Why Caxirolas Will Be Brazil's Answer to Vuvuzelas During World Cup 2014

The vuvuzela, whatever your own personal view on the plastic horn, has become an enduring memory of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. It's distinctive noise was a feature of every match at the tournament, although its "beauty" was not always appreciated by those watching abroad.

Following suit, Brazil has also launched an official instrument ahead of the 2014 World Cup—the caxirola.

Designed by a collaboration of Brazilian musician Carlinhos Brown, Fifa and the Brazilian ministry of sports, the green and yellow percussion instrument makes a sound when shaken.

It is also made from recycled plastic, in line with Brazil's attempts to provide an eco-friendly World Cup.

Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff said of the instrument: "That image of the green and yellow caxirola and the fact that we are talking about a 'green' plastic in a country that leads in sustainability in the world.

"And at the same time it is an object that has the ability to do two things, to combine the image with sound and take us to our goals." (Sky)

Described as looking "like a hand grenade", the little instrument that was meant to define the tournament has received a critical response.

FIFA claimed the accessory, which will be handed out at the Confederations Cup, will create a "unique Brazilian atmosphere in the stadiums," (Time) while they are supposed to sound like traditional rainsticks.

Some have questioned, though, whether the caxirola will be even more annoying than the vuvuzela itself. (Daily Mail)

The caxirola project, though, may be doomed to fail before it has even begun.

The instruments were handed out at the Arena Fonte Nova in Salvador last weekend, as the forthcoming World Cup venue hosted a match between local rivals Bahia and Vitoria.

With hosts Bahia losing to their major rivals 2-1, it soon became clear that the caxirola may become an issue. One corner of the field, close to a section of Bahia supporters, became peppered with the instrument as they began to protest.

Just days after their unveiling, the incident provoked FIFA to release a statement earlier this week admitting that they would be considering the caxirola's presence at the competition.

"FIFA and the local organizing committee will analyze the situation and will reconsider the caxirolas as items approved for the Confederations Cup and World Cup, for safety reasons," the official press release read. (Guardian)

The caxirola, then, has not had a good beginning to life, but will do well to challenge the wider unpopularity of the vuvuzela. Why there is any need to influence the natural ebb-and-flow of crowd noise with a gimmick, though, is open to debate.

Then again, with each caxirola set to retail for between £5-10, the need for an official instrument becomes much clearer. (Telegraph)