Al-Amin

Before the start of the game or even a few hours earlier, it were the Argentina fans who were making all the noise, on the streets, in the bus, in the train and on their way to the Kazan Arena. They sang a popular song which means – Argentina is the best team in the world, its supporters are the best in the world and they have got the best players in Messi and Maradona.

A superstar in the making sent a superstar out of the World Cup as France prevailed over Argentina 4-3 in the first blockbuster World Cup round of 16 game at the Kazan Arena yesterday.

When we reached Kazan Central Railway Station yesterday after a 13-hour journey from Moscow, it was five in the morning. The city was still sleeping and the first impression we got as we headed towards the city after one-and-a-half hour ride was that we were at a place far away from all the hustle and bustle.

The World Cup is going to get cruel from today when Argentina take on France in the first of the eight round of 16 games at the Kazan Arena.

The makeshift media centre inside the vast Spartak Stadium could barely accommodate the huge influx of travelling journalists ahead of Brazil's Group E fixture against Serbia in the World Cup on Wednesday. With a capacity of just over 500, by all means it registers as a standard media centre with all the required facilities.

I have had the opportunity to attend three press briefings by Brazil coach Adenor Leonardo Bacchi. At every single

They were one of the three suspect heavyweights going into the final matchday of the group stages, but five-time champions Brazil moved to the round of 16 with flying colours, defeating Serbia 2-0 at the Spartak Stadium in Moscow yesterday.

If you are in a football World Cup you will have to always be ready to hit the road. Lighter luggage and fleet-footed flexibility are considered advantages, if you are a fan or a travelling reporter.

Gabriel Jesus started for Brazil in the first two World Cup games against Switzerland and Costa Rica but the 21-year-old Manchester City

When Argentina were gearing up for their do-or-die game against Nigeria, their fans were seen busy at the counters of Saint Petersburg's central rail station.

Argentina went through to the last 16 of the 2018 Fifa World Cup by overcoming Nigeria 2-1 in a nerve-wracking tussle at the Saint Petersburg Stadium last night.

They were seamless in the last two World Cups, winning five of their six group games and were hardly troubled in making it to the knockout phase. But the two-time World Cup winners and the 2014 runners-up are facing the biggest crisis in their football history in Russia 2018.

When Argentina coach Jorge Sampaoli hugged star forward Lionel Messi on his 31st birthday yesterday, understandably not one of the best of days for the five-time Ballon d'Or winner,

As we walked along the Nevsky Prospect (an avenue in Saint Petersburg) at around 10pm on Saturday, we pondered on what the Scarlet Sails, one of Russia's biggest celebrations which has also been recognized on all European calendars, is all about.

A desperate Argentina will get one last chance to salvage their battered pride when they take on Nigeria in a do-or-die World Cup Group D match at the Saint Petersburg Stadium today. A win will keep their hopes alive but whether or not they will progress to the round of sixteen depends on the result of the night's other Group D encounter between Croatia and Iceland.

While talking with my family back home during Brazil's World Cup game against Costa Rica on Friday night, I was informed that the three Argentine flags strung up on our neighbours' roof in the old part of Dhaka were removed immediately after Argentina's dreadful 3-0 defeat to Croatia.

On Thursday's white night at the Saint Petersburg Fan Fest Zone, not many fans in white and sky blue were in attendance during

Brazil had to battle until injury time against a dogged Costa Rica on Friday before Philippe Coutinho and Neymar scored, putting the five-time World Cup winners back on track for the last 16.

As part of Tite's rotational policy, Thiago Silva will don the captain's arm-band in Brazil's game against Costa Rica today.

Following a below-par performance in their opening match, Brazil will desperately be looking to bring their World Cup campaign back on track and for Neymar to fire when they take on Costa Rica in Saint Petersburg today.