Sports

Brazil are looking to send a message to supporters and rivals in the World Cup's opening match, right back Dani Alves said on Monday.

Nike, adidas, Puma and other shoemakers are all trotting out new and innovative looks for the football World Cup 2014 in Brazil.

Pune FC have appointed experienced Moroccan Karim Bencherifa as coach for a two-year term ahead of the 2014-15 season.

The 4-3-3 system that formed the backbone of the great Dutch teams of the 1970s and '80s is very unlikely to be used in the team's first match in Brazil, against Spain.

The 2010 runners-up had their first training session and all eyes were on their striker Robin van Persie, who had injured his groin on Wednesday during a friendly against Wales.

The company's other predictions include Brazil's Neymar winning the Golden Boot with six goals.

After seven years of planning, Brazil is finally dismantling ubiquitous scaffolds and applying finishing touches to a myriad of FIFA World Cup projects.

Goals by Edinson Cavani and Christian Stuani lifted Uruguay past Slovenia 2-0 in a World Cup warm-up game on Wednesday.

England midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will undergo scans on his right knee after being injured during Wednesday's 2-2 draw with Ecuador in a World Cup warm-up match.

Churchill Brothers, United SC, Rangdajied United and Mohammedan Sporting lost their appeals on Tuesday and will no longer be part of the top-flight I-League football.

Three second half goals gave a confident-looking Japan a 3-1 victory over Costa Rica in a friendly ahead of the World Cup.

Colombia striker Radamel Falcao has failed to recover from knee surgery and was left out of their World Cup squad, coach Jose Pekerman announced.

Algeria coach Vahid Halilhodzic has left forward Rafik Djebbour and midfielder Foued Kadir off his final 23-man squad for the World Cup.

Joachim Loew included all of his injured stars in his final World Cup squad following a troubled training camp and an unconvincing 2-2 draw with Cameroon.

Kolo Toure made Ivory Coast's World Cup squad despite being diagnosed with malaria last week, joining his brother Yaya and veteran striker Didier Drogba.

France had the majority of possession but Arsenal forward Olivier Giroud missed several chances and failed to add to his international tally.