There was no way Brazil were going to let this one slip. After unexpectedly crashing out of last year’s competition at the semi-final stage, the hosts laid their ghosts to rest by crowning a flawless 2006 campaign with a 4-1 win over Uruguay on Sunday to claim the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup.
The day turned out to be one big Brazilian party from start to finish. Singer Daniela Mercury got the fans in the mood before the big kick-off, and even the prospect of facing old rivals Uruguay, the team that so dramatically denied the Auriverdes at the 1950 FIFA World Cup, failed to dampen the sense of expectation among the fans.