The World Cup kicks off Thursday and soccer fans from Rio de Janeiro's slums to southern India's playgrounds have been shining with their passion for the sport.

While national teams are arriving in Brazil, some in Latin America have set out to travel in the most unconventional ways to witness what they describe as a once-in-a-lifetime event. Some Chilean soccer fans built a wood-framed trailer from scratch to travel together and save money on lodging and meals.

Australia's Daniel Ricciardo Monday tweeted the broadest smile in Formula One after claiming his maiden F1 weekend victory for Red Bull in the Canadian Grand Prix.

"I officially can't smile any bigger than that, so you've seen it all now," tweeted a beaming Ricciardo on social media after his breakthrough victory in Montreal on Sunday.

Rafael Nadal clinched his ninth French Open and 14th career Grand Slam title on Sunday with a brutal 3-6, 7-5, 6-2, 6-4 victory over a battling Novak Djokovic.

The world number one also became the first man to win five Roland Garros crowns in succession as the 28-year-old took his record at the tournament to 66 wins against just one defeat.

They may have a combined age of 71 but Gianluigi Buffon and Andrea Pirlo are as hungry as Italy's young guns as they embark on a possible World Cup swansong this summer.

Buffon, a World Cup winner in 2006, is now 36 years old but the Juventus goalkeeper is quick to parry any suggestions his winning desire is on the wane.

Kevin-Prince Boateng and Jerome Boateng will be one of several pairs of brothers to line up at the World Cup finals, but unlike the others they will be on opposing sides.

Even more unusually, just as in 2010, they will face each other in the group stage.

Defending champions Spain leave for Brazil optimistic about their chances of a repeat triumph and undaunted by Friday's opening game against the Netherlands in a rematch of the 2010 World Cup final.

"We don't have any fear. But we do have respect," Spain manager Vicente del Bosque said. "They are runner-up from the last World Cup so we have full respect for Holland."

England winger Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain will be fit to take part in the World Cup after making good progress with his knee injury, manager Roy Hodgson said after Saturday's 0-0 draw with Honduras.

Oxlade-Chamberlain picked up the injury in Wednesday's 2-2 draw with Ecuador and Hodgson had said he may have to wait until 24 hours before England's Group D opener against Italy on June 14 before deciding whether the Arsenal wide-man could be part of his squad.

A strike by subway workers snarling Brazil's biggest city threatened Saturday to disrupt the World Cup as President Dilma Rousseff denounced a "systematic campaign" against the tournament.

The work stoppage over wage demands by staff has caused massive traffic jams for the past three days in Sao Paulo as the city prepares to host the opening game.

Qatar faced growing pressure over its hosting of the 2022 World Cup Sunday after fresh allegations over the role disgraced former top football official Mohammed bin Hammam played in its bid.

Last week, Britain's Sunday Times newspaper said it had obtained millions of emails, documents and bank transfers showing that bin Hammam paid over $5 million from slush funds to win support in the bidding process.

Chile's midfield star Arturo Vidal is a doubt to face Australia in Cuiaba as he battles a knee inflammation, La Roja's medical staff revealed at their Belo Horizonte camp Saturday.

Vidal only just made the squad to face the Australians, Spain and the Netherlands following knee surgery last month and he is still recuperating.