The Hindu : The heroes are back in Brazil

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 03, 2002

Sport

Sport - Football

The heroes are back in Brazil

Brazilian soccer team coach Luis Felipe Scolari (left) and team captain Cafu wave national flags from the cockpit of the aircraft that transported the team to Brasilia. Thousands of people crowded along the 15 km route to the presidential palace, where President Fernando Henrique Cardoso is to present the team with the National Order of Merit. — AFP

BRASILIA (Brazil) July 2. Tens of thousands of cheering, flag-waving Brazilians packed the streets of the capital on Tuesday to welcome the national soccer team, which returned as national heroes after winning the country's fifth World Cup.

Escorted by four air force jets, the Boeing 767 carrying the team appeared in the clear blue skies of Brasilia at 9:30 a.m. (1230 GMT) and circled the city for 15 minutes.

As the Varig plane, with five stars painted on its fuselage, landed, a loud cheer erupted from the crowd.

As the plane slowly taxied toward the terminal, team captain Cafu and coach Luis Felipe Scolari leaned out from the two sides of the cockpit waving Brazilian flags.

Holding up the World Cup trophy, Cafu was the first to emerge from the plane followed by Ricardo Teixeira, president of the Brazilian Soccer Confederation, and the rest of the team.

As they descended the red-carpeted staircase, fireworks exploded and an air force band began playing a catchy samba rhythm.

``I am very happy and I am sure all of Brazil is very happy,'' Ronaldo, the World Cup's top scorer, told a TV reporter who rushed up to him on the runway. After passing through customs, the players climbed onto two sound trucks that carried them past an estimated 150,000 people who lined the 15-km route between the airport and the ``Plaza of the Three Powers,'' where the Planalto Presidential Palace, Congress and the Supreme Court are located.

The players were to have climbed on two fire trucks that were waiting for them in the airport, but for some reason they preferred the sound trucks.

Most in the crowd wore the yellow jersey of the national team and waved Brazilian flags of all sizes as the fire trucks slowly made their way toward the Planalto Presidential Palace, where they were to be greeted by President Fernando Henrique Cardoso.

``This is the biggest demonstration of any kind that has been ever been held in Brasilia,'' Brasilia Police chief Francisco Mainardi said.

Tuesday was declared an optional holiday in Brasilia, which allowed banks, businesses and schools to choose whether they would stay open or not.

Two more celebrations were scheduled for later in the day in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo. — AP

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