Our boys in Brazil

Tom Hennigan and David McKechnie will soon be joined by Emmet Malone and Ken Early

Ahead of the World Cup opener between Brazil and Croatia next Thursday, David McKechnie has been sampling the sights and sounds of the host nation.

In Saturday’s Irish Times Sport, he takes us on a tour of a national shrine near Sao Paulo that also houses a museum of footballing memorabilia and takes a closer look at the curious relationship between religion and the beautiful game in Brazil.