Wagner evokes the spirit of modern Brazil | Alex Bellos

The X Factor celebrity is the perfect ambassador for a country that no longer needs to produce winners to feel good about itselfWhen Pelé became an international star at the 1958 World Cup, he immediately became a powerful symbol for Brazil. Black and aged only 17, he played football with a smile on his face – a wonderful metaphor for a young, racially mixed and culturally vibrant country.Back then Brazil was a country on the rise. Its new capital, Brasília, was being built at a frenetic pac...

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