Backing Brazil — from go to whoa!

South American group living in Auckland gear up for expected celebrations, starting from kick-off tomorrow

Brazil native Ana Paula De Jesus says her dream football World Cup final would be to see her countrymen play their arch-rival, Argentina, at a packed Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro.

And despite the pressure at home to win, she’s confident of an unprecedented sixth tournament victory — followed by a wild celebration.

Originally from the capital city of Brasilia but now a New Zealand resident of nine years, Mrs De Jesus is among a group of the 3000 Brazilians living in Auckland who will be cheering on their side. A large gathering will be at Santos Cafe in Ponsonby, which is hosting its fifth round of World Cup screenings when Brazil kicks off the tournament against Croatia at the Arena de Sao Paulo tomorrow morning.

Mrs De Jesus has no pre-match superstitions but admits to crossing her fingers — before chewing her nails off — when Brazil take the field.

“I personally don’t pray before games because I think God has too much to worry about without having to think about football.”

The 32-year-old former restaurant manager said the pressure on Brazil to win the tournament was much like Kiwis’ attitude to their rugby team. “We expect to win, always, like New Zealanders with the All Blacks.

“Every time Brazil goes to the World Cup it’s a huge thing, it’s something we are passionate about — everything stops, you won’t reach anyone in Brazil during the game.

“We never know what’s going to happen but it would be very sad if Brazil lost the World Cup, I don’t want to think about it but there would definitely be people crying about it.”

Brazil are third in the Fifa rankings behind world champions Spain and European powerhouse Germany.

But the TAB has them favourite to win.

Mrs De Jesus said that with most kick-offs at the World Cup early in the morning it might be premature to drink Caipirinha cocktails although she and her friends would enjoy other Brazilian treats like misto (ham and cheese toasted sandwiches), pao de queijo (cheese bread), mortadella (pork sausage), and chocolatecovered carrot cake.

Asked what was likely to happen in her home country if Brazil did win another tournament, she said there would probably be a lot of partying.

“I wouldn’t say like Carnival but it would be a big celebration, for sure.”