Match of the Day matchpack: Spain vs. Netherlands
Spain face the Netherlands in a Group B opener which, almost unbelievably, pits the 2010 finalists against each other three years and 11 months after Andres Iniesta made his nation world champions with a winner deep in extra time.
The two finalists facing each other so early on is a unique situation: getting to the final of the previous World Cup almost always guarantees seeding for the next edition of the tournament - but the Netherlands dropped out of the world's top seven nations on the crucial cut-off date of October 2013.
That left them in the pool of second seeds - and there were collective gasps at the glitzy World Cup draw in the winter when the Oranje found themselves in the same group as Spain.
The seeding is a fair reflection of form, however: after that final at Joahnnesburg's Soccer City, the Dutch side's form declined, so much so that they lost all three of their group stage matches to crash out of Euro 2012 at the same time as Spain were on their way to winning their third consecutive major tournament.
Louis van Gaal has since restored some pride - the team won nine out of their ten qualifying matches to make it toBrazil in style - but the defending champions are, rightly, hot favourites to get their World Cup campaign off to a winning start.
Diego Costa is the big new face in Spain's tournament-winning side, leading an otherwise familiar line-up in Salvador with defenders Cesar Azpilicueta, Sergio Ramos, Gerard Pique, and Jordi Alba in front of goalkeeper Iker Casillas, and the dynamic midfield of Xabi Alonso, Sergio Busquets, Silva, Xavi and Iniesta helping Costa unlock a Dutch side set-up to counter.
The Dutch side will include include a rejuvenated Wesley Sneijder, who has bounced back from losing the captaincy and his place in the side to take a key role as provider for Arjen Robben and Robin Van Persie. Sneijder will play just in front of midfield enforcer Nigel de Jong - fortunate to stay on the pitch in the 2010 final after a kung-fu kick on Alonso - and Jonathan de Guzman (if fit) or Jordy Clasie. Jor Ron Vlaar will lead a back line including the promising Daley Blind, son of Danny who becomes Dutch coach in 2016.
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