As almost everyone all around the world is gearing up to stay glued to the FIFA world Cup 2014, a small percentage who aren’t in the loop are dreading how they will survive water cooler talks or discussions with friends, which are sure to revolve around the matches and star players. If you too belong to this group, here are some important Football facts, which can get you through conversations and office’s water cooler talks:
Host
Brazil will host the competition, which will be held from the 12th of June till the 13th of July, 2014. This is Brazil’s second turn as the host. The first was in 1950, when Uruguay lifted the cup.
The Mascot- Fuleco
This is a Brazilian three-banded armadillo, which sports a white T-shirt with “Brasil 2014” inscribed on it. Found only in Brazil, this three-banded armadillo is categorized as a vulnerable species. The name of the mascot is a blend of the words Futebol(Football) and Ecologia (Ecology), drawing attention to Brazil’s love for the game and the country’s rich biodiversity.
The Official Song
We Are One (Ole Ola) is the official anthem of 2014 FIFA World Cup. Recorded in English, Spanish andPortuguese, this song is performed by Pitbull and features Claudia Leitte and Jennifer Lopez as well.
The Groups and Teams
- GROUP A: BRAZIL, MEXICO, CAMEROON,CROATIA
- GROUP B: SPAIN, AUSTRALIA, NETHERLANDS, CHILE
- GROUP C: GREECE, COLOMBIA, JAPAN, IVORY COAST
- GROUP D: COSTA RICA, URUGUAY, ITALY, ENGLAND
- GROUP E: ECUADOR, SWITZERLAND, HONDURAS, FRANCE
- GROUP F: IRAN, ARGENTINA, NIGERIA, BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA
- GROUP G: PORTUGAL, GERMANY, UNITED STATES, GHANA
- GROUP H: ALGERIA, BELGIUM, SOUTH KOREA, RUSSIA
Opening Game
The inaugural match on June 12, 2014at 20:00 GMT will see host Brazilplay Croatia in the stadium Arena de São Paulo.
Total Matches
A total of 64 matches will be played acrosstwelve cities in Brazil. The final of FIFA World Cup 2014, scheduled to be played instadium Maracanã with 71,159 seats, will use goal-line technology (GLT) for the first time. GoalControl GmbH – a German company, will provide this GLT technology, which will help determine whether the ball has completely crossed the goal line or not. Thus, GLT will assistthe referee in deciding whether to award a goal or not.
Star Players to Look Out For
- Neymar Jr. (Brazil)
- Lionel Messi (Argentina)
- Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
- Manuel Neuer (Germany)
- Mesut Ozil (Germany)
- Wayne Rooney (England)
- Luis Suarez (Uruguay)
- David Villa (Spain)
- Paul Pogba (France)
- Robin Van Persie (Netherlands)
References:
http://www.stadiumguide.com/tournaments/fifa-world-cup-2014/
