Adalberto Queiroz remembers what matches were like 50 years ago Anyone who currently follows a World Cup on their cell phone might not even imagine that, 52 years ago, people from Acre had to wait a whole day to watch the Brazilian team's games in black and white. Before television arrived in the state, the excitement of the tournament was experienced only on the radio. What today fits in the palm of your hand, in 1974 mobilized hundreds of people around a television. Acre filmmaker Adalberto Queiroz, 73 years old, recalls that the arrival of the first images of the World Cup in the state marked the generation and took place in front of the Rio Branco Palace. ? Join the g1 AC channel on WhatsApp "Before, everything was on the radio. I remember that in the 1970 World Cup everyone watched like that. When Brazil lost, everyone cried. When we found out that television had arrived in Acre, in 1974, we ran to the square. I still remember how excited we were", recalls Queiroz. The first broadcasts took place during that year's World Cup, held in Germany. The then TV Acre, now Rede Amazônica, showed the games in a public square, which brought hundreds of people to the center of the capital of Acre. (See the full video below) In 1974, the images were recorded in Manaus and sent by plane to Rio Branco. Photo: Archive/ Rede Amazônica Acre READ MORE: World Cup: Acre has 29 'Neymar', reveals Census; check out other names in honor of football stars Street with 540 meters of decoration wins World Cup competition in Rio Branco Waiting for the hexa, residents revive a tradition started 12 years ago and paint the street green and yellow in Acre However, the matches were not live. The images were recorded and transported by plane to Rio Branco, where they were shown by the broadcaster the following day. Even with the delay, the news aroused curiosity and, for many people from Acre, it was their first contact with TV. "Everyone wanted to know how it worked. There were people who didn't even know there was a television. I remember it was a 22-inch TV, but it became an event. Some sat on the floor and others even brought a chair to watch", recalls Adalberto. Journey of the tapes The filmmaker, journalist and member of the Academia Amazonense de Letras, Abrahim Baze, worked at the former TV Acre and closely followed the operation to bring the games to the state of Acre. According to him, around 3,500 tapes were circulated by plane across the Amazon during the World Cup. "We had an employee who took the tape to the airport, however, we depended on the collaboration of passengers for it to reach its destination. We provided the passenger's name, the clothes they were wearing and other characteristics so that the tape could be located when it arrived in Rio Branco", he says. The situation occurred throughout the World Cup that year, however, the wait ended in 1978, during the World Cup in Argentina. That year, a satellite tracking antenna was installed in Rio Branco. The technology made it possible to capture the national signal and transmit it live and in color to the people of Acre. “Few families had televisions and color televisions were even more expensive, considered a luxury item. Those who had braces received relatives, friends and neighbors. Many people watched the matches through doors and windows", recalls Abrahim. From radio to TV and cell phone: remember how the first images of the World Cup arrived in Acre From TV to cell phone Five decades later, in 2026, technology has completely transformed the way of watching a World Cup. Currently, matches can be watched on television, computer, tablet or cell phone, in such an easy way, that it is almost impossible to imagine how difficult it was 50 years ago. One example is public servant Hugo Pereira, 22 years old, who is part of the so-called Generation Z, and grew up watching games on different screens. Furthermore, despite having grown up in the digital era, the server has never seen Brazil become champion and believes that the next world title is close. But, if it's not, we'll keep rooting because there's always the next World Cup", he said excitedly. Passion for Football Asked what it would be like to watch a World Cup in the sun, in a public square and with a small television, the server joked and said he would prefer to have been born in the current century. "The goal is already beautiful in itself. There's the sound of the fans, 'Brazil, zil, zil', but having the image as we have today is the icing on the cake", he said. Even with all the evolution of technology, some scenes remain vivid in the memory of those who followed the first broadcasts. According to Adalberto Queiroz, technology has changed the way we watch football, but the passion for the Brazilian team remains the same. “The image that never left my head was that of Pelé dribbling the opponent. That was fantastic. Everyone was thrilled and I never forgot it. These are the good things of those who lived through that time, which in no way compares to watching a game like that, on your cell phone", he concluded. Review the Acre news programs