Please read Jerome Valcke’s article in full:
Dear soccer friends,
The path to the 2014 FIFA World Cup has many stages. The preliminary draw in Rio de Janeiro, last July, was the first major challenge for the host country. Everyone agrees that both Rio de Janeiro and Brazil passed with distinction in this test. Since then, matches have started in fields around the globe, in a battle for the 31 available World Cup places. It is the dream of every player or supporter – myself included – to live this unique experience in Brazil. However, for the national teams involved, it shall be a long trail through to this final competition, with lots of tears, suspense and excitement.
So far, 216 matches have been played for the qualifying rounds and some unexpected results have already occurred, such as the first ever victory Samoa Americana, Jordan pulling off a shock in the Asian group and also Antigua and Barbuda qualifying for the penultimate phase of the Concacaf classification process. I have no doubt that we are yet to see a lot of first-class soccer and also surprise results, as there are still some 600 games to be played on all continents. Europe shall be the last confederation to join the long qualifying process, in September 2012. We can all follow the latest news live on Fifa.com.
I also take this opportunity to welcome Ronaldo, who has joined the Local Organizing Committee as a Board Member. As a soccer idol and also the leading goal scorer in World Cup history, he is an ideal person to promote the event and also give support to the organization. The memories of our joint participation in the preliminary draw are still fresh in my mind. Beside the great Pelé, the special consultant of President Dilma Rousseff for the World Cup, the Sports Minister, Aldo Rebelo, the COL and Ronaldo, next year I hope to visit all 12 host cities, starting with Fortaleza and Salvador. This shall be a very special trip for me, as I shall be on a World Cup mission together with these extraordinary soccer personalities.
However, 2012 shall also be an essential year for FIFA and Brazil, in relation to the operational preparations for the two main tournaments: the FIFA Confederations Cup in 2013 and the FIFA World Cup in 2014. There is still a lot of work awaiting all of us, mainly in relation to general infrastructure, such as airports and transport facilities, which are necessary to make sure that all supporters and visitors also have an unforgettable experience. As the person at FIFA responsible for holding both these competitions, it is essential that I may form my own opinion about the situation of the preparations during the visits that I plan to make to the host cities every two months, next year. We have no time to lose: the clocks are ticking ever faster and the expectations are getting greater for all of us.
For this reason, 2012 shall be a busy year with some important events, such as the completion of the famous “World Cup Law”, the launch of the official slogan and the final selection of the venues of the Confederations Cup, as well as the definition of the last three participants in this tournament. It is also important to remember that, when the 2012 Euro and the Olympic Games have come to an end, the whole world press shall turn its eyes towards Brazil. The secret of success shall be to follow the open and constant dialogue which has existed between the Brazilian authorities – commanded by the Sports Minister, Aldo Rebelo, as the person responsible for the 2014 FIFA World Cup within the Government – and FIFA itself, always with the respect and co-operation which currently characterizes our relationship.
For now, I would just like to wish our friends throughout the world a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
With my warmest regards,
Jerome Valcke
highlights
04/05 | News
