Heartbroken but intensely proud, Ange Postecoglou says his Socceroos have set a benchmark that can help them become a feared attacking force in world football.

Defending champions Spain have been knocked out of the World Cup in the group stages following a shocking 2-0 defeat to Chile in Rio de Janeiro this morning.

Australia's World Cup hopes are all but over after going down to the Netherlands 3-2 in Porto Alegre in what will be remembered as one of their gutsiest ever performances.

The secret is out. Just like the Emperor's new clothes, the Brazil team of 2014 are not what we have been led to believe.

It's the highlight of any footballer's career - performing for their country in front of a global television audience of billions at the World Cup finals.

Born to run, Raheem Sterling also spent some of his formative years cycling around the old car park at Wembley as England's home was being reconstructed.

A young New Zealander is rubbing shoulders with some of the stars of the World Cup - and living the life of training and discipline that took them there.

An Auckland woman - who's not a football fan - is one of six Kiwis still in the running for a $5m prize offered by the TAB this World Cup.

It took Lionel Messi just over an hour in Argentina's World Cup opener against Bosnia-Herzegovina to show why so many fans consider him the best in the world.

Fifa can appear to be on the wrong track as we know from the Qatar World Cup hosting controversy, but long may it reign over football if that is what is necessary to produce the amazing contests we are seeing from Brazil.

The Netherlands' 5-1 win against Spain was held in many quarters as a return to classic Dutch values, after the organised thuggery of the 2010 World Cup final.

Italy fans stopped traffic as they celebrated their win over England this morning.

There were bizarre scenes in Manaus, Brazil, as England physio Gary Lewin slipped over on the turf during the celebrations and dislocated his ankle

Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas crawled and scrambled in vain, Gerard Pique was beaten for pace and Sergio Ramos made a series of blunders.

To see hardcore Brazilian fans gathering hours before their match, singing and dancing in the street, was to see the beautiful game at its beautiful simplest, writes Jack Tame.

The scenes leading up to this morning's match between Uruguay and Costa Rica were extraordinary, writes Michael Burgess.

For all of the pessimistic predictions that have followed them out to Brazil, there is also something refreshingly different about England's Class of 2014.

The World Cup is upon us, tear gas, riots and police violence mixed in with the best of the beautiful game.