Colombia will decide as late as possible whether to start James Rodriguez in their opening World Cup clash against Japan on Tuesday as the 2014 top-scorer labours with a calf strain.

Robert Lewandowski and Sadio Mane face off in a mouthwatering World Cup match between two of European football's most lethal

A visit to the FIFA football museum in Moscow was a refreshing one. It took us a fifteen-minute walk from Arbatskaya metro station to the Hunyadi Motor Studio, where you have to go through a scanner, a security protocol in every important place you visit in Moscow.

Romelu Lukaku netted a brace as a much-improved second-half performance gave Belgium an ultimately comfortable 3-0 victory over tournament debutants Panama in their World Cup opener in Sochi on Monday.

Mohamed Salah has been declared fit ahead of Egypt's crunch game against Russia on Tuesday and coach Hector Cuper is optimistic his star striker will play. But Russia boss Stanislav Cherchesov believes the World Cup hosts have figured out a way to rein Salah in when the two sides meet in Saint Petersburg.

Captain Harry Kane came to the rescue with two goals, the second a dramatic injury-time winner, as England began their World Cup Group G campaign with a stuttering 2-1 win over Tunisia yesterday.

It is still too early to say whether Germany will suffer the same fate that Spain and Italy had in previous versions of the FIFA World Cup. Italy and Spain, champions of the 2006 and 2010 World Cups respectively, were embarrassed in the subsequent defence of their titles, making early exits from the first rounds.

Brazil's stuttering performance stemmed from anxiety at playing their first World Cup game, coach Tite said after their 1-1 draw with Switzerland in Group E on Sunday.

While millions of people are tuning in to watch the World Cup and commenting about it online, thousands more on Twitter are talking

Germany's media reacted with concern and worry to the World Cup holder's shock 1-0 defeat against Mexico on Sunday.

Argentina legend Diego Maradona issued a scathing assessment Sunday of his country's World Cup draw with Iceland, warning manager Jorge Sampaoli that he would not be welcome back home unless he changes his tactics.

Bangladeshis celebrated Eid with the World Cup adding a kind of spice they did not quite expect.

Belgium's creativity and power prove too much for World Cup debutants Panama as the Group G favourites overcome the heroics of goalkeeper Jaime Penedo and a massed defence to run out 3-0 winners on Monday.

Croatia striker Nikola Kalinic has been sent home from the World Cup after refusing to come on as a substitute in the team's opening game against Nigeria, coach Zlatko Dalic said.

Mexico's win over Germany has seen their odds to top the group increase, while celebrations from Hirving Lozano's goal triggered an artificial earthquake in Mexico City.

Neymar, who had a rough night yesterday as Brazil only managed a draw in their Group E fixture against Switzerland has told the referees to do their job properly.

Andreas Granqvist converts from the spot as Sweden get their World Cup campaign to a winning start with a 1-0 win over South Korea on Monday.

South Korea’s manager Shin Tae-yong made his players wear different shirts in pre-World Cup friendlies to confuse 'Swedish spies'.

Croatia are obviously going to have a scheme to thwart Argentina captain Lionel Messi from having as little influence in the outcome of the match as possible. However, the schemes to work, their needs to be ideas.

Diego Maradona says Lionel Messi's second-half penalty miss was not the reason Argentina failed to defeat Iceland at the World Cup on Saturday.