As Exeter City mark the centenary of the club’s historic game against Brazil 100 years ago, Stuart James recounts the circumstances of the strange encounter Sport is full of strange co-incidences, quirky facts and bizarre anomalies. But few can be as extreme as the fact that Brazil, the five-times World champions and masters of football, played their first-ever competitive fixture against little old Exeter City. Exactly 100 years ago, the Grecians embarked on a long and arduous tour of South America. Their first game was in Argentina on June 14, where they lost 1-0 to a team called Norte in Buenos Aires. It was the first of eight games the Grecians played against clubs and representative teams from Argentina and it turned out to be the only game they lost. Six were won with the other a goalless stalemate with Argentinos. Across the border, Brazilian teams had been trying to get English clubs, regarded in the country as the ‘Gods of Football’ or ‘Fathers of the Game’ to play them for some time, but invitations to clubs like Southampton and Nottingham Forest had been politely declined. Not so by Exeter. Despite a gruelling month or so in Argentina, they agreed to extend their trip and play three further matches in Brazil. All three were to be played at the Laranjeiras Stadium in Rio de Janeiro and the third of those games was to be against Brasileiros, a Brazilian select XI, or Seleção, which remains the nickname of the Brazilian national side to this day. The Exeter team of 100 years ago were no mugs. In goal, for instance, was Dick Pym, who went on to play for Bolton Wanderers and England, but the tired and weary Grecians were no match in a rumbustious encounter that ended in a 2-0 win for the Seleção. Back then, the result was deemed quite a success for the Brazilian side as the excitable public, who had long pined for the opportunity to play against a professional English team, regarded the English as invincible. Over 3,000 packed into Laranjeiras Stadium to watch the game and witness a small-time club from Devon unwittingly kick-start one of the greatest footballing dynasties the game has ever seen. The Brazilian game went from strength to strength with the Seleção going on to win five World Cups – in 1958, 1962, 1970 1994 and 2002. However, their hopes of a sixth in their own country this summer ended in humiliation as the people’s favourites crashed out at the semi-final stage following a 7-1 mauling to Germany; a result that rocked the footballing world and left a nation shell-shocked. As well as their five titles, Brazil have twice been World Cup runners-up, but their brand of exciting attacking play and silky skills has endeared them into the hearts of football fans worldwide. By comparison, Exeter’s history has been far less glamorous. Their one notable piece of silverware came in 1990 when Terry Cooper guided the Grecians to the Fourth Division championship, although Paul Tisdale did lead Exeter to back-to-back promotions in 2008 and 2009, the first of those at the famous Wembley Stadium. Promotion has also been achieved in 1964 and 1977, while a goalless draw against the mighty Manchester United in a third-round FA Cup tie in 2005 felt every bit as good as winning a trophy when the full-time whistle blew. However, as is often the case in sport, there is always the ‘What if?’ scenario. The seeds for the future of Brazilian football had been sewn back in 1914, while the Exeter ship sailed home and into the breakout of the First World War. In fact, the Exeter party, which had left Brazil on July 22 aboard the SS Alcantara, had only reached Madeira when war with the Germans was declared. Their vessel, with its full cargo of bullion and frozen meat, was deemed a German target and on setting sail from Madeira for Lisbon and Vigo, the ship steamed at her utmost capacity, which was about 18 knots, and with its lights out. After the most arduous of journeys, the boat finally docked in Liverpool and the Exeter City players aboard faced targets of a different kind on returning to Devon. Deemed as young, fit and athletic, they were wanted for the ‘New Army’ and to fight in the fields, rather than play on them. At first, football continued with the message from the FA it was “business as usual” but such was the public outcry, backed by a shaming campaign by numerous newspapers of the time, that it was not until 1915 that football eventually ceased. Many of the Exeter party that travelled to South America signed up to fight in the war and either died or were so badly injured, they were never able to play football again. One hundred years on and the Grecians are returning to Brazil to mark the historic anniversary of that tour with a match against Fluminense tomorrow. The game will be played in that same Laranjeiras Stadium and will be kicked off using the same ball as the one used in 1914. But one thing the Grecians will hope for is that the next 100 years brings more fortune than it did the last time they returned from Brazil. Share Share Tweet Share Report this article Get Involved! Upload your pics and stories here. 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