And the fun has already started with the BBC Sport live text commentary on Mexico v Cameroon up and rolling with Gary Rose.

We'll leave you in his very capable hands and see you tomorrow.

So after nine hours of fun and frolics, the curtain is coming down on today's World Cup Sportsday. But we have merely been the warm-up act. Here's what follows....

16:00-19:10 BST: Mexico v Cameroon (ITV and BBC Radio 5 live)

19:30-22:10 BST: Spain v Netherlands (BBC and BBC Radio 5 live)

22:35-01:15 BST: Chile v Australia (ITV and BBC Radio 5 live)

Image source, Getty Images

"Welcome to the jungle, watch it bring you to your kn-kn-kn-kn-kneeeeees," screeches Guns'n'Roses frontman Axl Rose in the American band's 1980s rock classic.

Welcome to the jungle of Manaus, England. There are almost 60m people back home hoping that Italy don't bring you down.

But one thing that might is the heat and humidity. BBC Sport's chief football writer Phil McNulty has arrived in Manaus ahead of Saturday's opener - find out how he has found life in the Amazonian city.

David Ornstein
BBC Sport in Salvador

"There was a relaxed yet steely-determined look about the Spanish in training yesterday and coach Vincent del Bosque was keen to correct any notion that he might be in charge of a set of players past its peak, denying it is a 'veteran squad' and instead suggesting 'it's mature, we are not afraid of anyone or anything, we are at out best'.

"He pointed to a young generation of players coming through that provides 'guarantees for the future'.

"The former Real Madrid boss described Spain's 2010 victory over the Dutch, which featured 14 yellow cards and on red, as 'brutal on the part of the Netherlands' but refused to criticise a team who have 'great tradition', with their coach Louis van Gaal referred to as a man 'I hold in very high esteem'."

"With that, Del Bosque led his side out to train on the Arena Fonte Nova pitch and, during the 15 minutes we were allowed to watch, they appeared focused and in high spirits. The main theme of their drills? Possession."

Chris Bevan
BBC Sport in Rio de Janeiro

"Here's the TV studios where last night's Rio protest ended up. Stones thrown & cracked ITV's window."

One country which didn't see the World Cup opening ceremony and Brazil's 3-1 win over Croatia was North Korea. There was no coverage of the first day of the competition on state-run Central Television, and all viewers saw were highlights of several World Cup warm-up matches during the main evening news on Friday. The most recent of these was Tuesday's encounter between Portugal and the Republic of Ireland.

It's unlikely that North Korean TV will air many matches live. The channel habitually comes on air at 15:00 local time (06:00 GMT) and closes at 22:30 (13:30 GMT), while most matches kick off between 16:00 GMT and 02:00 GMT.

Friday's programmes on North Korea Central Television instead included Kim Jong Un's inspection visit of a coastal army unit, which was repeated three times; and a documentary on animal stockbreeding called "Frontline-Style Political Work That Sets Fire to the Heart".

The programme preview for Saturday's viewing doesn't mention World Cup football either, so North Korean viewers may have to wait to get their fix of the finals.

Image source, Reuters

Ian Dennis
BBC Radio 5 live senior football reporter in Manaus

"I went down to the stadium yesterday and looked at the pitch. It will look a lot greener than you would have seen on social media. Basically it's the dye they have applied to certain areas. It's flat, not ideal - it's relatively sandy based.

"I think the heat will be the biggest factor. Yesterday, pitch side, there was barely a breath down there.

"Today, England train inside the stadium and then there will be a press conference with Roy Hodgson and Steven Gerrard.

"The players are now just excited to get on with it. There is a real sense of anticipation."

BBC Get Inspired on Twitter:, external The Fifa World Cup continues later today with Mexico vs Cameroon and we have a fact for you...

BBC Radio 5 live's Darren Fletcher is in Natal for Mexico v Cameroon. It is looking like one of the wetter World Cup assignments.

Darren Fletcher on Twitter: , externalView from our position - still hammering down!!

Image source, @DFletcherSport

Robbie Fowler believes England can surprise the world with an youthful squad, free from the pressure of expectation and past experience.

"When you have younger players, they hold no fear," the former Liverpool striker told BBC Sport.

"I'm confident England can get out of the group and once you do that your confidence grows. I can see England doing very, very well."

Former England captain Rio Ferdinand

"Spain haven't conceded in 10 knockout games in tournaments. They strangle teams by retaining the ball. They play the ball around and capitalise when they get an opening. They need to watch out for Netherlands striker Robin van Persie - he's a pure artist with the ball.

"You get the ball into him and he can create something out of nothing. Bayern Muncih's Arjen Roben will be a threat too."

Image source, Getty Images

A 17-year-old Ronaldo was included in Brazil's squad for the 1994 World Cup on the back of his goal-scoring exploits for Cruzeiro.

Coach Carlos Alberto Parreira mainly took the teenager for the experience with Romario and Bebeto well-established as his front pair.

Ronaldo didn't play a minute, but picked up a winner's medal and was to appear in the final in the next two tournaments.

Here's a quick news catch-up at 15:00 BST:

• Luis Suarez has been involved in full training with Uruguay for the first time since his knee operation 21 May.

• The pitch at Manaus's Arena Amazonia will be perfectly playable for England's World Cup opener against Italy on Saturday says the Sports Turf Research Institute which is overseeing the tournament's playing surfaces.

• Croatia defender Dejan Lovren says referee Yuichi Nishimura's performance in their 3-1 defeat by Brazil last night was a "scandal", adding that the official "should not be at this World Cup".

Plenty of suggestions are coming in for how the referee's magic vanishing spray might be put to use when it isn't marking out 10 yards for a defensive wall.

Nathan:, external I'd spray over those dry patches in Manaus to stop people moaning about the condition of the pitch.

Ken Gorry:, external give that paint to some graffiti artists see how long it takes before they notice their work is disappearing.

Max Ambrose:, external Would have used vanishing spray to split brothers and my room in half rather than him using a crayon and staining the carpet.

Chris Bevan
BBC Sport

"A bit like the Brazil team against Croatia last night, the sun is taking a bit longer to make a breakthrough on the Copacabana this morning.

"Things are a lot quieter than they were when the World Cup got under way but there is still evidence of the two sides of day one of the tournament experience in Rio de Janeiro - the parties and the protests.

"The signs that decorate the seafront encourage people to 'Enjoy' Rio in a variety of languages but protesters near the fan zone left their own message, which translates to 'Cup? For whom?"'

Ben Smith
BBC Sport

"Sao Paulo is waking up scratching its head this morning with a sense of relief and, perhaps, disbelief that Brazil managed to escape with a victory over Croatia last night thanks to that controversial decision by the Japanese referee. The newspapers this morning acknowledge Brazil's good fortune while devoting vast swathes of their coverage to Neymar."

Louis van Gaal's Netherlands players have questions to answer in this World Cup, says BBC Radio 5 live pundit Pat Nevin.

The Dutch, finalists four years ago, take on their 2010 conquerors Spain in the Group B opener later today.

"You really do think they have relied on the front three," says Nevin. "Robin van Persie has not had the best of seasons by his standards and Sneijder is definitely a player who is past his best. The rest of the team is decent and it really is all about those players. Some say Spain are past their best but I think there is more to ask about the Dutch."

You can listen to more from Pat now on Rio Reports on BBC Radio 5 live.

Image source, Getty Images

England striker Wayne Rooney believes that his goal in last week's friendly against Ecuador could be the start of a run of goals - just in time for the World Cup.

"I hope it can be the catalyst," Rooney told Standard Sport., external

"If the way previous years have gone in terms of scoring in bunches... if that happens, then that will be great.

"I remember somebody saying I hadn't scored for six games and I was playing in a deep-lying midfield role for those matches, which seemed a bit unfair. It is something I have never really understood."

Image source, @thealexsouth/Twitter

BBC World's Alex South in Natal: "The rain isn't dampening the mood of the Mexican fans in Natal. Full wrestling gear as they take over the Arena das Dunas. Around 80% of the stadium will be filled with Mexican fans."

David Ornstein
BBC Sport in Salvador

"It's a warm, sunny start to matchday here on Brazil's north east coast as Spain and the Netherlands put the finishing touches to their preparations for this afternoon' opening Group B match at Arena Fonte Nova.

"The hulking, bowl-shaped, almost 50,000-capacity stadium is a fitting venue for a repeat of the 2010 final, but conditions will not be easy - there is a chance of a storm at kick-off time (16:00 local, 20:00 BST), with the temperature forecast to be 25C and humidity at around 80%.

"Salvador, Brazil's so-called 'capital of happiness', was buzzing on Thursday night as the host nation beat Croatia in São Paulo: a sea of yellow shirts, flags fluttering, horns honking, fireworks crackling. Now the splashes of red and orange are becoming more noticeable as the Spanish and Dutch gather en masse.

"The Guinness Book of Records lists the city's annual carnival as the world's biggest party - and it could hardly have wished for a better fixture to kickstart its festival of football."