BRAZIL — Fans of the beautiful game of soccer will celebrate the opening match of the 2014 World Cup Thursday as if it were a holiday, but the largest international soccer competition offers something for everyone.

As is customary, the host nation, Brazil, kicks off the action against Croatia at 2 p.m. The so-called perfectors of world football boast a fascinating style of play, involving superb control of the ball and has brought Seleção (Selection) a record five cup titles.

A number of story lines exist that can grab the attention of even the most causal soccer viewers.

The U.S. and the “group of death”

To advance out of its group, the U.S. Men’s National Team will be competing with Germany, No. 2 in the FIFA world rankings, fourth-ranked Portugal and Ghana, the team that knocked the Yanks out in both 2006 and 2010.

A likely must-win versus the budding rival Black Stars starts Monday at 3 p.m., before the USMNT takes on superstar Cristiano Ronaldo and the Portuguese Sunday, June 22 at 4 p.m. and manager Jurgen Klinsmann’s native country Deutschland Thursday June 26 at 10 a.m.

Klinsmann’s resistance to say anything positive

World Cup coverage in Spanish on KSL Español

For Spanish-speaking soccer fans in Utah, KSL Español will be offering in-depth coverage of the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

He doesn’t sound confident about his team's chances, and is likely using it as a way to temper expectations to the level where his job security is never threatened and he can motivate his players to prove him wrong.

Still, the strategy doesn’t have a flawless track record and could negatively impact his team if it sputters early. If it does hold any weight with the squad, it would surely manifest itself in the possible situation that sees the U.S. needing at least four points between its last two group-stage fixtures against the favorites.

Americans finished third at a previous South American World Cup

Although it happened in 1930, the U.S. took third in the first tournament following wins over Belgium and Paraguay in Uruguay. The Americans also grabbed one of the biggest upsets ever in the event, when they beat England 1-0 in the 1950 Brazil World Cup.

Reasons for optimism exist, even if they require fishing. The last time the Stars and Stripes met Portugal and Germany in the same World Cup they captured a 3-2 win over Portugal in 2002 and advanced to the quarterfinals where a potential goal that would’ve drawn them even with the Germans was denied by an evident handball.

National nicknames

In the likely occurrence the U.S. is bounced from the tournament early, a quick way to determine a new rooting interest can be found in the unique nicknames of each country represented.

A few of the names that stand out for their creativity are Indomitable Lions (Cameroon), Desert Foxes (Algeria), Socceroos (Australia) and Blue Samurai (Japan).

Synchronized goal celebrations

Goals can be hard to come by in some matches, so experiencing one is often exciting enough. However, an organized team celebration can make the moment even more memorable.

It’s hard to find a better celebration than the Ghanaian National Team’s Azonto, a dance that originated in the African nation. The U.S. hopes it doesn’t have to see it come Monday, but the Americans have come up with some struts of their own and the unforgettable dog pile in 2010.

Other common goal celebrations likely to be used include the simple, yet majestic knee slide and the more acrobatic expression of joy.

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