Brazil 2014 will fill South America with pride, insists CBF President José Maria Marin

By David Gold

May 17 – José Maria Marin, Ricardo Teixeira’s replacement, has said he is confident the Brazil 2014 World Cup will fill the nation and South America with pride.

Marin, 79, took over from Teixeira in March when the former Brazilian power broker relinquished his role as the head of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) and of Brazil 2014.

He is joined on the World Cup organising committee by Ronaldo and Bebeto, two Brazilian former goalscoring legends who were brought in during the last months of Teixeira’s controversial reign.

Marin, a former São Paulo player, was also President of the Pãulista Football Federation in the 1980s.

He recently visited Nicolás Leoz, President of the South American Football Confederation (CONCACAF), with Marco Polo Del Nero, the man who took Teixeira’s seat on the FIFA Executive Committee.

“We will continue with what has been established and I am sure that the 2014 World Cup will be an object of pride for Brazil and South America as a whole,” Marin told the CONMEBOL magazine.

“We will exhibit the warmth of our people, our organisation and ways of living, not only of Brazil but also of the South Americans.”

Brazil has been dogged by delays with the construction of stadiums and infrastructure for the World Cup.

Though the contentious World Cup law, which caused a rift with FIFA, is near to being passed, airport capacity for 2014 remains a key concern.

However, Marin (pictured above) emphasises that he is “lucky” to be a part of the organisation for the tournament.

“I am very lucky because I’ll be able to follow at close range every second of the second World Cup in my land,” he said.

“The first one was that of 1950, in which Uruguay attained the Cup.

“We will be working with two great football stars, Ronaldo and Bebeto, for Brazil to keep on sparing no efforts in organising an unforgettable FIFA World Cup.”

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