In 1970, Brazil and the world seem to have been turned upside-down, but 12 year-old Mauro's worries have nothing to do with the military regime which controls the country. His biggest dream is to see Brazil become three-time winner of the World Cup. Suddenly, he is torn from his parents and taken to live in a "strange" and fun-filled community called Bom Retiro, a district in Sao Paolo which is home to a large Jewish and Italian community, among other cultures.