Germany vs Mexico
Venue: Luzhniki Stadium
Kick off: 4pm
World Cup holders Germany will be looking to put a rocky build-up behind them when they face Mexico in their opening Group F game in the Luzhniki Stadium this afternoon.
Joachim Low’s side have only won once since qualifying for the tournament with maximum points, edging past Saudi Arabia 2-1 in their final warm-up game.
There has also been controversy as Mesut Ozil and Ilkay Gundogan were jeered by Germany fans in recent friendlies after posing for a photograph alongside Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Germany are trying to become the first team in 56 years to retain the World Cup.
“We need the greed, the fire,” said defender Jerome Boateng. “It’s part of what makes things go off with a bang sometimes in training and on the playing pitch. We will have to fight for every inch.
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“I think we’re known as a team that starts well.”
Germany beat Mexico 4-1 on the way to winning the Confederations Cup in Russia last year.
Like Germany, Mexico qualified with ease for a seventh consecutive World Cup as they secured their place with three matches to spare.
They have lost to Denmark and Croatia in their warm-up matches and drawn against Wales, however, manager Juan Carlos Osorio used the games to try a variety of players.
Sweden and South Korea meet in the other Group F clash on Monday.