Starting line-ups for the World Cup Group C opening game between France and Australia at the Kazan Arena on Saturday (1000 GMT kick-off):

France coach Didier Deschamps left Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud on the bench for a World Cup opener against Australia on Saturday as teenager Kylian Mbappe leads Les Bleus’ front line in Kazan.

England’s Raheem Sterling branded himself “The Hated One” after becoming the target of online abuse at Euro 2016 — exposing the dilemma faced by players who try to connect with fans through social media.

AFP Sport looks at the best quotes from the second day of the World Cup which produced a thrilling 3-3 draw between Spain and Portugal:

Diego Costa looked like a misfit at the World Cup in Brazil in 2014, where Spain’s inability to accommodate the burly centre-forward contributed to their disastrous campaign.

Nigeria vs Croatia ; As the Super Eagles face Croatia on Saturday in their group D opener, football fans in Ebonyi have urged the team to redeem Africa’s image at the on-going World Cup in Russia by defeating their opponent.

Portugal vs Spain : Cristiano Ronaldo made it clear that he means business at this World Cup after his stunning hat-trick secured a 3-3 draw here with Spain in a tournament classic and saw him reach another career landmark.

Portugal vs Spain : Cristiano Ronaldo scored a stunning hat-trick as Portugal snatched a 3-3 draw with Spain in a World Cup classic here Friday.

World Cup standings after Friday’s late match (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points):

Ronaldo hat-trick as Portugal and Spain draw 3-3 in World Cup

Cristiano Ronaldo scored a dramatic hat-trick against Spain on Friday, bringing Portugal level at 3-3 in the dying minutes of their Group B clash in Sochi.

Iranians had few options to watch their World Cup opener against Morocco, bar a few cinemas and cafes, but after their shock victory Friday, they burst out into the streets of Tehran in rare and wild celebration.

Brazilian referee, Sandro Ricci, will alongside two compatriots and two Spaniards, handle Nigeria’s opening Group D game against Croatia at Kaliningrad on Saturday in World Cup in Russia.

Diego Costa starts in attack and Nacho at right-back in new Spain coach Fernando Hierro’s starting line-up for Friday’s World Cup Group B showdown with neighbours Portugal in Sochi.

Iran were gifted a late 1-0 victory over Morocco in their opening World Cup match on Friday when Aziz Bouhaddouz headed into his own net five minutes into injury time.