:00:07. > :00:08.In just seven days, England will kick off their
:00:09. > :00:20.state-of-the-art HQ, St George's Park, because this is where they
:00:21. > :00:56.have been preparing for the biggest football tournament on the planet.
:00:57. > :01:01.Good morning, everyone, welcome to the programme.
:01:02. > :01:07.Over the next 30 minutes, we will be telling you everything you need to
:01:08. > :01:12.It all kicks off in just five days time with
:01:13. > :01:16.the first match between Brazil and Croatia and I for one cannot wait.
:01:17. > :01:20.We have got an action packed show for you
:01:21. > :01:28.On the programme this week, we have got England fully covered
:01:29. > :01:31.with all of the latest news, in-depth preparation
:01:32. > :01:37.We profile the host country, Brazil, in the guide to every single group
:01:38. > :01:47.Plus commentator Conor McNamara begins his video diary.
:01:48. > :02:00.First, let's see what the World Cup is all about.
:02:01. > :02:03.The World Cup is an international football tournament
:02:04. > :02:06.that invites countries from around the world to compete for
:02:07. > :02:12.This year's event features 32 teams split into eight groups with
:02:13. > :02:18.the top two teams from each group qualifying for the knockout stages.
:02:19. > :02:22.From here, it is lose and you are out until the last two teams battle
:02:23. > :02:29.It began in the 1930s and has taken place every four years since, except
:02:30. > :02:34.Only eight countries have ever won the tournament with
:02:35. > :02:44.And this year's hosts, Brazil, have won it five times.
:02:45. > :02:48.England, well, they have won it once, almost 50 years ago.
:02:49. > :02:51.If they want to win it again, they will have to overcome
:02:52. > :02:59.It's Batty, he will join them, England again out of the World Cup
:03:00. > :03:05.The dreaded penalty shoot out is how games are decided
:03:06. > :03:09.if the teams are still level after 90 minutes and extra time.
:03:10. > :03:16.Germany has won four shoot outs in the World Cup, one of which has
:03:17. > :03:19.been against England, but some teams don't have much luck at all.
:03:20. > :03:22.England had taken part in three shoot outs in the World
:03:23. > :03:34.Here's England's top scorer in the World Cup, Gary Lineker.
:03:35. > :03:50.If you hit the perfect penalty, you know you have not hit it perfectly,
:03:51. > :03:53.because the perfect penalty is the one that is unfavourable, but
:03:54. > :04:00.no player on this earth is brave enough to aim for the top corner.
:04:01. > :04:05.and hit it slightly with the inside of my foot, the side of the foot.
:04:06. > :04:08.And I would aim about that far outside off the post.
:04:09. > :04:12.Naturally, it would bend that little bit anyway.
:04:13. > :04:16.And that was the one that I felt the best one I ever had was
:04:17. > :04:20.Because it absolutely came off exactly how I wanted it to.
:04:21. > :04:23.Never a more vital penalty for England.
:04:24. > :04:33.Coolness under pressure from Gary Lineker.
:04:34. > :04:36.The all-time World Cup scorer is Renaldo.
:04:37. > :04:39.No, not that one, this one, the Brazilian scored
:04:40. > :04:46.Brazil 2014 would be the fifth time the World Cup has been held in
:04:47. > :04:50.South America and on each of the previous four occasions, a team
:04:51. > :05:03.The last World Cup was held in South Africa and won by Spain.
:05:04. > :05:06.It was an amazing tournament with some incredible goals and just
:05:07. > :05:15.in case you haven't seen them yet, here is our top five.
:05:16. > :05:17.Tevez, closed down a little belatedly.
:05:18. > :06:58.He just has one Czech over the shoulder.
:06:59. > :07:01.Hello, I am John Watson, welcome to the BBC Sport Centre
:07:02. > :07:05.Without further ado, let's kick things off with the group stages.
:07:06. > :07:10.Group A are Brazil, Croatia, Mexico and Cameroon.
:07:11. > :07:14.Brazil are the only nation to have played
:07:15. > :07:17.at every World Cup and have won the tournament a whopping five times.
:07:18. > :07:19.After winning last summer's Confederations Cup,
:07:20. > :07:25.thanks largely to some banging goals from Barcelona's ?48.6 million star
:07:26. > :07:30.Neymar, expect them to qualify for the knockout stages.
:07:31. > :07:34.Croatia's threat is limited with their main man suspended
:07:35. > :07:41.Mexico have used 47 players and four coaches just to qualify
:07:42. > :07:48.Samuel Eto'o was out of international retirement,
:07:49. > :07:51.but Cameroon are defensive and lack creativity.
:07:52. > :07:56.In group B, we're got Spain, the Netherlands, Chile and Australia.
:07:57. > :07:59.Current World Cup and European champions Spain qualified for
:08:00. > :08:03.the finals unbeaten and are obvious contenders for the knockout stages.
:08:04. > :08:06.The Netherlands were the 2010 World Cup final.
:08:07. > :08:12.Look out for Ajren Robben or Robin Van Persie under
:08:13. > :08:18.the watchful eyes of the soon-to-be Manchester United boss.
:08:19. > :08:23.Barcelona's Alexi Sanchez fronts up the Chilean side full of South
:08:24. > :08:27.American flair while Australia's focus is firmly on youth.
:08:28. > :08:31.It is all to play for in group C with Colombia, Greece,
:08:32. > :08:37.Colombia should be used to the heat, but their star man is out
:08:38. > :08:42.All eyes will be on Monaco's ?37 million James Rodriguez to keep
:08:43. > :08:48.Manchester City's Yaya Toure who will want to take
:08:49. > :08:52.his winning form into this summer for the Ivory Coast.
:08:53. > :08:56.Greece only conceded four goals in the qualification campaign.
:08:57. > :08:59.Japan could be group C's surprise package
:09:00. > :09:06.after breezing through qualification with 17 points and 16 goals.
:09:07. > :09:10.Group D is all about England, so I will hand that one back to you,
:09:11. > :09:17.Leah, but fear not, I'll be back later with the rest of the groups.
:09:18. > :09:20.Just last week, the England squad were right here
:09:21. > :09:23.at St George's Park preparing at this state-of-the-art gym.
:09:24. > :09:26.They arrive in Brazil tomorrow, but before they flew halfway
:09:27. > :09:43.around the world, we brought them face-to-face with themselves.
:09:44. > :09:46.Now, Roy's boys have a lot on their minds at the moment,
:09:47. > :09:51.but we thought they could do with something to help them relax.
:09:52. > :09:56.Here they are with a special surprise from artist, Steve Welsh.
:09:57. > :10:01.Being asked to illustrate individual portraits for every member
:10:02. > :10:08.of the 23 England squad, which has proved quite a challenge, really.
:10:09. > :10:27.They even got a gap in my front two teeth!
:10:28. > :10:35.A great football illustration says not only something about the player,
:10:36. > :10:38.but maybe also the country he comes from, his style of play.
:10:39. > :10:42.That should be something in that picture that is emotive,
:10:43. > :10:45.something that people can connect with, because that is what they do
:10:46. > :11:17.The nose looks a bit big, though, it is big!
:11:18. > :11:30.We have covered England, but what about their group D opponents,
:11:31. > :11:30.you've got Uruguay, Italy and Costa Rica, so it has to be said, group D!
:11:31. > :11:49.Every four years, we hope, we expect.
:11:50. > :11:54.I hope everyone at home is ready for this.
:11:55. > :11:58.Let's be honest, we always think we will win the World Cup.
:11:59. > :12:25.Yes, of course I believe that we can win the World Cup. It will not be
:12:26. > :12:38.easy this year. We are in group D. First up, Italy, strong, organised.
:12:39. > :12:46.They knocked us out of the European Championships. Let's get off to a
:12:47. > :12:56.good start. Let's not throw it away. A nightmare moment for Rob Green!
:12:57. > :13:03.Next up, Uruguay. The last time the World Cup was held in Brazil, we won
:13:04. > :13:10.it. They have got the best players in the world, Luis Suarez, we know
:13:11. > :13:20.about him. What a goal! Next up, Costa Rica. They qualified with two
:13:21. > :13:26.games to go, they had one of the best defensive record in qualifying.
:13:27. > :13:42.We will have to be at our best. There we have it. The dangerous
:13:43. > :13:53.group D. Approach with caution. We can do it, we are England, we never
:13:54. > :13:59.stop believing. It doesn't hurt to dream. The England boys will have to
:14:00. > :14:06.face some serious travelling, so it is time to find out more about
:14:07. > :14:14.Brazil, the host country, with our expert, Tim Vickery. You can fit the
:14:15. > :14:23.UK into Brazil 35 times! Now, I believe the rest to Tim. Brazil is
:14:24. > :14:25.not just a country, it is a continent, it is absolutely huge. It
:14:26. > :14:33.is one of the biggest countries in the world. That has an effect on the
:14:34. > :14:38.World Cup, because this is winter in Brazil. Winter in Brazil in the
:14:39. > :14:56.south of the country, that can get quite chilly now and then.
:14:57. > :14:58.England have a lot of travelling to do.
:14:59. > :15:05.But the first game is right up in the other end of country, Manaus.
:15:06. > :15:08.the country it is a city on the edge of the Amazon.
:15:09. > :15:12.England's other two games are much closer to Rio.
:15:13. > :15:15.One is in Belo Horizonte and one is in Sao Paolo.
:15:16. > :15:19.One piece of bad news about Belo Horizonte - in 1950,
:15:20. > :15:24.about that is the first time England entered the world cup.
:15:25. > :15:31.It is still considered the biggest surprise
:15:32. > :15:37.One of the things the England team have been focusing
:15:38. > :15:41.I have Ian with me, who is a strengthening
:15:42. > :15:44.What are they having to deal with out there?
:15:45. > :15:51.Luckily, we have got the humidity chamber in there.
:15:52. > :15:55.We will get you in there and get you on the bike and expose
:15:56. > :15:59.you to the same sort of the environment the guys will be exposed
:16:00. > :16:08.Basically, when we get out in the chamber,
:16:09. > :16:11.we will be working in a normal environment, so 21% which is exactly
:16:12. > :16:16.But the most important thing we are looking at is the humidity.
:16:17. > :16:20.At the moment in the chamber, it is 70%.
:16:21. > :16:23.And we are at a temperature of 30 degrees.
:16:24. > :16:29.Yes, really, really humid, really sticky.
:16:30. > :16:37.How well the players hope with playing in Manaus in heat like this?
:16:38. > :16:43.Your body gets used to temperatures like this by sweating but when you
:16:44. > :16:48.have got to humid environment, your body cannot cool down effectively.
:16:49. > :16:54.When you sweat more, you start to lose more water so you
:16:55. > :17:01.The most important thing is hydration.
:17:02. > :17:04.You have to know how to hydrate effectively.
:17:05. > :17:07.At the moment, I just feel like the temperature in here has gone up.
:17:08. > :17:11.I feel like my mouth is completely dried out.
:17:12. > :17:15.How do you cope with that when you are on the pitch?
:17:16. > :17:20.You will probably find when the World Cup starts,
:17:21. > :17:24.there will be a lot of water bottle is located around the pitch.
:17:25. > :17:28.I think I have done enough in this heat chamber.
:17:29. > :17:35.Let's head out and see what else we have got.
:17:36. > :17:41.I have only been in there for five minutes.
:17:42. > :17:45.The England players will be on the pitch for 90 minutes.
:17:46. > :18:00.Group B includes Switzerland, Ecuador, France and Honduras.
:18:01. > :18:04.Mine clean sheets in 15 games gives Switzerland every chance of success
:18:05. > :18:08.while Man Utd's Antonio Valencia and Jefferson Montero provides
:18:09. > :18:16.Winners in 1998, runners up in 2006 and semifinalists
:18:17. > :18:24.Only once have France got to the knockout stage.
:18:25. > :18:27.Outside of Europe, Benzema, Ribery, Giroud -
:18:28. > :18:33.Outsiders on jurors would shock the world if they managed to
:18:34. > :18:37.qualify them but don't underestimate the hot and humid factor.
:18:38. > :18:43.Group F is all about Argentina, Bosnia-Herzegovina,
:18:44. > :18:50.Higuain and Sergio Aguero with Lionel Messi behind,
:18:51. > :18:55.You could put your lunch money on Argentina winning this group
:18:56. > :19:03.mention Bosnia make their World Cup debut with Man City player
:19:04. > :19:08.Iran striker have only conceded twice in the qualifying campaign.
:19:09. > :19:11.But they lack the big names and experience to see them through
:19:12. > :19:17.It leaves many expecting Nigeria t put in a big performance with these
:19:18. > :19:31.three players expected to put in a powerhouse performance.
:19:32. > :19:35.One, two, three, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday.
:19:36. > :19:41.I'm off to Brazil to commentate on the World Cup for BBC sport.
:19:42. > :19:46.Just making sure I have everything I need for the journey.
:19:47. > :19:49.I will be travelling the equivalent distance
:19:50. > :19:57.I don't want to leave something really important at home.
:19:58. > :20:01.I'll make sure the crowd doesn't drown out the sound.
:20:02. > :20:05.Different headphones, different cables.
:20:06. > :20:09.If you meet someone famous and you don't have all your kit
:20:10. > :20:13.ready, you might have to end up interviewing someone on the phone
:20:14. > :20:19.This little camera I will bring with me.
:20:20. > :20:24.I will record little video diaries to send back to you.
:20:25. > :20:29.My first game is a replay of the final last time, Spain against
:20:30. > :20:33.the Netherlands and hopefully, with this small camera, I will be able to
:20:34. > :20:51.Right now, England are preparing for their final warm up match
:20:52. > :20:56.So, for the players who made the squad of 23,
:20:57. > :21:00.they will be thinking about whether they will make the starting 11.
:21:01. > :21:09.Here is only one topic of conversation
:21:10. > :21:15.Who Roy Hodgson will pick for England's enormous opener
:21:16. > :21:18.against Italy in the World Cup next Saturday.
:21:19. > :21:21.We have brought the debate into the classroom to settle it.
:21:22. > :21:33.They's lesson is how to pick an England team who can win
:21:34. > :21:49.He is the best left back in the country.
:21:50. > :22:01.He might get moved out by quality opposition.
:22:02. > :22:05.James is a versatile player and never let's you down.
:22:06. > :22:11.This one should be more straightforward.
:22:12. > :22:18.He has the pace to deal with top strikers.
:22:19. > :22:35.Some people are saying this is our most exciting midfield we have
:22:36. > :22:58.A lot of names flying around but who will inject the pace we need?
:22:59. > :23:04.This player can be just as dangerous.
:23:05. > :23:09.I would hate to have him running at me.
:23:10. > :23:11.I'm not sure what formation all these midfielders are
:23:12. > :23:20.He is one of the first names on the team sheet.
:23:21. > :23:22.Yes, but Sturridge scored well last season.
:23:23. > :23:41.I guess I better turn this lot into a team.
:23:42. > :23:45.We have been through all the various possibilities
:23:46. > :23:57.The future is looking bright for England at the moment.
:23:58. > :23:59.They have young stars in their squad for Brazil
:24:00. > :24:06.And England's under 17s recently won the European championship.
:24:07. > :24:21.One man who helped with that was Kenny Swain.
:24:22. > :24:24.it must have been a proud moment when
:24:25. > :24:30.We have been to three European Championships in the last eight
:24:31. > :24:35.It is a thriving part of the system, the early years,
:24:36. > :24:38.but developing all the way through is the most difficult bit.
:24:39. > :24:42.Once they get to 18, 19, 20, they are the difficult years, we find.
:24:43. > :24:45.How excited are you about the next generation of England players?
:24:46. > :24:54.We are thrilled to bits with the way things are going.
:24:55. > :25:00.There is something like six or seven boys on the flight to Miami and I
:25:01. > :25:06.kind say confidently that the next four or five years, we have some
:25:07. > :25:14.talented players coming through. Groups G is for Germany, Portugal,
:25:15. > :25:30.Ghana and the US. The Germans scored 36 times in ten matches. This player
:25:31. > :25:38.is closing in on the now though. And talking of him, Cristiano's runout
:25:39. > :25:45.bash Portugal will be hoping to go one better than the last 16. Expect
:25:46. > :25:48.goals from Ghana whose godmother and any other African nation and look
:25:49. > :25:57.out for the return of Michael hessian. Clint Dempsey leads the
:25:58. > :26:03.line that the US. And group H, Belgium, Algeria, Russia and South
:26:04. > :26:13.Korea. Yes, Belgium have emerged as definite ones to watch this summer.
:26:14. > :26:19.These players have it. Algeria have every chance of qualifying from a
:26:20. > :26:25.very open group. This player has been described by Arsene Wenger as a
:26:26. > :26:30.physical beast. The Russian team have nine players who boast more
:26:31. > :26:35.than 40 caps each. South Korea are no longer the whipping boys of Asia
:26:36. > :26:42.and are expected to qualify, having done so in the last two tournaments.
:26:43. > :26:53.It is hot, humid, and all kicking off on Thursday. Get excited. So, I
:26:54. > :26:57.think I have covered most bases but as it is the biggest or the mint in
:26:58. > :27:00.the world, there is always so much more so here is Martin with the very
:27:01. > :27:09.latest World Cup news, including more on the mascot. Thanks. There
:27:10. > :27:14.are only five days left until the World Cup starts. So excited. But if
:27:15. > :27:22.you think I am happy, meet the mascot. As you can see, he is full
:27:23. > :27:27.of fun and is well and truly getting the party started. Here is the
:27:28. > :27:33.official ball the players will be using in the tournament. It feels a
:27:34. > :27:38.lot lighter than normal football. If you come up close, but ball is
:27:39. > :27:45.covered in these little dimples, just like a volleyball. Very cool.
:27:46. > :27:49.We have been keeping a close eye on the tournament. The Brazil players
:27:50. > :27:57.seem to be taking things every easily. Here they are on the beach
:27:58. > :28:04.playing a game of headers. Talk about confident. Check out this
:28:05. > :28:11.penalty during a team train session. It is all right doing it in
:28:12. > :28:20.training, but can you do it in a real game? That is it for the news.
:28:21. > :28:26.Goodbye. So, that is it, we have run out of time. The World Cup starts in
:28:27. > :28:32.Brazil in five days. I can't believe I am going but I will be sharing
:28:33. > :28:39.everything I see with you guys. We'll be here every Saturday at ATM
:28:40. > :28:45.on CBBC. These guys are ready, I am ready, I will see you next week. --
:28:46. > :28:51.every Saturday at eight o'clock on CBBC.