26,000 police and soldiers to provide World Cup final security

SAO PAULO: Some 26,000 police and soldiers will provide security Sunday for the World Cup final in Rio between Argentina and Germany, the Brazilian justice minister said Thursday.

After a meeting with FIFA and the federal government in Rio, minister Jose Eduardo Cardozo said that force has not been increased despite a flood of Argentines heading to Rio for the final.

Rather, this is the force originally planned for the final, he said.

Cardozo also noted Brazil´s shocking exit in a 7-1 drubbing by Germany in the semi-finals.

"We lost on the field but off of it we are winning and the world is applauding this," he said, referring to Brazil´s organization of the tournament, in comments picked up by the web site of the newspaper Globo.