Sports

Defending champions Spain arrived here on Thursday in readiness for their World Cup opener against 2010 runners-up the Netherlands, on Friday.

Holders Spain beat Netherlands in the final four years ago and will be out to do that again to begin their title defence.

Neymar said fans could be the most important "player" in Brazil's drive for a record sixth championship.

The Netherlands flew from their training base in Rio to Salvador with an apparently fully-fit squad, giving Van Gaal a dilemma about who to play in midfield.

Here are five things you want to know before hosts Brazil set the ball rolling in the tournament's opening game against Croatia today.

Simmering civil tension and the stench of corruption threatens to sully Brazil's global soccer party when the World Cup kicks off against a backdrop of protests and unrest.

Pune FC have appointed experienced Moroccan Karim Bencherifa as coach for a two-year term ahead of the 2014-15 season.

Pogba is one of the first names on the team-sheet and not once in 10 games for France has coach Didier Deschamps put Pogba on the bench.

FIFA says doping samples from World Cup players in South America are arriving at a laboratory in Switzerland within 33 hours.

Koscielny backed coach Arsene Wenger to oversee a new era of success at Arsenal, providing he buys at least four players - including a top-class striker - this summer.

Greece and Nigeria played a scoreless draw in a pre-World Cup friendly at the home of the MLS Philadelphia Union.

Barcelona and their former president Sandro Rosell have been called by a judge to give evidence in a court over charges of tax evasion involved in the transfer of Neymar.

The Juventus player, included at the weekend in Chile's squad for the Brazil finals, had meniscus surgery on his right knee on May 7.

A British newspaper claimed it had evidence that around $5 million was paid to officials in return for votes for Qatar's successful bid.

Germany coach Joachim Loew, who on Monday will name his final 23-man squad, said the game highlighted the work they still need to do.

Torres and Iniesta were on target as Spain dominated Bolivia in the first of two international friendlies ahead of their World Cup defense in Brazil.