Six fingers crossed for Brazilian victory

A family of 14 is counting on the fingers of a single hand its hopes for Brazil to win a sixth World Cup championship.

All the members of the Silva family from Aguas Claras, on the outskirts of Brasilia, were born with an extra digit on each hand as a result of a genetic condition known as polydactyly.

And rather than recoil in the face of curious stares, they are proud of their difference. And that pride never shines more brightly than during the World Cup as they relish the attention of Brazilian media.

“Since the last World Cup, we wanted Brazil to become hexacampeao,” said Ana Carolina Santos, using the Portuguese term for “six-time champion”. “But it didn’t happen, so this year we really want to achieve the sixth.”