By David Gold
March 9 – Former Brazil striker Ronaldo, a member of Brazil 2014, has said that FIFA general secretary Jérôme Valcke’s criticisms of their preparations for the World Cup were correct.
Valcke caused anger in Brazil last week with his comments suggesting that they needed a “kick up the backside”, stirring up an already fractious relationship between the 2014 hosts and FIFA.
“I am sorry to say but things are not working in Brazil,” Ronaldo (pictured left with fellow former Brazilian football star and Brazil 2014 member Bebeto at a recent visit to Rio de Janeiro’s Maracanã stadium) said.
“You have to push yourself, get a kick up the backside and just deliver this World Cup.”
Brazil’s Sports Minister Aldo Rebelo responded to the comments by claiming he did not want to work with the Frenchman again, though Valcke has since apologised for his remarks.
FIFA President Sepp Blatter also took the step of writing a letter of apology to Brazil for Valcke’s comments.
Ronaldo, who joined as the face of the Brazil 2014 World Cup in December, acknowledged that Valcke (pictured below) had a point.
“The way he made his criticisms was regrettable, but that is not to say that he wasn’t right,” Ronaldo told TV Bandeirantes in São Paulo.
“Valcke has already apologised to the Brazilian people.
“Brazil is late in infrastructure work; there are a lot of things which are behind schedule.”
Brazil has faced a number of problems in its preparations for the World Cup.
The most pressing of which is the urgent need to increase air capacity in time for 2014 to meet demand.
Strikes have also hampered stadium renovation and construction, while the World Cup Law has been the source of a major dispute between FIFA and Brazil.
Brazil prohibits selling alcohol in stadiums, but FIFA have been insistent that this is lifted for the World Cup.
This week Brazil’s congress made a major step towards resolving that particular conflict with the approval of a World Cup bill which would allow alcohol in stadia, though it still has several hurdles to overcome.
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