Manchester City midfielder Fernandinho has admitted he is surprised Manaus was chosen as a host city for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
“The city has never had a Premier League team,” he told The Guardian. “I remember about 10 years ago the national team played there once. But the city doesn’t have any football history. Manaus has got nothing in relation to Brazilian football history.”
The Arena da Amazônia has been constructed in Manaus, which is situated in the Amazonas state, for the tournament.
The hot temperatures that the team’s who have matches their will have to deal with has caused concern, particularly for the European-based sides.
The first FIFA World Cup game to be played at the Arena da Amazônia will be England vs. Italy. The stadium will also host Cameroon vs Croatia, United States vs. Portugal and Honduras vs. Switzerland.
