Blatter backs Brazil to deliver exceptional Cup
0 Comment(s)
Print
E-mail Shanghai Daily, March 5, 2014
Problems with Brazil's World Cup venues are under control with just 100 days to go before the first match kicks off, FIFA President Sepp Blatter said yesterday.
"One hundred days; It's a long way to go, and it's a short way to go if there are still problems," the Swiss told fifa.com in a video to mark the occasion.
"But now all problems are under control and it will be in 100 days an exceptional good start for an exceptional competition."
Brazil is racing against time to complete stadiums, airports, communications infrastructure and transportation systems as the June 12 opening day approaches.
FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke said at the weekend that the world body faced a huge challenge following delays in building stadiums.
The Sao Paulo stadium that hosts the opening match is not due to be ready until May while other stadiums in Curitiba and Manaus remain unfinished.
One survey in February showed the number of Brazilians who favored hosting the tournament had fallen to an all-time low, with many criticizing it as a waste of money.
Support has waned since protests broke out in June last year against poor public services and the high cost of building stadiums, but Blatter was confident Brazilians would embrace the Cup when the time came.
Brazil, said Blatter, was "the country of football, and they will receive this competition with open arms and full of their heart."
"The Brazilian spirit of the game and the Brazilian ability to play football makes this World Cup very, very special," he added.
"Now everybody is expecting that Brazil will bring home this World Cup. I am sure it will be a great, great success."
Brazil is the only nation to have won the Cup five times and also the only ones to have played in every finals.
President Dilma Rousseff also talked up the host nation's readiness yesterday. "Today is a very special date for all Brazilians. There are 100 days to go to the Cup and the country is in the final furlong with preparations for the grand fiesta," Rousseff said on her Twitter feed.
The national teams are entering their final phase of preparations with a series of warm-up scheduled for this week. Brazil hopes to maintain a perfect record against South Africa in Soweto with much at stake. For the Brazilians it is a last chance in the national strip to impress coach Luiz Felipe Scolari before he names his 23-man tournament squad in early May.
Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)