World Cup Diary Day 15: Rio turns into Little Argentina

RIO DE JANEIRO // Spend a morning walking along Copacabana beach, up to the end of the enchanting Ipanema strip and back, and you will find it difficult to escape that this is World Cup month.

You might pass Gary Lineker, the England striker who won the Golden Boot at Mexico 1986 and who now fronts the BBC’s football coverage, strolling along, bare-chested and seemingly without a care in the world.

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You might stumble across Fabio Cannavaro, captain of Italy’s 2006 World Cup champions, fresh from his Dubai stint as Al Ahli’s assistant coach, sitting with his back to the Atlantic Ocean, previewing the Argentina v Nigeria clash for another British television network.

Fabio is looking typically suave, in a light pink shirt and shorts, or perhaps that is simply because he is sandwiched between the sweating presenter and an ageing Glenn Hoddle.

You might then tip-toe your way back towards the Fifa Fan Fest, situated right on the Copacabana, for it is no easy feat dodging the countless games of keepy-uppy being played where the waves meet the sand, by young and old, boys and girls.

The skills on show are so impressive, in fact, that even Pierre van Hooijdonk, the former Celtic and Netherlands striker, stops to marvel.

This is Brazil, after all.

For Wednesday, though, it feels like Little Argentina, with the fencing that stretches the full length of the sprawling Fan Fest covered in blue and white flags.

The Argentines have travelled en masse to witness their national team’s final Group F match.

Some slept overnight on the beach and are now joining hundreds of compatriots in singing “Happy Birthday Leo” to their star No 10, who the day before turned 27.

Having retreated from the beach for some lunch and a bit of shade, you might even consider making Rio your permanent home.

jmcauley@thenational.ae

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