Event marks 100 days to the World Cup

Whoever got to visit the Casa do Brazil Cultural Center on March 04, was greeted by Fuleco in a capoeira circle, which left no doubt that there was Brazilian territory in Madrid.

The 2014 World Cup’s mascot was the one responsible to welcome the 100 days to the World Cup commemorative event. Inside, a press conference on the World Cup, attended by the Ministry of Sport ‘s Executive Secretary, Luis Fernandes, Brazil’s ambassador in Spain, Paulo de Oliveira Campos, communications director for the Local Organizing Committee (COL), Saint-Clair Milesi and former players Edmilson, five-times champion with Brazil in 2002 and Demetrio Albertini, vice-president of the Italian Federation.

“Brazil has accepted a challenge by hosting the World Cup. The organization is not only responsible for construction of stadiums, but also for investments in ports and airports, in urban mobility infrastructure, information technology, energy and several areas that will improve and stay with the country after the World Cup”, said the Ministry of Sport ‘s executive secretary, Luis Fernandes.

Brazil’s ambassador in Spain, Paulo de Oliveira Campos, highlighted the common passion between Spanish people and Brazilians. “Spanish people surely have in common with Brazilians the love for football, it only takes a look at the covers of the Monday’s newspapers on both countries to see that”, said the Brazilian diplomat.

COL’s communications director, Saint-Clair Milesi, remembered the success achieved by the 2013 FIFA’s Confederations Cup. The high demand for tickets and the number of volunteers for FIFA’s World Cup in 2014 demonstrates the excitement of Brazilian and South Americans in general with the event, which opens on July 12.

“This is the Cup that everyone wants to see; everywhere you go people talk about the World Cup in Brazil. Almost ten million tickets were requests worldwide, the vast majority in Brazil. There is still a lot to be done, but Brazil will be ready as it was for the Confederations Cup”, said Saint-Clair Milesi.

At Home

World champion for Brazil in South Korea and Japan’s World Cup in 2002, former player Edmilson felt at home in Spain, where he defended Real Zaragoza and Villarreal, standing out with Barcelona, team for which he won the Champions League in 2006. Edmilson compared the atmosphere that he experimented as a player in 2002 with the one he experimented as a supporter during the Confederations Cup, projecting how the 2014 World Cup will be.

World vice Champion with the Italian national team in FIFA’s 1994 World Cup, Demetrio Albertini was 19 year old when the World Cup his hometown hosted the event. In Madrid, while watching a friendly match between Italia and Spain, he talked about what the tournament meant to him and the Italians in 1990.

“To host the World Cup is like a dream, you get to see so many great players up close, it’s something unforgettable. For the country, it is also a great opportunity to work on many areas and to welcome people who will be there, dreaming that their team will win. Football is a part of the lives of people all around the world, and so will be in Brazil between June and July”, said Demetrio Albertini.