World Cup daily: Friday 11 June 2010

Published on Friday 11 June 2010 13:39

The anticipation prior to the World Cup opener builds and England's captain using past failures to spur him on.

Caption competition

Actor John Travolta attempts to dance while visiting the Australian team base camp at Kloofzicht Lodge in Muldersdrift today.

We're unsure of what he's doing there either, if you have an idea tell us in the comment section below.

Today's match schedule

South Africa v Mexico, 15:00

Soccer City Stadium, Johannesburg

Carlos Alberto Parreira has warned his South Africa side of the threat posed by what he describes as "the most daring team" at the World Cup ahead of their showdown with Mexico at Soccer City today.

Uruguay v France, 19:30

Green Point Stadium, Cape Town

Uruguay and France each have a lot to prove in their opening Group A game at the World Cup today.

Although they have won three World Cups between them – Uruguay in 1930 and 1950, France in 1998 – both are a shadow of their former selves.

Newspaper round-up

The Record reports that Maurice Edu is being backed to shine at this year's tournament by team mate Tim Howard who believes the big game experience gathered by the midfielder will stand him in good stead.

Celtic and Sout Korea midfielder Ki Sung-Yueng tells the Express that he is feeling the pressure ahead of his side's match against Greece due to the weight of expectation in his homeland.

The Sun reports that England captain Steven Gerrard is using the pain of missing the 2002 World Cup and the memory of missing a penalty in his side's quarter final to Portugal to fire him up for this World Cup.

From today's Scotsman

• World Cup 2010: South Africa at fever-pitch

• World Cup: England in self-obsessed isolation

• South African stage set for a football feast

• Uruguay and France out to rebuild reputations

• Parreira warns hosts to beware of Mexico

• Pele yearns for African finalist but still tips Brazil and Spain

• Scotland's absence hits hard for Tom Boyd as memories of France 98 linger

• The Anorak: Brazil an obvious but solid bet at 5-1 for glory

Fact of the day

The most goals scored in a World Cup match was in the quarter finals of the 1954 tournament in Switzerland when Austria beat Switzerland 7 - 5.

Team of the day

SOUTH AFRICA

The pressure will be on the hosts today when they take on Mexico in the opening match of the tournament.

The Bafana Bafana suffer from a lack of firepower up front and even with the noise of the vuvuzela blaring them on, they'll struggle to progress - and no host nation has previously failed to do that.