Intro:

Chick Jeitoso, a famous 'Witch Doctor' outside the Arena da Baixada in Curitiba looks ahead to Brazil 2014 on Wednesday (11th June) and predicts difficulties for the host nation in the World Cup.

Script:

The world cup is about to explode into life.

But if this local witch doctor Chick Jeitoso is to be believed, then one the tournament's biggest stars better watch out.

SOUNDBITE: (Portuguese) Chik Jeitoso, 'Witch Doctor':

"(Lionel) Messi is in great danger. People say he isn't in danger. But when you look in the Bible you can see his fate. Here, people for New Year's Eve dress up in white and do their rituals. I have never seen this anywhere in the world. Millions of Brazilians doing magic on the beaches of Rio de Janeiro and in all of Brazil. People here are superstitious. And because of that Messi carries a lot of bad energy in his feet and his back. Things look gloomy for him. But if some of Brazil's players also get cursed I can take the bad luck away from them!"

He also had some worrying news for the host nation,

SOUNDBITE: (Portuguese) Chik Jeitoso, 'Witch Doctor':

"Brazil is at risk. That's why we are here. We are going to reach the quarter-finals and then all the screaming starts. We cannot underestimate the other teams. We mustn't celebrate in anticipation that Brazil are already champions for a sixth time. We cannot leave everything up to the players. That is where danger lies."

Jeitoso claims to have clients in over one hundred countries across three continents, many of them famous politicians, sport and movie stars.

And this world cup he aims to protect Brazil's key man - Neymar.

SOUNDBITE: (Portuguese) Chik Jeitoso, 'Witch Doctor':

"All our players will feel our energy. Neymar will be the focus of attention because he is a young player, a good and a strong one. So he is more likely to receive negative energies than his teammates. Because Neymar is what Pele used to be."

And whether you believe him or not, nothing is goiung to stop Chick from performing his magic.