Image source, Getty Images

Switzerland midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri could be playing in the Premier League next season, with Liverpool having reportedly opened talks with Bayern Munich for the 22-year-old.

Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio has tweeted, external that the "clubs are talking to find a deal".

Former England striker Alan Shearer

"Spain are still an excellent team. The desire and hunger of the players who have won everything to keep on going shows the mentality they have.

"I'll be fascinated to see if they play Diego Costa. I'm a huge fan of the guy - he's got a nasty streak. He'll bring players into the game by holding up the ball."

John McEnerney:, external I'd use the vanishing spray on the mother-in-law, more than one can required!

Ouch! If the other half reads this you're in the dog-house tonight John.

In just under three hours' time, Group A rivals Mexico and Cameroon kick off today's action in Natal, which is nicknamed, er, the 'City of the Sun'. But as this picture from BBC Sport's Alex South shows, there are not many UV rays on show. It is teeming it down outside the Arena Dos Dunas.

"The weather has changed drastically with a storm coming through Natal," adds Alex. "There's flooding around the stadium and fans trying to find some shelter."

Someone start dishing out plastic pack-a-macs to those poor people.

Flying Netherlands winger Arjen Robben is well known for hurdling the flailing challenges of opposition defenders - but not airport railings. Scan your eyes to the top of this page and watch the Bayern Munich man do his best impression of Colin Jackson. He's very lucky that stern Oranje boss Louis van Gaal didn't clock his japes - then he'd have been up for the high jump...

Your everyday uses for the vanishing spray which the referees are using to mark 10 yards at free-kicks are coming in on #bbcworldcup. Keep sending your suggestions.

Tim Stubbs:, external Vanishing spray a boundary around me on a Monday morning at work - not to be crossed until the third cup of coffee is consumed.

BBC Sport's Jason Mohammad in Salvador: "We've been filming an item on Capoeira - the traditional martial art of Brazil. I had a crack at it on Wednesday and viewers can see how I got on during the World Cup coverage. Let's just say I have great memories, a thigh strain and aches and pains in muscles I didn't know I had. By the way, I am also here for Spain v Netherlands - think I'll stick to the football!"

Wise move Jason. Those dudes look fierce.

England's fearless youngsters can cause a surprise at the World Cup, says former Three Lions striker Robbie Fowler.

The Liverpool legend particularly picked out Reds forwards Daniel Sturridge, 24, and Raheem Sterling, 19, to make an impact.

"When you have younger players, they hold no fear," Fowler tells 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."

Guy Mowbray
BBC Match of the Day commentator in Brazil

All aboard the Sao Paulo-to-Manaus express. Shuttle bus to plane chocka with England fans. Salute their efforts hugely.

BBC Radio 5 live

Wish you were sat beachside at the Copacabana? Me too. But if you can't be there then BBC Radio 5 live has the next best thing - Rio Report.

Presenter Mark Chapman is soaking up the atmosphere at Rio's most famous beach (and the morning sunshine no doubt) to chew the fat over the opening day and look ahead to today's action. He is joined by ex-Scotland winger Pat Nevin, Match of the Day commentator Steve Bower and Brazil football expert Tim Vickery.

Click the 'Live coverage' tab at the top of this page to listen from now until 15:30 BST.

Dean, Rotherham, via text: I'd spray Sepp Blatter with it, head to toe and then hope he vanished with it.

Image source, PA

Here are few more details about the Manaus pitch for those of you with a penchant for horticulture (and the interests of the England football team).

FA big-wigs have been handed a reassuring report from the Sports Turf Research Institute, which says the pitch will play absolutely fine - despite looking like a Sunday League-standard surface to the rest of us.

This is good enough for the FA, who have worked closely with the STRI over the Wembley pitch and the surface at England's training base in Rio.

BBC Sport's Mark Shardlow in The Hague: "In the World Cup where they have video referrals - where teams can appeal against penalty decisions - and the umpire can ask for video help…

"It's semi-final day at the Hockey World Cup with England meeting the Netherlands at 14:15 BST here in The Hague

"England are aiming to reach only their second World Cup final in history. They're ranked fourth in the world, the Dutch are third.

"Fifteen thousand Dutch fans will be here for a game brought forward to avoid a clash with Netherlands v Spain in Brazil."

Worried that England boss Roy Hodgson is shaking uncontrollably with fear that his passing masterplan to carve apart Italy is going to be ruined by the dodgy Manaus pitch? Well don't.

The Football Association has received assurances that the surface will be perfectly playable for the World Cup opener against the Azzurri.

Meanwhile your everyday uses for the vanishing spray which the referees are using to mark 10 yards at free-kicks are coming in on #bbcworldcup., external

Tom Harrington:, external I'd use vanishing touchline spray on the tube to mark a "Personal Space" zone to deter any sweaty pit in face contact!

Ian Marks:, external At school I definitely would've used the spray to draw rude things on the board before the teacher came in

Alex Callaghan: , externalProbably impromptu noughts and crosses more than anything else

What is it like to play in the heat and humidity of Manaus, where England and Italy will lock horns on Saturday in their Group D opener?

BBC Newsbeat's Stefan Powell has been put through his paces in the University of Kent's atmospheric chamber to replicate conditions in the Amazon compared to the British summer.

"Even my ears and elbows are sweating," he says in his video report.

Here's a quick news catch-up at 13:00 BST:

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

• Global players' union FIFPro has added to criticism of the pitch on which England will play Italy in Manaus on Saturday, saying: "The players deserve a quality playing surface. This isn't the case in Manaus."

• 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".

You can forget the cliches, Italy are flaky at the back. That is the message from the Guardian's Italian football expert Paolo Bandini ahead of the Azzurri's Group D opener against England on Saturday.

"Although Italy cruised through World Cup qualifying - securing their place in Brazil with two games to spare - they also conceded nine goals along the way, more than any European group winner besides Germany, including two at home to Armenia, albeit in a dead rubber," he writes., external

"The Confederations Cup last summer offered confirmation of the trend. Italy shipped eight goals in three group-stage matches, including three in a helter-skelter win over Japan."

The Question of Sport team have cooked up another teaser for you to chew on over lunch.

Who are the nine members of the Dutch squad who have played in the Premier League?

Answers to @Questionofsport, external via #QSTeaser., external

Image source, Getty Images

While Neymar took his chance to impress in his first match at the World Cup finals, some of the world's best players have gone through their careers without making a significant impact at the World Cup.

After the Netherlands' failure to qualify for the 1982 and 1986 finals, Ruud Gullit appeared in just one World Cup. By then 27, he scored a memorable goal against the Republic of Ireland in the group stage at Italia 1990, but his side were knocked out in their next game, losing to West Germany in the last 16.