Happy World Cup day! Brazil comes to life as nation looks to football to hide woes

BRAZIL, the home of football, is about to host its second World Cup and the globe is on the edge of its seat.

BRASIL: The nation is coming together through tough times [BARCROFT]

Tonight the home nation will play their opening match and the Brazilians are in full colour ahead of the greatest sporting event on Earth.
The streets of Rio De Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Salvador and many more big cities have been painted yellow, green and blue.
Traditional food, music and clothing are all being proudly sported as footie fans from all over the world arrive in the patriotic South American nation.
Brazil kick-off against Croatia tonight (9pm) with the knowledge that no World Cup host has lost their first game.

---

Luiz Felipe Scolari’s team have won 15 out of their last 16 games so Brazilians will be confident the favourites to lift the trophy can get off to a good start.
The last time the country hosted the World Cup was in 1950.
It was before the years of the great Pele, Garrincha and Carlos Alberto as Zizinho and Nilton Santos became the two stars that year.
But the team’s hope of winning their first World Cup at the time ended in the final.
They lost 2-1 to South American rivals Uruguay and the whole country were sent into mourning after so much excitement had been built up in the past.

CARNIVAL: The city of streets are being covered in colour [BARCROFT]

WORLD CUP FEVER: Fans will get the whole experience in Brazil [BARCROFT]

EXTREME: Fans are getting into the mood [BARCROFT]

And now a nation of 200 million people are putting their faith in Scolari’s 23-man-squad.
To date there have been seven World Cups based in the Americas and South American teams have won all of them.
But social and political problems will play a huge factor in a nation that is hugely unhappy about the poorly-planned, over-expensive tournament.
Metro workers in Sao Paulo have been on strike since Thursday, demanding better rights and pay with such high demands being laid down ahead of the World Cup.
Union leaders have said the illegal strike has now been suspended for two days as Brazil’s opener takes place at the Arena de Sao Paulo.
Thousands of fans are already filling the streets of Brazil’s most populated city and could face more transport woes in days to come.
Union leaders ave warned that the strike would resume after Thursday if its demands are not matched.
But during a court meeting last weekend, the union were threatened with fines of 100,000 reais per day (£25,000) for the first four days of striking and 500,000 reais (£130,000) per day from Monday if the strike continued.

DRUMS: Youngsters playing traditional instruments [BARCROFT]

STYLISH: Some brought their own World Cup vehicles to the party [BARCROFT]

NATIONALISTIC: Brazilian flags are being hung everywhere [BARCROFT]

Strikes have also taken place today at two of Rio’s biggest airports.
The 24-hour partial strike will affect Galeao international airport and the Santos Dumon airport, which provide transport to Sao Paulo.
The workers union confirmed: “After nine months of intense but failed negotiations and intransigence from employers, the Rio de Janeiro Municipal Airports Employees’ Union confirms it will strike on June 12.”
Yet the nation has also experienced unrest with costs of the World Cup.
Brand new stadiums, expensive security measures and catering for an expected 3.5million World Cup tourists throughout 2014 have taken its toll.
So the question is can Brazil overcome its domestic struggles to unite and bring a sixth World Cup title back to the home of football?
We will know by the final on July 13.