Cafu, captain of the last Brazil team to win the World Cup, has urged his compatriots to put to bed the nightmare of their 1950 loss to Uruguay this year.
The trauma of a 2-1 loss in the trophy match 64 years ago before a 200,000 crowd, hangs over Brazil as they target a sixth World Cup triumph.
Cafu, born Marcos Evangelista de Moraes, told AFP in an interview that only winning this time will finally slay the 1950 demons. Brazil open the tournament on home territory against Croatia on June 12.
"If we do not win this World Cup then the spectre of 1950 will become that of 2014 and will haunt us until there is another World Cup here," he insisted.
Cafu was a member of the Brazil teams that won the World Cup in 1994 and 2002 and is the only player to appear in three finals, having lost in 1998 to France. He played a record 142 times for his country.
And Brazil are used to being the team to beat," said Cafu, who also played in the 2006 World Cup finals where they were eliminated by France in the quarter-finals.
"I do not think that the business of playing at home and the great expectations are a negative for the Selecao.
"Winning is always a great responsibility for Brazil – but that is the case at home and away," said Cafu, now 43, who is acting as an ambassador for the World Cup.
"When they play away there is already great pressure on them, so imagine here. It's normal for there to be pressure on a team which has won the title five times.
"But as they didn't manage to win in 1950 finally the pressure is rising."
Cafu says Brazil will have to watch many rivals.
"All the teams can pose problems, all our rivals. You have to respect those who have already been world champions – England, Argentina, Uruguay, Spain and Italy, who can certainly cause problems."
Cafu says defending champions Spain remain a threat.
"Spain are a great team. Many say they are in decline – but I'm not so sure about that."
With social protests and strikes marring the final preparations for the World Cup, Cafu stresses social unrest is not just a Brazilian preserve.
"It's not just Brazil – there are demonstrations and mobilisations the world over. There are even countries at war.
"In Brazil, there are democratic demonstrations over matters which are good for the country. But it is sure that Brazil is more exposed right now – the whole world is watching Brazil and that provides an echo for these mobilisations.
"But the World Cup is about to start and it will be a great World Cup. There will be demonstrations but we hope that will not be reflected on the pitch."
Cafu said that to protest is "a human right" but the players will just have to carry on.
"As well as being athletes we are citizens, this is a right. But we take to the pitch to play footbsll so that (the social unrest) must not influence the game," Cafu insisted.
As to whether the unrest and stadium construction delays will harm Brazil's image, Cafu insisted: "We will overcome all of that. There are delays at all the Cup sites, that's normal."
But, noting the media focus on protests he asserted: "I'd say there are those who are enjoying taking pot shots at Brazil.
"I want everything to turn out well. I insist, yes, there are some delays. But the work will continue.
"So let's concentrate now on the World Cup and afterwards people's demands will be directed at other topics – security, education, health and transport, things which our country needs."
Asked whether Fifa had been right to award the 2014 tournament to Brazil, Cafu said simply: "I don't work for Fifa so I can't answer that."
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Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Power: 110 horsepower
Torque: 147Nm
Price: From Dh59,700
On sale: now
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
MATCH INFO
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Ajax v Juventus, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
Match on BeIN Sports
A new relationship with the old country
Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates
The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.
ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.
ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.
ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.
DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.
Signed
Geoffrey Arthur Sheikh Zayed
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, semi-final result:
Liverpool 4-0 Barcelona
Liverpool win 4-3 on aggregate
Champions Legaue final: June 1, Madrid
MATCH INFO
What: India v Afghanistan, first Test
When: Starts Thursday
Where: M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengalaru
Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Squid Game season two
Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun
Rating: 4.5/5
The%20new%20Turing%20Test
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In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Banned items
Dubai Police has also issued a list of banned items at the ground on Sunday. These include:
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Political flags or banners
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Bikes, skateboards or scooters
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
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RECORD%20BREAKER
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Kathryn Hawkes of House of Hawkes on being a good guest (because we’ve all had bad ones)
- Arrive with a thank you gift, or make sure you have one for your host by the time you leave.
- Offer to buy groceries, cook them a meal or take your hosts out for dinner.
- Help out around the house.
- Entertain yourself so that your hosts don’t feel that they constantly need to.
- Leave no trace of your stay – if you’ve borrowed a book, return it to where you found it.
- Offer to strip the bed before you go.
