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Posted: Wednesday, July  3, 2002

Brazil's heroes welcomed home in style

Brazil's players ride high through the streets of Brasilia [Reuters]

Euphoria broke out in Brazil's capital Brasilia on Tuesday as hundreds of thousands of ecstatic fans screamed and danced for the national soccer side returning home with the World Cup for a record fifth time.

Four fighter jets escorted the Boeing into Brasilia's cloudless skies, and then looped about painting "Penta" - Portuguese for "Fifth" - with smoke trails while the team's trucks crawled through the crowds to the presidential palace.

Cramming Brasilia's wide avenues, hanging out of trees or bouncing on the back of trucks, fans dressed head-to-toe in the green and yellow colors of the national flag exploded as the country united behind its national passion for soccer.

"It's like your child coming home," shrieked Doris Xavier, 37, as she jumped up and down on the roof of her car, stuck in traffic as Brasilia came to a standstill for hours.

The team's captain, Cafu, coach Luiz Felipe Scolari, known as "Felipao" or "Big Phil," and star striker Ronaldo took turns to raise the World Cup trophy as another player, Ronaldinho Gaucho, endlessly beat out Afro-Brazilian rhythms on drums.

Written off

"I always believed in you" and "I knew it," proclaimed banners that paid tribute to the team that was ripped apart by the national press ahead of the championship and virtually written off after struggling to qualify.

Instead, they returned to the jubilant South American nation as World Cup record breakers. After beating Germany 2-0 in Sunday's final, Brazil became the only country in the world to win the World Cup five times.

Brazil also became the first side since its own 1970 squad to win all of its World Cup finals matches and star Ronaldo ended the tournament as top striker with eight goals, equaling a Brazilian record of 12 goals at World Cup finals set by Pele.

"Felipao for President!" read one banner, in a playful reference to Brazil's presidential elections in October.

Some 200,000 people packed a square in front of the presidential palace, many suffering from Brasilia's high temperatures and low humidity as the soccer team arrived at the square several hours behind schedule.

Chaos reigned at Brazil's Air Force base where the team's chartered plane arrived at about 9:45am local time as hundreds of policemen tried to get the players on top of the trucks before racing fans caught up with them.

Earlier, Cafu and Scolari hung out of the cockpit of the plane as it touched down in Brazil's futuristic capital.

The party, transmitted by television across this country of 170 million, united Brazilians of all ages, colours and social groups.

"I think this is the best party I've seen, not only in Brazil but worldwide," said Joao Lourenco Ribeiro, a civil servant. "It's above social and political problems.

President Fernando Henrique Cardoso hugged each player as they arrived at the presidential palace.

After meeting Mr Cardoso, the players were set to return to the airport, where they would go through customs, before flying on to Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo.

The national soccer squad caused a scandal after their 1994 World Cup win when they came back loaded with goods above the legal limit but paid no duties. Federal revenue officials said this time round the checks would be vigorous.

Brazil also won the 1958, 1962, 1970 and 1994 Cups.