Rivaldo says Brazil unable to host World Cup

PanARMENIAN.Net - Former Brazilian international Rivaldo voiced his support for the growing anti-government protests in his country while blasting local officials for neglecting social issues in order to finance the 2014 World Cup, New York Daily News reported.

"We are not able to host the World Cup at the moment, we don't need it, we need education and health," the 41-year-old midfielder, who's still active and plays for São Caetano, wrote on his Twitter page.

Brazil is currently hosting the Confederations Cup, considered a dress rehearsal for next year's event. While the games have gone on without a hitch so far, most of the media attention is focused on the mass protests taking place in major cities such as Sao Paulo, Belo Horizonte, Brasilia and Rio de Janeiro.

A 10-cent public transit fare hike sparked the demonstrations, which have evolved into a national movement against everything from high taxes to government corruption.

While President Dilma Rousseff said she was "proud" of the protestors, her administration has deployed troops to contain the hundreds of thousands of Brazilians who have taken to the streets. And their numbers are growing.

"A silent country can't change, congratulations to the people of Brazil for coming together, showing strength and union. Maybe this way something might change, " Rivaldo said.

A good start, according to the 2002 World Cup champion, would be to forget about next year's event.

"It's a shame to spend so much money on this World Cup, while the hospitals and schools remain in poor condition, so much violence, such a mess. I wanted to get that off my chest as I was poor too, and I experienced the problems of attending public school, and the lack of good healthcare. It still hurts me when I remember that my father was run over and died because a public hospital in Recife didn't treat him."