South America—much like the rest of the world outside this country—takes soccer very seriously. Case in point: a recent match in the Brazilian city of Belo Horizonte, where a referee felt the need to pull out his pistol on the field. Referee Gabriel Murta, who is also a policeman, reported being kicked and punched during an amateur game between Brumadinho and Amantes da Bola. Tension boiled to the point where Murta felt unsafe. He decided to keep the peace with a firearm. No shots were fired, the quarrel calmed down, but reports indicate Murta will undergo a psychological assessment before officiating any more games. In stark contrast, most Americans can't name their professional soccer team.
Matt Miller is a Brooklyn-based culture/lifestyle writer and music critic whose work has appeared in Esquire, Forbes, The Denver Post, and documentaries.
