Kick-off: Richard v Henry, and we're off

Here we go. Four days after Sunday’s draw, the wait is over and the lights come on in Mexico City tonight.

Richard brings the hosts to the table: Mexico, FIFA #15, his tier-2 pick - a comfortable favourite at home. Across the line is Henry, somehow representing South Africa (FIFA #60, his tier-5 underdog). On paper Mexico walk it. In sweepstake terms it’s Richard’s quiet expectation against Henry’s “well, it’s a free hit”

• and famously that’s exactly the kind of fixture upsets are written about.

Spare a thought for Henry specifically: he’s also got Canada out the gates tomorrow lunchtime against Nichola’s Bosnia-Herzegovina, and in the evening Pete’s South Korea face Tega’s Czechia in the other Group A opener. Two of his squad in 24 hours - not a bad way to gauge his portfolio early.

Everyone else - rest up, dust off your group-stage calculators, and remember: only one of us will look like a genius by July, and the other seven will be telling everyone they “had a feeling about that one.”

Good luck everyone.