Brazil, you say? They know how to play football over there, don't they? But it's a long way for one so middle aged as I to travel.

So instead, I shall slouch into my leather armchair and view the tournament from this side of the Atlantic. I shall try and watch every game and will definitely make wildly inaccurate predictions too.

I do solemnly vow to give you a real sense of what it's like to not be at the World Cup. This is the blog where all the colour and atmosphere and passion of watching the world's greatest sporting tournament on a wall mounted widescreen really comes to life.

Friday 27 June 2014

GROUP G DECIDERS: Germany 1-0 USA ; Portugal 2-1 Ghana

Was there ever a danger that Germany and the USA would play out a stalemate to earn both their places in the next round? Not a bit of it. The Germans attacked, the US repelled. And despite the 1-0, both still qualified with heads held high, just as I predicted at the start of the tournament. Portunadlo or Ronaldagal fell short, their talisman an injured man, still able to weave some magic, but not strong enough to cast a spell on this tournament on his own. Ghana fell short of their 2010 achievement, no longer Africa's greatest it seems.