MANAUS, BRAZIL (AP) — CENTER brazil rainforestfelt by both residents and shop owners. world cup Expectations.
As residents decorate Lua 3, a street in downtown Manaus, an outdoor party takes place and the sounds of Brazilian music waft through the air. Oversized flags representing the 48 countries that qualified for the soccer tournament are painted on the road surface, while identical flags made of paper and string form a canopy overhead.
Some say they want to watch games under the flag when the tournament opens on June 11.
Visual artist Aldri Tavares Castro, 42, said, “We couldn’t finish the work because of the rain.However, now that summer has arrived, we can calmly complete the work and support the national team.”
The children help out, sometimes climbing ladders to attach one flag to the next, and sometimes just playing soccer on the sidewalk while tourists take photos and enjoy the scenery.
“The residents are united for a cause,” said Ezequiel Pedro da Silva Filho, 62, a school administrator and Rua 3 organizer. He and other Manaus residents will watch Brazil’s World Cup matches under the national flag, starting with the first leg of Group C. Morocco June 13th.
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Associated Press journalist Mauricio Savarese contributed to this report.
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AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup
