Des, Northampton, via text: I've just put my last £5 on England to win World Cup. I can't believe how these ex-England players don't get behind the new England team. All they do is say 'we will get to the quarter-finals if we're lucky'. It's a disgrace. Come on England!

Ever wondered who would win a World Cup if the tournament was decided by the highest number of Nobel Prizes per capita? Or the highest obesity rate? Or murder rates? Or coldest weather? Or who eats most beans?

Probably not. But bet you are now.

The Wall Street Journal has crunched the numbers to play the World Cup over those and many other criteria..., external

Authorities in Nigeria's north-eastern state of Adamawa have ordered all venues planning to screen live coverage of the football World Cup to close.

They say they have received intelligence of planned bomb attacks during the competition, which opens in Brazil on Thursday. Adamawa is one of the states badly affected by violence.

Open-air viewing centres - where people pay to watch live football - are popular throughout Nigeria.

"Our action is not to stop Nigerians... watching the World Cup. It is to protect their lives," Brig-Gen Nicholas Rogers was quoted as saying.

Image source, Getty Images

Match of the Day reporter Gabby Logan: "It's night and day compared to four years ago. In South Africa, they were locked away in a hotel where the training pitch was right outside. Here they are right in the beating heart of Rio. There's a golf course and a shopping mall. Fans can come and go in the hotel. The players aren't getting mobbed though. It's a different atmosphere than when they were coached by Fabio Capello at the last World Cup."

BBC Radio 5 live

BBC Radio 5 live are taking your calls on your favourite World Cup memories.

You can listen in online. David Beckham's penalty against Argentina in 2002, four years after getting sent off against the same opposition, has just got a shoutout as a "moment of redemption".

If you want to get involved, calling 0500 909 693 [free from some landlines; other networks will vary], texting 85058 [standard rate] and emailing breakfast@bbc.co.uk are your tickets to the party.

Image source, AP

The Robin Hood Pub in Jarrow, Tyne and Wear, has had a makeover for the World Cup. More than 200 flags went into landlord Norman Scott's efforts.

"It's taken about four to five weeks to decorate. I've done all the roof with all the 32 flags of the nations. I've even painted the lampshades," he told the BBC.

Image source, @NASA

NASA on Twitter: , external#WorldCup fever reaches low-Earth orbit as astronauts watch from space.

Got a more impressive #myworldcupseat than these astronauts? Then, we insist you tell us. Tweet us with a picture of where you will be watching the action unfold and we'll publish the best.

Once the 64 matches are done and dusted, who will be picking up the spoils? Your predictions are coming in on #bbcworldcup, external.

John McEnerney:, external Everything points to Brazil, on home soil, quality in the middle and up front, they have the best defence who are all top class

Jimmy Campbell:, external Dare I say it? No expectations + good preparation (in training at least) + youthful exuberance×wise experience=England!

Image source, Getty Images

Collecting football stickers has become a subtle form of protest among Brazilian fans excited about the action, but dismayed at the cost of the tournament writes Alex Bellos in the Independent., external

"'If we painted murals in the streets like we did before, it would give the idea that we support the government, that we are happy with the way they have spent public money,' said Jose Carlos Novello, who runs a newspaper kiosk that has already sold 70,000 packets of stickers," Bellos writes.

"'We haven't painted the streets, and we are getting ready for the World Cup in our own way. The stickers are our way of having a party.'"

And here's what you can look forward to across the BBC over the rest of the day...

13:30-15:00 BST: Rio Report (BBC Radio 5 live)

18:00-00:00 BST: Text/audio: Brazil v Croatia (BBC Sport website)

19:00-23:30 BST: Listen: Brazil v Croatia (BBC Radio 5 live)

19:00-23:15 BST: Watch: Brazil v Croatia (ITV1)

23:20-00:00 BST: Match of the Day (BBC Two)

As the clock ticks round to 09:00 BST, these are the top stories from World Cup 2014.

Bong.

England will send a member of their backroom staff to run the rule over the pitch in Manaus after the head groundsman in charge of the surface for their World Cup opener against Italy admitted it is "in bad shape".

Bong.

Gary Neville's tactical notes ahead of the meeting with the Azzurri have been snapped by a photographer and seem to suggest that the midfielders have been given licence to bomb on beyond Daniel Sturridge.

Bong.

National team boss Luiz Felipe Scolari has told his fellow Brazilians that "this is our World Cup".

Fifa president Sepp Blatter is feeling the heat in Brazil - but it is nothing to do with the humidity of Rio de Janeiro.

The 78-year-old Swiss is facing calls for his resignation, but has responded by indicating he wants to seek a fifth term.

He has been widely criticised over the damage corruption allegations have caused football's governing body. But he said he was angered when a number of European football chiefs urged him to quit.

"This was the most disrespectful thing I've ever experienced in my entire life," he told Fifa's congress.

John Joseph Eke:, external I believe Germany is the only country that have quality players to win the World Cup followed by Brazil so I give it to Germany.

Antony Chadwick:, external Why is everyone ruling out Spain? Collectively best team of players, will cope with the heat and this team have done it before.

Who would you be throwing your last fiver on to win the World Cup? Tell us using #bbcworldcup, text 81111 or post on our Facebook page., external

Image source, Getty Images

Not sure if Luiz Felipe Scolari is a fan of American jazz legend Miles Davis, but the Brazil boss seems to have his 1960s tune 'Seven Steps to Heaven' stuck in his head.

"There are seven steps. We have to go up those seven steps but to start we have to think of the first step. We can't jump the seven steps," says Big Phil ahead of Thursday's opener against Croatia.

"The first step is against Croatia. After that we have six steps that we want to go up if we want to win the World Cup."

Arsene Wenger will be at the World Cup as a pundit for French television. But according to the Daily Telegraph, external the Arsenal manager will be using his telly stint to pass an eye over potential new signings for the Gunners.

Croatia striker Mario Mandzukic is unsettled at club Bayern Munich and is top of Wenger's striking hit-list with Italy's Mario Balotelli and France's Karim Benzema also possibilities.

Elisha Goldberg: I'd put my money on a South American final, Brazil Argentina, with Brazil winning on penalties!

Paul Scholes urges manager Roy Hodgson to go on the attack when England launch their World Cup campaign against Italy on Saturday.

In his latest column for Paddy Power,, external the former Manchester United midfielder asks: "Do we want to go to a major tournament, get a couple of 0-0 draws, a 1-0 and then we might scrape through the group before we go out on penalties in the last 16 or quarter finals?

"There's no future for England in this approach. Now is a great chance for Roy Hodgson to give English football the identity we've lacked. Tell the world: this is how we play - attack!"

Image source, @0_andy_0

Andrew Hutchinson:, external I'll be watching as many games as possible from my mate Scott's flat, He's outdone himself here!

Send us your view on the World Cup via #myworldcupseat, external

Image source, BBCRADIOMANCHESTER/TWITTER

Some people have said that there is a lack of World Cup fever on the streets of Britain. Well, there has been a particularly virulent outbreak on Wales Street in Oldham where over a kilometre of St George's bunting is on display.

Image source, Getty Images

Has England's masterplan to stifle Italy in their World Cup opener been blown open?

Assistant coach Gary Neville has been photographed by the Daily Mirror with some notes on England's preparations., external

"When the ball goes into control zone - team must make at least 3 passes before hitting the CF," they begin.

"Once the ball is played into the end zone - 2 MFs try to get in and support for a 3v2.

"However, if the defending team win the ball back they counter straight away."

I think that boils down to" bomb on, but be careful".