READY FOR ACTION

The greatest soccer spectacle is about to kick off! Here are the favourite teams and players to watch

IT ISN’T called the greatest show on earth for nothing. For four glorious weeks the crème de la crème of the world’s soccer elite converges on a single country for a feast of football for fans to gorge on.

Every four years dreams are made and destroyed, stars are born, tears are shed and glory reigns supreme for one golden team that takes the trophy at the end.

As the countdown begins in earnest for the first ball to be booted at the Fifa World Cup in Russia on 14 June, we look at what’s in store at one of sport’s biggest spectacles.