Football fever grips the world

New Delhi: The world is in the grip of football fever, and Ronaldo has caught the bug too. The Brazilian striker is suffering from fever and had to skip practice on Thursday.

Fans packed Offenbach's Bieberer Berg stadium to watch Brazil at a light training session ahead of their match against Croatia on Tuesday.

They missed Ronaldo while waving flags and chanting for Brazil.

The Brazilian delegation received a standing ovation on arrival, and players and coach Carlos Alberto Parreira were individually announced on the stadium's sound system.

Fans chanted and cheered every goal, as if watching a regular match.

A boy with a Brazil jersey invaded the field to get an autograph from Ronaldinho as the practice was opened for the public.

Despite tickets being distributed for free around Offenbach and Koenigstein, tickets were being sold for up to Euro 60 ($77). Several thousand people roamed outside, trying to find ways to get a glimpse.

England will have David Beckham and God on their side in their opening match against Paraguay on Saturday as the Church of England has got a phenomenal response to a prayer it put up on its official website in support of England's crusade to bring home the World Cup after 40 years.

The frenzy could have something to do with the fact that England have failed to bag the Cup since 1966 - the first and last time they won the World Cup.

It's not just the players of 32 teams are in limelight, others also have it thrust upon them as the wives and girlfriends of the players pitch in to make the beautiful game sexy.

Triumph International has presented an unusual and very special fashion show in Munich to celebrate the 2006 World Cup.

Among the participants in the show, internationally celebrated top model Raica Oliveira, girlfriend of Brazil's international player Ronaldo, joins Alena Seredova, girlfriend of Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and Pamela Diaz, wife of the famous Chilean player Manuel Neila were center of attraction.

Not only fashion show, but the soccer mega event will be used as stage for some good causes also.

Soccer has struggled for years to rid itself of racism. For this World Cup in Germany the governing body of the world's sport is making harmony a central theme.

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