Large crowds, armed guards greet players

SAO PAULO, Brazil — Teams arriving in Brazil for the World Cup have been greeted by cheering throngs, waving flags and, in the case of Japan, fire trucks spraying an arc of water over theteam plane.

But they’ve also been greeted by small armies of armed guards wearing riot gear and toting automatic weapons. More than half the 32 competing teams are already in Brazil.

England, Germany, Russia, Greece, Algeria and defending champion Spain were among the teams arriving in Brazil on Sunday. The English team, which touched down in Rio de Janeiro after an overnight flight from Miami, was immediately surrounded by a massive security presence, including a police escort to its hotel in the ritzy Sao Conrado district.

Thehotel, the Royal Tulip, was the scene of a 2010 shootout during which gunmen took staff and guests hostage. A hotel spokesperson told Agence France-Presse that security has been stepped up and military police will maintain a permanent presence outside the building during stay of the English team, which will also practice under armed guard at a nearby military base.

Germany’s greeting was a bit more festive with several hundred fans waving Brazilian and German flags and cheering the team as it arrived in the northeastern state of Bahia. The players quickly boarded a boat for their private, specially constructed training base.

Camero on was also due to arrive Sunday but the team’s departure was delaye dwhen players refused to board the plane, reportedly demanding World Cup bonuses larger than the $104,000 they were said to have offered by the government.

After prolonged talks, a Cameroon Football Federation official told AFP a deal had been reached, and the team was expected to be in Brazil sometime Monday.