A host of players from around the globe will be hoping to light up Brazil – but just who are they?
With the likes of Neymar, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo expected to shoot their countries to glory – we pick our very own potential heroes in the first of our ‘Ones to watch’ series.
Here take our pick from the nations.
Group A:
Brazil – Bernard
The 21-year-old was signed by Shakhtar Donetsk for £21.5 million in 2013 after winning the Copa Libertadores with Brazilian side Atletico Mineiro.
The diminutive forward scored his first international goal against Honduras in November last year and has been ever-present under Luiz Felipe Scolari.
10 Caps/goals 1 (as of 2 June 2014)
Croatia – Mateo Kovacic
A product of the Dinamo Zagreb academy, which also produced Real Madrid’s Luka Modric, Kovacic now wears Wesley Sneijder’s No10 shirt at Inter Milan.
Italian manager Giovanni Trapattoni once described the 20-year-old as a mixture of Kaka and Clarence Seedorf.
9 Caps/0 goals (as of 2 June 2014)
Mexico – Diego Reyes
Comfortable at centre-back or defensive midfield, Reyes briefly captained Mexico during a friendly against South Korea in January 2014 following the substitution of Rafael Marquez.
The 21-year-old won gold with Mexico at the London 2012 Olympic Games, before joining Porto the following summer.
13 Caps/0 goals (as of 2 June 2014)
Diego Reyes of Mexico
Cameroon – Nicolas N’Koulou
N’Koulou began his career at Kadji Sports Academy in Douala, just as four-time African Footballer of the Year Samuel Eto’o did.
After moving to Marseille in 2011, the 24-year-old was in the Ligue 1 Team of the Year in 2012 and 2013.
47 Caps/0 goals (as of 2 June 2014)
Group B:
Spain – Diego Costa
Despite playing two friendlies for Brazil, Costa switched his allegiance to Spain in 2014 and made his debut against Italy in March.
The 25-year-old scored 27 goals in La Liga last season as Atletico Madrid secured their first league title since 1996.
1 Cap/0 Goals (as of 2 June 2014)
Diego Costa of Spain
Netherlands – Bruno Martins Indi
Born to a Portuguese mother and Guinean father, Martins Indi moved to Rotterdam at a young age and has gone on to make over 100 appearances for Feyenoord.
A favourite of Louis van Gaal, the 22-year-old has been linked with a summer move to Manchester United.
15 Caps/2 Goals (as of 2 June 2014)
Chile – Jorge Valdivia
Described by Chile manager Jorge Sampaoli as an irreplaceable talent, Valdivia will have a key role at this summer’s tournament.
Off-field antics have often overshadowed the 30-year-old’s talent, with the playmaker frequently appearing on South American showbiz programmes.
56 Caps/4 Goals (as of 2 June 2014)
Australia – Mile Jedinak
Captain of the Socceroos and Crystal Palace, Jedinak was a key part of the Eagles side which finished 11th in the Premier League last season.
The 29-year-old was also Crystal Palace’s Player of the Season for their promotion-winning campaign in 2012/13.
43 Caps/ 4 goals (as of 2 June 2014)
