March 5 – Despite the myriad of problems facing the Brazil World Cup, FIFA President Sepp Blatter used this week’s 100-day countdown for the start of the tournament to try and accentuate the positive.
“One hundred days, it’s a long way to go. It’s a short way to go if there are still problems but now all problems are under control,” Blatter told FIFA’s website.
Brazil is still racing to get at least three of the 12 stadiums ready on time, two of which – including Sao Paulo which stages the opening game – may not be complete until three weeks before the big kickoff. Blatter recently conceded he had never known a World Cup host be so far behind schedule.
But while England had “invented” the sport, he said, Brazil, which hasn’t hosted since 1950, had “shown the world the way to play good football.”
“The Brazilian spirit of the game and the Brazilian ability to play football makes this World Cup very, very special I am sure it will be a great great success,” said Blatter.
Preparations have been clouded by protests and security concerns and FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke told reporters last weekend that organisers faced a huge challenge to sort everything out on time.
Yet Blatter insisted: “All problems are under control and it will be, in 100 days, an exceptionally good start for an exceptional competition.”
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