The art of rooting for Cape Verde (and for underdogs everywhere)
By
3.jul.2026 às 17h32
Summary
This opinion piece explores the psychological phenomenon of rooting for underdogs in sports, using the example of Cape Verde's goalkeeper "Vozinha" facing Argentina in the World Cup. The author references Hélio Schwartsman's discussion of cognitive bias and the "underdog effect" — a metaphysical desire to rebalance universal justice. The article argues that supporting the same underdog creates a logical problem, as the goal is for them to cease being an underdog.
Source
bskyThe art of rooting for Cape Verde (and for underdogs everywhere)mla.bsKey quotes
· 2 pulledO mais prolífico colega colunista desta Folha, Hélio Schwartsman, já falou aqui sobre o 'viés cognitivo inscrito em nossos cérebros' que nos leva a 'vibrar com as defesas do Vozinha'
Esse 'desejo meio metafísico de reequilibrar os pratos da balança da justiça universal', como diz Hélio, já devidamente tipificado como 'underdog effect' (efeito azarão)
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