10 Things you didn't know about the Football World Cup

1. Brazil is the only country to participate in every World Cup, which takes them to 20 straight appearances this year.

2. This is the first World Cup that will feature goal-line technology to help referees determine whether or not a ball crossed the line. All other forms of assistance (including instant replay) remain off limits.

3. All goalkeepers played barehanded until 1974.

4. The longest national anthem at the 2014 World Cup will belong to Greece, with 158 verses – even though they’re restricted to 90 seconds so won’t be able to finish.

5. This year’s high-tech official World Cup “Brazuca” ball is the most perfectly round ball in the history of the World Cup, made using materials invented by Bayer MaterialScience that enable it to maintain a perfect shape when kicked for optimal trajectory and direction.

6. The Vice President of FIFA hid the World Cup under his bed during WWII, as he didn’t want Nazi troops to see it.

7. At the 1990 World Cup, each UAE player who scored was given a Rolls Royce.

8.  Before the final in 1930, the referee ordered 60,000 fans to be searched. Security found 1600 revolvers in the crowd.

9.  Qatar is spending $220 billion to host the World Cup in 2022 – four times more than the preceding five cups combined!

10. North Korean fans at the World Cup in 2010 had their applause orchestrated by a conductor.