World Cup poised for troubled kickoff today
Print Edition
BRAZIL’S President Dilma Roussef vowed that her country is ready to host the most trouble-plagued World Cup in history from today as she confronted public anger at the multi-billion-dollar price tag.
The four-week feast of football in the sport’s spiritual homeland gets under way in Sao Paulo, where Brazil faces Croatia at 4am (China time) tomorrow.
The start of the four-yearly extravaganza is the acid test for organizers and football’s governing body FIFA, who have been scrambling to get Brazil ready for the biggest single sport event.
The first of 64 matches which culminate with the July 13 final in Rio de Janeiro will be staged in the Corinthians Arena, a symbol of the chaotic build-up.
Rousseff acknowledged that organizing the cup was tough, but she insisted that the 12 stadiums are ready and told foreign fans Brazil would welcome them with “open arms” like Rio’s Christ the Redeemer statue.
“Brazil overcame the main obstacles and is ready on and off the pitch for the cup,” she said in a nationally televised address late on Tuesday.
Rousseff said she understood the protesters but insisted they are wrong.
“For any country, organizing a cup is like playing a game, sweating and often suffering, with the possibility of extra-time and penalty kicks. But the final result and celebration are worth the effort.”
Construction of the US$424 million 61,600 Sao Paulo venue ground to a halt in November when a giant crane toppled over and killed two workers. A third laborer died in an accident in March. Eight workers have died while racing to complete World Cup-related projects.
The 12 World Cup stadiums were due to be ready by the end of December. Six missed the initial deadline.
But FIFA officials are bullishly backing Brazil, with President Sepp Blatter, under fire over his handling of corruption allegations against Qatar’s 2022 World Cup bid, strongly in favor of the host.
However, the spectre of social unrest and transport chaos looms large.
A wage strike by Sao Paulo subway workers last week brought the city to a standstill, and led to riot police firing teargas to break up protesters before the walkout was suspended on Monday.
And resentment at the vast amounts lavished on the tournament — Brazil is believed to be the most expensive World Cup in history — remains.
But the tournament itself promises to be a classic.
Defending champion Spain is bidding to make history by becoming the first side from Europe to win a World Cup in South America.
Brazil, chasing a record sixth World Cup, hosts the tournament for the first time since its loss to Uruguay in the climax of the 1950 finals, when its neighbor inflicted a defeat which became a national trauma.
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