2:28 PM: Michel Platini has got his fighting talk on. He's refusing to back Sepp Blatter in the Fifa presidential elections and the Uefa president may even run against him.
I do not support him. I have known him for a long time, I like him, but I’m not favourable to him having another term,” he told L’Equipe. “I supported him in 1998, but I do not support in 2014. And in the future, I shall not support Blatter. I told him that. I think Fifa needs a breath of fresh air.”
1:16 PM: According to Gary Neville, there's been a "witch hunt" for Wayne Rooney. Yep - there's either been an investigation carried out ostensibly to uncover subversive activities but actually used to harass and undermine those with differing views, or fair comment as regards a player who's lost his burst, has a dodgy first touch, dodgy passing, and without whom the team seems to play better. One of the two.
12:50 PM: NEWS - England's physios have been struggling to keep pace with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who is making an extraordinary recovery from injury, according to James Milner, Full story here.
12:29 PM: News - Paul Scholes has urged England manager Roy Hodgson to put his faith in Ross Barkley at the World Cup and believes he can have a similar impact to Wayne Rooney's memorable Euro 2004 campaign. Full Story here.
11:59 AM: Twitter - @Elko_B Van Persie says the Dutch are focussed. 'What you used to see is people making jokes in the first few days. There's much less of that now.'
11:36 AM: Quick fact for you all! England have kept a clean sheet in 7 of their last 10 group games in World Cups.
11:01 AM: BBC Weather are reporting dry and fine conditions for tonight's first match between Brazil and Croatia, with an estimated temperature of 23 degrees at 9:00 PM.
10:58 AM: Twitter - @rioferdy5 Strolled along the Copacabana beach last night and there seemed to be more Columbia fans than brazilians! loudest were the Argentinians!
Seems to be a strong contingent of fans from all countries! Drop us a comment below if you're in Brazil gearing up for the biggest tournament on Earth.
10:48 AM: Brazil-Croatia. Hands up who thinks it will be a classic tournament opener, a true statement of intent for the month of drama and frolics ahead?
10:35 AM: It's getting on for dawn in Brazil now...
10:26 AM: Twitter - '@iainmacintosh This is going to be a far better World Cup than 2010. No vuvuzelas and a ball that wasn’t bought for 99p from a petrol station. Winner.'
Do you think this years World Cup in Brazil will trump South Africa's effort four years ago?
10:16 AM: Zico believes the Brazil squad will go into the match against Croatia this evening very much aware of the pressure on them to perform. He hopes the experience that the squad have of playing in big matches in the Premier League will help.
10:08 AM: Mesut Ozil has hit back at critics in Germany. After he was booed during a friendly against Cameroon and after a mixed first season in the Premier League, the midfielder had been targeted by fans.“I am no longer a talent but an experienced player who has played in three countries. I take responsibility. The FA Cup win means that I have won three finals,” he told Sport Bild. “I was voted Germany player of the year three times running and in the team of the year in England – always by the fans. And that is also important to me.”
09:31 AM: Before a ball gets kicked at this years World Cup, we'll have the opening ceremony to officially get the tournament in Brazil under way. This year's version in Sao Paulo at the 68,000-seat New Corinthians Stadium will start at 7.15pm (BST) and is expected to last 25 minutes.More than 600 dancers, gymnasts, trampolinists and stilt walkers will perform alongside a 'living' LED (light-emitting diode) ball.
Jennifer Lopez will be among them, having overturned her decision to pull out of performing the official World Cup song at the ceremony because of unspecified "production issues". She will perform We Are One (Ole Ola) alongside rapper Pitbull and Brazilian singer Claudia Leitte.
09:30 AM: Today's the day! The 2014 FIFA World Cup is upon us. Stay with us here at Football.co.uk where we'll be keeping you updated will all the latest news, analysis and more from the England camp and the rest of the competing nations.
Source: DSG
