World Cup: Brazil 3-1 Croatia

World Cup: Brazil 3-1 Croatia

Neymar scores two goals, including a controversial penalty, as hosts Brazil make a winning start at the 2014 Fifa World Cup.

Colourful ceremony opens World Cup

The 2014 Fifa World Cup officially got under way on Thursday with a colourful opening ceremony before hosts Brazil kicked off against Croatia.

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Many fans have picked their ultimate team based on talent alone. Who, though, would make the squad if it were based on the players' Facebook and Twitter fans?

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World Cup: Brazil 3-1 Croatia

Neymar scores two goals, including a controversial penalty, as hosts Brazil make a winning start at the 2014 Fifa World Cup.

Colourful ceremony opens World Cup

The 2014 Fifa World Cup officially got under way on Thursday with a colourful opening ceremony before hosts Brazil kicked off against Croatia.

World Cup: Eight things you need to know

Why will referees have spray cans in a holster? How bad can a team be and still reach the knockout stages? Find out this and more in BBC Sport's guide.

Can you predict the future?

A small group of people can foresee the outcome of world events with astonishing accuracy. Could you be one of them? David Robson explains.

Should being fat be a disability?

An overweight childminder in Denmark is calling for employers across Europe to treat obesity as a disability - but critics are wary of the label.

The World Cup social media dream team

Many fans have picked their ultimate team based on talent alone. Who, though, would make the squad if it were based on the players' Facebook and Twitter fans?

Obama: All options open on Iraq

US President Barack Obama says his government is looking at "all options" to help fight Islamist militants in Iraq, including military action.

Brazil 3

Neymar 29′, 71′ (pen) Oscar 90′

Croatia 1

Marcelo 11′ (og) 

 

12 June 2014 Last updated at 23:03 GMT

 BBC | 13 June 2014

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. 

The striker responded to the responsibility of being his country's poster boy by finding the net either side of half-time after Marcelo had scored an early own goal. 

Oscar cemented the result with a wonderful individual goal late on but the adulation at the Arena de Sao Paulo went to Barcelona's Neymar. 

His first goal was a low, sweeping effort that crept into the net from 25 yards. His second, 19 minutes before the end, was altogether more controversial. 

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