Brazil holds world’s attention as football carnival begins

Once every four years there comes a time when only one thing will matter as far as sports is concerned. The FIFA World Cup, the most watched human endeavour on the planet, is upon us again and will hold our undivided attention for a full month.

Beginning today in Sao Paulo with a match between Brazil and Croatia, and ending with the final on June 13 at the historic Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janerio, the tournament will see the emergence of new legends, the realisation of long-cherished dreams and, for some, the heart-break of crushed ambitions.

There will be smiles, there will be tears and also the occasional blood on the turf. It all adds to the drama, the intrigue and of course the undiluted fun that only a football World Cup can produce.

In Qatar, geographically a world away from Brazil, the heat will be on – literally. That, however, will not come in the way for the tens of thousands of nationals and residents for whom football is the number one sport.

In fact, with the holy month of Ramadan set to start at the end of June when the World Cup is in its decisive phase, one can be rest assured that football will be the main topic of discussion over Suhoor and at late night gatherings in homes, hotels and other public places. Ramadan tents set up by various organisations will no doubt be places where matches are watched live on giant TV sets, where every move is watched and analysed. Armchair experts will never have it so good.

Qatar, of course, is the host of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy will no doubt learn a lot from the way things are organised in Brazil. Of course, 2022 is eight years away, but then everyone is aware how time flies. After all, it seems only like yesterday when Nelson Mandela’s South Africa became the first African nation to host the World Cup in 2010.

But for the moment let’s concentrate on Brazil, the land of Samba football, where the game is ingrained in the DNA of every citizen. It’s a nation that has produced some of the world’s greatest players – Pele, Zico, Garrincha, Socrates and Ronaldo to name a few –and unsurprisingly, it’s the nation that has won the World Cup a record five times.

So will Brazil go on to be champions again, this time in front of their home fans? Or will it be Spain, Italy, Argentina or some other nation not counted among the favourites?

We will certainly know on July 13. Until then, happy viewing.