World Cup anticipation reaches the center of the Brazilian rainforest

MANAUS, Brazil (AP) — In the heart of the Brazilian rainforest, residents and shop owners are feeling the World Cup anticipation.

As residents decorate Rua 3, a street in downtown Manaus, an open-air party sends the sounds of Brazilian music wafting through the air. Oversized flags representing the 48 qualifying nations in the soccer tournament are painted on the surface of the street, while the same flags, crafted of paper and string, form a canopy overhead.

Some people say they hope to watch some of the games beneath the flags when the tournament kicks off on June 11.

“The rain prevented us from finishing the work. But now summer has arrived and we can finish, complete the work calmly ... and cheer for the national team,” said Aldri Tavares Castro, 42, a visual artist.

Children are also helping, sometimes climbing on ladders to attach one flag to the next, sometimes just by playing soccer on the pavement as visitors come to take pictures and enjoy the scene.

“The residents unite for a cause,” said Ezequiel Pedro da Silva Filho, 62, a school administrator and also the Rua 3 organizer. He and other Manaus residents will be watching Brazil’s World Cup matches below the flags, starting with the first Group C game against Morocco on June 13.

AP journalist Mauricio Savarese contributed to this report.

AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup