RIO DE JANEIRO // The morning after the night before, Rio de Janeiro woke up depressed and dreary.
Thursday was supposed to be a joyful day, the day after Argentina confirmed their seat at the slaughterhouse; the first of three days of taunting before Brazilians would get their wish and crush their South American rivals on the world’s biggest stage at a world famous arena.
Germany dashed such dreams; the Europeans' stylish and relentless passing was too much for the hosts, who were down and out within 29 minutes of a 7-1 humiliation.
Words such as “shame” and “embarrassment” and “nightmare” were used in the next day’s newspapers, yet it would get worse.
Argentina’s narrow victory over Holland on Wednesday ensured they kept their end of the deal, putting them in their first World Cup final for 24 years and intensifying Brazil’s absence.
When Rio woke up on Thursday, it seemed to be as miserable as its residents, a charcoal grey firmament complemented only with heavy rain and a thick mist.
The only way the pain of such a historical defeat could be exacerbated, Brazilians say, is if Lionel Messi and his teammates lift the trophy at Estadio Maracana on Sunday night.
An Argentine victory in Brazil’s backyard would be the ultimate insult, eclipsing Uruguay’s shock victory in 1950 and usurping Germany’s mauling on Tuesday.
Argentina brought the biggest support of any of the 31 visiting nations, and it is expected to mushroom with an estimated 100,000 fans expected in Rio by kickoff.
Many have driven over the border and are sleeping in camper vans and buses, and tents on the beach.
They have been chanting abuse at their hosts for weeks, asking “how does it feel to have daddy in your house” – a song that, depending on the occasion, can be referencing either Messi or Pope Francis, leader of the Catholic church.
For the most part, Brazilians have remained admirably good humoured, even after their humbling in Belo Horizonte.
When Argentinians hold up two hands and seven fingers to their neighbours, the Brazilian response is witty and withering: thanks for pointing out that we have five World Cup titles and you have only two.
Neymar, the tournament poster boy and one of few Brazilian players who will finish the tournament with his reputation enhanced, said he will be supporting Argentina because the team includes two of his Barcelona teammates, Messi and Javier Mascherano.
That feeling is certainly not prevalent, and there is much cynicism regarding its sincerity.
“Argentina winning the World Cup in Brazil would be the worst day of my life and the worst day in Brazil’s football history,” said Sydney dos Santos Parreira, a receptionist from Sao Paulo. “After what happened against Germany, I think it would be too much. It would be unbearable.”
Jose da Silva, also of Sao Paulo, said: “I can hardly imagine how bad it would be. Maybe if we hadn’t lost 7-1 it wouldn’t have been so bad, but if Argentina win now they will make fun of us for the rest of their lives.”
Before the tournament started, there was concern that Argentine hooligans would travel to Brazil and violence could occur.
Customs authorities prevented 2,100 known hooligans from entering the country, while 40 fans have been detained either at the border or inside the stadiums. Trouble has not been a problem.
Tomorrow, with local media predicting Brazilians will turn out in white tomorrow to show their allegiance to Germany, emotions are sure to run high.
No risks will be taken. Authorities will double police numbers around the Maracana, with about 11,500 expected to line the streets. Brazil’s justice ministry said it would also raise the number of soldiers from 500 to 1,000.
“If Argentina win, there could be little skirmishes, but it is not going to be war on the streets,” said Vanessa Ruiz, a Brazilian journalist. “You saw that even when we lost 7-1. We enter denial state.”
gmeenaghan@thenational.ae
Follow us on Twitter at @SprtNationalUAE
Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Read more about the coronavirus
THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
FIXTURES (all times UAE)
Sunday
Brescia v Lazio (3.30pm)
SPAL v Verona (6pm)
Genoa v Sassuolo (9pm)
AS Roma v Torino (11.45pm)
Monday
Bologna v Fiorentina (3.30pm)
AC Milan v Sampdoria (6pm)
Juventus v Cagliari (6pm)
Atalanta v Parma (6pm)
Lecce v Udinese (9pm)
Napoli v Inter Milan (11.45pm)
The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
The drill
Recharge as needed, says Mat Dryden: “We try to make it a rule that every two to three months, even if it’s for four days, we get away, get some time together, recharge, refresh.” The couple take an hour a day to check into their businesses and that’s it.
Stick to the schedule, says Mike Addo: “We have an entire wall known as ‘The Lab,’ covered with colour-coded Post-it notes dedicated to our joint weekly planner, content board, marketing strategy, trends, ideas and upcoming meetings.”
Be a team, suggests Addo: “When training together, you have to trust in each other’s abilities. Otherwise working out together very quickly becomes one person training the other.”
Pull your weight, says Thuymi Do: “To do what we do, there definitely can be no lazy member of the team.”
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
