Until July 13, it will be soccer madness as the 20th FIFA World Cup grips fans around the world. There are 32 counties, 64 soccer games and millions of people watching on TV and hoping their team comes out on top.
On Globe Now, The Globe and Mail’s daily video news digest, we have explored the money, the players and Brazil’s hope that this World Cup will be its moment in the spotlight.
What’s at stake for 'Brand Brazil’?
The Globe’s Latin America bureau chief Stephanie Nolen examines how Brazil wants to be seen by the world:
The soccer stars
And it’s the game that will draw millions of fans in stadiums and huddled around a TV. Here are the soccer stars, as picked by the Globe’s soccer experts Cathal Kelly and John Doyle:
The cost of the cup
The World Cup is a huge undertaking for Brazil. So how did the host country spend $11.3-billion (U.S.) – and counting – to get ready for the fans and teams?
Preparations go down to the wire
And just a reminder on how it all the planning came down to the wire:
Who will be in the final?
It’s all about July 13th – the final game in the FIFA World Cup. So who will be the winner? The Globe’s soccer experts make their picks: