Sports

Fabregas is currently with the Spanish team in Brazil for the World Cup. He spent three seasons at Barcelona.

Mexico and Cameroon will fancy their chances of progressing from Group A if they can win their opening encounter on Friday.

The omens are good for a positive result against Croatia as no host nation has ever lost their opening match in the World Cup.

During the opening of the FIFA 2014 World Cup in Brazil on Thursday, a paralysed person wearing a brain-controlled robotic exoskeleton is expected to make the first kick of the championship.

Shortly after coming on as a second-half sub in Argentina's last World Cup warm-up, Lionel Messi doubled over and appeared to vomit on the pitch.

Keisuke Honda and Shinji Kagawa are Japan's biggest stars - and the heart of their team's attack.

Lionel Messi and company were escorted from the airport on Monday to the team's hotel by a fleet of military and federal police cars, private security vehicles and ambulances.

Villa, former Valencia, Barcelona, and Atletico player, announced on Monday that he will retire from international football after the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Cameroon's squad left for the World Cup early on Monday after resolving a strike over bonuses that saw them refuse to board their plane to Brazil.

AC Milan dismissed manager Clarence Seedorf on Monday and replaced him with another club great, Filippo Inzaghi.

With one week to go before the World Cup starts in Brazil, here are the ten greatest stars in the tournament's 84-year old history.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is set to go with England to the World Cup even if he doesn't recover from a knee injury in time for the group stage, coach Roy Hodgson said on Thursday.

Four years after making fools of themselves in South Africa, France have regained their credibility and can make an impact in Brazil.

Cristiano Ronaldo trained separately from the Portugal team again as he continued his treatment for tendinosis in his left knee.

Italy coach might not admit it, but in Brazil the pressure is on to finally end the pain of a disastrous 2010 World Cup that plunged Italy into despair.

Cameroon coach included Eto'o and Song in his 23-man squad for the World Cup, where the West African nation hopes to reach knockout stages for the first time in 24 years.