There is a word that is referred to in Brazilian football that puts a name to the style of individual play, characteristic of the famous Brazilian football magicians who grace YouTube and television highlights. Ginga, pronounced jeen-gah, literally translates to rocking back and forth. It is a fundamental movement in the martial art of Capoeira. When you see Brazilian footballers like Neymar, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Pele, there is always a sense of rhythm and balance that matches the music in highlight reels.
The Urban Dictionary defines Ginga as:
GINGA IS RHYTHM…in soccer. It’s swinging your body from one side to the other to deceive. Ginga is creativity. It’s the pedalada and trivela. Ginga is the opposite of boring. It’s the opposite of mechanical soccer. It is having fun with the ball. It is grace. It is being fluid and coordinated. IT IS SOUL. IT IS DANCE.
damn…that Brazilian has got Ginga!
Of course Ginga is something that comes from within, due to culture and surroundings, many Brazilians are born with it. I am no expert on this topic but when the term was being used during a golden period of Brazilian football 15-20 years ago, it was a word that stuck with me. Nike used it in documentaries for football and of course product sales. Can anyone learn or adapt a Ginga style of play? Probably not, unless you are immersed in that environment and cultural way of life. But what if you really want to give something a go to slowly adapt elements of rhythm and movement that shows your creativity? Why not?
During the recent monsoonal weather, we at CCSC have been forced to take on alternative methods of coaching so we can utilise classroom space as our training area. At one session, classroom space was taken to the next level with a large group of kids to practice a bit of rhythm with ball movement. It was fun yet painful at times as we watched the kids attempt some skills in tight areas while maintaining a beat. By the end of the session some of the kids showed some inner soul and rhythm to the beat. Andre Gumprecht was the master DJ and the background video provided the music and skill samples.
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