As Brazil continues their last-minute preparations for the 2014 World Cup, set to begin June 12, protests throughout various parts of the country decrying the tournament -- despite the country's unabashed passion for the sport -- continue to intensify while delays in construction still plague various projects.

Demonstrators greeted the Brazilian national team at the Rio's Linx Hotel, with protesters following them to their Granja Comary training base, where the squad is training as they prepare for their tournament-opener match against Croatia.

"There will be no World Cup, there will be a strike," the crowd chanted. 

Mostly Rio's school teachers have been on strike since May 12, demanding better pay and working conditions. Brazilian tax payers are upset about ponying up a large chunk of the $11 billion spent on World Cup preparations, with the private sector picking up only 15 percent of the tab despite promises to cover cost overruns.

Anti-World Cup protests have also arisen near Estádio do Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro, the venue where the championship match will be determined and where the World Cup trophy is currently on public display. Roughly 1,500 people were blocking one of the main roads in the city, confronting police with stones and arrows before authorities used tear gas to disperse the angry.

Brazilian soccer legend and FIFA World Cup ambassador Ronaldo places the onus on the Brazilian government, which has failed to balance the needs of the voters with the demands FIFA has placed on them to host the World Cup.

"This is what people should understand: it's down to governments," Ronaldo told Brazilian publication Valor. "The governments they have elected. It's nothing to do with football or the World Cup."

Pele, considered by many to be one of the greatest soccer players to ever lace cleats, says he understands the average Brazilian's anger with bringing the World Cup to the South American nation. However, he does not believe that violence will do anyone any good in this situation.

"Some of this money could have been invested in schools, in hospitals," said Pele. "Brazil needs it. That's clear. On that point, I agree. But I lament what protesters are doing, which is breaking and burning everything. It's money that we will have to spend again."

Last week, ESPN Deportes' Mario Kempes said during a telephone conference that Brazilian organizers over-extended themselves by offering to build so many new stadiums on top of renovating existing facilities -- with $4 billion of the costs going to construction projects that have yet to be completed.

"I hate to talk about politics, frankly, but I understand where the anger comes from," says Kempes to LatinPost.com. Kempes helped Argentina win the 1978 World Cup. "That's money that could have gone to hospitals and schools. And they had enough quality venues that would have needed renovations to win the bid without having to build brand new stadiums."

On top of protests, the projects have been plagued by delays -- including several deaths at construction sites, worker strikes, political discord and weather issues -- that caused FIFA secretary general Jérôme Valcke to worry about the country's abilities to meet their extended new deadlines after failing to finish venue construction by December of last year.

FIFA organizers threatened to strip the city of Curitiba of its World Cup host duties due to the severe lag in the reconstruction of Arena da Baixada, while the mayor of Porto Alegre, Jose Fortunati, had to corral local government officials into passing a bill creating tax incentives for companies investing in building temporary structures around Estádio Beira-Rio. Fortunati said that organizers fell short on funds to build housing for fans and sponsors or fulfill other FIFA requirements, such as upgrading telecommunications infrastructure needed for the media.

Arena da Baixada has passed FIFA's first dry-run test, using the game Corinthians and Atletico Paranaense as a "soft opening," despite seats still being installed and work outside the stadium unfinished, to see if the stadium met their requirements.

"Inside there are some things that need to be finished, as it happens in almost all of these new arenas being built in Brazil," said Corinthians head coach Mano Menezes.

Arena da Amazônia in Manaus faces a different problem. Manaus city hall spokeswoman Jacira Oliveira has said that a 180-day state of emergency will be in effect as a preventive measure to ensure that Rio Negro does not flood the city.

Valcke has been stern with Brazilian officials despite pushing back a number of deadlines for the stadiums to be completed. Despite warning them that there was no "Plan B," Valcke remains optimistic that the quadrennial tournament will go off without a hitch despite the last-minute scramble to finish all projects in a timely fashion and says she has no regrets awarding Brazil with the tournament.

"In the end, Brazil is going to show that it has organized the World Cup well, nothing bad will happen during it," said Valcke. "Potentially, we'll even be criticized for having criticized [the organiser's preparations]. Brazil is Brazil, and is going to bring something positive."