June 20 – From foaming at the mouth to foam on your boots, Brazil 2014 is providing the lot. INSIDEworldfootball chief correspondent Andrew Warshaw is in Belo Horizonte awaiting the arrival of Lionel Messi and his mates. Here are some of the other things that are occupying his agenda
Technology? No problem here but you need to sort out your end
The friendliness of the Brazilians knows no bounds. I was the only person in the media room when I suddenly found myself unable to receive emails when my server totally crashed, halting all communication with the outside world. Informed that it was “the Brazilian end”, a number of technicians rallied round doing their utmost to retrieve the situation with little joy, only for me to be told a few hours later that it in fact the problem originated back home.
If in doubt, blame FIFA
The ban on reporters taking food and drink into the media centres is supposed to be about complying with Brazilian law. But when i had a bottle of orange juice confiscated, the security guard blamed football’s world governing body. “FIFA, FIFA”, he proclaimed, justifying said bottle being taken away and dumped.
Worshipping at football’s cathedral
After football and music, religion is the biggest craze among Brazilians. The family who are putting me up in suburban Belo Horizonte bend over backwards to help. Nothing is too much trouble but I get the feeling they wish I could be converted, given all the religious inscriptions on the walls and their visits to the local church. Alcohol is replaced in the house by water and orange juice – no bad thing perhaps in a city that has more bars than any other in the country and where a couple of cocktails can knock you sideways.
Heading into coach’s bad books
As if their World Cup humiliation and elimination wasn’t enough, Cameroon coach Volker Finke says he will try to find out why Benoit Assou-Ekotto headbutted team-mate Benjamin Moukandjo during the 4-0 drubbing by Croatia. The pair were arguing in injury time before the defender thrust his head towards his supposed colleague. “It’s unimaginable. I saw this happen and I need to find out exactly what happened, why exactly these two players exploded,” said Finke. “I hate to see that. It’s not the image of Cameroon I want to project.”
Only dopes believed this one
For a few hours, Brazil was buzzing with rumours that members of the Dutch squad had failed dope tests in the wake of their stunning opening win over Spain. But it turned out to be a hoax. A report is understood to have been posted on National Report, a self-described “satire” website that only publishes false news and editorials.
No ticket? Then join the party at the Fan Fest
If you haven’t got a ticket, the best place to watch any World Cup match is at the fan zones where it isn’t only the football on the big screens that grab the attention. In the buildup to kickoff and in between matches music – Brazil’s other passion – provides terrific alternative entertainment. Brazilians love to party and they were at it again on Tuesday when the national team met Mexico, nowhere more so than in Belo Horizonte where a ridiculously talented Algerian nine-piece band – brought in specially on the day Algeria played Belgium – belted out a North African and Brazilian mixture of reggae, salsa and jazz-funk to a gyrating crowd. Watching the fans dance to the intoxicating rhythms was far more entertaining that seeing Russia and South Korea play out a 1-1 draw. A record-breaking 430,000 fans descended on the Fan Fest venues in all 12 Host Cities across Brazil on Tuesday, taking the total attendance to 1.3 million after the first round of group games.
Ref cleans player’s boots
Most people are generally in favour of the vanishing spray innovation at this World Cup. But there is always a risk that the referee will mistime the motion when awarding freekicks. Which is exactly what happened during that remarkable Dutch win over Spain early in the tournament when the foam hit defender Bruno Martins Indi’s boots, prompting general hilarity among millions of tv viewers.