World Cup 2014: Team news for opening game between Brazil and Croatia

Hosts Brazil will have Neymar in their frontline when they open the 2014 World Cup against Croatia on Thursday night.

After years of preparation, the 20th edition of the tournament kicks off in Sao Paulo tonight. It is the second time Brazil have hosted the World Cup and they will be praying it is more successful than in 1950, when the Selecao fell at the final hurdle against Uruguay at the Maracana.

The host nation has never lost their opening World Cup game, with the 20 previous hosts winning 14 and drawing six of their openers.

Brazil head coach Luiz Felipe Scolari insists the "time has arrived" for them to lift the trophy, something they last did back in 2002 under the guidance of the former Chelsea manager.

He said: "To all Brazilians, I want to tell you the time has arrived. This is our World Cup.

"There are seven steps. We have to go up those seven steps but to start we have to think of the first step. We can't jump the seven steps.

"The first step is against Croatia. After that we have six steps that we want to go up if we want to win the World Cup."

A lot of the country's hopes rest on the shoulders of star forward Neymar, who has shaken off an ankle injury to feature in the Group A opener, which kicks off at 9pm.

The Barcelona star said: "I am anxious of course but also I'm extremely happy being where I am today because many people would like to be here.

"I really hope I can help my team in the best possible way to fulfil the dream of the players, and Brazilians, which is to win the World Cup."

Fred will lead the line for the host nation, with support coming from Neymar, Oscar and Hulk as Scolari's men look to get off to a perfect start.

Paris Saint-Germain-bound David Luiz will line up at centre-back, with Tottenham midfielder Paulinho providing some protection for the back four.

Brazil come into the game on the back of successive wins over Panama and Serbia, who were seen off 4-0 and 1-0 respectively at the Estadio do Maracana.

Croatia have also won their last two games, beating Mali and Australia 2-1 and 1-0 - but they must take on Brazil without the services of the banned Mario Mandzukic. 

Bayern Munich frontman Mandzukic is banned after his red card in the play-off game against Iceland back in November, with Hull City striker Nikica Jelavic likely to get the nod in attack.

Croatia midfielder Ivan Mocinic will take no part in the World Cup and has been sent home after failing to recover from a recurring ankle injury, with coach Niko Kovac calling up Milan Badelj as a replacement.

The uncapped Mocinic was a surprise inclusion in the squad at the expense of Badelj, who is himself nursing a groin strain.

Defender Danijel Pranjic looks set to miss out after picking up an ankle injury in the warm-up win against Australia last weekend.

Sime Vrsaljko will deputise on the left flank in Sao Paulo, while Dejan Lovren should play alongside Vedran Corluka in the centre of defence as Josip Simunic has been banned from the World Cup and Gordon Schildenfeld is nursing a hamstring strain.

Paul Merson's prediction:

I’m not sure Brazil are that good. They’re better than average but I’m really not sure they’re as good as everyone says they are and I can see them falling over the line in this first game of the tournament.

PAUL PREDICTS: 1-0