Twas the night before World Cup and all through the land,
Not a creature was stirring, except for the hundreds of thousands of
foreigners and locals waiting for the Cup to start...
Since Brazil won the right to host the
2014 FIFA World Cup in October of 2014, millions of people throughout
the globe have been looking forward to it getting under way, and
we're now just one day from kick off.
When hosts Brazil kick off against
Croatia at 5pm tomorrow afternoon it will start a month long
celebration of the biggest sport in the world and dominate news media
the world over – hopefully for the right reasons.
It hasn't all been smooth sailing for
the organisation of the big event, with many locals angry at the
money being spent on building stadiums and infrastructure that may
not benefit the citizens in the long run. There's been strikes, riots
and plenty of public outcry from people who feel bullied by the world
governing body, FIFA, who stand to make millions out of their
showcase tournament, while the people of Brazil will be left to pick
up the tab.
John Oliver's take on FIFA
There has also been problems and delays
in building the stadiums, with one stadium partially collapsing in November of last year and some other installations still not completed.
While I've been fortunate to steer
clear of any serious issues so far, I was a victim of the metro
strike in Sao Paulo when I arrived in Brazil's largest city. With two
of the lines closed, what should have been a straight forward journey
to my hostel took over three hours and no fewer than six changes from
bus to metro and back. Having travelled on the city's overcrowded
system for a few days now it is hard to see how it will handle the
extra capacity brought in by the World Cup.
One of Sao Paulo's busier metro stations
It may sound like the whole thing has
become a bit of a downer, but I can tell you it's anything but. While
there are certainly people not happy with how the World Cup has
affected them, the overwhelming vibe in Rio and Sao Paulo (where I
have been so far) has been positive.
There's a constant stream of people –
both local and foreign – walking around the city in their chosen
team's shirt, while throwing some friendly banter around. I
personally, seem to have met every one of the thousands of Dutch fans
that are in the country to see their country play against the
Socceroos in Porto Alegre on the 18th. Everywhere you go
you see people in differing coloured shirts having a beer and a laugh
with each other. I even appeared in a Brazilian national magazine
alongside a bunch of fans from other countries – all just as stoked
as each other to be here and share what is sure to be a once in a
lifetime experience. If that can be maintained throughout the
tournament itself, hopefully all of the problems will be forgotten.
Croatia fans in full voice in Sao Paulo ahead of their match against Brazil
That's not to say we should forget the
plight of the locals who feel they've been left out. While in Sao
Paulo, I've been fortunate enough to stay with an NGO that has
decided to boost their fund-raising by renting out some of the rooms in the house their volunteers and staff share. As part of my stay
here, I was able to visit the school in a nearby favela where
children who would otherwise be doing nothing on the streets are able
to take part in various fun and educational activities. Seeing where
these kids come from, and how they can thrive when given the chance,
opens the eyes of travelling gringos like me and others who will be
coming through over the next month. If we can help support
organisations like this that do amazing work, as well as spend our
money at local establishments and stores, then maybe we can help
leave something good behind for the people of Brazil.
Many nationalities coming together for the cup
Ok, so it may seem like I'm clutching
at straws but here's the thing: We all want this to be a great thing.
The hundreds of thousands of foreigners that are anticipating that
kick off tomorrow are all coming with the expectation of this being a
trip of a lifetime, and for most it will be. While we may not be able
to do much about the negative side of the Cup, all we can do is do
our best and try not to dwell on it. We are, after all, here for
football, not to make the world a better place.
It would just be nice if we could at
least not make it a worse place.
Bring on the football!
Previous World Cup coverage on Long Road To Rio
Confessions of a convert - June 8
Arriving in Rio - June 4
World Cup Fever - May 4
Preparing to invade Brazil - December 10
My Addiction - December 4
That Goal - July 23
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