized million dollar project Campo Bahia in the solitude of north-eastern Brazil. The luxurious villa ensemble was specially built for the footballers. Newspapers, television and radio stations reported on the small village in Bahia for weeks.

Anyone turning off the main road onto the Sandweg eight years later might think that the world had forgotten the village again. The nameplate at the entrance to the village is marked by sun, wind and rain, with a new one underneath it, smaller than the old one. The still unpaved main road between the river, the sea and the BR 101 federal road is still full of potholes in which rainwater collects. The two grocery stores are still there. A few restaurants have closed, others have opened, houses are for sale, others are being built. The Internet is a little more reliable since it’s transmitted via fiber optic cable. Life runs its leisurely course, as always. Or?