Brazil vs Mexico: Predictions, stats and analysis

The flags are out, jerseys ready and excitement is at its peak as the world anxiously awaits the FIFA World Cup to kick off in Russia today. It is the tournament where we have the amazing confluence of football's best players coming together in one spot.

Our celebrities, too, are pumped up for the football madness. We caught up with many of them to find out their favourite football memories, and the teams they are supporting or think will win. Predominantly, our stars have their eyes set on two teams:  Brazil and Argentina.

Crowned by fans and critics alike as the “King of Dhaliwood,” Shakib Khan is the model superstar when it comes to the Bangladeshi film industry. Just as he has captured the hearts of millions, there is one football team that has his heart. This year, he hopes that Brazil takes the trophy home. Similarly, star couple Omar Sani and Moushumi are also supporters of Brazil. “I plan to watch the world cup in between shoots with my husband and kids. We want to watch every game – not just the matches of Brazil!” says Moushumi.

Looking back on the days when he used to play football drenched in the rain, actor Mahfuz Ahmed is yet another supporter of Brazil. He says that the world cup season is quite a euphoric time for him. Renowned artistes Afsana Mimi and Shomi Kaiser are also Brazil fans.

On the other hand, Chanchal Chowdhury, who is known among his fans as 'Ayna' or 'Misir Ali' these days, loves Argentina. In his school and college days, Chowdhury often played football. He is excited to bond with his son Shuddho over the world cup this year.

Actor Zahid Hassan has many fond memories of playing football back in his hometown, Sirajganj. He and his wife, renowned model and actor Sadia Islam Mou support Argentina. Likewise, actor Ferdous fell in love with Maradona's style of playing quite early on, and since then, he has been a loyal follower of Argentina.

Popular artistes Monalisa and Zakia Bari Mamo also support Argentina. Mamo, a national award-winning actor, says that she has been a fan of the team since childhood. On the contrary, Shajal says that he will be cheering for Brazil. “I think the Brazilian players are really capable. I trust them fully,” he asserts.

There is another beloved celebrity couple who are on the same side: eminent filmmaker Mustafa Sarwar Farooki and his wife, actor Nusrat Imroz Tisha. Both of them are loyal to Brazil.

Amidst the host of Brazil and Argentina fans, Azizul Hakim has a different viewpoint, as he supports Germany.

Lastly, this world cup seems to be quite disheartening for actor Poppy, as her favourite team, Italy, is not participating. However, she is still really looking forward to the matches. Needless to say, our stars are just as elated as us for the world's most watched sporting event. Let the games begin!

The stage is all set in Russia. Time for all eyes to turn to Moscow as the greatest show on Earth is about to get underway at the Luzhniki Stadium today.

No, the tournament is unlikely to start with a glittering opening like it had in Brazil four years ago. The hosts pledge to kick it off in typical Russian fashion: cool and composed, almost like its military displays.

No, the opening affair is unlikely to offer a cracker of a match that would send Bangladesh into frenzy over fan rivalries. The tournament begins with a match between a weak group's weaker teams in Russia and Saudi Arabia -- the ones that generate little or no interest among fans in our part of the world. This World Cup appears to be saving the best games for the latter parts of the fixture this time.

But do not be so sure of that fact as to turn your eyes away from the TV set. It's a World Cup, and you never know which team will come up with a heart-stopper and which also-rans suddenly win new fans! And even if the players fail to prove pessimists wrong, two strong men -- Russia's President Vladimir Putin and Saudi Arabia's king-to-be Mohammed bin Salman -- will be there in the stands to give us reason to stay tuned even if the action is underwhelming.

Russia have qualified for the World Cup as hosts and, just like South Africa in 2010, are ranked lowest among the teams. It goes without question that Russia are a team full of experienced players in the likes of Dzagoev, Cheryshev and Samedov, but it sorely lacks firepower. Of course, a fired-up home crowd may provide extra fuel to the ageing but agile bunch of creative players. And if they can overcome the Saudi hurdle, Russia will move a step closer to moving onto the next round ahead of two other highly rated teams from Group A -- Uruguay and Egypt.

Saudi Arabia, on the hand, are plagued by various problems ever since they qualified for the World Cup for the fifth time. With two coaches being fired in the process of qualification and a respected Juan Antonio Pizzi taking over barely before catching the flight to Moscow, the Saudis are more disturbed than prepared.

They are most likelyto play three group games and head home. Saudi Arabia are strong up front but weak in  defence. And their only hope of extending their stint in the tournament rests on the shoulders of super-fast strikers Mohammad Al Sahlawi and Fahad Al-Muwallad. Being a strong counterattacking side, they may opt to sit back, absorb pressure and surprise the Russian defence with sudden bursts of speed.

It's still not hard to predict the result. I see a wry smile at the corner of Putin's mouth.

The writer is former Sports Editor of The Daily Star

Lionel Messi unveils Argentina’s second kit for the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2018 in Russia and Argentina are using a black kit for the first time in their history. Meanwhile Leo’s rival and Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo has unveiled Portugal’s dazzling new red kit and the new kit is sure to keep the 2016 Euro Champions’ fans enthralled.

Lionel Messi is in Manchester with the national team and Jorge Sampaoli’s men are currently training at Manchester City’s training ground. The Barca playmaker modelled for the second kit, designed by Addidas and the newly unveiled kit features a bold black design with a three-stripe pattern under the arm featuring the blue and white colours of the national flag.

Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo dazzled in the new look Portugal first kit while his compatriot and Barca midfielder Andre Gomes unveiled the second kit.

Cristiano Ronaldo in Portugal's new kit. Photo: Nike

The Portugal kits, designed by Adidas’s rival brand Nike featured golden numbers and names on the back of the shirt. The golden details symbolises the team’s historic Euro 2016 conquest.

Nobody would have hand-picked the tournament's two worst teams to launch the 2018 World Cup, but when Russia and Saudi Arabia meet on Thursday form will be irrelevant as the world's biggest sporting festival explodes into life in Moscow.

Hosts Russia, and Saudi Arabia are the two lowest-ranked teams at the tournament by some distance and they are both in dire form. But their clash will set the tone for the global showpiece.

Partly due to a lack of competitive matches, Russia have slipped to 70th in the FIFA rankings, which sounds shockingly low for a World Cup team until you glance up to see the Saudis, despite securing automatic qualification from a competitive Asian confederation, at 67.

Despite failing to win in seven matches stretching back to October, 2017, the hosts still have realistic hopes of making it to the second round for the first time in more than 30 years after being drawn in a group also containing Egypt and Uruguay.

Russia coach Stanislav Cherchesov has been working overtime trying to rebuild his team, particularly defensively, after a cruel run of serious injuries to some of his most experienced operators, but the tournament has arrived without him showing much evidence of progress.

His team last tasted success via a 4-2 victory over South Korea - and even that win needed two own goals - and their most recent warm-ups brought defeat by Austria and a 1-1 draw with Turkey.

In those games, Russia's laboured build-up play and careless passing looked light-years away from the irresistible, quicksilver side that lit up the European championship a decade ago.

That 2008 tournament, in which they reached the semifinals, is something of an island of success for a nation who failed to qualify for the World Cups either side of it and made no impression in 2014 when they finished behind Belgium and Algeria.

That historical and recent lack of form means that few in Russia are holding out much hope of glory on home soil but the players will almost certainly be lifted by the occasion and by finally getting their teeth into a competitive match.

They also have a puncher's chance in the shape of striker Fyodor Smolov, who has become a scoring machine since being left out of the squad in 2014 with more than 60 goals over the last three seasons for his club Krasnodar.

If they are going to do it against anyone then it should be against a Saudi team coming off the back of successive friendly losses to Italy, Peru and Germany, though they showed patches of encouraging form and did beat Algeria and Greece in May.

Updates

Fedor Smolov will line up as a lone striker for Russia as the World Cup hosts attempt to end a seven-match winless run in the opening game of the tournament against Saudi Arabia in Moscow on Thursday.

The Krasnodar forward will be supported by Aleksandr Golovin and Alexander Samedov out wide as Russia bid to win a World Cup game for the first time since 2002.

Saudi Arabia return to the tournament after a 12-year absence and are the second-lowest ranked side in the competition at 67th in the world, three places above Russia.

Saudi coach Juan Antonio Pizzi will hope Mohammed Al-Sahlawi, who bagged a staggering 16 goals in qualifying, can snap a nine-game scoring drought in Russia.

Starting line-ups for the opening match of the World Cup between hosts Russia and Saudi Arabia in Group A in Moscow on Thursday (1500 GMT kick-off):

Russia (4-2-3-1)

Igor Akinfeev (capt); Mario Fernandes, Ilya Kupetov, Sergey Ignashevich, Yury Zhirkov; Iury Gazinsky, Roman Zobnin; Alan Dzagoev, Aleksandr Golovin, Alexander Samedov; Fedor Smolov

Coach: Stanislav Cherchesov (RUS)

Saudi Arabia (4-5-1)

Abdullah Al-Muaiouf; Osama Hawsawi (capt), Omar Hawsawi, Mohammed Al-Burayk, Yasser Al-Shahrani; Salman Al-Faraj, Yahia Al-Shehri, Abdullah Otayf, Taiseer Al-Jassam, Salem Al-Dawsari; Mohammed Al-Sahlawi

Coach: Juan Antonio Pizzi (ESP)

Referee: Nestor Pitana (ARG)

The biggest change for Brazil at this World Cup is not on the field, or on the training ground, or even in the dressing-room. It's on the team sheet.

For the first time since 1974 Brazil have arrived at a World Cup without a player better known by his nickname than his given name.

Brazilian players usually go by one name but while they might all sound exotic to foreign ears, there is a big difference between those who use their given names and those better known by their nicknames.

This year there are no little coins (Tostao in Portuguese), no superheroes (Hulk), and none of the seven dwarves (Dunga, or Dopey).

In their place are Fred, Douglas and Marcelo, names that would not be out of place in a London accountant's office.

The slow death of the Brazilian nickname is a consequence of football becoming more corporate and less irreverent, said Marvio dos Anjos, sports editor at Rio de Janeiro newspaper O Globo.

From an early age, players now aim to become brands and that is harder if you are named after a body part, such as Bigode (Moustache); a nationality, such as Alemao (German, because he was blonde and blue-eyed); or a colour, like Branco (White, because he was the only white player in a team of Afro-Brazilians).

"Agents and the directors of football clubs have stopped players from using nicknames," Dos Anjos said.

"If your name is Hulk then you will be painted green and made to look like your name. It is a way to neutralise any irony or folklore and make them seem more serious."

Had seriousness been a factor in years gone by the story of Brazilian football would be very different.

Instead of Pele, a nonsensical name he picked up as a child, the record books would be filled with the legend of Edson Arantes do Nascimento.

Garrincha, who was named after one of the birds he so loved, would be known as Manuel dos Santos, a name as common in Brazil as John Smith is in England.

And rather than chant the name of Zico, one of their most illustrious successors, fans would sing the praises of Arthur Antunes Coimbra.

Brazilian supporters might not care what their players are called if they win the World Cup for the sixth time and many foreign ears will not even notice the change.

But the standardisation of monikers has drained some colour from the most vivid of all footballing nations, according to Dos Anjos.

"You start to see that they are taking some of the fun out the game,” he said.