This is it. The World Cup 2014 kicks off Thursday with the opening match featuring Brazil and Croatia. Brazil has already five World Cup titles to its name, so will Croatia beat the powerhouse team?
Brazil vs Croatia World Cup 2014 opener start time is 4 p.m. ET. The match can be watched on TV on the ESPN network or online through free live stream by clicking here.
Here are some match facts:
Brazil
- Brazil have won their last nine matches, scoring 30 goals and conceding only two.
- Their only defeat in the last 21 games came against Switzerland last August (W16, D4, L1).
- They are unbeaten in 37 matches in Brazil since a home defeat by Paraguay in 2002.
- Brazil are taking part in their 20th World Cup. They are the only team to have taken part in every single tournament.
- They have won the most games (67) and scored the most goals (210) at the World Cup.
- Only six members of the current 23-man squad have World Cup experience.
- Neymar has scored 22 goals in his last 28 international appearances.
Croatia
- They are unbeaten in the five matches since Niko Kovac took charge last October, winning three games and drawing two.
- Croatia lost three matches for the first time in a qualifying campaign during the World Cup preliminary stage.
- They have gone four World Cup matches without a win and only scored in one of those fixtures (a 2-2 draw with Australia in 2006).
- Croatia’s last nine World Cup games have produced six red cards.
Note: Live streaming is provided by a third party.