Al-Amin

When Argentina coach Jorge Sampaoli hugged star forward Lionel Messi on his 31st birthday yesterday, understandably not one of the best of days for the five-time Ballon d'Or winner,

As we walked along the Nevsky Prospect (an avenue in Saint Petersburg) at around 10pm on Saturday, we pondered on what the Scarlet Sails, one of Russia's biggest celebrations which has also been recognized on all European calendars, is all about.

A desperate Argentina will get one last chance to salvage their battered pride when they take on Nigeria in a do-or-die World Cup Group D match at the Saint Petersburg Stadium today. A win will keep their hopes alive but whether or not they will progress to the round of sixteen depends on the result of the night's other Group D encounter between Croatia and Iceland.

While talking with my family back home during Brazil's World Cup game against Costa Rica on Friday night, I was informed that the three Argentine flags strung up on our neighbours' roof in the old part of Dhaka were removed immediately after Argentina's dreadful 3-0 defeat to Croatia.

On Thursday's white night at the Saint Petersburg Fan Fest Zone, not many fans in white and sky blue were in attendance during

Brazil had to battle until injury time against a dogged Costa Rica on Friday before Philippe Coutinho and Neymar scored, putting the five-time World Cup winners back on track for the last 16.

As part of Tite's rotational policy, Thiago Silva will don the captain's arm-band in Brazil's game against Costa Rica today.

Following a below-par performance in their opening match, Brazil will desperately be looking to bring their World Cup campaign back on track and for Neymar to fire when they take on Costa Rica in Saint Petersburg today.

Saint Petersburg is the second most important city of Russia after Moscow. Once the capital of Soviet Union, this city endured most

Before the start of the World Cup not many had counted hosts Russia as a force to be reckoned with. But after two resounding victories in the group stages, they are in pole position to make it to the round of sixteen with a game in hand against two-time World Champions Uruguay.

As soon as we exited the Novokrestovsky Metro Station, the first thing that struck us most was a beautiful stadium, which has already

It is still too early to say whether Germany will suffer the same fate that Spain and Italy had in previous versions of the FIFA World Cup. Italy and Spain, champions of the 2006 and 2010 World Cups respectively, were embarrassed in the subsequent defence of their titles, making early exits from the first rounds.

A visit to the FIFA football museum in Moscow was a refreshing one. It took us a fifteen-minute walk from Arbatskaya metro station to the Hunyadi Motor Studio, where you have to go through a scanner, a security protocol in every important place you visit in Moscow.

The French will embark on their World Cup campaign with a tough encounter against a resolute Australian side. Although the Aussies

The Luzhniki Stadium morphed into a kaleidoscope of colours a few hours before the opening World Cup match between hosts Russia and Saudi Arabia. It was as if all roads led to the stadium of light before the start of the biggest show on Earth.

The sight of Lionel Messi is always a spectator's delight. And if the Argentina superstar is to be seen just hand-shaking distance away it is well worth the hour-and-a-half drive from Moscow to the tranquil setting of Syro Ezhkon Sports School training site.

It has been like rainbow after rain in Moscow for the last couple of days as fans from across the world have thronged the Russian capital and other cities in their thousands ahead of the World Cup, which kicks off at the Luzhniki Stadium today.

Russia is all set to host the biggest show on Earth, the football world Cup that returns every four years to captivate the world sport fraternity.

Everything in Moscow is imposing. It is perhaps no surprise because it is the capital of the largest country in the world.

Tragic heroes they remain. After four abortive attempts the Tigers were tantalisingly close to winning a tournament of repute for the