Brazil eager memories of

YET again Scotland won’t be there but, with just six days until the big kick-off, all eyes are now firmly fixed on the World Cup in Russia.

The action starts next week when the hosts take on Saudi Arabia in Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium on Thursday.

Tonight the Tele’s build up to the World Cup continues with our lowdown on Group E where the mighty Brazil lie in wait.

Trying not to leave you feeling too left out by the Tartan Army’s absence, we’ll also provide a local link, tenuous or otherwise, to each participating nation.

Premier League next season with Fulham.

Serbia

Always a tough opponent, the Serbs haven’t made it to a World Cup knockout game since France 98 and go into this group as outsiders – going by the sometimes misleading Fifa rankings anyway.

Only losing one game en route to Russia in a qualification section that included Ireland, Wales and Austria, the Serbians might fancy causing a shock in Group E.

A reported target for Manchester United and others, Lazio’s £105 million-rated Sergej MilinkovićSavić will be one to watch in midfield. Aleksander Kolarov.

Dundee United’s Scottish Cup winner Gordan Petric.

The centre-back enjoyed two seasons at Tannadice before joining Rangers and then turned up at Hearts in 1999.

Now a manager, Petric was made an assistant to Serbia manager Ljubinko Drulović for a short spell in 2014.

Star player: Local link: Brazil

Five-time winners, Brazil are World Cup specialists and led by Neymar this

Neymar will be hoping to lead Brazil to glory once more in a World Cup.