In Pictures: Brazil fans cheer on home nation from Limerick pub

IT'S COMING up to 7pm on a dark, cold Monday night in December.

Traditionally, the first night of the working week is quiet time in pubs across Limerick.

But instead, there is a stream of yellow-and-green clad fans descending on establishments across the city.

The Level Up Arcade Bar is no exception, with standing room only, as many of Limerick's huge Brazilian community gather together to watch their country's soccer team in World Cup action.

The venue, near the South Circular Road, has become something of an official base for South American soccer fans whenever the leading lights of that continent take to the field in Qatar, with the owner Alan O'Grady telling me supporters of Brazil, Argentina, and even Ecuador have come out in colour.

Level Up rolled out the red carpet for the fans - snacks were in supply, while many Brazilians wore facepaint in the country's iconic colours.

Huge flags from the South American nation draped across people's backs were also the order of the day.

There was even a feed from one of Brazil's major television networks Globo pumping out passionate commentary in Portuguese as the team, nicknamed A Seleção, faced South Korea in a bid to make the last eight of this year's Fifa World Cup.

If the colour and the scenery was something to behold, it was nothing compared to the noise.

Helped no doubt by the acoustics of being in an enclosed space, it really felt like you are a fly-on-the-wall in a soccer stadium in Rio de Janeiro, with the carnival in full swing.

Brazil's national anthem was belted out, and then it was time for the game. Samba fever had hit Limerick!

"Football for Brazilians is so important. It's about the emotion, it's about our patriotism," says Wilton Dorde, from Sao Paolo state, who tells me his favourite player on the team is the Paris St Germain forward Neymar.

It was no surprise Wilton was delighted as Neymar scored a penalty early on as Brazil made a dream start to put the game out of reach of South Korea.

These men and women really live for their football - every South Korean challenge that went punished was cheered, every one which was not penalised was jeered strongly.

Flavio Ribeiro, also from Sao Paolo state, has lived in Limerick for three years, and works as a chef in Cornstore.
He's delighted that Brazilians get together en masse for big games.

"It's so good. It feels like home here. We have a massive community here, and everyone is together. It's amazing," he smiled.
Naming his favourite player as the Tottenham star Richarlison - who scored Brazil's third goal of the night - he said: "It's been 20 years since we won the World Cup. So hopefully we will get it this year."

Marilia Carneiro predicts France - who face England this Saturday - will provide the opposition for Brazil in the final.

"I think Brazil's worst enemy can be themselves. France and England will be a huge game, and I think we need to watch this game to understand what is at stake in the final. For now, we are crazy about tonight's game. We are rooting and screaming so much. We've mad emotions around this," she smiled.

Gregorio Ferreira, a researcher at the University of Limerick also believes Brazil will beat France in the World Cup Final, which takes place on Sunday, December 18.

There's plenty of football to be played between now and then, but you'd be brave to bet against them, after the men in yellow-and-green produced their best performance of the tournament to run out 4-1 winners over South Korea.

The Seleção party was halted only for a few seconds late on in the match when South Korea scored a late consolation goal - a pearler in fairness.

The relative silence was pierced only by the cheers of two Irish lads, followed predictably by Brazilian boos.

They weren't closet Korean fans. It was more the fact the goal from Paik Seung-Ho meant they won from a bet based on the number of goals the game would see.

They'd have been equally as happy had Brazil gone 5-0 up!

The pair went home €200 better off, and almost as overjoyed as the Brazilian supporters who saw their team march onto a quarter-final against Croatia.

Expect the party to get started again this Friday at 3pm!