RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

And let's stay with the World Cup in Brazil, where Uruguayan fans and media are crying foul - not on the soccer pitch, but involving Brazil's customs.

LINDA WERTHEIMER, HOST:

Customs officials confiscated more than 80 pounds of a favorite snack spread from Uruguay's soccer team, one of the World Cup favorites, when they entered the country last week. The spread, called dulce de leche, is like the Nutella of South America. You can spread it on bread; use it as ice cream topping.

MONTAGNE: Despite not being especially healthy, the Uruguayan team apparently needs it to win. Uruguayans are blaming the caramel confiscation for their team's surprising loss in their opening match against Costa Rica last weekend. Officials say they'll release the sweet treat when the team presents them with a health certificate for the milk-based product.

WERTHEIMER: We'll get a better sense of how real the jinx is when Uruguay plays England tomorrow. It's MORNING EDITION from NPR News. I'm Linda Wertheimer.

MONTAGNE: And I'm Renee Montagne. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.