Today marks the start of the long-awaited 2014 World Cup, where a total of 32 national teams will compete. "Eurofootball.com" will help track various tournament news daily until the end of the tournament.
Projected lineups:
Brazil: Julio Cesar; Dani Alves, Thiago Silva, David Luiz, Marcelo; Paulinho, Oscar, Luiz Gustavo; Hulk, Fred, Neymar.
Croatia: Danijel Subašić; Darijo Srna, Vedran Čorluka, Dejan Lovren, Danijel Pranjić; Ivan Rakitić, Luka Modrić; Ivan Perišić, Mateo Kovačić, Ivica Olić; Eduardo.
Today evening will see the first World Cup match played, where hosts Brazil will face Croatia.
In Brazil, two football legends met - Andrea Pirlo and Juninho. Both players are known for their exceptional penalty kick scoring, but only A.Pirlo will be able to demonstrate his skills at the World Cup. (Twitter.com photo)
In Brazil, fans of the national team are already prepared for the championship. (AP photo)
World Cup facts:
1. In total, 32 national teams play in the World Cup, but one of them will debut in Brazil. Bosnia and Herzegovina, which performed well in qualifying, will play in the world championships for the first time in the country's history.
2. The current world champions are Spain, but in 2010 it was their first title. Did you know that the Brazilian national team has won the World Cup five times, with the last time being in 2002?
3. In 1982, Hungarian footballer Laszlo Kiss only needed 7 minutes to score three goals against El Salvador. This is a World Cup record.
4. Did you know when a player was removed from the field for the first time in the World Cup? It happened in 1930 when Peru's player Placido Galindo received a red card in a match against Romania.
5. In the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea, the fastest goal in the history of the tournament was scored. Turkish striker Hakan Sukur scored in the 11th second against South Korea.
Brazil not prepared for the championship? Construction is still ongoing near the "Arena das Dunas" stadium, and the first match at this stadium is scheduled for tomorrow, when Cameroon and Mexico will face off. (Goal.com photo)
Juventus defender Andrea Pirlo confirmed that after this World Cup, he will end his career in the Italian national team. A.Pirlo, who triumphed in the World Cup in 2006, has played 108 matches for the national team.
In Brazil, copies of the World Cup trophy are rapidly transported, which are manufactured in China. (Reuters photo)
In the training camp of the Argentine national team, players were pleasantly surprised when a Brazilian similar to the legendary Ronaldinho invaded the pitch. (AFP photo)
Brazilian national team defender David Luiz said that the triumph in the Confederations Cup tournament no longer matters.
"This is a different tournament. In fact, the most important one. Past results in football do not matter, so we have to forget what happened last year and focus on this tournament.".
Took about the opponents from Croatia, D.Luiz responded: "This is a great team. There will be no easy matches in this tournament. Football is fascinating because it is very difficult to predict. If it were different, this game would have lost its charm long ago."
"Croatia has good players and, like us, will seek to show the world what they are capable of. We have confidence in our abilities, but we will be cautious from the start of the World Cup," the Brazilian said.
Good news reached the Germany national team camp. Main goalkeeper Manuel Neuer will be ready to play in the opening match on Monday against Portugal.
The World Cup fever has also infected fish. A mini-football tournament was held in an aquarium. (Reuters photo)
Spain national team and Real Madrid legend Raul is not satisfied with the team's attack and fears that Vicente Del Bosque will play without a genuine striker.
"David Villa and Fernando Torres were not in great form for their clubs last season. At the World Cup, we can see Del Bosque playing with a 4-6-0 tactic.
If goals are scored using this tactic, then there are no problems. But if it doesn't work out, it will be a shame for the whole team," Raul said.
The England national team is on its way to the city of Manaus in Brazil. At the stadium of this city, the English will play their first group stage match against European vice champions Italy. (Twitter.com photo)
In Brazil, São Paulo, protests against the World Cup continue. Police are using rubber bullets against protesters. (BBC, Twitter.com photo)
The Portugal national team is still unsure whether Cristiano Ronaldo, Raul Meireles, and Pepe will be able to help the team in the first group stage match against Germany. Media reports now say that defender Fabio Coentrao did not participate in today's training session, likely due to injury.
At the São Paulo stadium in Brazil where the match between Brazil and Croatia will take place today, unrest continues. Protesters are setting fires, breaking things, and throwing anything they can at the police. (AFP photo)
The opening ceremony of the World Cup will take place at the stadium in São Paulo, Brazil, which can be watched live on LRT channel. (Twitter.com photo)
FACT: The opening ceremony of the World Cup in Brazil cost $9 million USD."
