KEY POINTS:
England may have "invented" soccer but the Brazilians define its soul and no one with a drop of romance in their veins can argue with the appeal of a World Cup in the land of the joga bonito.
But the decision by Fifa, football's world governing body, to
award the 2014 tournament to Brazil is, like that which sent the 2010 jamboree to South Africa, a gamble.
As with 2010, the political choice is also the popular one, but the challenges are immense. The area bordered by Porto Alegre, Recife and Manaus, all putative hosts, is larger than that marked by Oslo, Lisbon and Istanbul, and lacks Europe's generally impressive transport infrastructure.
Then there is crime. Last year Brazil's Justice Ministry admitted to 150 murders per day (the figure in England and Wales in the comparable period averaged less than three). Fifa's inspection report, while recommending Brazil be selected (it was the sole bid due to the now abandoned policy of rotating between regional confederations), is full of subtle, coded references to unfavourable aspects, but even this glossy document has to admit "security is a concern". So are the transport infrastructure, stadiums (at present there is not a single venue close to meeting the required standard) and corruption.
All of which explains the mixed reaction in Brazil to the announcement, made by Fifa president Sepp Blatter. In Rio de Janeiro giant Brazil shirts were unfurled by Sugar Loaf mountain and below the Christ the Redeemer statue that sits atop Corcovado mountain. In Sao Paulo, thousands of balloons in the national colours of yellow, blue, white and green were released into the sky from the pitch of Morumbi Stadium.
The 1970 World Cup winner Tostao, now one of Brazil's most respected columnists, wrote: "The optimistic say the World Cup will increase the number of tourists, will bring huge benefits in infrastructure for the population and will improve football by improving and building stadiums.
"Others think that, because of the violence, the problems with air transport, the terrible highways, the absence of railways, the bad structural conditions of the cities and the areas around the stadiums, the enormous Government spending, the political interests and the people who take advantage, that Brazil is not prepared for such a task."
Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the President of Brazil, was naturally far more positive. "We will organise a great World Cup and I am very happy. Soccer is more than a sport for us, it's a national passion."
An estimated £550 million ($1.49 billion) will be required for stadium reconstruction. Four possible sites are only artists' impressions, the others will need extensive refurbishment.
