By Paul Nicholson in Rio de Janeiro
June 20 – Look around Rio de Janeiro you could be forgiven for wondering where the Confederations Cup party is taking place unless you were outside the Maracana or an official ticket collection point.
This is a city that loves and celebrates its sport but is balanced on an uncomfortable knife-edge of public protest over costs of infrastructure, which includes the costs for one its greatest passions, football.
But one party has been started in Rio, and it has been started by the Mexicans who hosted the latest edition of their Una Probadita Mexico concept and announced their plans for their showcase during the 2014 World Cup.
Mexico’s loss to Brazil last night and to Italy in the first game is unlikely to dampen their enthusiasm for the 2014 World Cup and for Brazil. “We have a special empathy for Brazil. They are the team we always want to beat and that we feel closest to along with Spain,” said Justino Compeàn, president of the Mexican FA.
“We are working to bring as many Mexican and Mexican Americans as we can to to the World Cup. What we are doing is important for the image of Mexico. Everyone has problems and protests in their countries and that is something we also recognise. We recognise that the protestors have a voice and we respect that voice. But football is still a game and it will still take place,” he said.
Una Probadita Mexico (A taste of Mexico) is a concept that brings Mexican culture – particularly food, dance, music art to major sporting events across the world. The Confederations Cup is the fifth major sports event they have done and for 2014 FIFA World Cup they will host a themed village, ‘La Plaza de Mexico’, in Rio de Janeiro.
‘La Plaza de Mexico’ will be positioned in Rio de Janeiro from June 12 until July 13 during the World Cup and will showcase the best of Mexico including concerts, costumes, performances and traditional food and drink combined with Brazil’s cultural offering. It will be open to all football fans and will also be supported by ‘fiestas’ in host cities across the country depending on where Mexico will be playing in Brazil.
Javier Ruiz Galindo, managing director of Una Probadita de Mexico, said: “La Plaza de Mexico will be open from the first day until the end of the World Cup. We are inviting all the Mexican states to bring their own culture, food and music to be part of the Mexican pavilion.”
The Plaza de Mexico in Rio will be supported by ‘fiestas’ in host cities across Brazil depending on where Mexico will be playing.
Una Probadita de Mexico is a private company which has a strong partnership with the federation to showcase the country. Funded by its sponsors, the event in Rio was funded by Mexican shampoo brand Cre-C Max, pharmacuticals company Aspexia, Tequila Don Ramon and logistics company Grupo Mundomex. Galindo says they will have over 30 sponsors for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Justino Compean, president of the Mexican Football Federation, said that, “Our fans have loved having a ‘taste of Mexico’ during previous World Cups as it provides an uplifting reminder of home and it also showcases a new image of Mexico to the world.”
Grupo Mundomex, a sponsor of Una Probadita, was appointed by MATCH Hospitality AG, as its co-exclusive sales agents in Mexico for the sale of the official hospitality programme. Grupo Mundomex president Luis Quintero announced that they “will be providing a cruise ship for Mexicans to stay and travel around Brazil during this period and we are expecting 20,000 Mexican fans to follow their national team with us.”
The cruise will take in the whole 31 days of the World Cup, split into two parts. The first 20 days covering the group stages with the second 11 days covering the knockout rounds.
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