World Cup Fever Hits Sacramento

Soccer's World Cup has begun in Brazil and soccer fans in Sacramento are watching.  In downtown Sacramento, soccer fans from all backgrounds gathered to cheer soccer's biggest event.

Devere's Irish Pub had no shortage of funny hats or soccer jerseys. Luca Cerati wore a World Cup jesters hat and a Sacramento Republic FC scarf.  

"This is a holiday and it should be treated like one," Cerati says. "Because it's a special time. It only happens once every four years.  So, it's important."

Felipe Stortini is from San Paulo, Brazil but has lived in the States for twelve years.  He took a half-day off of work, and headed to the Firestone Public House to watch the World Cup return to his birthplace.

"I was really surprised," Stortini says. "I never thought it would happen in my lifetime. Since we had one in 1950, I thought they would go around a little bit more before they came back to us.  But, I'm really excited."

Felipe had on his yellow and green Brazil jersey, which clashed with the pink and white blouse worn by the lady sitting next to him.

Judy Travis is a retired engineer whose introduction to the game was inauspicious at best. Her son's first game 25 years ago was interrupted by the Loma Prieta earthquake.

"They were on the field in Livermore," Travis recalls. "And the ground was shaking and everybody got down on their knees and that was then he was starting soccer and I was starting soccer."

She says she'll watch as many matches as she can.

The U.S. team plays its first match Monday.  The championship match is July 13th.