This year’s FIFA World Cup has not had the desired effect on host nation Brazil’s fortunes on or off the pitch.

Not only was the national team humiliated 1-7 in the semi-final by eventual winners Germany, but the country’s economy has failed to benefit from the influx of hundreds of thousands of football tourists and has slipped into recession.

Brazil’s GDP fell by 0.6 per cent in the three months to June, worse than analysts had predicted. The dip follows on from a 0.2 decline in the previous quarter.

The news comes just two years before the country will host the 2016 Olympic Games and provides further fuel to the political movement that has criticised the amount of money spent on bidding and hosting the competitions.

The economic woes might work in favour of the 2016 organisers, however, as the slowdown could result in the lowering of cost in construction materials needed to complete the infrastructure for the Games.

The well-documented delays in building works have already led to the International Olympic Committee appointing an international team based in Rio to help the local organising committee finish the work on the Olympic venues.