Who will win the World Cup?

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I say Argentina. Messi has been saving himself in the latter stages of the season, running 5km per match where he'd normally run double that.

Spain is a little passed their peak. Brazil might succumb to the pressure and Neymar had a pretty bad season.

I hope for a surprise from Belgium, very talented group, especially that young guy from ManU, Januzay, and of course the guy from Chelsea, Hazard.

Chile could surprise as well, fluent attacking style, but has Vidal recovered?

France and Columbia are hampered without Ribery and Falcao, a real pity

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Here are a few other world-cup stories to entertain you:

It’s the defining image of the 1974 World Cup; the defining image of the great Dutch team of the 70s; the defining image of one of the most talented, enchanting and magical players to ever breeze around a football field. Vogts was then booked for persistently fouling Cruyff, an achievement that was quite remarkable (thanks to the BBC’s David Coleman again) seeing only four minutes had elapsed.

World Cup: 25 stunning moments … No25: the Cruyff Turn is born in 1974 | Football | theguardian.com

Perhaps the main problem, though, was one of ideas. "All of us Brazilians got carried away with the great football that Netherlands had presented in 1974, with the players carrying out lots of functions, and our coach Claudio Coutinho wanted, in a short space of time, Brazilians to play in the same way. It wasn't possible," he said.

BBC Sport - Zico's World Cup story: World class but denied on biggest stage

Piqué is a multifaceted person, a footballer-genius with an IQ of 140, a person who always speaks his mind and that, sometimes, bothers others. One day, he fell in love with a woman who was born on the same day as him but 10 years before, and who turned out to be one of the most influential singers in the music world. Shakira may not have known who he was, but she does now, and is the mother of his child.

World Cup 2014: Spain profile – Gerard Piqué | Francisco Ávila | Football | theguardian.com

Conspiracy theories abounded. Mistrust of authority is commonplace in Italy, so much so that there is even a word to explain it. “Dietrologia” – which translates, roughly, to “behind-ism” – refers to the belief that the official explanation for any set of events is almost invariably the wrong one.

World Cup: 25 stunning moments … No21: Italy lose to South Korea, 2002 | Paolo Bandini | Football | The Guardian

Upon winning the 1986 staging, the players of Argentina decided to celebrate reaching the summit of world football with the immediate commencement of shouting, whooping, hollering, singing, jigging around in the carefree style, and the taking on board of sparkling liquids. But there would be no such instant giddy gratification for poor José Luis Brown, José Cuciuffo and Oscar Ruggeri. Argentina’s new world-champion back-line were collectively collared in the dressing room by manager Carlos Bilardo, who proceeded to deliver a lengthy in-depth lecture on matters pertaining to team shape and defensive rigour.

The Joy of Six: tales from the Guardian and Observer’s World Cup diaries | Scott Murray | Football | theguardian.com

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Growing up as a soccer fan in England, I've witnessed my fair share of horrors. I've seen shocking acts of violence, overheard hundreds of abusive chants and watched Pelé retire to sell erectile dysfunction pills. Over the years, I've been angered, saddened and ashamed by these things. But through it all, my love for soccer remained undimmed. But lately, I've discovered there's a new scourge on my beloved game that I simply cannot tolerate: Americans.

Why I Hate American Soccer Fans - WSJ

Salvatore Schillaci ended the 1990 World Cup as the most popular man in Italy. But he started it being attacked by 3,000 angry fans who trapped him in his car, spat at the windows and kicked the bodywork.

BBC Sport - World Cup Stories: When 'Toto' Schillaci's stare was the star

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For a team with a relatively small squad and a wage bill comparable to Fulham's, overcoming the renowned superstars and almighty financial power of Barcelona and Real Madrid required an almost superhuman effort. That was especially the case when Atletico entered the final 45 minutes of their league campaign trailing 1-0 against Barcelona at the Nou Camp in a game they needed to draw, deprived of the services of arguably their two most important attacking players, Diego Costa and Arda Turan, through injury.

BBC Sport - Atletico Madrid: Specialists in triumphing in the face of adversity

Has a manager ever had such an immediate and profound impact? When Simeone took over two days before Christmas 2011, Atlético were 10th and had just been defeated by Second Division B side Albacete in the Copa del Rey. They were "sunk", the captain says. These are the same players. His character has transformed them; as has his work. They finished fifth and won the Europa League, following that up with a European Super Cup demolition of Chelsea. Then they reached the Champions League places and won the Copa del Rey. Now they have won an impossible league and have reached the European Cup final. They have won more than their city rivals in that time; more than Barcelona too.

Atlético Madrid win more than the league with 'impossible' La Liga title | Sid Lowe | Football | theguardian.com

Cantona says “all the best players” grew up in poor areas, name-checking Maradona, Pelé, Messi, Ronaldo and Ronaldinho. For him, football is 50% physical and 50% psychological. “You need to be angry, because it is not only about abilities. Abilities is 50% and 50% is mentally. And mentally is where you learn how to fight … it is in the street.” For him a broken link between the street and the stadium should be of urgent concern to Fifa

Eric Cantona: Fifa’s corruption divides Brazilian football from its roots | Owen Gibson | Football | The Guardian

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The 1982 World Cup semi-final between France and West Germany at Sevilla’s Estadio Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán is remembered – not solely, but mainly – for the most outrageous and notorious foul in World Cup history.... an infamous act of brutal cynicism to this day casts a long, dark shadow across a match which really should be principally remembered as one of the greatest, most dramatic and entertaining World Cup encounters of all time.

World Cup: 25 stunning moments … No20: Patrick Battiston loses his teeth | Football | The Guardian

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Juanito, racing towards the brouhaha in Valentine's slipstream, arrived with extreme prejudice and planted his right boot on the side of the prone Matthäus's torso. He performed a balletic 360-degree turn – not bad going seeing he was already in a flat spin – bent over the screaming Bayern midfielder to issue a few words of beneficial advice, then pushed his same foot down hard on his victim's jaw, in the manner of a frustrated motorcyclist trying to kickstart a broken-down steed. It was, quite literally, a jaw-dropping assault. Most of football's famous fouls or scraps – certainly the ones that don't result in serious or lasting injury to a player – retain an element of comedy to them, often a sizable one. Cameroon's collective assault on Claudio Caniggia at Italia 90, the comic-book dukes-up nonsense at the end of the Battle of Santiago, even Graeme Souness's egregious ball-crushing rake on Steaua Bucharest's Gheorghe Rotariu: all elicit involuntary laughter at the sheer audacity of the thuggery, even if common sense or guilt kicks in a few seconds later. But Juanito's vicious stamp on Matthäus works on a different plane, provoking instant recoil and a sharp intake of breath.

Real Madrid v Bayern Munich: the night Juanito kicked Matthäus in the face | Football | theguardian.com

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Even playing with 13 (the public and the referee), Brazil didn't really impress me, apart from Oscar. The Croats will be looking for a decent keeper..

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Neymar stole the show as Brazil came from behind to open the World Cup with a victory over Croatia in Sao Paulo, but the match turned on a controversial penalty.

BBC Sport - World Cup: Brazil 3-1 Croatia

Controversial?? There was nothing controversial about it. It simply wasn't

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Even with Neymar, Brazil looked vulnerable. Croatia's energetic midfield had the better of that particular battle for long periods, while in the full-back positions, Marcelo and Dani Alves were often caught out of position. Hulk and Fred failed to convince in attack.

BBC Sport - World Cup 2014: Brazil's ecstasy is Croatia's agony

The controversy surrounding Brazil’s decisive penalty in their opening World Cup match against Croatia is set to give added impetus to Sepp Blatter’s plan to introduce video referees. Just as the case for goalline technology was made by Frank Lampard’s high profile goal that never was against Germany in 2010, there is a growing belief that the outcry over the incident at the Arena Corinthians could have a similar effect.

Brazil penalty gives Sepp Blatter’s video referees plan fresh impetus | Football | The Guardian

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HAHAHA. I have to say, I didn't see that one coming. Netherlands-Spain 5:1. Spain is the reigning European and World Champion, and Netherlands came with a team full of unknown quantities (which is why I didn't even include them in the 10 favorites). I did notice above that Spain is a bit past it, but still.. Gripping stuff..