Brazilian Bauru
JAPAN FANS WIN HEARTS
The team may have lost their opening World Cup match, but Japanese fans won plaudits around the world after picking up the trash in their stadium stand after the game.
Pictures posted on Twitter by @2014WC_Brazil showed photographs of Japanese supporters cleaning up after watching their team crash to a 2-1 loss to Ivory Coast, putting rubbish in big plastic bags.
"Japanese fans clean their part of the stadium yesterday after their defeat to the Ivory Coast," tweets @2014WC_Brazil.
Japan's Tokyo Shimbun newspaper and Kyodo News agency said Japanese fans have won praise from tournament hosts Brazil in local newspapers and on social networks.
"Despite defeat, the charisma of Japanese fans wins hearts in Brazil," Kyodo cited a local newspaper as reporting.
HIGUAIN FUELS BARCA TALK
Argentina striker Gonzalo Higuain on Sunday fuelled speculation of a possible move to Barcelona, saying he was happy to be linked to the Spanish giants.
Speaking after Argentina's 2-1 World Cup win over Bosnia at the Maracana Stadium, Higuain said he would relish the opportunity of linking up with Lionel Messi at club level.
"Any player would be pleased to play for Barcelona," the Napoli striker said.
"It speaks well of you as a player and it would make anyone happpy."
Asked about playing alongside Messi at the Camp Nou, Higuain added: "I would love to, obviously. I enjoy it here with the national team."
DANCING THE 'ARMERATION'
Pablo Armero may have scored Colombia's first goal at these finals but he is more likely to be remembered in years to come for his touchline celebratory jig.
The flying Napoli wing-back gave a demonstration of his own personal dance celebration he developed during his days with Brazil's Palmeiras, known as "The Armeration".
The frantic jiggle was something Armero came up with in tribute to the dance moves performed by Samba-reggae group Parangole in their hit single Rebolation.
Armero adopted his arm-waving waltz in response to a dance performed by the likes of Robinho and Neymar to celebrate their goals for Santos, Palmeiras's Sao Paulo-based rivals. Parangole are from the northern Bahia region where dance and music are a way of life.
BARBEQUE UNDOES ENGLISH
English fans were beaten by a team of locals in Manaus in a friendly football match aimed at shedding the hooligan reputation of Brits abroad.
But there were charges of skulduggery levelled against the locals, made up of the fathers of children who play for a football school in the city.
Prior to the game the Brazilians had fattened up their visiting opponents with a sumptuous Brazilian barbeque, after which the English, cheered on by the British Ambassador to Brazil, were unable to match their lively hosts.
WORLD CUP REDUCES CRIME
Incidents of theft and robbery go down by 15 percent in Uruguay's capital Montevideo when the country's team is in World Cup action, a new study shows.
The dip in street crime also took place during Uruguay's World Cup play-off double header against Jordan, according to economist Ignacio Munyo, whose findings were published by the El Pais newspaper.
However, simple World Cup qualifiers and friendlies do not have the same crime-busting affect.
KLINSMANN GETS TONGUE-TIED
United States coach Jurgen Klinsmann speaks fluent German and English and has a strong grasp of French and Italian but he got tripped up by Brazilian Portuguese. At a press conference, he opted not to use headphones which allow for translation when facing a question from a local journalist.
"I almost made it, but then I gave up," laughed the German after making a quick grab for the headset.
GERMANS POKE FUN AT RONALDO
German daily Bild poked fun at Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo's 'six-pack' on Monday in the build-up to Germany's opening World Cup match against Portugal.
The 29-year-old Ballon d'Or winner is renowned for celebrating goals by yanking off his shirt to show off his honed torso.
Bild mocked the Real Madrid star by super-imposing the heads of Germany coach Joachim Loew, captain Philipp Lahm and Thomas Mueller on images of a shirtless Ronaldo's body in full celebration.
"We want to show Portugal's superstar, who flexes his muscle-packed body at every celebration opportunity, that we are stronger!", wrote Bild ahead of the Group G clash in Salvador.
"We don't want to see his six-pack today, we want to see Loew and Co celebrate!"
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