TV Globo is the leading television channel in Brazil and is among the biggest television networks in the world. Globo is internationally renowned for its soap operas, but football has also been an important part of its popularity. Domestically, Globo is also known for its ambiguous relationships with the military dictatorships of the 1960s and 1970s, a context highlighted by the controversial telecast of the 1970 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. More than four decades later, Brazilians have not forgotten this context, or the controversies raised by the relationship between Globo and the government. This article aims to discuss this subject, trying to better understand the relations between football, television, and political systems.
