# Letter from Brazil

All time

Football brings hope, but not much more in favelas of Rio

Mikey Stafford tours a north Rio favela with a Corkman trying to make a difference.

8.6k

Jul 11th 2014, 9:21 AM

# World Cup 2014

Letter from Brazil: National nightmare tough to swallow for a country not interested in excuses

Mikey Stafford watched Brazil’s nightmare in a north Rio favela where the reaction was “muted to the point of non-existent.”

12.8k

Jul 9th 2014, 10:16 AM

# Letter from Brazil

Kerrymen at the Copacabana -- Ireland are surely the best-supported nation not at this World Cup

With not a single green-clad team left in Brazil, Mikey Stafford gives you the pros and cons of rowing in behind each of the final four.

15.0k

Jul 8th 2014, 2:01 PM

# Letter from Brazil

'F**k FIFA' - Brazilians protest at World Cup costs as Silva awaits redemption

Mikey Stafford reports from Rio, where the real fans cannot afford to attend matches in the flesh.

13.9k

Jul 7th 2014, 2:07 PM

# prevailing

Letter from Brazil: A little romance goes a long way as Clare and the Netherlands survive

Neymar and James Rodriguez’s departures from the World Cup left us needing to be cheered up.

16.9k

Jul 6th 2014, 10:02 AM

# Letter from Brazil

'Anyone who tells you the party died with Neymar's injury was in the wrong part of town'

Brazil has been shaken by the loss of its biggest star – but Mikey Stafford found that there was no stopping the party in Rio.

11.4k

Jul 5th 2014, 2:41 PM

# Letter from Brazil

Life inside the Maracanã media centre, questions through a translator and rejoining the pack

Our man at the World Cup Mikey Stafford has arrived in Rio ahead of the first quarter-final tie this evening.

5.0k

Jul 4th 2014, 2:41 PM

# Letter from Brazil

'In the early stages of the World Cup it was okay to wear an Argentina jersey in the street...'

Our man in Brazil is braced for a not-so-smooth landing.

13.5k

Jul 3rd 2014, 1:38 PM

# Letter from Brazil

World Cup party moves on from Recife leaving calm after the storm

Mikey Stafford checks in from the northern Brazilian city, where the action is now finished.

10.6k

Jul 2nd 2014, 3:00 PM

# Letter from Brazil

Goalkeepers showing their worth in tournament of struggling stars

The last lines of defence are making their case to be the MVP.

3.3k

Jun 30th 2014, 4:36 PM

# Letter from Brazil

The beautiful game: Brazilian progress spreads joy across the nation

‘Football’s biggest party needs its hosts almost as much as Brazil needs the World Cup,’ writes Mikey Stafford.

3.2k

Jun 29th 2014, 2:08 PM

# Letter from Brazil

He drives me crazy but Suárez is no fine young cannibal

What the Uruguayan did was wrong but it wasn’t pre-meditated or life-threatening writes Mikey Stafford.

14.3k

Jun 28th 2014, 2:03 PM

# Letter from Brazil

'This is Brazil' shrug locals as football fans endure epic journey through floods

Frogs, rafts made of mattresses and the kindness of strangers; this is the World Cup as much as goals and games, writes Mikey Stafford.

17.0k

Jun 27th 2014, 5:00 PM

# Letter from Brazil

Klinsmann living the American Dream as he prepares to face homeland

Mikey Stafford reports from Recife as the USMNT boss talks football in German with a US accent.

4.8k

Jun 26th 2014, 12:00 PM

# Letter from Brazil

Bags packed with ice cubes and beer cans as Colombia's convenient invasion keeps going strong

Mikey Stafford was in a fan fest in Recife, pondering the ramifications of an All-Ireland final on Good Friday.

14.0k

Jun 25th 2014, 12:00 PM

# Letter from Brazil

'Fast forward 350 years and the Europeans are back in Brazil hunting for fame and fortune'

Louis van Gaal’s Dutch side are laying the foundations for a new Oranje Empire but our man Mikey Stafford has acquired a soft spot for the all-action Mexicans.

7.1k

Jun 24th 2014, 2:59 PM

# Letter from Brazil

Brazil seeking spirit of 'Little Bird' Garrincha to seal Last 16 spot

Not even a 13-hour bus journey can dampen Mikey Stafford’s lust for historical reveries.

2.8k

Jun 23rd 2014, 7:15 AM

# Letter from Brazil

'Sitting on the promenade I allowed myself to think, "this could be us" - except it's not'

As Ireland’s conquerors Germany prepare for their second Group G game, Mikey Stafford pens a requiem for a Midwinter Night’s Dream.

11.2k

Jun 21st 2014, 2:03 PM

# Letter from Brazil

Brilliance of Suarez brings only bitter memories for Ghana ahead of Germany clash

The Black Stars are again carrying African hopes in this World Cup, and tomorrow they must shine.

2.6k

Jun 20th 2014, 2:32 PM

# hosts with the most

Discontent in Brazil media eased by the 'safe haven' of Seleção defence

Following a disappointing stalemate with Mexico, the host nation are taking solace that only Marcelo has been able to put the ball past Julio Cesar so far.

3.0k

Jun 19th 2014, 6:17 PM

# Letter from Brazil

'In the company of one waiter and three excitable customers, we watched the demise of tiki-taka'

Thousands of journalists are in Brazil to watch the World Cup – but it can be a harder task than you’d think, writes Mikey Stafford.

3.1k

Jun 19th 2014, 2:11 PM

# Letter from Brazil

Zombie-like Brazil emerge with hope intact after near-shock in Fortaleza

Mikey Stafford reports on the aftermath of yesterday’s 0-0 Group A draw with Mexico.

7.4k

Jun 18th 2014, 3:00 PM

# Letter from Brazil

'You're Irish?' asked the smiling apparatchik with the golden tickets. 'What's the craic?'

Mikey Stafford checks in from Fortaleza where getting into Brazil’s press conference was almost as hard as getting a ticket.

15.1k

Jun 17th 2014, 2:29 PM

# El Tri

Letter from Brazil: Football-daft Mexicans ready to serve their hosts some 'spicy chilli'

Tomorrow’s clash will be one of the loudest and most colourful spectacles of World Cup 2014, writes our man in Brazil.

2.9k

Jun 16th 2014, 1:44 PM

# Oranje

Letter from Brazil: Netherlands' big orange bus rumbles on as Spain fall hard

Our man in Brazil reports on the fall out from the stunning clash in Salvador last night.

9.8k

Jun 14th 2014, 1:45 PM

# Postcard

Letter from Brazil: I'll buy FIFA-branded water but not locals' World Cup conspiracy theories

The tournament isn’t going to paper over the cracks, writes our man in Brazil, Mikey Stafford.

18.0k

Jun 13th 2014, 2:21 PM

# Letter from Brazil

Brazil makes a mad dash for final preparations - but the people are ready to start the party

From Salvador, Mikey Stafford writes that World Cup fever is starting to take hold ahead of tomorrow’s big kick-off.

11.5k

Jun 11th 2014, 12:31 PM

# Letter from Brazil

'Francois's eyes glitter like his merchandise as he gives his prediction: Switzerland and Brazil'

Swtizerland’s squad — comprised largely of the children of immigrants and refugees — stands poised to give its reputation a great boost, writes our man in Brazil.

8.6k

Jun 10th 2014, 3:45 PM