BBC Radio 5 live

Image source, PA

BBC Sport co-commentator Phil Neville says he will be back in the commentary box for the next England game, which is against Uruguay on Thursday following some criticism of his performance.

"The biggest thing I learned is that co-commentary is harder than I thought it would be," he tells BBC Radio 5 live. "I welcome the feedback.

"I'm really looking forward to the [England v Uruguay} game. I will get better, it was my first live gig and hope I helped everyone sleep. I loved it.

"In terms of content, I think what I put out was quite good. The feedback is I need to show a lot more excitement and I think you will see that in the highlights show."

Here are the top three stories of the day.

England manager Roy Hodgson says Uruguay striker Luis Suarez has the ability to be a great - but he must show it in Brazil.

BBC pundit and former England captain Alan Shearer says Wayne Rooney must be played in his correct position - or left out.

Cristiano Ronaldo says he is fit for Portugal's World Cup campaign but does not feel pressure to reproduce his club form.

Germany have opened their last six World Cups with a victory; the last time they failed to win their first game was in 1986, when they drew 1-1 with Uruguay in Mexico. Meanwhile, Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo has scored two goals from a total of 48 shots at the World Cup.

Chris Bevan
BBC Sport

"For those who prefer shopping to the Rio sunshine, there is a vast warehouse selling World Cup souvenirs located next to the Fan Zone on the Copacabana and it is packed to the rafters with about a million cuddly versions of 'Fuleco The Armadillo', the tournament's official mascot.

"Less popular, thankfully, are the caxirola's - Brazil's answer to the vuvuzela. You can get them in pretty much any colour and they are not exactly flying off the shelves. I've not seen (or heard) anybody using them all week.

"You can buy pretty much any item you can think off with a Brazil 2014 logo plastered on to it, though. Everything from wigs to expensive wine is on sale - but good luck to the travelling fan who tries to get this table football game in his suitcase. A snip at £130 though."

We've had goals galore in the World Cup so far but that could come to a stuttering end when Iran play Nigeria. Iran kept more clean sheets in qualifying than anyone else, while Nigeria's goal tally was the lowest of any side who made it to Brazil. Neither has won a World Cup game since 1998.

Image source, Getty Images

France and Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba has been told to stay calm for the remainder of the World Cup after he reacted to provocation by Honduras midfielder Wilson Palacios by kicking out during the first half of yesterday's 3-0 victory in Group E.

"I did not warn him but Yohan Cabaye and Patrice Evra did, to tell him it was forbidden for us to finish with 10 men," said manager Didier Deschamps. "We must have control, and that is not just relevant to Paul."

Once Germany v Portugal is done and dusted, Iran take on Nigeria at the Arena da Baixada in Curitiba at 20:00 BST.

BBC Sport's Mark Lawrenson tips Nigeria to win 1-0. "Nigeria are a bit like Wigan used to be when they were in the Premier League under Roberto Martinez and I had to predict how they would do every week; I never knew what they were going to do.

"If they play to their potential, Nigeria should beat Iran, but the clash of playing styles between the two teams means that might not be as straightforward as it seems."

Watch live on BBC One, listen on BBC Radio 5 live, live text commentary on BBC Sport website.

BBC Radio 5 live

BBC Radio 5 live are asking whether Portugal's striker Cristiano Ronaldo can deliver on the pitch against Germany at 17:00 BST today. Fire over you thoughts using the #bbcworldcup hashtag.

Can Cristiano Ronaldo inspire Portugal to the final, or are his team too weak regardless of the world player of the year's efforts? Let us know via #bbcworldcup, external or 81111 on text.

John McEnerney:, external Cristiano Ronaldo carried Portugal to the World Cup with that play-off display v Sweden, He's carried Real Madrid for two years but this might be too much! Semi-final, no more.

BBC Radio 5 live

Where does Rio Ferdinand think his friend and former Manchester United team-mate Wayne Rooney should play in England's meeting with Uruguay on Thursday? What is the mood in the Germany camp ahead of their opener against Portugal?

The answers to these and many more questions will be hammered out on BBC Radio 5 live's Rio Report which is about to start. It'll be available online, via this page, as well as on the radio.

Mark Chapman will be joined by Phil Neville, Neil Lennon and German journalist Rafael Honigstein. We'll also hear from Rio Ferdinand on Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo and Robin van Persie. You can listen to a teaser clip here.

Following their win over Cameroon on Friday, Mexico's fans descended on the team hotel last night for a street party.

The players and management joined in dancing and waving from their balconies as can be seen below in the tweets from coach Miguel Herrera and attacker Marco Fabian.

Image source, @MiguelHerreraDT

Image source, Marco fabian

The Daily Mail reports that a row has broken out between sportswear giants Adidas and Nike over the leisurewear produced for the England team by the latter.

"Adidas realise there is nothing they can do about their contracted footballers, who include captain Steve Gerrard, wearing the official three lions kit on and off the pitch as arch-rivals Nike have the supply contract until 2018," writes Charles Sale. , external

"But adidas are furious the vast wardrobe of gear Nike provide includes heavily branded clothing with little or no obvious England logos."

Time for a snack-sized round-up of the day's big stories.

England manager Roy Hodgson says Uruguay striker Luis Suarez has the ability to be a great - but he must show it in Brazil.

BBC pundit and former England captain Alan Shearer says Wayne Rooney must be played in his correct position - or left out.

Cristiano Ronaldo says he is fit for Portugal's World Cup campaign, but does not feel pressure to reproduce his club form.

Ghana striker Asamoah Gyan promised his late mother that he would not take any more penalties following his miss in the 2010 tournament quarter-final against Uruguay.

"The only thing she said to me, two weeks before her death, is to no longer take penalties. I have to respect her decision," he is reported as saying in L'Equipe., external

Germany striker Miroslav Klose begins the tournament just one away from equalling Ronaldo's record of 15 World Cup goals.

However, coach Joachim Low says that although the landmark "is very important" for the team and him personally, statistics are secondary and do not mean Klose would necessarily be included in the line-up.

Kick-off in Germany's opener with Portugal is little more than four hours away.

David Ornstein
BBC Sport

"Thomas Vermaelen's agent has denied reports that the Arsenal captain has agreed in principle to join Manchester United., external

"It is claimed the 28-year-old will move to Old Trafford subject to United reaching agreement with Arsenal over a fee after the World Cup.

"But his representative Kees Vos told BBC Sport that no deal is in place with United or any other club."

Image source, Getty Images

"After the game the dressing room was full of tears - we knew it was a big chance to go further and every Ghanaian would have loved that.

Ghana coach Kwesi Appiah says his side are keen to put their 2010 heartache - where they were a Luis Suarez handball and a missed penalty away from becoming the first African team into the semi-finals - behind them in Brazil.

Ghana begin their 2014 campaign against the United States at 23:00 BST.

Image source, Getty Images

Dare we say it? England?

When a team containing a 20-year-old Ashley Cole, a 21-year-old Steven Gerrard, a 22-year-old Rio Ferdinand and a 21-year-old Michael Owen, combined with 'Class of 92' stalwarts Gary Neville, Paul Scholes and David Beckham, to beat Germany 5-1 in Munich, England dared to dream.

But, despite being joined by Frank Lampard and Wayne Rooney in later years, they could not convert that 2001 promise into anything better than quarter-final finishes at the 2002 and 2006 World Cups.

Image source, Reuters

Portugal and Real Madrid striker Cristiano Ronaldo says he is fit, external and ready to play against Germany after being troubled by tendonitis in his left knee in recent weeks.

Portugal are hugely reliant on Ronaldo, who has scored 252 times in 246 games for Real Madrid.

They only made the finals via a play-off after finishing second in their qualifying group. Their campaign included draws against Northern Ireland and Israel.

So would an in-form, on-fire Ronaldo be able to drag his team all the way to the final, or does the overall strength of the more-fancied teams mean that they are doomed to an earlier exit?

Tweet us using the #bbcworldcup hashtag or text 81111 (UK only).

BBC Sport's Mark Lawrenson thinks Germany will beat Portugal 1-0 in today's 17:00 BST kick-off.

"Despite his pre-tournament injury worries, Cristiano Ronaldo should play for Portugal - but it is hard to see him being at anything like full fitness," he says.

"I am going to throw in a bit of a curveball here because I don't think Portugal will get out of the group. Ronaldo has had a long, hard season and it has taken its toll.

"And if he is absent at any stage, then about 50% of his country's chances disappear with him."