A former England captain, an ex-Premier League manager and the architect of one of the most famous FA Cup upsets in history have all been linked with the vacant All Whites coaching role.

The Peter O'Learys of the world are crying foul over abuse being meted out to them instead of a controversial Kiwi referee with the same name.

There may be no All Whites this time but that hasn't slowed the willingness of Kiwis to take a punt on the Fifa World Cup.

The spirit of unity among the remaining World Cup contenders will be vital in the knockout stage.

Underdog status is not one that sits well with American sport but this US side are battling through a World Cup that sparkles with far more gifted teams.

They call it the "June gloom" - the early summer haze that clogs the LA air and makes you feel like you're living in a world that has been crop-dusted.

England staff were still dismantling the team games room and meeting room at their hotel yesterday but the hotel clearly anticipated their early early departure from the World Cup.

Lionel Messi did something that we had not seen from him before at this World Cup. Not the two goals, or the casual match-winning brilliance.

Herald on Sunday's Michael Burgess looks at five things we learned from day 14 of the FIFA World Cup.

Luis Suarez faces being thrown out of the World Cup after Fifa officially charged him with biting Giorgio Chiellini - but his captain is standing behind him.

Three bites and you are out, writes Chris Rattue. That should be football's response to a third Luis Suarez biting scandal in four years, this one damaging the image of the World Cup.

The video circulating around a gleeful Argentina has not been lost on the long-suffering Brazilians, just across the eastern border.

It's taken 64 years for the World Cup to return to Brazil but, in just over a week, it feels like football has regained some of its true essence.

Adidas predicts it will sell a third more Germany jerseys this year than when the country hosted the World Cup eight years ago as fans worldwide get behind the team in Brazil.

Not many 16-year-olds can say they have been to two World Cups in the same year.

Mario Balotelli is already an international football star and could become one of Italy's greatest ever strikers.

The Kiwi football referee who received death threats after officiating a World Cup match this week is "frustrated" by the vitriolic backlash but "happy" with his performance.

Michael Burgess looks at the five things learned from today's action in Brazil including the increasing pressure on the hosts.

Thousands of football fans petition to remove a NZ referee from the World Cup after an image appeared of him 'celebrating' with Nigeria goalkeeper.