The inescapable importance of futsal

Welcome back to the Brazil Sports newsletter. With the death of Brazil’s “father of futsal,” we look at the history of the sport and its massive influence on football as a whole. Also, with football fans in Brazil suffering extreme withdrawal symptoms, broadcasters are showing classic title wins of the country’s biggest clubs. Enjoy your read!

The legacy of futsal in Brazil, for better or for worse

Last week, journalist Newton Zarani died at the age of 93, after suffering a stroke. Despite being one of Brazil’s leading football journalists during the 1950s and 1960s, he is best known for his work in futsal, helping to create the Rio de Janeiro Futsal Federation in 1954, the first such organization of the sport in the country.

Futsal? Created in the first half of the 20th century, futsal became a growing option for children and adults alike as Brazil’s large cities became more and more cramped, and full-size pitches became more scarce. Played on hard indoor sports courts, futsal differs from association football in that the ball is smaller and heavier, with the sport meant to be played on the ground and favoring short passes and dribbles.

Ballroom football. The name futsal is an abbreviation of futebol de salão, which literally translates as “ballroom football.” According to the late Newton Zarani, “it was classy football, with neat touches, pretty dribbles, and no heavy fouls,” hence the name.

Youth players. The original benefit of futsal, allowing people to play where full-sized grass pitches were unavailable, became even more pressing in the 21st century. Urban violence became a constant fear for residents of big cities, and closed housing complexes and membership clubs became...