At the start of World Cup 2014, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff had promised a “Copa das Copas”, or Cup of Cups, against a backdrop of abusive chants inside the Arena Corinthians in São Paulo that recalled the protests in the tournament’s run-up over the estimated $14 billion cost to the hosts. The money, many Brazilians felt, could be better spent elsewhere, on endemic socio-economic problems. Brazil’s unconvincing victory in the opening match did not help. A month later, however, the consensus is that Brazil 2014 has been one of the most exciting world cups in recent memory. History was made on several fronts — from Brazilian football’s nadir, the 1-7 “Mineiraço”, to the fact that a European team has finally won the world cup in the Americas.
Yet hosts Brazil also have reason to celebrate. Though the build-up was dominated by concerns about unfinished stadiums, transport infrastructure and safety, such fears came to be seen as unfounded, and Rio de Janeiro can now look forward to the 2016 Olympics, when it will notch an unprecedented first of hosting the two greatest world sporting events. Brazil 2014 will also be recalled for Fifa’s introduction of goal-line technology at the world cup, or the vanishing foam — though familiar to South Americans — that referees used to mark the 10-yard “wall” for a free-kick. And the “cooling break” in soaring temperatures, allowed first in the Mexico versus Netherlands match in Fortaleza. Several stars were felled midway by injury, most notably Brazil’s Neymar, but the defining image from the pitch will be that of Uruguay’s Luis Suárez biting the shoulder of Italian Giorgio Chiellini, earning a four-month ban. Suarez has since been bought by FC Barcelona from Liverpool for a reported transfer fee of $128 million. His new teammates Neymar and Lionel Messi had better watch out.
