COMMENT It’s the stuff of legend

AFTER 210 teams entered the tournament – including debuts for Bhutan, South Sudan, Gibraltar and Kosovo – 872 matches, 2 454 goals and the attendance of 18 720 691 supporters during the qualification stages, the final 32 nations will participate in the Fifa World Cup 2018 in Russia from today.

Over the next four weeks, culminating in the final on July 15, teams will battle each other to hold aloft the Fifa World Cup Trophy.

They will look inward during times of strife to find greatness, experience the agony