<p>The world’s most popular sporting event kicks off late on Thursday night with host Brazil taking on Croatia at Sao Paulo. <br /><br /></p>.<p>Brazil, the traditional power house of soccer and five-time winner of the once-in-four-year event, is considered to be one of the favourites in this edition of the world’s most ‘beautiful game’. The game returns to this football crazy country after a gap of 64 years.<br /><br />But the tournament is not without its share of controversy. What was to be a soccer celebration is in danger of being hijacked by off-field issues as a growing furore surrounding FIFA over alleged vote-buying for the 2022 World Cup stews and anger over domestic political corruption broils throughout Brazil.<br /><br />The gloom is a far cry from what was envisioned when Brazil was selected as host nation in 2007. But if any country can perform a feat of spiritual alchemy using football as its tool, Brazil can. <br /><br />And for all the FIFA and protest dramas, billions of people around the world will tune in as eagerly as ever once the action begins.<br /><br />The home of what Pele termed “the beautiful game” is likely to respond like few others could, if its yellow-shirted heroes can carry all before them. <br /><br />A joyous festival of football would indeed be testament to the power of soccer if the sport shrugs off the unseemly smog enveloping the lead-up to this tournament. Brazil will be confident of providing the perfect fillip when they open the World Cup with a Group A clash against an equally brilliant Croatia in Sao Paulo.<br /><br />The hosts are favourites to clinch a record-extending sixth World Cup crown come the July 13 final at Rio’s Maracana stadium. Argentina’s Lionel Messi, considered to be the world’s best footballer, has never hit the heights at a world cup.<br /><br />Unless he does, as the likes of Pele and Diego Maradona have before him, there would always be a hint of a question mark over a career in which in every other way he has touched the stars. <br /><br />The formidable Germans have their minds set on a slice of history for themselves. No non-South American team has triumphed in these parts, but Joachim Loew’s squad have observers lining up to say that spell is ready to be broken.</p>
<p>The world’s most popular sporting event kicks off late on Thursday night with host Brazil taking on Croatia at Sao Paulo. <br /><br /></p>.<p>Brazil, the traditional power house of soccer and five-time winner of the once-in-four-year event, is considered to be one of the favourites in this edition of the world’s most ‘beautiful game’. The game returns to this football crazy country after a gap of 64 years.<br /><br />But the tournament is not without its share of controversy. What was to be a soccer celebration is in danger of being hijacked by off-field issues as a growing furore surrounding FIFA over alleged vote-buying for the 2022 World Cup stews and anger over domestic political corruption broils throughout Brazil.<br /><br />The gloom is a far cry from what was envisioned when Brazil was selected as host nation in 2007. But if any country can perform a feat of spiritual alchemy using football as its tool, Brazil can. <br /><br />And for all the FIFA and protest dramas, billions of people around the world will tune in as eagerly as ever once the action begins.<br /><br />The home of what Pele termed “the beautiful game” is likely to respond like few others could, if its yellow-shirted heroes can carry all before them. <br /><br />A joyous festival of football would indeed be testament to the power of soccer if the sport shrugs off the unseemly smog enveloping the lead-up to this tournament. Brazil will be confident of providing the perfect fillip when they open the World Cup with a Group A clash against an equally brilliant Croatia in Sao Paulo.<br /><br />The hosts are favourites to clinch a record-extending sixth World Cup crown come the July 13 final at Rio’s Maracana stadium. Argentina’s Lionel Messi, considered to be the world’s best footballer, has never hit the heights at a world cup.<br /><br />Unless he does, as the likes of Pele and Diego Maradona have before him, there would always be a hint of a question mark over a career in which in every other way he has touched the stars. <br /><br />The formidable Germans have their minds set on a slice of history for themselves. No non-South American team has triumphed in these parts, but Joachim Loew’s squad have observers lining up to say that spell is ready to be broken.</p>