1:00:52 > 1:00:59.
1:01:06 > 1:01:10Welcome to Brazil, a country that will soon welcome the world,
1:01:10 > 1:01:12as it prepares to play host to the three
1:01:12 > 1:01:15biggest sporting events on the planet.
1:01:28 > 1:01:29He's going to win the gold!
1:01:35 > 1:01:39Pele. Up comes Carlos Alberto on the right.
1:01:39 > 1:01:41And it's four!
1:01:49 > 1:01:53Pistorius gets it. Oh, my goodness!
1:01:53 > 1:01:57Most countries would be delighted to simply stage either
1:01:57 > 1:02:01a Football World Cup Finals, or an Olympic and Paralympic Games.
1:02:01 > 1:02:05Well, Brazil now has the unique honour and responsibility
1:02:05 > 1:02:08of staging all three events over the next four years.
1:02:08 > 1:02:11I've come here to Brazil to learn more about this country's
1:02:11 > 1:02:13unique relationship with sport,
1:02:13 > 1:02:17discover more about how they intend to use this extraordinary scenery
1:02:17 > 1:02:20as a unique backdrop to these three events,
1:02:20 > 1:02:23but also to see what challenges the country faces.
1:02:23 > 1:02:26One of the most intense bursts of international sport
1:02:26 > 1:02:30begins with the World Cup in 18 months' time, with 12 host cities
1:02:30 > 1:02:33ensuring matches will be played across the country.
1:02:33 > 1:02:36From Brazil's Amazonian heartlands to its coastal resorts.
1:02:36 > 1:02:39The tournament kicks off in Sao Paolo,
1:02:39 > 1:02:42with the climax in Rio a month later. But it doesn't stop there.
1:02:42 > 1:02:45Two years later, the city remains in the spotlight,
1:02:45 > 1:02:48as it hosts the Olympics across four venue zones.
1:02:48 > 1:02:50The Paralympics follows a month later.
1:02:52 > 1:02:56Sport's samba years began with a tantalising taste
1:02:56 > 1:02:59of what was to come at London 2012's closing ceremony.
1:02:59 > 1:03:01But as Rio stamped its mark,
1:03:01 > 1:03:05and joyfully took possession of the Olympic spirit, the sense was
1:03:05 > 1:03:09that accompanying such pride and privilege was intense pressure.
1:03:09 > 1:03:11The Olympic standard had been raised,
1:03:11 > 1:03:13perhaps higher than ever before.
1:03:15 > 1:03:18Jessica Ennis is the Olympic champion.
1:03:18 > 1:03:22Moments like these ensured that, for many, London had pulled off
1:03:22 > 1:03:26not just a happy and glorious Games, but arguably the greatest.
1:03:26 > 1:03:29Amid an atmosphere of celebration and confidence,
1:03:29 > 1:03:34British athletes produced their best performance of modern times.
1:03:34 > 1:03:36While the biggest names in sport
1:03:36 > 1:03:39delivered the iconic moments when it mattered most.
1:03:41 > 1:03:44The champion becomes a legend!
1:03:44 > 1:03:47Logistical obstacles were overcome by organisers
1:03:47 > 1:03:50and, confronted by the toughest of acts to follow,
1:03:50 > 1:03:53Brazil, it seemed, had a Herculean task on its hands.
1:03:53 > 1:03:56Every four years, the International Olympic Committee arranges
1:03:56 > 1:04:01a meeting between hosts of the Games just gone and those to come.
1:04:01 > 1:04:05Never before, perhaps, has this official debrief, as it's known,
1:04:05 > 1:04:09been more relevant. In November, those who oversaw London's triumph
1:04:09 > 1:04:13travelled to Brazil to pass on some of the secrets of their success,
1:04:13 > 1:04:19but the architect of the 2012 Games told me Rio has nothing to be afraid of.
1:04:19 > 1:04:21Is it possible they could match London's Games?
1:04:21 > 1:04:24Yes, absolutely it's possible, and they shouldn't be sitting there,
1:04:24 > 1:04:28trying to compare themselves with London. It would've been
1:04:28 > 1:04:31as ridiculous for us to be sitting there,
1:04:31 > 1:04:33benchmarking everything we did in London
1:04:33 > 1:04:36- with what we witnessed in Beijing. - Could they beat it, then?
1:04:36 > 1:04:38That should be their aspiration.
1:04:38 > 1:04:42Each city is different from the other. The same, the countries.
1:04:42 > 1:04:46I think London organised extraordinary Games.
1:04:46 > 1:04:49If you remember about Beijing,
1:04:49 > 1:04:55everybody said Beijing was extra, and London also had extra.
1:04:55 > 1:05:02That we hope to do in our way, and also to be a very good Games.
1:05:02 > 1:05:06Has London put pressure on Rio?
1:05:06 > 1:05:09Always the good organisers put pressure,
1:05:09 > 1:05:15but there's a good pressure, that bring us the responsibility,
1:05:15 > 1:05:19to work, and to well prepare everything.
1:05:21 > 1:05:26The 2016 Games have the potential to be the most visually stunning of all time,
1:05:26 > 1:05:30with Brazil's City of Marvels making full use of its natural beauty.
1:05:30 > 1:05:33Events taking place here in Copacabana include
1:05:33 > 1:05:37open water swimming, sailing, beach volleyball and triathlon,
1:05:37 > 1:05:40while rowing will be staged here on the city's lagoon.
1:05:43 > 1:05:47The redeveloped Maracana Stadium, temple of Brazilian football,
1:05:47 > 1:05:51will host the opening and closing ceremonies.
1:05:51 > 1:05:53Track and field will take place here,
1:05:53 > 1:05:56at another football stadium in the north of the city.
1:05:56 > 1:05:59Unlike London, then, Rio has avoided any future worries
1:05:59 > 1:06:02over what do with an expensive new athletics facility.
1:06:02 > 1:06:04But the majority of the sporting action
1:06:04 > 1:06:08will take place several miles away, on the city's outskirts.
1:06:08 > 1:06:11Surrounded by Rio's iconic landscapes,
1:06:11 > 1:06:14the Olympic Park is being built here on the site
1:06:14 > 1:06:17of a former Formula One motor racing circuit
1:06:17 > 1:06:21in the west of the city, Barra, next to a lagoon.
1:06:21 > 1:06:23There's still plenty to do, as you can see,
1:06:23 > 1:06:25but demolition work has now recently begun,
1:06:25 > 1:06:30some of the venues already here, such as the gymnastics arena.
1:06:30 > 1:06:34Barra will host more than half of the events at the 2016 Games,
1:06:34 > 1:06:37including cycling, martial arts and aquatics,
1:06:37 > 1:06:41but the project is still very much in the demolition stage.
1:06:41 > 1:06:44Building work is a little more advanced here,
1:06:44 > 1:06:46in what will be the athletes' village,
1:06:46 > 1:06:49where 14,000 competitors will be housed.
1:06:49 > 1:06:54As with the Olympic Park, there's an awful lot to do, and concerns about
1:06:54 > 1:06:58the speed of progress are now being expressed at the very top.
1:06:58 > 1:07:04Time is truly a precious commodity, and Rio, like London, must ensure
1:07:04 > 1:07:07they maximise their remaining time,
1:07:07 > 1:07:13in order to deliver to the high standard they have set themselves.
1:07:13 > 1:07:19Certainly, Rio has to make sure they have all facilities in place and
1:07:19 > 1:07:23apparently, there are some delays in the work
1:07:23 > 1:07:26and they really will have to accelerate
1:07:26 > 1:07:29to make sure that the venues are in place.
1:07:29 > 1:07:32It's important for the test event, and for the whole preparation,
1:07:32 > 1:07:35that the venues are ready on time.
1:07:35 > 1:07:38- Is the IOC worried about that? Is that a concern?- No.
1:07:38 > 1:07:44We know they can achieve it, they just have to go the next speed.
1:07:44 > 1:07:48Rio will see the long-awaited return of golf to the Olympics.
1:07:48 > 1:07:52A new station for the venue is complete, but work on the course
1:07:52 > 1:07:56is still to begin, due to a long legal dispute over this land.
1:07:56 > 1:08:01Plans for the rugby and hockey venues are also yet to be finalised.
1:08:01 > 1:08:04Not all of the 230 new construction projects
1:08:04 > 1:08:08the city is spending around £13 billion on are late.
1:08:08 > 1:08:10This state-of-the-art bus transit system,
1:08:10 > 1:08:13part of an overhaul of the city's transport infrastructure,
1:08:13 > 1:08:15is now operational,
1:08:15 > 1:08:18but upgrades of rail links and airports are behind schedule,
1:08:18 > 1:08:20and there's a chronic shortage of hotels.
1:08:20 > 1:08:23I know they claim that they're on schedule,
1:08:23 > 1:08:26but from having covered the last few Games and preparations,
1:08:26 > 1:08:30it's quite clear they're a long way behind where London was at a similar stage.
1:08:30 > 1:08:32I'd estimate anything between 18 months to two years,
1:08:32 > 1:08:36so they have a lot of catching up to do in the next few years.
1:08:36 > 1:08:40One man whose reputation is on the line is Eduardo Paes.
1:08:40 > 1:08:44Rio's charismatic mayor seemed in confident mood, as he showed
1:08:44 > 1:08:48foreign journalists around the Olympic Park building site recently,
1:08:48 > 1:08:52but he admitted to me that he does have concerns.
1:08:52 > 1:08:54A great challenge for the city's infrastructure.
1:08:54 > 1:08:58I mean, the changes that you're going to do, as a legacy for the city.
1:08:58 > 1:09:02So this is what worries me. But we are on time, things are going fine.
1:09:02 > 1:09:06Obviously, when you do an event like that, when you transform completely a city,
1:09:06 > 1:09:09when you have a certain day, a specific date to get things done,
1:09:09 > 1:09:12obviously, it's something you have to worry all the time,
1:09:12 > 1:09:15and pay attention, and follow all the dates.
1:09:15 > 1:09:19But deadlines aren't the only thing standing in the way of organisers.
1:09:19 > 1:09:23The Rio 2016 Olympics are not good news for everybody.
1:09:23 > 1:09:26This is the small neighbourhood of Vila Autodromo.
1:09:26 > 1:09:29Behind that wall is where the Olympic Park will be,
1:09:29 > 1:09:33and it threatens this community's very existence.
1:09:33 > 1:09:35These residents face forced expulsion,
1:09:35 > 1:09:39because officials want the settlement removed to make way
1:09:39 > 1:09:43for roadways around the Olympic Park that would cut through this favela.
1:09:43 > 1:09:46The 3,000-strong community are refusing to go quietly,
1:09:46 > 1:09:49and have resisted eviction by going to the courts.
1:09:49 > 1:09:52TRANSLATION: The Games are a healthy thing.
1:09:52 > 1:09:56Something any Brazilian should consider a healthy event.
1:09:56 > 1:09:58It shouldn't be used to expropriate families.
1:09:58 > 1:10:01I treat our governors as Robin Hoods, on the side of the rich.
1:10:01 > 1:10:05The one from fiction took away from the rich to give to the poor.
1:10:05 > 1:10:07Here, they do the opposite. After the Games,
1:10:07 > 1:10:11they will build expensive houses in most of this area.
1:10:11 > 1:10:13Poor people won't be able to live here.
1:10:13 > 1:10:17In Rio, poor people are only useful to help the rich get even richer.
1:10:17 > 1:10:18We need to stop this.
1:10:20 > 1:10:24City official says this area suffers from unsanitary health conditions,
1:10:24 > 1:10:28and have promised to move residents to low cost housing nearby,
1:10:28 > 1:10:30but the dispute rumbles on.
1:10:33 > 1:10:36It's going to be gold for David Weir and Great Britain.
1:10:43 > 1:10:47Rio may face an uphill task matching London's success in the Olympics,
1:10:47 > 1:10:50but that's nothing compared to the event that will follow a month later.
1:10:50 > 1:10:55Reputations forged in Beijing hit new heights at the 2012 Paralympics.
1:10:55 > 1:10:58The Games were the biggest and best in history,
1:10:58 > 1:11:01exceeding expectations, with unprecedented ticket sales,
1:11:01 > 1:11:04and producing a new generation of sporting stars.
1:11:04 > 1:11:07The benchmark set for Rio, then, is a daunting one,
1:11:07 > 1:11:12and the most powerful man in Paralympic sport told me that momentum must be maintained.
1:11:12 > 1:11:14London is now the blueprint
1:11:14 > 1:11:18for all Paralympic Summer Games moving forward
1:11:18 > 1:11:22and I'm here this week to lay down the challenge to Rio
1:11:22 > 1:11:25- to go far further than London did. - How can they do that?
1:11:25 > 1:11:28They can do it, because they can take so many of the aspects
1:11:28 > 1:11:32of what London did, you know, the great number of spectators.
1:11:32 > 1:11:36If we think the UK is sports mad, you only need to look here
1:11:36 > 1:11:39at how sports mad Brazil is in Rio de Janeiro.
1:11:39 > 1:11:42Expand on the way perceptions were changed in the UK,
1:11:42 > 1:11:45and quite a number of other countries around the world,
1:11:45 > 1:11:47to spread that to the whole of Latin America,
1:11:47 > 1:11:50and to the world, through far more television coverage.
1:11:50 > 1:11:55Efforts to match London on the track will begin with this man.
1:11:55 > 1:11:58Alan Oliveira is known as the Blades from Brazil.
1:11:58 > 1:12:01The country's most famous Paralympian lost both legs
1:12:01 > 1:12:03after contracting an infection shortly after birth.
1:12:03 > 1:12:06But having learned to run on wooden prosthetics,
1:12:06 > 1:12:10his reputation as an athlete grew fast, and then came London.
1:12:10 > 1:12:14And Oliveira comes through to take it on the line.
1:12:14 > 1:12:17Oliveira caused one of the greatest upsets in Paralympic history
1:12:17 > 1:12:20by beating better-known rival Oscar Pistorius
1:12:20 > 1:12:23in the final of the Men's 200 metres.
1:12:23 > 1:12:27The sprinter now has his heart set on his home Games here in Rio,
1:12:27 > 1:12:30but he remains in awe of London.
1:12:30 > 1:12:33TRANSLATION: The Paralympics in London
1:12:33 > 1:12:35were as grand as the Olympics, and left a legacy.
1:12:35 > 1:12:38The two Games now have the same importance.
1:12:38 > 1:12:40I congratulate London for that,
1:12:40 > 1:12:43and hope the same will happen in Brazil in 2016.
1:12:43 > 1:12:49Oliveira is all set to become one of the faces of the Rio 2016 Games.
1:12:49 > 1:12:53The wider question is whether or not his kind of success and celebrity
1:12:53 > 1:12:57can bring about a similar changing of attitudes here in Brazil,
1:12:57 > 1:12:59as London 2012 achieved.
1:12:59 > 1:13:02In Brazil, that work's begun with a doubling of investment
1:13:02 > 1:13:05in facilities like this, an institute for the blind
1:13:05 > 1:13:08here in Rio that's produced several Paralympians.
1:13:08 > 1:13:12Brazil finished seventh in the 2012 Paralympic medal table,
1:13:12 > 1:13:15some achievement, given the 22nd place
1:13:15 > 1:13:18their able-bodied counterparts could only manage in the Olympics.
1:13:18 > 1:13:22But as hosts, they want more. The aim to replicate
1:13:22 > 1:13:25the kind of success British athletes enjoyed last year.
1:13:25 > 1:13:29The Paralympics in London is very good.
1:13:29 > 1:13:35We know we want the Paralympics here,
1:13:35 > 1:13:39in Rio de Janeiro, the same.
1:13:39 > 1:13:43But to truly match London, many feel that progress must be made
1:13:43 > 1:13:48away from the sporting area and in Brazilian society at large.
1:13:48 > 1:13:51Whereas the London Games brought about a change in attitude,
1:13:51 > 1:13:56the sense is that the Rio Paralympics must reach into areas like this,
1:13:56 > 1:13:59and bring about an improvement in facilities and opportunities,
1:13:59 > 1:14:02as well as in perceptions.
1:14:02 > 1:14:07TRANSLATION: Rio de Janeiro has very little accessibility.
1:14:07 > 1:14:11There's an extreme lack of concern about people with disabilities.
1:14:11 > 1:14:14Here in the Complexo da Mare, Rio's biggest favela,
1:14:14 > 1:14:18there are large numbers of people with some kind of disability,
1:14:18 > 1:14:21but they suffer from an extreme lack of urban infrastructure
1:14:21 > 1:14:23and of Government support.
1:14:23 > 1:14:26Let's hope the Paralympics can help in that sense,
1:14:26 > 1:14:28but so far, nothing has changed.
1:14:28 > 1:14:34In the UK, you have a more balanced society. People understand
1:14:34 > 1:14:37the rights of the person with a disability better than in Brazil.
1:14:37 > 1:14:42But I think it's changing, and I think the Games can be a catalyst for change.
1:14:42 > 1:14:47It's not that everything will be perfect by 2016, but the change...
1:14:47 > 1:14:52it has to be until 2016, and 2020, 2024.
1:14:52 > 1:14:56I think it will be a catalyst. We still have a lot to do.
1:14:56 > 1:15:00The challenge of making Paralympic and Olympic Games relevant
1:15:00 > 1:15:03to Rio's tougher neighbourhoods is a difficult one.
1:15:03 > 1:15:05There's been a huge effort to bring law and order
1:15:05 > 1:15:08to these formerly gang-controlled favelas, but many here question
1:15:08 > 1:15:12whether the vast amounts of money being spent on 2016
1:15:12 > 1:15:14will really benefit Rio's poor.
1:15:16 > 1:15:19TRANSLATION: This event could be a good initiative,
1:15:19 > 1:15:21if a legacy to local people was effective.
1:15:21 > 1:15:23But this is not what's happening.
1:15:23 > 1:15:2840% of the new facilities that are being built are in the richer part of the city.
1:15:28 > 1:15:31The problem isn't the amount of investment.
1:15:31 > 1:15:33It's how the money is being directed.
1:15:33 > 1:15:36The Pan-American Games, which Rio hosted in 2007,
1:15:36 > 1:15:41cost six times more than was forecast and no legacy was left for the city.
1:15:41 > 1:15:44Our fear is that this now happens with the Olympics.
1:15:45 > 1:15:47Anybody that's here for the first time,
1:15:47 > 1:15:51I think, are shocked by some of the extreme poverty they see.
1:15:51 > 1:15:54You see it from the moment you leave the airport.
1:15:54 > 1:15:57And I think that's going to be one of the great challenges they've got,
1:15:57 > 1:15:59justifying all the money they're spending
1:15:59 > 1:16:01on the Olympics and the World Cup
1:16:01 > 1:16:06you know, at the expense of economic development for the poorer people.
1:16:06 > 1:16:08I think that's going to be a big challenge.
1:16:08 > 1:16:12There are lots of people still who live in impoverished areas.
1:16:12 > 1:16:15What will you do to make sure they're part of these Games?
1:16:15 > 1:16:19I would say they are the ones that are taking the most from the Games.
1:16:19 > 1:16:22Because all the public money that we're putting in the Games
1:16:22 > 1:16:25for infrastructure, transportation, mobility,
1:16:25 > 1:16:27infrastructure of the city,
1:16:27 > 1:16:30renovation of poor areas, renovation of favelas.
1:16:30 > 1:16:33Rio is a very mixed city. I mean, we don't have...
1:16:33 > 1:16:37You see rich and poor everywhere. I mean, Brazil is doing much better.
1:16:37 > 1:16:40We know we've still got a long way to go.
1:16:40 > 1:16:42And we don't hide our problems. They are everywhere.
1:16:42 > 1:16:45It's not only on a certain side of the city.
1:16:45 > 1:16:49You see the problems, you see the poor and the rich mix together
1:16:49 > 1:16:52and that's what we like in our city, we want more mix to happen.
1:16:52 > 1:16:56But away from such issues, when it comes to a sporting legacy,
1:16:56 > 1:16:59it seems clear that Brazil has a golden opportunity.
1:16:59 > 1:17:03Athletes like Alan Oliveira could provide the country with a new breed
1:17:03 > 1:17:07of sporting hero, very different from the type it's used to.
1:17:09 > 1:17:11COMMENTATOR: Great goal, a beauty!
1:17:11 > 1:17:13WHISTLE BLOWS
1:17:21 > 1:17:24Everywhere you look in Brazil, there's football.
1:17:24 > 1:17:28It's more than a sport here, it's a way of life and national passion.
1:17:28 > 1:17:31Nowhere is this enthusiasm more obvious
1:17:31 > 1:17:35than here at Rio club Fluminense, newly-crowned league champions,
1:17:35 > 1:17:39and, among the fans, it's obvious that the 2016 Games
1:17:39 > 1:17:42are in danger of becoming something of an afterthought.
1:17:42 > 1:17:44I think, for Brazilian people,
1:17:44 > 1:17:47the World Cup of football is bigger than the Olympic Games.
1:17:47 > 1:17:51Soccer is so much important than all these sports in the world,
1:17:51 > 1:17:54so whatever, Olympic Games!
1:17:54 > 1:17:58We're all getting together to cheer for both of them.
1:17:58 > 1:18:01What's bigger, the Olympics or the World Cup?
1:18:01 > 1:18:06I think the World Cup, because Brazil is more stronger
1:18:06 > 1:18:08in the World Cup than the Olympic Games.
1:18:08 > 1:18:12So much football, passion, it's sort of overshadowing the Olympics.
1:18:12 > 1:18:17- Is that a problem?- Yes, football here, as in the UK, it's a religion.
1:18:17 > 1:18:21You have full stadiums and heroes all the time.
1:18:21 > 1:18:26But we need to make a difference between what soccer represents
1:18:26 > 1:18:29and what the Olympic sports represent.
1:18:29 > 1:18:32I think we are doing this very well.
1:18:35 > 1:18:38COMMENTATOR: Ah, this is great stuff.
1:18:40 > 1:18:43They're taking it in turns to give an exhibition.
1:18:43 > 1:18:45Jairzinho, number seven.
1:18:48 > 1:18:52Pele. Up comes Carlos Alberto on the right.
1:18:52 > 1:18:54And it's four!
1:18:54 > 1:18:57Some of football's greatest ever moments have been provided
1:18:57 > 1:18:59by a country in love with the sport.
1:18:59 > 1:19:02And now those who have helped Brazil master the game
1:19:02 > 1:19:06are relishing the chance to be World Cup hosts for a second time.
1:19:06 > 1:19:09Football is a religion for us,
1:19:09 > 1:19:13for Brazilians. We have very good football, very good players.
1:19:13 > 1:19:19We have the chance, the opportunity to make a World Cup in our country.
1:19:19 > 1:19:23So everybody, all the Brazilian people, believe we'll make...
1:19:23 > 1:19:27People say, "We're going to make the best World Cup ever."
1:19:27 > 1:19:30And what will make this World Cup here in Brazil so special?
1:19:31 > 1:19:35TRANSLATION: I hope Brazil win, but most important of all
1:19:35 > 1:19:37is the legacy that will be left for our people,
1:19:37 > 1:19:40material and immaterial. It will be a joy.
1:19:40 > 1:19:44Brazil is already a developing country, the fifth world economy.
1:19:44 > 1:19:49And a victory such as that one, oh, my God, we'll become a world power.
1:19:49 > 1:19:53A match in Sao Paulo between one of the most popular clubs in Brazil,
1:19:53 > 1:19:56Corinthians, and local rivals Santos.
1:19:56 > 1:19:59With the Brazilian league title already decided,
1:19:59 > 1:20:04this end-of-season match could have been a dull and lifeless affair.
1:20:04 > 1:20:07But the atmosphere here is as good and as passionate
1:20:07 > 1:20:10as anything you'd experience anywhere in the world.
1:20:10 > 1:20:14And it's all proof that the World Cup here in Brazil
1:20:14 > 1:20:15is a tantalising prospect.
1:20:17 > 1:20:19Santos! Santos!
1:20:19 > 1:20:22The fervour and excitement that surrounds the sport here
1:20:22 > 1:20:25promises to make the World Cup a special experience,
1:20:25 > 1:20:29not just for fans, but for those taking part.
1:20:29 > 1:20:31Is it the ultimate sporting event, potentially?
1:20:31 > 1:20:33Yeah, I'd like to think it is, really.
1:20:33 > 1:20:37I don't think there will be many other countries I could name
1:20:37 > 1:20:39where I'd rather go to for a World Cup.
1:20:39 > 1:20:42As you say, England of course would be the number one choice.
1:20:42 > 1:20:44But afterwards Brazil's right up there.
1:20:44 > 1:20:47I was quite lucky, I had one in America, that was interesting,
1:20:47 > 1:20:51because it was an embryonic American football country at the time,
1:20:51 > 1:20:54or soccer country, as they call it, but no, Brazil will be great.
1:20:54 > 1:20:57Everyone wants to play football,
1:20:57 > 1:21:01everyone talks about football, live about football.
1:21:01 > 1:21:04And it will be great, er...
1:21:04 > 1:21:09to see a World Cup here for the people, for everything.
1:21:09 > 1:21:13As well as staging the opening and closing ceremonies of both
1:21:13 > 1:21:17the Olympics and Paralympics, the vast Maracana Stadium,
1:21:17 > 1:21:20the iconic spiritual home of Brazilian football,
1:21:20 > 1:21:23will play host to the World Cup in two years' time.
1:21:23 > 1:21:27It's undergoing a facelift at the moment, and is expected to be ready
1:21:27 > 1:21:30early next year, but as you can see, there's an awful lot to do.
1:21:32 > 1:21:36This is one of six new, all-renovated World Cup stadia
1:21:36 > 1:21:40that must also be ready to host the Confederations Cup in June,
1:21:40 > 1:21:43two of which, in the cities of Belo Horizonte and Fortaleza,
1:21:43 > 1:21:47have now been completed, but concerns remain.
1:21:47 > 1:21:49FIFA Secretary General, Jerome Valcke,
1:21:49 > 1:21:52has caused controversy by claiming organisers need to speed up,
1:21:52 > 1:21:55amid warnings over the pace of preparations.
1:21:55 > 1:21:58The second most powerful man in world football
1:21:58 > 1:22:02was back in Rio in November, inspecting progress at the Maracana,
1:22:02 > 1:22:05and he told me he wants pressure maintained.
1:22:05 > 1:22:07You're in the implementation phase,
1:22:07 > 1:22:09you are in the executive phase now of the World Cup.
1:22:09 > 1:22:13There is no more time to think, there is only time to act
1:22:13 > 1:22:16and to make sure that, whenever you have the feeling that these things
1:22:16 > 1:22:19are not perfectly built, you have to find why it's not perfectly built
1:22:19 > 1:22:22and how to make it stronger, so that's where we are.
1:22:22 > 1:22:25Some here believe precious time has been wasted.
1:22:26 > 1:22:30When, in October 2007, Brazil came out of the envelope,
1:22:30 > 1:22:32they had done nothing.
1:22:32 > 1:22:36Even though they knew, since March 2003,
1:22:36 > 1:22:39Brazil knew that it would be staging the World Cup.
1:22:39 > 1:22:42But when Brazil came out of the envelope,
1:22:42 > 1:22:46no decisions had been made about choosing the host cities.
1:22:46 > 1:22:48In fact, that was pushed to FIFA.
1:22:48 > 1:22:52So we didn't get a decision on host cities until the end of May 2009.
1:22:52 > 1:22:55So that's years wasted.
1:22:55 > 1:22:58I think the stadiums will be ready. No doubt about that.
1:22:58 > 1:23:02Airport capacity, well, this is the Achilles heel of 2014.
1:23:02 > 1:23:05I think there will be problems. In general, though,
1:23:05 > 1:23:08I think it's a World Cup which will be greatly enjoyed
1:23:08 > 1:23:12by the thousands who travel here and the billions who watch on television.
1:23:12 > 1:23:15If I was a Brazilian taxpayer, I wouldn't be quite so happy, though.
1:23:15 > 1:23:18Because things like urban mobility projects,
1:23:18 > 1:23:21which are the biggest legacy for society,
1:23:21 > 1:23:24they're being slowly cut and scaled back.
1:23:25 > 1:23:28As one of the greatest strikers in Brazil's history,
1:23:28 > 1:23:31Ronaldo knows what it takes to win a World Cup.
1:23:31 > 1:23:35Now, as the public face of the tournament's organising committee,
1:23:35 > 1:23:38this living legend's job is to help deliver one.
1:23:38 > 1:23:41And he and his new team-mates are confident.
1:23:41 > 1:23:45TRANSLATION: I believe Brazil lives football
1:23:45 > 1:23:48like no other country in the world.
1:23:48 > 1:23:51We are working to make the best organisation of all time.
1:23:51 > 1:23:54Therefore, I believe that's what we'll do.
1:23:54 > 1:23:57With the joy of our people, and their hospitality,
1:23:57 > 1:24:00it'll be the best World Cup.
1:24:00 > 1:24:04It's possible, we have enough time. We have a lot of things to do.
1:24:04 > 1:24:07It is a challenge, because Maracana's not so easy,
1:24:07 > 1:24:10it is a huge stadium, more than 70,000.
1:24:10 > 1:24:14But we are confident, because we have a team,
1:24:14 > 1:24:17a technical team that say they will be ready.
1:24:17 > 1:24:20But if Brazil's under pressure to stage the event well,
1:24:20 > 1:24:24it's nothing like the pressure to deliver the trophy for a sixth time.
1:24:24 > 1:24:27The World Cup was last staged here in 1950,
1:24:27 > 1:24:30the hosts losing the final match against Uruguay.
1:24:30 > 1:24:32COMMENTATOR: Now they have a chance.
1:24:32 > 1:24:36Hulk, from the benefit of a bounce, onto the right foot...
1:24:36 > 1:24:40He's breathed new life into this Olympic final of 2012!
1:24:40 > 1:24:44It's now up to the current generation of stars to make amends,
1:24:44 > 1:24:47but having lost the gold medal match in London at the 2012 Olympics,
1:24:47 > 1:24:51this is a young team struggling to meet the highest of expectations.
1:24:51 > 1:24:56Brazil fans in Rio watch their team take on arch-rivals Argentina.
1:24:56 > 1:24:59It may just be a friendly, but the national team manager was dismissed
1:24:59 > 1:25:03in the wake of this performance and the supporters are in no doubt.
1:25:03 > 1:25:06Brazil simply must win their own World Cup.
1:25:06 > 1:25:09- I think we will.- Do they have to win? - I mean, they have to.
1:25:09 > 1:25:14If they don't win for the team, they're going to win by the fans.
1:25:14 > 1:25:15It's a lot of pressure.
1:25:15 > 1:25:19We are really a little nervous, you know?
1:25:19 > 1:25:23We're not, er, so confident in the team.
1:25:23 > 1:25:27Having sacked his coach, the head of the Brazilian Football Federation
1:25:27 > 1:25:31turned up at November's Soccerex Business of Football event in Rio.
1:25:31 > 1:25:34These chaotic scenes showed the unique scrutiny
1:25:34 > 1:25:38those who run the game here are under as World Cup fever takes hold.
1:25:38 > 1:25:40But some remain positive.
1:25:40 > 1:25:43I believe they have an interesting generation coming through,
1:25:43 > 1:25:46and I certainly wouldn't write them off.
1:25:46 > 1:25:49I would be very surprised if they're not in the last four.
1:25:49 > 1:25:52They will need extraordinary mental strength.
1:25:52 > 1:25:55I don't believe there's been a team in history that has put up
1:25:55 > 1:25:59with the pressure that Brazil will have in this next World Cup.
1:25:59 > 1:26:02I had the honour and privilege of knowing some of the 1950 team,
1:26:02 > 1:26:06and the coach from 1950. And they never forgot,
1:26:06 > 1:26:11they were never allowed to forget losing in the final game to Uruguay.
1:26:11 > 1:26:15Back then, there were 50 million Brazilians piling on the pressure.
1:26:15 > 1:26:18In 2014, there will be 200 million.
1:26:18 > 1:26:21So the pressure increases four fold, and even more,
1:26:21 > 1:26:25bearing in mind the 24/7 intrusive modern media.
1:26:25 > 1:26:28So the pressure on that team will be extraordinary.
1:26:28 > 1:26:31They will need mental strength, they will need
1:26:31 > 1:26:35a tactical definition of play that the new coach will have to implant.
1:26:35 > 1:26:38But there's enough raw material to work with
1:26:38 > 1:26:41that makes me believe they're certainly last four material.
1:26:41 > 1:26:45Is it almost unthinkable that Brazil don't win or don't get to the final?
1:26:45 > 1:26:49Is that almost the sort of minimum requirement for your own World Cup?
1:26:49 > 1:26:53This is football. We never know before starting the game,
1:26:53 > 1:26:57before starting the competition, who is going to be the winner.
1:26:57 > 1:27:03We hope and we believe that our team will be at least in the semi-final.
1:27:03 > 1:27:08If not, what can you do? What can you do? Nothing.
1:27:08 > 1:27:13As the build up to both the World Cup and then the 2016 Games intensifies,
1:27:13 > 1:27:17what seems clear is that Brazilians are determined to have a good time.
1:27:17 > 1:27:21Another weekend, another party on Copacabana Beach.
1:27:21 > 1:27:24Despite uncertainties over readiness and legacy,
1:27:24 > 1:27:28what's guaranteed here is flair, fun and flamboyance.
1:27:28 > 1:27:32Holding these events back-to-back is a unique challenge,
1:27:32 > 1:27:34but also an expression of Brazilian pride
1:27:34 > 1:27:37at the nation's elevation on the world stage.
1:27:37 > 1:27:40The perfect symbol of a country on the up.
1:27:40 > 1:27:42For the next four years at least,
1:27:42 > 1:27:46Brazil will become the undisputed capital of the sporting world.
1:27:46 > 1:27:49It could be a triumph, it could be chaotic.
1:27:49 > 1:27:52But what is certain is that it will look visually stunning,
1:27:52 > 1:27:53it'll have a unique flavour
1:27:53 > 1:27:57and there appears to be a great will for Brazil to succeed.
1:27:57 > 1:28:00If they pull it off, it could just provide
1:28:00 > 1:28:02a sporting carnival for the entire world.
1:28:11 > 1:28:12COMMENTATOR: Pele.
1:28:12 > 1:28:14Goal!
1:28:23 > 1:28:26Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd