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.

Thursday, 12 June 2014

Brazil 3-1 Croatia

The curtain hath been raised and the nets have been ruffled.
A goal fest in the opener, a rarity indeed in World Cup folklore, and the hosts are off to a strong start, despite an early scare from the unwitting foot of Marcelo.
But it happened early enough for les yellows to recover.
Neymar is a World Cup goalscoring virgin nay more. A double, the second a disputed penalty has seen to that. And proceedings were wrapped up by an Oscar winner.
That's Brazil's biggest group challenge successfully negotiated.
The Croats will have to go for it in their next two.

We are underway.