Brasilia: Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has given his backing to a bid by his country to host the 2014 World Cup, Brazilian Football Federation (CBF) chief Ricardo Teixeira announced on Tuesday.
After a meeting with the President Teixeira said that Lula had agreed "that after 64 years Brazil met all the criteria to organise the World Cup and promised his backing because Brazilian football and the country deserve it".
Brazil are the most successful World Cup nation with five titles in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002. But they have only once organised the tournament in 1950 when they lost the final 2-1 to Uruguay.
World soccer governing body FIFA's executive committee have already ruled the 2014 event will be held in South America.
During the meeting Teixeira presented a letter from FIFA president Joseph Blatter, thanking the Brazilian government for their support in the fight against racism.
"FIFA congratulated Brazil because Lula was the only head of state to request measures be taken against racism. Blatter asked me to give him a personal letter," added Teixeira.
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