14 DAY TRIAL // There was a lot of speculation that one of the main stars of the Opening Ceremony for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Jennifer Lopez, was going to be a no-show on the big day. She was supposed to sing the official song of the sporting event, a collaboration with Brazilian themes with Pitbull and local singer Claudia Leitte, called “We Are One (Ole Ola).”
In the end, it turned out that not even Jennifer Lopez could pass the opportunity to perform in the opening ceremony of the largest sporting event in the world, where 32 nations are going to compete in 64 games to determine which is the best country at football.
The show took place on the 65,000-seat Arena de Sao Paulo, and though many thought it was rather short, it was filled with typical Brazilian motifs and symbols. Dancers dressed as trees, flowers and various musical instruments made an elaborate performance in three acts.
At the end, the huge ball in the middle of the field opened up to reveal the singers Jennifer Lopez, Pitbull and Claudia Leitte sitting on a stage. Waving their hands in the air with excitement, they chanted “Ole Ola” over and over, as crowds in the audience sang along.
Some of the international journalists present at the event were less than impressed with the overall feel of the Opening Ceremony, claiming that it was too short, too difficult to understand, and not very well orchestrated.
The event was also marred by violent protests outside the arena, where locals clashed with law enforcement officers who fired tear gas and made arrests in an attempt to calm the crowds. The protests are believed to be related to the scandal surrounding the organizing efforts of the FIFA World Cup.
There has been a lot of talk of overspending and corruption in a country where a lot of the population struggles with poverty. The budget for the 2014 World Cup is the biggest to date in events of this caliber.
The first match of the competition is set to take place today, as host Brazil meets the first rival in their group, Croatia. Historically speaking, no hosting country has ever lost the debut match in a World Cup, and Brazil is confident its team will be able to carry on the tradition, despite the fact that the Croatians are confident they can come out with a victory.