How Angry Is Brazil? Pelé Now Has Feet of Clay

But these days, Brazil, the most successful nation in World Cup history, home to legends like Pelé and Ronaldo, is finding little comfort in “the beautiful game.”

In the most unexpected of ways, Brazil’s obsession with soccer has become a potent symbol of what ails the country. Ever since huge protests began sweeping across Brazil this week, demonstrators have taken to the streets by the hundreds of thousands to vent their rage at political leaders of every stripe, at the reign of corruption, at the sorry state of public services.

Now, pointing to the billions of dollars spent on stadiums at the expense of basic needs, a growing number of protesters are telling fans around the globe to do what would once have seemed unthinkable: to boycott the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. In a sign of how thoroughly the country has been turned upside down, even some of the nation’s revered soccer heroes have become targets of rage for distancing themselves from the popular uprising.

“Pelé and Ronaldo are making money off the Cup with their advertising contracts, but what about the rest of the nation?” asked one protester, Gabriela Costa, 24, a university student.

Protesters lambasted both men after Pelé, whose full name is Edson Arantes do Nascimento, called on Brazilians to “forget the protests” and a video circulated on social media showing Ronaldo, whose name is Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima, now a television commentator and sports marketing strategist, contending that World Cups are accomplished “with stadiums, not hospitals.”

With hordes of protesters rallying outside soccer matches, clashing with the police and setting vehicles on fire, FIFA, soccer’s international governing body, took pains to reassure the world on Friday that it had “full trust” in Brazil’s ability to provide security and had not considered canceling either the 2014 World Cup or the Confederations Cup, a major international tournament currently taking place in Brazil.

But the fact that soccer officials even had to address the issue was a major embarrassment to Brazilian officials, who had fought so hard to land international events like the World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Games in order to showcase what a stable, democratic power their nation had become.

Now instead of being the culmination of Brazil’s rise, the events — and the enormous expense of hosting them — have become a rallying cry for the protesters to show how out of step their government’s priorities are with what the people want and need. While the government says it is spending more than $13 billion to prepare for the World Cup, including related construction projects, most of the stadiums are over budget, according to official findings.

“I love soccer,” said Arnaldo da Silva, 29, a supervisor at a telecommunications company supervisor, who celebrated back in 2007 when Brazil landed the World Cup but was also among the protesters in the streets this week, denouncing spending on stadiums when the infrastructure around those structures, like sidewalks, is crumbling. “It’s as if we’re divided between our heart and our head.”

As far back as the 1930s, fans here swelled with pride over the feats of players like Leônidas da Silva, a striker known as the Black Diamond who stunned European opponents with remarkably creative plays. Some Brazilian players like Sócrates, the hard-drinking doctor who was captain of Brazil’s 1982 World Cup team, transcended the sport by taking part in the pro-democracy movement against Brazil’s military dictatorship. But now Brazil’s star players, even those speaking favorably of the new wave of protests, are suddenly finding themselves under scrutiny in new ways.

“Brazil, wake up, a teacher is worth more than Neymar!” thousands of protesters shouted at a demonstration this week outside the new stadium built in Fortaleza in northeast Brazil, referring to the wealth of Neymar da Silva Santos Jr., the 21-year-old star who recently joined Barcelona, the Spanish soccer club.

On the field, the national team finds itself in the doldrums, dropping to a historical low of No. 22 in the FIFA rankings. And at the Brazilian Football Confederation, which oversees the sport in the country, the longtime president, Ricardo Teixeira, resigned last year. He cited health reasons, but he had faced allegations of corruption.

Meanwhile, his successor, José María Marín, 80, has come under fire over his support for Brazil’s military dictatorship and being shown on video slipping a medal from a youth tournament into his pocket. Later, he said the medal was given to him.

“Brazil was coming into the preparations for the World Cup with a swagger from its growing economic clout,” said Alex Bellos, a Briton who has written widely on Brazilian soccer. “But there’s the sense now that the sport is beset by various problems, even before the protests erupted.”

In its bid to win the 2007 Pan American Games, Rio de Janeiro promised it would build a new highway, a monorail and miles of new subway lines, but none of those projects came to fruition. The games themselves were over budget, and a number of the venues were so poorly constructed that they are either being knocked down or rebuilt for the Olympics.

The Engenhão stadium, built for track and field and then used by Botafogo, a Rio soccer club, was to be the main venue for the 2016 Olympics. But that is now in doubt after technicians ruled the roof could collapse in windy weather and ordered it closed.

“I think Brazilians are feeling insulted to see that there was political will and large investments to construct big, FIFA-quality soccer fields,” said Antonio Carlos Costa, 51, a Presbyterian pastor and leader of Rio de Paz, a group that combats social inequalities in Brazil. “And when these stadiums went up, the people saw that there was not the same political will to use public funds to build the same standard of schools, hospitals, and public security.”

Outside the São Paulo construction site of a stadium being built for a local team, Corinthians, which will also be used for the World Cup, Ana Paula Pereira, 36, a fan and bar owner, was torn by the turn the protests had taken. She supported the demands of the demonstrators on the streets but did not think that it made sense to target her beloved team. “There has to be the World Cup, but there also have to be hospitals,” she said.

Andrew Downie contributed reporting from Salvador, Brazil, and Taylor Barnes and James Montague from Rio de Janeiro.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/22/world/americas/how-angry-is-brazil-pele-now-has-feet-of-clay.html?pagewanted=2&_r=0

Edited by Joffa: 22/6/2013 12:39:42 PM

All-time table of the FIFA World Cup

Rank
Team   Participations   Matches   W   D   L   Goals   Points   Points per Matches Played
1.    Brazil   19   97   67   15   15   210:88   216   2.23
2.    Germany[1]   17   99   60   19   20   206:117   199   2.01
3.    Italy   17   80   44   21   15   126:74   153   1.91
4.    Argentina   15   70   37   13   20   123:80   124   1.77
5.    England   13   59   26   19   14   77:52   97   1.64
6.    Spain   13   56   28   12   16   88:59   96   1.75
7.    France   13   54   25   11   18   96:68   86   1.59
8.    Netherlands   9   43   22   10   11   71:44   76   1.81
9.    Uruguay   11   47   18   12   17   76:65   66   1.43
10.    Sweden   11   46   16   13   17   74:69   61   1.33
11.    Serbia[2]   11   43   17   8   18   64:59   59   1.37
12.    Russia[3]   9   37   17   6   14   64:44   57   1.58
13.    Poland   7   31   15   5   11   44:40   50   1.61
14.    Mexico   14   49   12   13   24   52:89   49   1
15.    Hungary   9   32   15   3   14   87:57   48   1.5
16.    Czech Republic[4]   9   33   12   5   16   47:49   41   1.24
17.    Austria   7   29   12   4   13   43:47   40   1.38
18.    Portugal   5   23   12   3   8   39:22   39   1.7
19.    Belgium   11   36   10   9   17   46:63   39   1.08
20.    Chile   8   29   9   6   14   34:45   33   1.14
21.    Switzerland   9   29   9   6   14   38:52   33   1.14
22.    Paraguay   8   27   7   10   10   30:38   31   1.15
23.    Romania[5]   7   21   8   5   8   30:32   29   1.38
24.    Denmark   4   16   8   2   6   27:24   26   1.63
25.    United States   9   29   7   5   17   32:56   26   0.9
26.    Korea Republic   8   28   5   8   15   28:61   23   0.82
27.    Croatia[6]   3   13   6   2   5   15:11   20   1.54
28.    Cameroon   6   20   4   7   9   17:34   19   0.95
29.    Scotland   8   23   4   7   12   25:41   19   0.83
30.    Bulgaria   7   26   3   8   15   22:53   17   0.65
31.    Turkey   2   10   5   1   4   20:17   16   1.6
32.    Japan   4   14   4   3   7   12:16   15   1.07
33.    Peru   4   15   4   3   8   19:31   15   1
34.    Republic of Ireland   3   13   2   8   3   10:10   14   1.08
35.    Ghana   2   9   4   2   3   9:10   14   1.56
36.    Nigeria   4   14   4   2   8   17:21   14   1
37.    Northern Ireland   3   13   3   5   5   13:23   14   1.08
38.    Colombia   4   13   3   2   8   14:23   11   0.85
39.    South Africa   3   9   2   4   3   11:16   10   1.11
40.    Morocco   4   13   2   4   7   12:18   10   0.77
41.    Costa Rica   3   10   3   1   6   12:21   10   1
42.    Ecuador   2   7   3   0   4   7:8   9   1.29
43.    Norway   3   8   2   3   3   7:8   9   1.13
44.    Australia   3   10   2   3   5   8:17   9   0.9
45.    Senegal   1   5   2   2   1   7:6   8   1.6
46.    East Germany   1   6   2   2   2   5:5   8   1.33
47.    Algeria   3   9   2   2   5   6:12   8   0.89
48.    Saudi Arabia   4   13   2   2   9   9:32   8   0.62
49.    Ukraine[3]   1   5   2   1   2   5:7   7   1.4
50.    Ivory Coast   2   6   2   1   3   9:9   7   1.17
51.    Tunisia   4   12   1   4   7   8:17   7   0.58
52.    Wales   1   5   1   3   1   4:4   6   1.2
53.    Iran   3   9   1   2   6   6:18   5   0.56
54.    Cuba   1   3   1   1   1   5:12   4   1.33
55.    Slovakia[4]   1   4   1   1   2   5:7   4   1
56.    Slovenia[6]   2   6   1   1   4   5:10   4   0.67
57.    Korea DPR   2   7   1   1   5   6:21   4   0.57
58.    Jamaica   1   3   1   0   2   3:9   3   1
59.    Honduras   2   6   0   3   3   2:6   3   0.5
60.    New Zealand   2   6   0   3   3   4:14   3   0.5
61.    Greece   2   6   1   0   5   2:15   3   0.5
62.    Angola   1   3   0   2   1   1:2   2   0.67
63.    Israel   1   3   0   2   1   1:3   2   0.67
64.    Egypt   2   4   0   2   2   3:6   2   0.5
65.    Kuwait   1   3   0   1   2   2:6   1   0.33
66.    Trinidad and Tobago   1   3   0   1   2   0:4   1   0.33
67.    Bolivia   3   6   0   1   5   1:20   1   0.17
68.    Iraq   1   3   0   0   3   1:4   0   0
69.    Togo   1   3   0   0   3   1:6   0   0
70.    Canada   1   3   0   0   3   0:5   0   0
71.    Dutch East Indies[7]   1   1   0   0   1   0:6   0   0
72.    United Arab Emirates   1   3   0   0   3   2:11   0   0
73.    China PR   1   3   0   0   3   0:9   0   0
74.    Haiti   1   3   0   0   3   2:14   0   0
75.    Zaire[8]   1   3   0   0   3   0:14   0   0
76.    El Salvador   2   6   0   0   6   1:22   0   0
Notes[edit]

^ includes results of West Germany from 1950-90
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All-time_table_of_the_FIFA_World_Cup

Joffa, you should screenshot those stats, it too hard to read like that.

+1

Getting more excited by the day on this

‘We Are Against The World Cup’

Brazilians Protest
BELO HORIZONTE, Brazil, June 23, (AFP):

Fresh protests rocked Brazil Saturday despite conciliatory remarks by President Dilma Rousseff, who pledged to improve public services and fight harder against corruption. Rousseff’s televised address late Friday appeared to have failed to sway protesters, as protests were held in over 100 cities Saturday and activists vowed to continue the struggle and ordinarily football-mad Brazilians once again protested outside Confederations Cup games. More than 70,000 people chanting “The Cup for whom?” rallied in the southeastern city of Belo Horizonte as Mexico edged Japan 2-1 in the football tournament seen as a dress rehearsal for next year’s World Cup. Police fired tear gas when some protesters hurled stones and tried to break through the security perimeter around the Mineirao stadium. Some 25 people, including five police officers, were reported injured in the clashes, and another 22 protesters were arrested. Later, the unrest spread as shops were looted, and banks and a car dealership vandalized.

“We are against the World Cup because it masks the problems the country faces,” said musician Leonardo Melo, who dismissed Rousseff’s speech as “rhetoric.” Over the past two weeks, hundreds of thousands of Brazilians have protested against the billions of dollars being spent on the World Cup, accusing the government of wasting money and neglecting health, education and transport. More than a million marched in scores of cities on Thursday. In Sao Paulo, 35,000 people took to the streets peacefully Saturday to denounce a proposed constitutional amendment that would take away the power of independent public prosecutors to probe crimes, making it harder to combat corruption. In the southern town of Uruguaiana, demonstrators peacefully occupied the bridge linking Brazil to Uruguay for four hours.

In the university town of Santa Maria, where a disco fire killed 242 young people in January, 30,000 people protested. “Santa Maria is not going to stop. We have 242 reasons to fight,” read one large banner. In Salvador, where Brazil beat Italy 4-2 in another Confederations Cup match, demonstrators totaled about 200 people, according to an AFP reporter. Inside the stadium, dozens of fans brandished placards proclaiming: “Let’s go to the streets to change Brazil.” West of Rio, near the Bangu prison, police confiscated Molotov cocktails, sticks and stones and arrested 30 people for looting shops and smashing furniture on the heels of a protest by around 500 people, according to the Globo G1 website. As the Rousseff government tried to address the ever rising tide of dissatisfaction over its social policies, former football star-turned Socialist politician Romario joined the debate, praising the demonstrators and dubbing world football body FIFA “Brazil’s real president.”

In her address, Rousseff offered Brazilians a “great pact” between the government and the people to improve shoddy public services and stressed the need for “more effective ways to fight corruption.” But her intervention left the protesters unmoved, judging by a torrent of comments on social media websites amid the release of a new poll showing that three-quarters of Brazilians back the demonstrations. “I was depressed listening to Dilma. It’s a joke, right? Dilma treats us as if we are idiots,” read one typical comment. “We want dates and times, action. Promises are not enough,” wrote another. The protests have been largely peaceful, but some have been marred by violence and acts of vandalism, notably in Rio and Brasilia, with two deaths recorded so far. The popular outrage, dubbed by some a “Tropical Spring” after the protest movements in the Arab world and echoing similar turmoil in Turkey this month, has come as a shock to outside observers.

The unrest even led Hollywood A-lister Brad Pitt to scrap a plan to come to Brazil to promote his new film “World War Z,” the movie’s distributors said Saturday. Rousseff’s predecessor and political mentor Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva left office in 2010 with a soaring 80 percent approval rating, and the social policies he initiated are credited with lifting 40 million Brazilians out of poverty. Lula also helped raise Brazil’s international profile, and the World Cup was seen as a key milestone in its emergence as a global power player after several years of steady economic growth. But despite the nationwide obsession with football, the protesters say they feel left behind as they watch gleaming new stadiums spring up in cities paralyzed by traffic jams and clogged with aging trains and buses.


http://www.arabtimesonline.com/NewsDetails/tabid/96/smid/414/ArticleID/197603/reftab/69/Default.aspx?

World Cup 2014 - Four Potential Surprise Packages

Monday, June 24, 2013 at 7:00 AM

With 2014 now starting to appear on the horizon, we take a look at four sides who will fancy their chances of following in the foot steps of the likes of; South Korea (2002), Uruguay (2010), Turkey (2002) & Croatia (1998) as the shock success story of next summers world cup.

Belgium

These days the talents of the current Belgium side are not exactly amongst football’s biggest secrets so there will be some who question their place on this list. It should however be noted that this is a nation who have failed to qualify for the last five major tournaments – on the majority of those occasions not even getting anywhere near.

That baron spell looks set to end this time round with Scotland’s shock win over Croatia meaning Belgium are now favourites to clinch automatic qualification. Whilst management will be keen to keep a lid on expectations if Belgium can hit the ground running they could cause real damage in Brazil – you only have to go through their squad for evidence to support that view. Along with that they should only continue to improve as the event approaches given the youthful make up of their squad, with both Romelu Lukaku and Christian Benteke in particular likely to have grown yet further by next summer.

Despite their notable talents what is perhaps most key to their success is coach Marc Wilmots – for prior to his appointment Belgium were more a team of talented individuals rather than effective unit they are now.

Colombia

Colombia have failed to make the last three finals; that however should not be the case this term as they sit comfortably second in the ever competitive South American qualification group. Despite their persistent struggles in recent qualifications their form this time round should come as no shock – given this is as strong as a team as Colombia have ever been able to call on.

Radamel Falcao needs no introduction, James Rodriguez has like Falcao just been signed by money bags Monaco whilst his ex Porto team-mate Jackson Martinez is also attracting vast transfer interest this summer. These three attacking talents are not the only European based players the Colombians can call on with a strong core of the squad plying their trade for some of the continents top clubs; such as the likes of Juan Zuniga, Pablo Amero, Christian Zapata and Fredy Guarin – all who are key assets to some of serie A’s top sides.

What though makes the Colombians such a danger is that things have very much clicked on the pitch and with home continental advantage in their favour they certainly have the ability to go far.

Egypt

Egypt are another side who have suffered a prolonged absence having not been present since 1990 – a particularly poor return considering the manner in which they dominated African football during the 00′s. That said recent times have been more than a little turbulent, with the nation failing to even qualify for the African Cup of Nations in both 2012 and 2013 – a tournament which prior to those failures they had won three consecutive times.

Under the leadership of American Bob Bradley they look to have overcome those recent troubles, progressing to the final round of qualification as comfortably as anyone. Progress to the finals is far from secure given the final round play off format of the African qualifiers could yet deal them a cruel hand. That said if they overcome that final obstacle they could become the African success of the games – with Bradley’s USA experience likely to prove a key advantage.

The Egyptians squad is one which is predominantly domestic based, that though should not be considered a weakness given the strength of that league – whilst this also means that unlike other nations their personnel are more than familiar with each other. Finally in Mohamed Salah Egypt might just possess one of the hottest young talents in world football.

Bosnia and Herzegovinia

Having been the nearly men of European qualification for so long Bosnia look set to finally make their major championship debut next summer. Their bids to make both the last world cup and European championships were ended by close play off defeats to Portugal. The most recent defeat was particularly hard to take given they were only a whisker away from beating France to top spot of their qualification group.

This time round though there should be no play off heartache with the Bosnians unbeaten in their six games to date – having scored 23 and conceded just three. Given their wait for this opportunity Bosnia will be keen to make the most of it – this is a squad packed with experience who will bring with them a strong togetherness given the majority have been part of the national set up for a vast number of years. There is also no shortage of class within the Bosnian set up – Edin Dzeko, Miralem Pjanic and Vedad Ibisevic being the most notable of these.

If the draw is kind then 2014 could be a huge one for Bosnia and their prolonged wait for major tournament football might well prove well worth it.

You might also like:

http://www.footballfriendsonline.com/blogs/2013/6/24/world-cup-2014-four-potential-surprise-packages.html?

Sorry Brazil, but for soccer fans the game must go on


Neymar
FORTALEZA: For millions of football fans around the world how Neymar and Fernando Torres perform at the Confederations Cup is of far more interest than Brazilians protesting over social issues. While locals demonstrate over the cost of stadiums for next year’s World Cup, government corruption, lack of education, public health issues and transport price hikes, most followers of the beautiful game only care about what happens on the pitch. “I feel really sorry for the Brazilian people who are clearly angry,” said one post on an internet message board from New Zealand. “Fine if they used the Confeds Cup as a catalyst to air their grievances but I will be even more angry if they stop the World Cup from being in Brazil next year.” The finals are unlikely to be taken away from Brazil and, despite local media reports that the Confederations Cup – the World Cup warm-up test tournament – was going to be halted, FIFA said on Thursday the idea had not been considered for a moment.

Barring some unforeseen cataclysmic event, Brazil will host the World Cup next year as planned and players like local favorite Neymar and Spain striker Torres will be the focus. In an impassioned speech on Friday, Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff addressed the protestors’ grievances but also pledged her government’s support for next year’s finals. “With regard to the World Cup, I want to clarify that the federal money spent on the stadiums is in the form of financing that will be duly repaid by the companies and (state) governments that are exploiting these stadiums. “Brazil is the only country to have participated in every World Cup and is five-times world champion and has always been well received everywhere. “We must give our friends the same generous welcome we have received from them – with respect, love and joy.

This is how we must treat our guests. Football and sport are symbols of peace and peaceful coexistence among peoples. “Brazil deserves to, and will, host a great World Cup.” Which is where soccer’s governing body FIFA comes in. FIFA owns the World Cup and entrusts organisation of the tournament to a Local Organising Committee (LOC) which makes sure stadiums are safe and ready on time, ticketing works and the necessary infrastructure is in place. However, the relationship between FIFA and the Brazilian LOC has been troubled. Part of the problem stemmed from the fact that the now discredited Ricardo Teixeira, who was head of the LOC and the Brazilian FA (CBF), quit his roles with FIFA’s executive committee and as head of the CBF in May 2012 after years of denying corruption allegations. Two months later a Swiss prosecutor’s court named him, and his former father-in-law and former FIFA president, Brazilian Joao Havelange, as having received more than $40 million in bribes from FIFA’s former marketing partners, the bankrupt ISL. In all of its World Cup bidding documentation FIFA says eight stadiums are required to host a 32-team World Cup but Teixeira insisted that 12 were built or renovated and are now being used. Some venues, like Brasilia, Manaus and Cuiaba, do not even have top-ranking teams and their stadiums could become white elephants, a point directly linked to the demonstrators’ grievances this week that money has been wasted on the World Cup.

Teixeira formed a close working friendship and relationship with FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke, whose responsibility is to deliver a safe, cost-effective and workable finals. In March last year, with Teixeira out of the planning process on “health grounds” in Miami, Valcke delivered his famous “Brazil need a kick up the backside” remark to journalists in Bagshot, England, expressing his concerns over progress on stadiums, transport infrastructure and hotels. He was shunned by the Brazilian authorities for months before relationships were gingerly restored. Now, in the wake of this week’s protests, remarks he made this April look particularly ill-judged. Speaking at a tournament symposium in Zurich, Valcke said: “I will say something which is crazy, but less democracy is sometimes better for organising a World Cup.” He explained it was easier to deal with a country like Russia, the 2018 World Cup hosts, in which the head of state can decide everything, rather than Brazil “where the political structure is divided into three levels – federal, state and city.”

As one FIFA insider close to the story told Reuters on Saturday: “Well Brazil has certainly showed us it is democracy this week okay. This has made life very uncomfortable for FIFA, but they will all find a solution and the World Cup will go ahead. It always does in the end.”—Reuters



http://news.kuwaittimes.net/sorry-brazil-but-for-soccer-fans-the-game-must-go-on/?

What are the chances FIFA moves the WC away from Brazil? They aren't going to want these protests beamed live to the world, and the possibility of the WC disrupted.
Not to mention the stadiums way behind schedule.

No plan B for Brazil 2014
25 June 2013-AFP

FIFA has defended keeping the World Cup in Brazil despite civil unrest during the Confederations Cup test event.

More than a million Brazilians have taken to the streets during the tournament to protest against the lack of investment in public services compared with the billions of dollars being spent on the World Cup project.

Valcke said he was "not ashamed about what we are doing" in Brazil.

Tear gas and rubber bullets have been fired at some demonstrators, leading to increased security around venues.

Valcke insisted there was no Plan B.


http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/2014-world-cup/news/1157232/No-plan-B-for-Brazil-2014

Edited by Damo Baresi: 25/6/2013 11:58:25 AM

The last bit of that interview included the quote:

So does that mean, if he did receive an offer from another country, it would be considered?
Also, why would Valcke even say that, about getting offers to take over? Was that statement meant to be a backhanded way of getting an offer from someone?

Edited by f1worldchamp: 25/6/2013 03:03:44 PM

this is the thing, when the masses realise that they cant get in the stadiums to watch the games because of the world cup ticket prices the s could hit the f, bread and circuses, bread and circuses

The masses can't eat but they build stadiums for football with money they don't have. They should move the games to someone that can host it. Not just for Brazil and the Brazilian people but for the game. This is a terrible look for the game.

The dress rehearsal has unearthed more problems than solutions ahead of next year's World Cup finals, as Goal's reporting team in the host cities.

In Brazil: Greg Stobart, Kris Voakes, Eric Gomez & Luiz Moura

The Confederations Cup comes to a close on Sunday with the final that Fifa, and much of the viewing public, would have wished to see. But while Brazil versus Spain in the Maracana represents the dream setting that the governing body would dearly love to see repeated in the summer of 2014, the tournament has produced a host of concerns that will require swift resolution before the true eyes of the world are upon them.

Goal's team of reporters, covering the tournament from all of the host cities, have witnessed the logistical and political issues that have made this event as memorable for issues off the pitch, as the stunning goals on it.

SECURITY


The streets of Brazil's major cities have felt safe to walk during the tournament, but locals are angered that the massive police presence on the streets is absent on a normal day. Their stories are somewhat more cautionary, claiming they would usually hail a taxi to travel as little as 200 yards after dark.

When the anti-government protests commenced, initially the security response was regimented and organised, allowing demonstrators to make themselves heard.

Yet as the events have taken a more hostile tone, so has the police reaction. Last week, as 300,000 people marched through the centre of Rio, the repercussions were hails of rubber bullets and tear gas. It represented a loss of control from a police perspective, and newspaper front pages the next morning condemned the escalating unrest.

And while Brazil booked their place in the final on the pitch in Belo Horizonte on Wednesday, they did so against the backdrop of tear gas emanating into the stadium as police and the public again clashed outside.

As the World Cup edges closer and the protests show no signs of abating, Fifa will want to know how the Brazilian government will ensure the safety of fans, players and staff.

POLITICS


Fifa could never have imagined that Brazilians, football fans without condition, would react as violently to hosting a tournament as they have in the past two weeks.

It began with bad timing; the Confederations Cup commenced immediately after several local governments had raised bus fares, giving people a cause to march against.

In just a few days, protesters added a multitude of other issues to their agenda. The fight against corruption, against unpopular projects soon to be voted into congress, and against the amount of public money spent in building stadiums, without the previously promised improvements in the cities, all became part of the debate. This feeling of dissatisfaction has been clear in all the protests organised on matchdays, almost all of which culminated in violent confrontations.

The fear now is that groups connected to controversial political figures could rise and take advantage of the general instability. Next year's World Cup takes place only three months before the elections for president, governor and congress.

However, Fifa can root for one particular outcome, as secretary general Jerome Valcke observed - if Brazil win the Confederations Cup, it will imbue a degree of calm in the nation.

STADIA


The arenas may have looked spectacular on TV, but the matchday attendee has had a fair bit to negotiate before taking up their seat.

In Brasilia, the first-class stadium bowl belies the chaos behind the scenes. The Estadio Nacional, which will be home to a fourth-division club by the time the World Cup is over, has distinctly fourth-division surroundings and organisation. Slightly to the north-west of the town centre, its approach consists mainly of dirt tracks and pebbled car parks and walkways.

Elsewhere, Salvador's Arena Fonte Nova is surrounded on all four sides by run-down favelas, leaving locals with a constant reminder of where government money has been spent.

In addition, the stadium surroundings remain far from complete. In Salvador, cones directed vehicles into a new traffic-flow system which has yet to be completed, while a road outside one of the main entrances was being tarmaced on the afternoon before Nigeria and Uruguay squared off in the stadium's opening fixture.

The Mineirao in Belo Horizonte has at least retained much of the feel of a true Brazilian experience. It lies on the outskirts of the city, but that is one of its only downsides. And, of course, it is ready. The World Cup will be a better place with more arenas like it.

TRANSPORT


Uruguay captain Diego Lugano perhaps said it best when asked about logistical issues ahead of his side's semi-final against Brazil, stating simply: "Brazil is a country with a lot of traffic. That's just the way it is."

Public transport can certainly be better. In Brasilia, there are only two metro lines, and even then both service the same route until 20 kilometres away from the centre of town. Belo Horizonte, meanwhile, has just one line and Salvador has no such mode of transport. Taxis are plentiful in all three cities, but come at a cost.

The bus is by far the most common mode of public transport, the reason why price increases sparked the initial disorder. But given the clogged roads, it is also the slowest. The traffic in and around the arenas, almost without exception, is an ordeal to negotiate.

Rio's transport network is far more advanced than in other Brazilian cities, in no small part down to the fact that the city will also host the Olympics in 2016. Three metro stations serve the Maracana, with trains at regular intervals and the subway - which is clean, air-conditioned and privately owned - free to use for ticket-holders.

PEOPLE


As anyone lucky enough to attend a home nation fixture during this Confederations Cup will attest to, the Brazilian torcida is a spectacle all of its own. The passionate singing of the national anthem truly inspires goosebumps.

Fans attending the matches are well aware of the protests, but their focus is plainly on football. When asked, most share the view that the political statements are healthy and ultimately positive, but that the associated violence will lead nowhere.

The warmth and willingness of locals to strike up a conversation with anyone they perceive to be a non-Brazilian is welcoming, and they know that the Confederations Cup is serving as their preview to next year's main event. A Brazilian win in the final on Sunday may go some way to appeasing those in opposition to the merits of bringing the World Cup home for the first time since 1950.


http://www.goal.com/en/news/3790/world-cup-2014/2013/06/28/4055218/-?

Brazil’s protests
The cries are answered

The government offers a package of reforms to appease protesters. Is it enough?
Jun 29th 2013 | SÃO PAULO |From the print edition


THE tide of street demonstrations that rose across Brazil earlier this month, following what began as a small protest about São Paulo bus fares, seems to have ebbed. High water was reached on June 20th, when more than 1m people turned out to protest against poor public services, corruption, the cost of living, extravagant spending on the World Cup and much else. Smaller demonstrations continue: police used tear gas against 50,000 people protesting outside a football stadium on June 26th. But more attention is focused on politicians’ response to the huge and sudden outpouring of public frustration.

After meeting protest leaders, city mayors and state governors, Dilma Rousseff, the president, offered a “national pact”. Its five points were: a constituent assembly to consider political reform; making corruption a felony (today it is a misdemeanour); a promise to invest 50 billion reais ($23 billion) in city transport; more spending on health and education; and, contradicting that somewhat, a reiteration of the importance of fiscal responsibility.

Though some details were sensible, this plan seemed rushed and unlikely to provide lasting calm. Its centrepiece, the proposal for a constituent assembly, was unconstitutional and, it seems, launched without consultation—not even with Michel Temer, the vice-president, who is a constitutional lawyer. It was quickly withdrawn. In its place officials were talking about holding a referendum in August on proposals for political reform, which Congress would then turn into laws.

The reform of politics has been discussed for years and is urgently needed. But Brazil’s 30-odd political parties, few of which have any ideology beyond the search for patronage and pork, have little appetite for change. Ms Rousseff’s Workers’ Party (PT) wants public financing of campaigns and a closed list of candidates chosen by party leaders; others want to switch to a constituency system. One of the most important changes would be to abolish the over-representation of small states—but neither the PT nor its backwoods allies are likely to favour that.

Ms Rousseff promised incentives for doctors to move to poor areas and vowed to expand a programme that cancels the tax debts of hospitals that attend to more patients. She pledged to increase the number of medical graduates and, meanwhile, import foreign doctors to meet demand. Some of her other proposals are retreads, and will take time to implement. “The fact is there is no quick fix. This is a years- and decades-long process,” says Christopher Garman of the Eurasia Group, a risk-analysis firm. Sadly, the president shows no sign of cutting the government bloat that might allow her to pay for better services.

Sensing the public’s anger, congressional leaders promised not to go into recess until Ms Rousseff’s plans are debated. On June 25th Congress voted overwhelmingly to reject a constitutional amendment that would have curbed prosecutors’ powers to investigate politicians, which had been a focus of protesters’ outrage. It also passed a bill, which it had rejected last year, to devote three-quarters of royalties from new oilfields to education and the rest to health.

Ms Rousseff expressed sympathy for the protesters, but denounced the mindless violence of a minority that marred some of the largely peaceful demonstrations. Nine people were killed during a police operation in a Rio de Janeiro favela after a protest march on June 24th.

Much of the ire has focused on the Confederations Cup, a warm-up tournament for next year’s football World Cup. The World Cup is costing Brazil 28.1 billion reais, according to the government. The bill for stadiums alone, originally estimated at $1.1 billion, has already reached more than $3 billion. Ms Rousseff claimed the government loans for stadiums will be paid back in full and do not come from the ordinary budget. Rather, they are subsidised credits from the National Development Bank to construction companies—big funders of political parties.

Football-mad Brazilians are not against the Cup, but they are angered that the promised “legacy” of the competition is in doubt. Airports remain mired in the last century, and at least five of the 12 host cities have admitted they will not build the promised bus lanes, metros or monorails before kickoff. “Cut bus fares and send the bill to FIFA,” read one of many signs mocking football’s governing body. Corinthians, a São Paulo team, blamed FIFA for doubling the cost of its new stadium with its extravagant demands.

It is still not clear who might benefit from the unrest. When Datafolha, a pollster, asked demonstrators in São Paulo to name their preferred presidential candidate, they favoured two people outside the political mainstream. Joaquim Barbosa, a supreme-court justice and anti-corruption campaigner, led the poll with 30% and Marina Silva, a former Green presidential candidate, was second with 22%. But Mr Barbosa has shown no sign he wants to run in next year’s election and Ms Silva, who won 19% in 2010, is struggling to put together a coherent anti-party political party.

One person to watch is once again Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Brazil’s president in 2003-10 and mentor to Ms Rousseff. He has said he would run again if voters clamoured for his return. That might happen if Ms Rousseff cannot quell the unrest. Lula has kept uncharacteristically quiet so far, even as he helped his protégée behind the scenes. He would relish the role of national saviour. But many of the targets of the protesters are problems that, as president, he did little to solve.

From the print edition: The Americas
http://www.economist.com/news/americas/21580169-government-offers-package-reforms-appease-protesters-it-enough-cries-are?

The protests happening in front of the stadiums are just another way to get attention of the international media. Nothing to do with people protesting against ticket prices or anything like that.

Edited by tuba162: 4/7/2013 08:44:04 PM

Protests in Brazil have nothing to with the current country's economic situation, different from the recent protest in some European countries. CNN and Al Jazeera are doing a good coverage.

There is no shortage of money to host the WC and the Olympic Games. Money has never been the problem. Brazil is the 6th largest economy in the world. A quick read on the Financial Times will give you a good idea of the current situation.

Majority of protests in Brazil are against the corruption and misusage of public money. The government spent a fair amount of money in very likely white elephants stadiums where it could've been better off spent in schools and hospitals. That's the main reason why over 1 million people are going to the streets to protest.

Now you said, move the WC to someone who can host it?

6 of 12 stadiums were used for the this year's CC. All the other 6 remaining are over 70% of completion due to be finished in December.
CC 2013 Stadiums


Blatter: Best-ever Confederations Cup. And this with all those protests going on.

At the moment (semi finals) it already has the second highest attendance of all CC with 687.746 people. The highest was in 99 in Mexico with 970.000.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIFA_Confederations_Cup#Attendance

In Spain, the CC seems to be doing "just" ok.
Spain x Italy TV ratings record

Yeahhh. 2014 WC doesn't look good at all.
:-"

Cool article of a BBC reporter's experience in Brazil during the Confederations Cup
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23121262

Brazil A-Z: From anthems and beaches to Zico via samba



A is for anthem, airports and Arena Fonte Nova

The singing of the Brazilian anthem - Hino Nacional Brasileiro - has provided some of the most memorable moments of the Confederations Cup. Fifa insisted on playing a shortened version but the people and the players refused to stop when the music did. The words refer to a 'resounding cry of a heroic people' and chime with the protests in the streets. In Belo Horizonte and Fortaleza, the passion and emotion that swept around the stadium was hard to describe - they were spine-tingling moments that no-one who was present will ever forget.



The predictions had been for airport chaos, delayed flights and lost baggage. At the time of writing, none that has come to pass. I have been on eight flights in 16 days and thankfully the Brazilian airport experience has been smooth and safe. Not a single bag lost, not a single delay (I realise I am tempting fate). Rio's international airport is a concrete relic of a bygone age and may struggle with the sheer number of visitors come World Cup time but the authorities are working hard.

The Arena Fonte Nova is one of the most picturesque of all the World Cup venues. Rising high into the Salvador sky, the stadium is situated by a lake, where the locals fish and where huge figures of the gods of Candomble (a Brazilian religion) float proudly on the water. Try the Cocido Salvadoreno (a Salvadorian stew) at the ground. The local people insisted Fifa allow the stadium to sell it.

B - beaches, Belo Horizonte

There is far more to Brazil than sandy beaches, of course, but it is beguiling to look at the scenes because so much of life is played out here. They are football pitches, running tracks, meeting places and gyms. In Rio, Ipanema is the pick with its seething surf and pure white sand. But in the north, outside the cities of Recife, Fortaleza and Salvador, they are picturesque, deserted and jaw-droppingly beautiful. There is even a 'beach of the future.' Nine of the 12 host cities are on the coast.



Belo Horizonte was named for its view of the mountains that encircle this cultural heartland. The longer you stay, the more you begin to understand it. This is a city that prides itself on its cuisine, education and quality of life. Visit the smart restaurants in Lourdes, the cosmopolitan district of Savassi and the fascinating football museum at the Museu Historico. But be warned the locals all still remember England's infamous World Cup defeat by the USA in 1950.

C - Caipirinha, Copacabana, Cristo Redentor, Centurions

Caipirinha, Brazil's delicious, perilous, sugar-laden loopy-juice, is the ultimate way to pass an afternoon on the Copacabana. The lime twist provides refreshment but be warned, your legs might be a little wobbly after three or four, or so I am told. If the next morning brings with it that inescapable hangover, try the acaraje (croquettes with shrimp sauce) or sweet mangoes that samba across the tongue.



The statue of Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer) is a focal point and a symbol of hope and protection. Mario Balotelli visited it on his first day in Rio, posing for the ubiquitous photo with his arms outstretched to mirror Christ's. It is as spectacular as you expect it to be. The queues can also be spectacular.

The Confederations Cup saw two of international football's elder statesmen mark their 100th caps with goals. I was fortunate to be present for both, as first Andrea Pirlo curled in a trademark free-kick at the Maracana in Italy's 2-1 win over Mexico before Diego Forlan thundered in a fierce left-foot rasper to give Uruguay victory over Nigeria in Arena Fonte Nova in Salvador.

D - Demonstrations, Dilma

You would be forgiven for thinking the demonstrations that have overshadowed the Confederations Cup are widespread and hard to avoid in Brazil. They were enough to persuade Brad Pitt not to come to Rio for the premiere of his new movie last week. The vast majority are peaceful and like the London riots in 2011, they are confined to very small parts of the cities and are more difficult to find that to avoid.



President Dilma Rousseff may not look back on the Confederations Cup as a happy time. She was booed at the opening ceremony in Brasilia and has had to deal with protests ever since. She is fighting hard to pacify the peaceful demonstrators by making concessions on education spending and investment in health and doctors. She remains a divisive figure in Brazil but she is utterly committed to the World Cup and Olympics.

E - Estadio Mineirao, Estadio Castelao, exercise

Estadio Mineirao in Belo Horizonte may not be pretty from the outside, but like its big brother Estadio Castelao in Fortaleza, they generate an incredible rumble of noise inside. For all the fears before the competition, the stadiums have been hard to criticise.



Exercise is a huge daily part of life in Brazil. The weather makes it easy for people to run and swim, to play football and dance. All along the city beaches there are outdoor gymnasiums and in Rio on Sundays they close beachside roads to allow the public to jog, skateboard and cycle.

F - Fortaleza, favelas, Felipao

The heat and humidity of the northern city of Fortaleza even prompted Spain to complain that the conditions were too oppressive. England will do well to avoid playing there. The beaches in the city are beautiful and stretch for miles and the seafood is fantastic.



The notorious favelas that cling to the hillsides of Brazil's biggest cities provide an incredible contrast between rich and poor. Many remain no-go areas, but others are being transformed with the help of football and samba. Drugs and crime remain an issue in main but my visit to Penha in Rio was one of the highlights of the trip.

Felipao, the nickname given to Luiz Felipe Scolari, is a man transformed in the eyes of Brazil. Where once he was gruff, serious and, at times, rude. Now he is relaxed, funny and at times during his news conferences he resemble a man conducting a nation. When asked what has changed, why is he more relaxed now, he responded 'you thought you knew me but you didn't. I haven't changed'.

G - Goal-line technology


Before the tournament GLT was one of the big issues up for debate. How would it work? Would the referee have the final say? Predictably there has been no call for Goal Ref to show us just how efficient it can be, but the referees' watches look very nice.



H - Helicopters, Hotels, Hilderaldo

The skies above Brazil's major cities, but especially Rio, are full of helicopters. With the traffic often at a standstill they are used for business and TV reports but a good amount are police owned. On the Copacabana, police and military choppers tend to buzz along the length of the beach. Don't be alarmed if you see a solider aiming his rifle out of the open door. This is, I am assured, normal.

Hotel rooms won't be cheap come World Cup time, especially in Rio and Sao Paulo but the standard is good, even on a budget, and many of now provide wifi. One colleague was quoted £1,000 per night for a middle-of-the-road Sao Paulo room next summer. But those charging those incredibly high prices are already beginning to realise no-one can afford them. Sanity should prevail.

The iconic statue of Hilderaldo Luiz Bellini, Brazil's first World Cup-winning captain, guards the entrance to the Maracana. The central defender, it is said, was the man who inadvertently introduced the hoisting the winning trophy aloft, having done so to allow photographers to see the Jules Rimet Trophy.

I - Ipanema

Ipanema is Chelsea by the beach. It is where Rio's glamour set go to have fun, with four-bedroom apartments overlooking the sea going for close to $10m. Walk towards Copacabana and the headland that curves gently around to watch some of Brazil's best surfers in action late in the day and then grab a small bag of popcorn from one of the many sellers along the boardwalk. Try and watch one of the many futevolei games that take place as the sun goes down - volleyball played with a football and with no hands allowed.



J - Jogo bonito, Joao

Brazil would never claim to have invented the jogo bonito - beautiful game - but they would rightly argue that they perfected it. During the tournament there have been flashes of flair but this is a Brazil side built for functionality above all else. It is built to win and while they are doing just that, no one in Brazil minds if the jogo bonito takes a back seat. But only if they win.

Sao Joao is a festival that runs throughout June, mainly in northern strongholds of Salvador, Fortaleza and Recife but also, to a lesser extent in Rio. The towns and cities are decorated with flags and colour, the people dance in the streets and the celebrations go on all night to celebrate the festival of John the Baptist, with the celebrations historically related to the European midsummer.

K - Kilo restaurants

A unique and must-taste experience for anyone visiting Brazil. You collect a plate, load it from a buffet with all manner of delights and when you have chosen what you want, they weigh your plate and you pay at the end. If you lose the ticket they give you, you have to pay for a kilo's worth of food, which is a lot.

L - lateness, language

It isn't rude to be late in Brazil. It is just an accepted part of daily life. If you arrange to meet friends at 20:00 and they don't turn up until after 22:00, don't expect an apology. That is just the way of life. Brazilians are laid back and fun loving. But they can also be very late.

The language of Brazil is Portuguese and very few people speak much English. Asking for a beer, however slowly or loudly, doesn't work. Neither does saying toilet or toilette. A few words of Portuguese go a long way in Brazil. Make the effort, you will reap the rewards.

M - Maracana

The mythical Maracana may not hold the 205,000 it once did but while it has been reduced in size it has been enhanced in majesty. From the iconic statue of Hilderano Luiz Bellini, Brazil's first World Cup-winning captain, that guards the entrance, to walkways that take you around the top tier and offer views across Rio, it is still has an aura that makes the trip to this mecca more than worthwhile.



N - Neymar

Brazil's boy wonder may have begun the tournament as a footballer more famous for his brand that his brilliance but the Confederations Cup has proved he is very much the real deal on the field. Off it, he is already a superstar.

In Brazil it feels like every other TV commercial features the 21-year-old, there are Neymar billboards everywhere and he has even appeared in a soap opera. Earlier this year he became the first Brazilian athlete to appear on the cove of Time magazine. In the past he has admitted that he and his best friend and former team-mate Ganso, get their inspiration for new dribbling moves from computer games. It seems to work.

O - Obrigado, Oscar

If you only learn one word of Portuguese let it be this one. Obrigado (thank you) goes a long way.

Chelsea midfielder Oscar deserves a mention if only because the final of the Confederations Cup was his 71st appearance of the season.

P - Parreira, Pelourinho, Prisoners

Carlos Alberto Parreira, who led Brazil to the 1994 World Cup as manager, has been brought back into the fold by Scolari and is a figure of wisdom and experience behind the scenes. "He is a wonderful man," Scolari said. "Much better than me. I couldn't do what he does, when I finish I want to spend more time at home. No, Parreira is a gentleman." On one plane journey during the Confederations Cup, a BBC colleague spent a few hours sitting next to Parreira. No words were exchanged, Parreira was too busy listening to Abba.

Pelourinho, the historic centre of Salvador, is rich in historical monuments dating back to the 17th Century when it played a key role as South America's first slave market. Known as Pelo, the warren of streets and majestic buildings have been named a world cultural site by Unesco and although in can be crowded and, perhaps, intimidating at night, it has to be experienced on a trip to Salvador.

Prisoners in Brazil can shorten their sentences by four days for every book the read under the government's 'redemption through reading' programme, up to a maximum of 48 days per year.

Q - Que Venha

Ahead of the Confederations Cup final, the headline in O Globo, the prominent Brazilian newspaper, read Que Venha Espana - bring it on Spain - to reflect the measure of confidence the nation now has the Selecao.

R - Recife, Reais, roads

The northern city of Recife is the capital of Pernambuco state, from which the stadium there gets its name. Recife is Brazil's oldest state capital and was briefly the capital of Dutch Brazil in the 17th Century. It has been described as Brazil's answer to Venice because of its many small rivers and bridges. But although the sea might look inviting it is not advisable. Sharks patrol the waters.



Reais are the Brazilian currency and were introduced in 1994 as a way of ending decades of inflation. It was originally fixed to match the US dollar in value but now two Rs will get you one US dollar. In Portuguese the singular of reais, real, means royal and real.

The roads, especially outside of Rio, can be extremely bumpy and the distances between the cities are vast. The shortest distance between the hosts cities is the six and a half hours it will take you to get from Rio to Belo Horizonte. The longest distance is from Curitiba to Manaus - a four hour and 15 minute flight.

S - Selecao, soaps, sambadrome

The Selecao is the nickname Brazil uses for its national team, but the literal translation means the selection. The word can and is also used for other national teams such as the Selecao Inglesa (England).



The soap opera is king in Brazil. Football matches often kick off after 22:00 to allow these TV shows to have prime slots. They are not long-running epics, like in the UK, but tend to run for six months and then end before a new one begins.

Samba is, football aside, a national obsession. Rio's Sambadrome (Sambodromo) has a bigger capacity than the Maracana with two stands facing each other 30 yards apart along a 700m stretch of the Marques de Sapucai street. Come carnival time this is the centre of the action.

T - Tropeiro, time zones, traffic, Tahiti


Tropeiro is a dish Belo Horizonte fought to be able to sell at Estadio Mineirao during the World Cup. It is like a half-time pie for football fans in the region. It gets its name because it was prepared by the cooks of the troops who drove the cattle and it is made of beans, bacon, pepperoni, eggs, cabbage, cassava flour onions, parsley and chives. Served in a little dish to allow fans to eat it while they watch the game. Don't miss out.



Brazil will be four hours behind BST during next summer's World Cup, which should mean fans at home need not be up in the small hours. For those who decide to make the trip, the traffic may be one of the major problems. In Sao Paulo it is horrendous and can often take four hours to cross the city. In Rio it is manageable, but the mountains and tunnels needed to navigate them, meaning widening the roads was never really an option. Don't get caught driving into Rio from the airport between 06:00 and 10:00. It is not a pretty sight.

Tahiti became all of Brazil's second team. Some 71,000 packed into the Maracana to see the minnows take on the might of Spain. And they cheered them to the heavens when, against Nigeria, they scored and performed their now famous goal celebration, a tribute to Tahiti's form of canoe racing, Va'a. The South Pacific Islanders are expected to be represented in Brazil next summer - at the Va'a World Championships.

U - United

For a nation that is proud to say it is one of 201 million football managers (everyone has an opinion), it has united behind Scolari's Brazil as few could possibly have predicted. And beyond that, the Selecao has acted as a beacon of hope, a unifying presence during the protests, the one issue that everyone was able to agree on. One defeat or a poor performance and all that can change very quickly. But for now, Brazil believes.

V - Vasco



Club de Regatas Vasco da Gama is one of the most popular football clubs in Brazil having been named after the Portuguese explorer. Vasco, inspired by the great Romario, saw off Manchester United in the 2000 Club World Cup at the Maracana. Brazil often train at their stadium, the Sao Januario, in Rio. On the walls outside, handprints of former players are marked in black and white paint (club colours), adjacent to pavement bars, heaps of rubbish and pineapples sold from the back of vans. Inside, a bronze statue of Romario, arms aloft, stands behind one of the goals.

W - Weather, Winter

The weather will vary greatly across the 12 host cities next summer. Manaus, which is in the Amazon, will be incredibly hot and painfully humid. The northern coastal cities of Fortaleza, Recife and Natal will see temperatures reach the mid-30s during the peak hours of the day. In the south, Porto Alegre and Curitiba will be cold, with gloves and hats needed to fend off the cold. England must hope the draw is kind.

X - X-factor

The Confederations Cup had that unique quality that lifted it above the ordinary and turned into a competition that genuinely grabbed the attention of the world. There was that moment of magic from Neymar after just three minutes of the opening game, there was that Pirlo free-kick, that Balotelli flick, that fizzer from Forlan and a curler from Cavani. And it all just whetted the appetite for a World Cup that could be very special.

Y - Yellow



The stadiums are awash with those vivid yellow shirts, which carry so many ones and zeroes on the back as to resemble a binary convention. But it wasn't always that way. After the defeat by Uruguay in the 1950 World Cup, when Brazil wore white, it was decided a new kit should be designed to incorporate the colours of the flag. A competition was held, and the winner was Aldyr Garcia Schlee - the yellow symbolises gold, which Brazil counts as a vital natural resource, the blue stands for the cloudless skies, and the green is for the rich vegetation, forests and jungles. And that is how the most iconic football kit in the world, came into existence.

Z - Zagallo, Zico

Fortunately two of Brazil's most celebrated football names begin with Z and BBC Sport just happened to interview both of them during the Confederations Cup. Zico was staying in the same hotel as the crew in Brasilia when a chance meeting with the translator turned into a 10 and then 20-minute interview. Mario Zagallo, who won the World Cup an incredible four times as a player and a coach, was as passionate and intense about the game and the need for the "yellow shirt to rise again" as ever before, despite being 81 years of age.

Porto Alegre Gremio stadium just completed


but...Gremio stadium wont be hosting any world cup matches, Porto Alegre's matches will be played at Biera Rio stadium below..pics july 2013:

go figure!!

Brazil's football violence is a symptom of a collapsed justice system
A basic lack of punishment for violent crimes and corruption leads to such horrific events as the brutal referee murder

David Goldblatt
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 9 July 2013 03.00 AEST

30 June 2013 was a very good day for Brazilian football, and a very bad one. Brazil beat Spain 3-0 to win the Confederations Cup in Rio de Janeiro that day – while outside the 1km Fifa exclusion zone around the stadium, there were major clashes between protesters and the police. It has now also emerged that earlier that same day, at an amateur game in the distant northern state of Maranhao a referee stabbed a player to death on the field. He was then stoned to death and decapitated by the crowd.

It is regrettable that just a week after Brazil's huge wave of social protest, our focus is on these ghoulish but random acts of rural violence, rather than the more significant political earthquake that has occurred. Yet, prurient curiosity aside, something might be learnt here.

This is not a rare occurrence. In 2009 Prof Mauricio Murad from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro published a report called A Sad Perverse Achievement. He found that between 1999 and 2008, 49 people died in Brazilian football stadiums as a result of violence or crowd disasters; a figure that made the country the world number one in football-related deaths.

Four years later things are no better. In 2012 gun-wielding Corinthians fans killed a Palmieras fan and injured three others in a gigantic brawl on the north side of São Paulo. Brazil's respected football weekly Lance! has calculated that 155 people have been killed since 1988, and increasingly the incidents involve firearms and criminal gangs. By contrast, the number of arrests over the same period is just 27.

Earlier this year Gremio, a club in Porto Alegre, had to close their stadium for 60 days after a crowd crush left eight people seriously injured. In February Corinthian fans from São Paulo launched a flare into the opposing crowd at a Copa Libertadores game in Bolivia. A 14-year-old boy was killed and a 17-year-old scapegoat was offered to the police by the organised Torcidas who were responsible. Murad has argued that "violence in football is growing because overall violence in the country is increasing. Violence is on the increase because of lack of punishment for crimes and corruption."

Public safety is a very minor concern of the Brazilian authorities – the Gremio disaster is just one of many dangerous situations allowed in the stadiums. Disorder and criminality, if they don't touch the elite, are left to fester. Criminal gangs and organised fans have become increasingly entwined, made possible by the active negligence of the police and the football clubs. When the state does intervene, it is often with maximum force – as the programme of favela pacifications in Rio demonstrate. A point reinforced by the brutal actions of the police during the Confederations Cup.

Instigators and perpetrators are rarely caught and are even less likely to face justice. After an extensive investigation the Brazilian senate in 2002 recommended that 17 of the leading figures in the game go on criminal trial on a variety of charges. Not a single one of those cases has come to trial. Jose Maria Marin, the current head of the Brazilian FA and the World Cup organising committee, was caught on camera at a São Paulo cup final pocketing a winner's medal that should have gone to a young player. He denied it, brushed it off, claimed it was a prearranged gift and got away with it.

It is in such a context that events like the horrific murder in Maranhao take place: a world in which there appear to be no consequences and no come-uppances, in which the use of barbaric force has been normalised.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/jul/08/brazil-football-violence-symptom-collapsed-justice-system?

http://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/blatter-questions-choice-to-have-brazil-host-wc/

Is it too late to mov the World Cup?

Certainly England could host with a short window, maybe USA although they would have to get other codes/broadcasters and so on on board....so maybe not.

If they want to keep it in the America's, USA would be the obvious choice. Mexico could probably do it too, they stepped in for Columbia in 86. IIRC they have 2 yers notice then, but also the tournement had less teams, so less stadiums required.

Joffa, maybe you should remove the 'Brazil' from the thread title now. :lol:

Lets not be too hasty. :lol:

Brazil defends host status

19 July 2013-AP

Brazil has defended its status as 2014 World Cup host, with FIFA president Sepp Blatter warning that recent protests there could mean it was the wrong choice.

His comment came after more than one million people took to the streets during last month's Confederations Cup - the warm-up for the World Cup - in protest against Brazil's poor public services, in contrast with almost $US14 billion ($A15.33 billion) being spent on the World Cup.

About the same amount will be spent on the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Speaking in Austria, Blatter said on Wednesday that if the protesters returned next year during the World Cup, FIFA would have to consider whether it had made a mistake by giving the tournament to Brazil. Protests took place at all six Confederations Cup cities.

"If this happens again, we have to question whether we made the wrong decision awarding the hosting rights," Blatter told German press agency DPA.

FIFA has acknowledged it spoke with Brazilian officials after the Confederations Cup final, which closed with police and soldiers firing tear gas, shock bombs and rubber bullets to keep thousands of protesters away from the Maracana stadium - 200 metres away. Brazil defeated Spain 3-0 in the final with tear gas wafting through the stadium during the first half.

Blatter said he would discuss the protests when he meets Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff in September.

"We didn't do a political debriefing, but we did emphasise the fact of this social unrest being there for the entire duration of the Confederations Cup," he said. "The government is now aware that next year the World Cup shouldn't be disturbed.

"To me, these protests were like alarm bells for the government, the senate, the parliament. They should work on it so that this is not going to happen again. Though protests, if peaceful, are part of democracy and therefore have to be accepted ... we are convinced the government, and especially the president, will find the words and the actions to prevent a repeat. They have a year to do so."

In a statement on Thursday, the Brazilian sports ministry also emphasised the freedom to protest.

"As for the demonstrations, Brazil is a democratic country that guarantees its citizens full freedom of expression."

"The success of the Confederations Cup proves the correct choice of Brazil to host the World Cup," the sports ministry said.

In April, FIFA's top administrator Jerome Valcke suggested "less democracy is sometimes better for hosting a World Cup".

Small street protests have continued in Brazil since the Confederations Cup, and security officials are bracing for more trouble with the arrival of Pope Francis in Rio de Janeiro on Monday for the Catholic Church's youth festival.

http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/2014-world-cup/news/1160276/Brazil-defends-host-status

Sepp says this before every world cup! It's purely motivational! I believe that we'll be ready by next year. Brazil... check, the Brazilian government needs this world cup to be a success. If it effs up the protests that are going on now(died down a fair bit now) will look like a bunch of school kids complaining about homework in comparison.

Brazil sports minister admits 2014 World Cup stadiums 'will not be delivered on time'

Construction must be accelerated to meet Fifa requirements

SIMON RICE

Concerns over Brazil's readiness to host next summer's World Cup have been upgraded after the country's sports minister admitted he was worried about delays to the construction of new stadiums.

Aldo Rebelo warned that the venues will not be delivered on time if construction is not accelerated.

It was recently revealed that only one of the six stadiums - the venue for the opening match in Sao Paulo - is on schedule to be completed by the end of this year. That is the deadline given by Fifa for the venues to be completed.

While the stadium in Sao Paulo is 84 per cent complete, the other five in Manaus, Curitiba, Cuiaba, Porto Alegre and Natal are from 71 per cent to 79 per cent ready.

"This must be seen as a warning. We cannot keep on the same rhythm, or we will not deliver them on time," said Rebelo.

"It is possible to intensify. We are able to meet the deadlines, but it should be noted that it will require us to speed up the construction."

Rebelo warned that no extra funding to speed the building process would be forthcoming from the government.

"There will be no budget increase, because, for example, instead of paying 10 workers during two months, you can pay 20 to work for 30 days," Rebelo explained.

Throwing more money at the tournament would be hugely unpopular, with this summer's Confederations Cup, seen as a test event for next year's tournament, overshadowed by protests about corruption and overspending.

However, that may be unavoidable with Fifa warning during the Confederations Cup that there is no 'Plan B' if Brazil fail to be ready.

The World Cup will be hosted across a total of 12 venues in Brazil with the tournament scheduled to begin on 12 June.


http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/brazil-sports-minister-admits-2014-world-cup-stadiums-will-not-be-delivered-on-time-8761197.html

the Porto Alegre matches could be moved to the newly constructed Gremio stadium as I alluded to in a previous post, surely they might be considering this now

Valcke in Brazil amid 2014 concerns


19 August 2013-AP

FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke will begin an inspection visit to Brazil amid a series of concerns about the country's readiness for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Price gouging reigns in BrazilBrazil faces tough task to ready airportsRebelo wants construction to speed up

Valcke will visit three host cities less than a week after Brazil's sports minister said the country needed to speed up the pace of construction on five of the six stadiums that have to be completed by December.

Monday's visit also comes just days after the government said it was concerned with price hikes of hotels listed on FIFA's website, something that could prompt an investigation into the FIFA-appointed agency in charge of accommodation.

There are also doubts about whether the upgrades needed at the country's airports will be ready in time for the event that kicks off in less than 10 months.

http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/news/1164489/Valcke-in-Brazil-amid-2014-concerns