Cote d’Ivoire are looking to open their third consecutive World Cup finals with a victory as they meet Japan in the first game of the tournament in Brazil.

Diego Maradona got lost trying to find his seat at the opening game of the World Cup and had to be rescued from a swarm of Brazil fans.

Newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo said the Argentine football great had trouble finding his way around Corinthians Arena at Thursday’s kick-off match and was surrounded by a crowd of Brazilians there to cheer on their team — Argentina’s arch-rival — against Croatia.

World Cup specialist Uruguay heads into its opening match of the 2014 tournament against Costa Rica at Castelao, Fortaleza with hopes of improving on the third-placed finish it achieved in South Africa four years ago and replicating the 1950 success at Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana that stunned Brazil.

This is an excellent way to kick off play in Group D, as two of the world’s soccer powers will go at it. It’s also a very important match because Group D is essentially three teams playing for two spots and coming away with three points in this match would be huge for either side.

Colombia is playing without its talismanic striker, Radamel Falcao, who is out with an injury to injury. This is a huge blow to “Los Cafeteros.” But they plan to prove that they have considerable depth across the squad in taking on Greece.

Nigeria and Chelsea FC midfielder, John Obi Mikel, who is making his debut after missing out on South Africa 2010 due to last minute knee surgery, said that it is a dream come true to play the World Cup in Brazil where the Eagles hope to last the distance.

What’s Stephen Keshi’s football philosophy? What can we expect from a Stephen Keshi side?         
I like attacking football. I don’t believe you need to sit back and load behind. You’ve got to be open and make the people come to the stadium. They spend so much money – they need to get value for it. Good, attacking football is what I like. Of course there must be purpose and discipline and togetherness to make the good football work.

Spain shot-stopper, Iker Casillas believes he must shoulder much of the blame for Spain’s humbling 5-1 defeat to the Netherlands.

Chile secured a hard-fought 3-1 victory over Australia in Cuiaba to move level on points with Group B leaders the Netherlands. Early strikes from Alexis Sanchez and Jorge Valdivia put the South Americans well in control and, though Tim Cahill’s header got the Socceroos back into the game, Jean Beausejour sealed victory in injury-time.

Robin van Persie and Arjen Robben inspired the Netherlands to a 5-1 comeback thrashing of Spain in one of the most unforeseen results in FIFA World Cup™ history.

Oribe Peralta was the hero as Mexico edged Cameroon in a pulsating Group A game that somehow finished with only one goal. Three goals were ruled out in the first half before the 30-year-old striker slotted home a rebound in the 61st minute in Natal to send Mexico second in their FIFA World Cup™ pool, behind Brazil on goal difference.

England manager Roy Hodgson has revealed that Danny Welbeck will be fit to face Italy in their opening FIFA World Cup Group D game against Italy in Manaus on Saturday.

Had the sun still been in the sky when the final whistle blew on the Netherlands’ 5-1 mauling of reigning world champions Spain, it would surely have been outshone by Arjen Robben. The 30-year-old was in electrifying form and capped his first outing at the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ with a brace to help get coach Louis van Gaal’s young Dutch team off to the perfect start.

– FIFA said Saturday it has launched an inquiry into Argentina’s “provocative” unfurling of a banner laying claim to the Falkland islands at a friendly game just before the World Cup.

The head of FIFA’s disciplinary committee said the gesture was an “apparent breach” of regulations on “prevention of provocative and aggressive actions,” according to a FIFA statement.

Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi said Friday he was unperturbed by the attempts of several high-spirited fans to invade the pitch during a training session ahead of their World Cup opener.