The World Cup in Brazil is supposed to be the party to end all parties — but for most Brazilians, the party seems to have ended before it even began.
Home of Carnival and ‘the beautiful game’, as football legend Pelé once famously referred to his country, Brazil finally had the economic, political and social stability to host the tournament for the first time since 1950. After decades during which its soccer prowess out-dribbled its development, Latin America’s biggest country – not to mention winner of five World Cup titles, more than any other nation – could at last flout its success both on and off the pitch.