Image source, Getty Images

But the North Africans aren't afraid of causing a scene at the World Cup. Their 1982 team caused shockwaves from Algiers to Augsburg as they beat the mighty West Germany in their tournament opener. And who could forget their dogged display to limit England to a 0-0 draw four years ago in South Africa. Plenty of us actually - it was bad, very bad. Belgium beware.

It is fair to say that few people are giving Algeria much hope of causing an upset against the Belgians. The Desert Foxes (honestly that is their nickname) are rank outsiders to create history and reach the World Cup knockout stage for the first time.

In fact, they haven't even managed to stick the ball into the back of the opposition net at a World Cup since 1986. Granted they have only featured at two since. Still, the last man to send the adoring Algerian public into a World Cup goal frenzy was Djamel Zidane - no relation to France's World Cup winner Zinedine, who was born of Algerian descent - against Northern Ireland in June 1986.

Belgium midfielder Steven Defour on Twitter:, external Started from the bottom now we're here. D-Day. Come on Belgium.

Belgium attacker Eden Hazard looks full of energy as he races around the pitch to stretch his muscles - probably because he has wolfed down plenty of pre-match food to power his body. The Chelsea man is known for demanding the ball on the pitch, but he also likes to demand food off it, according to Belgium's national chef Wym Casteley.

He reckons Hazard, who was banned for three games during Euro 2012 qualifying for eating a burger after being substituted, puts away more food than his beefy team-mate Romelu Lukaku.

Belgium's attacking midfielder Kevin De Bruyne starts despite fears over an ankle problem. There are seven Premier League players in Marc Wilmots' XI, including Chelsea's Eden Hazard.

Algeria's top scorer in qualifying Islam Slimani starts from the bench, with Dinamo Zagreb's El Arabi Soudani taking the spot in attack. Midfielder Hassan Yebda, who was suffering from an ankle injury, is left out of the starting line-up.

Former England defender Danny Mills
BBC Radio 5 live

"I am really excited. I want to see Eden Hazard get the ball and run past players for Belgium. This has been more of an attacking World Cup than any of us expected and I think that will continue today. Belgium should get through the group and they could do quite well."

You can listen to all the build-up and live commentary on BBC Radio 5 live by clicking on the Live Coverage tab at the top of this page.

Belgium's players look like a group of extras from Land of the Giants as they swagger purposefully out of the Belo Horizonte tunnel for their pre-match limbering-up. They are huge. The sort of team who you looked at across the halfway line as a primary school kid thinking 'they're about three years older than us. We're never going to win'. A fearsome sight.

BBC Radio 5 live

The build-up to today's matches at the World Cup has already started on BBC Radio 5 live, with Mark Pougatch presenting the day's top stories from Brazil.

You can listen to Belgium v Algeria live from 17:00 BST with commentary from Conor McNamara and ex-England international Danny Mills in Belo Horizonte. Click on the Live Coverage tab at the top of this page to listen via the website.

Why not follow the live text commentary on this page while listening to BBC Radio 5's commentary?

If you are out and about, don't forget you can sign up to the push alert option on the BBC Sport app, providing you team news, goal alerts and half-time and full-time scores for every World Cup team.

You may be wondering how Belgium have rocketed from tournament no-hopers to potential winners in the blink of an eye.

The Red Devils' re-emergence as a footballing powerhouse has been put down to a few factors - sheer good fortune, a quirk of timing and immigration to name but three.

But it is also down to the progressive thinking of Michel Sablon, a man who was part of the national team's coaching staff in the 1980s and early 1990s.

Sablon made the metaphorical move 'upstairs', becoming the Belgian FA's technical director in 1994, and then set down a plan that would revolutionise the nation's footballing fortunes in September 2006.

What is it? Find out in this BBC Sport feature. I suspect the footballing powers in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland might have already scoured it to nick a few tips.

Before we go any further, I need your input. All you've got to do is pick up your phone or tap away on your keyboard.

Are Belgium worth the hype? If so, can they live up to it? And what about Algeria's chances? Their green army of supporters are loving life as they cheer their boys out on to the pitch for their warm-up. But will they still be smiling at the final whistle?

Whatever you want to discuss the floor is wide open. Tweet using #bbcworldcup, text 81111 or post on our Facebook page. What are you waiting for?

Our focus here, of course, is today's opener in Belo Horizonte. The 2.5m-populated city, whose name translates as Beautiful Horizon, has over 12,000 botecos, or bars, which is reportedly more per person than any other city in Brazil.

So win, lose or draw, the Belgian and Algerian fans in town are guaranteed to have a decent post-match knees up.

Plenty of fans are already soaking up the sun inside the recently-renovated 57,000-capacity Estadio Mineirao, many covered in face paint and wearing comedy sunglasses. One guy, who I'm presuming is Algerian, is even dressed up as the Incredible Hulk. Hopefully he won't be turning angry once the action gets under way...

Image source, EPA

Hello! And welcome to day six of the World Cup - yes, that's right day six. Doesn't time fly when you're having fun?

Today marks a changing of the guard as the first round of group games glide seamlessly into round two. That means we get our first glimpse of the four teams battling to escape Group H - Belgium, Algeria, Russia and South Korea - with another look at Group A rivals Brazil and Mexico sandwiched in-between. Here's the plan:

Belgium v Algeria (17:00 BST)

Brazil v Mexico (20:00 BST)

Russia v South Korea (23:00 BST)

Image source, Getty Images

When you stuck a hopeful hand into the World Cup sweepstake hat, the chances are you wanted to get your mitts on the likes of Argentina, Brazil, Germany or Spain.

Picking out any of those four nations will have been greeted with a whoop of delight and maybe a David Brent-esque jig around the office. But the ones who plucked out a little piece of paper with Belgium scribbled on it, might well have been equally happy.

The Belgians, packed full with Premier League talent, are considered one of the 'dark horses' in Brazil. Time to see if they can live up to the hype.

Belgium starting XI: Courtois, Alderweireld, Kompany (c), Vertonghen, Witsel, De Bruyne, Lukaku, Hazard, Van Buyten, Dembele, Chadli.

Algeria starting XI: Mbolhi, Bougherra (c), Ghoulam, Halliche, Feghouli, Medjani, Bentaleb, Soudani, Taider, Mahrez, Mostefa.

Belgium's Romelu Lukaku is fit to play after overcoming an ankle injury picked in their last pre-World Cup friendly.

Kevin De Bruyne and Divock Origi also have ankle problems, while several other players are nursing minor knocks following feisty training sessions.

Algeria's main concern is over midfielder Hassan Yedba, another player with an ankle injury.

Otherwise, coach Vahid Halilhodzic has a fully-fit squad, led by captain and ex-Rangers defender Madjid Bougherra.