RIO DE JANEIRO: Old World Cup-winning hero Ronaldo believes that the fan fests across Brazil during the 2014 finals will be “the best of all times.” The place to be in Rio de Janeiro for fans will, of course, be Copacabana.

Ronaldo, a non-playing winner in 1994 and top scoring winner in 2002, is a member of the board of Brazil’s organising authority. He was reacting to the nomination of the 12 venues chosen in the host cities.

He said: “As Brazilians,  we always want to support our national team in a big public festivals right across the country which bring together people from all social classes. That’s why this will be the best fan fest there’s ever been.”

In São Paulo, the central Vale do Anhangabaú was chosen in preference to the Ibirapuera park in the south and the Anhembi sambódromo in the north of the city. Copacabana beach was an obvious venue for Rio.

The fan fest venues:

Belo Horizonte – Praça da Estação

Brasília – Esplanada dos Ministérios

Cuiabá – Parque de Exposições Acrimat

Curitiba – Parque Barigui

Fortaleza – Praia de Iracema (Aterrão)

Manaus – Memorial Encontro das Águas

Natal – Praia do Forte

Porto Alegre – Largo Glênio Peres

Recife – Marco Zero

Rio de Janeiro – Praia de Copacabana

Salvador – Jardim de Alah

São Paulo – Vale do Anhangabaú

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