14-year-old Brazil super fan disappointed by World Cup exit

With a Brazil jersey painted across his bare upper body, 14-year-old Kevar Edwards celebrated every Brazil victory by leading a jubilant march through the streets of West Kingston, dancing and chanting and jeering opponents.

But on Sunday, following Brazil’s defeat to Norway, Kevar found himself standing on the sidelines as rival supporters staged a “funeral march” to mark the end of Brazil’s 2026 World Cup journey.

“I got painted about 2:30 [p.m.] yesterday (Sunday). This is like my third time being painted because I expected my side to win the match yesterday,” he told THE STAR.

But instead of celebrating, Kevar painfully watched as rival supporters mocked Brazil’s elimination, and with him being one of the boldest supporters, he said they searched for him personally.

“They came taking pictures because I was already painted, so at one point I was on a housetop. I wasn’t going to jump or anything like that even though I was sad. It was just the joke,” he said, while describing the mock funeral staged by fans of countries including Argentina and Germany.

“Them put Brazil flag on box and fridge and dem walk the same place from Jungle to Rema to Jungle to Tivoli [that Brazil fans walked when the team beat Japan days earlier] and out to the cemetery to keep the funeral,” he said.

Brazil’s 2-1 defeat to Norway in Sunday’s round-of-16 clash brought an end to the team’s quest for a sixth World Cup title – the last victory was in 2002. But for Kevar, no Brazil supporter expected that outcome.

“We the supporters were planning a party like the last time (the Japan game). We think it would be like that where we march and bring the crowd, but we didn’t end up having a march or party,” he said.

For many in Denham Town where Kevar lives, Sunday’s game was watched from the Village Cultural Yard along Race Course Lane. As the tense encounter remained scoreless, he said that he and other Brazil supporters became nervous so he stepped away from the television. After hearing a loud commotion, he rushed back believing Brazil had finally broken the deadlock, only to be disappointed after discovering Norway’s Erling Haaland had scored in the 79th minute.

“I knew we lost from when I see we missed the first penalty. And then when I see the match close to 90 [minutes] and they scored two,” he said. But Kevar was not the only one in his family who supports Brazil. His mom, hairstylist Patrice Morrison, tearfully locked herself away inside her house on Sunday.

“Mi sad, mi cry tears. Mi feel it, mi never want them lose. I normally put out a TV at my shop but them did a pray for us to lose, so I decided to watch from my house,” she said, chuckling.

Morrison said that Kevar has always loved Brazil and is typically a child full of joy, so his antics did not come as a surprise. She recalled the day Kevar first came home painted in Brazilian colours.

“Him did want mi buy him a jersey and because I asked him to do something in the house and he didn’t do it, I told him I am not buying it and he said OK I am going to paint it on,” she said laughing.

Morrison said over the past weeks, she watched her son lead the victory marches in West Kingston, but on Sunday she saw real sadness in him.

“When him come in the house, him sit down, him spin, him turn like him don’t know what to do, because him sad. Him just tell me he’s going to bathe and wash off,” she said.

Morrison believes the World Cup vibes in West Kingston will disappear following Sunday’s defeat. But Kevar said that his spirit will never die.

“It’s one Brazil just the same and I am not switching, but I would want to see France win.”