Football Abbreviations

What is Várzea Football?

Várzea football is a football played in an amateur way, without much organization. Várzea is slang to designate something informal, often low-level, without much structure or support, whether in relation to professionals or the field.

The term “várzea football” initially appeared in São Paulo, when boys played football on fields made in the floodplain, that is, on the banks of the Tietê River, even before football became a professional sport.

Várzea football is played on the fields of neighborhoods, towns and slums, which does not have any structure. Várzea football teams practically pay to play, for example, when they have championships, since most of them don’t have any sponsors, so players have to pay money to keep themselves.

There are many players, who are currently professionals, who have become known playing in Várzea football, like the player Damião, for example. But this is a rare example, as most professional clubs still prefer to sign already professional players.

Generally, the Várzea soccer player is the one who uses the sport just for fun, who has another steady job, and makes soccer just a physical activity, some with no intention of becoming a professional player.

List of Acronyms Related to Football