Russian President Vladimir Putin will fly to Brazil next month for the final game of the football World Cup, the Kremlin confirmed Friday.

"The president is scheduled to attend the final match of the World Cup as Russia is the host of the next world championship in 2018," top foreign policy aide Yury Ushakov told reporters.

Ivory Coast international Serey Die showed true dedication to his country by playing on despite the fact his father passed away just two hours before kick-off.

The brave midfielder broke down as the Ivory Coast national anthem played out ahead of their Group C game against Colombia on Thursday night.

Colombia maintained South America's strong start to the World Cup on Thursday, downing the Ivory Coast 2-1 to stay on course for a place in the last 16.

A day after Chile eliminated defending champions Spain, Colombia produced a fine attacking display to down the powerful Ivorians in Group C.

An Air Canada flight to Brazil packed with World Cup fans was forced to turn back to Toronto Thursday after authorities learned that a man had sneaked onboard.

Air Canada 090 was already over the Caribbean and four hours into the flight when Transport Canada ordered its return to the Toronto International Airport, said officials and witnesses.

Defending champions Spain slumped into mourning over their disastrous World Cup exit on Thursday ahead of a clash between England and Uruguay that could see another famous name fatally wounded.

A picture of midfielder Andres Iniesta, his head in his hands after the 2-0 defeat by Chile, symbolized the end of a golden run in which Spain won the World Cup and two straight European Championships.

The Netherlands moved to the verge of the World Cup last 16 on Wednesday with a breathless, come from behind 3-2 win over Australia.

Louis van Gaal's side will become the first team into the knockout phase if Spain fail to beat Chile in Group B's late game.

Dark horses Belgium staged a late fightback to beat Algeria 2-1 and deny the Africans a first World Cup win in 32 years on Tuesday.

Second-half goals from substitutes Marouane Fellaini and Dries Mertens secured an opening Group H victory for the Red Devils after Algeria had taken a 25th-minute lead via a Sofiane Feghouli penalty.

Police fired rubber bullets and arrested 11 people Monday to break up anti-World Cup protesters who trashed banks and blocked traffic in the southeast Brazilian host city of Curitiba.

About 200 protesters gathered in the city center and marched toward the stadium where Iran played Nigeria in a World Cup match, but were blocked by police, news website G1 reported.

Haris Seferovic scored in the last minute of injury time to grab Switzerland a dramatic 2-1 win over Ecuador in their Group E game at the World Cup finals in Brasilia on Sunday.

Seferovic's winner capped a remarkable comeback by the top seeds in the group as fellow substitute Admer Mehmidi had taken just 121 seconds to make his mark as he leveled the game in the 48th minute.

Spanish newspapers on Saturday bemoaned the "humiliation" and "catastrophe" of world champions Spain's 5-1 battering by the Netherlands in their opening World Cup match in Brazil.

Most papers splashed on their front pages a photo of Spain's goalkeeper and captain Iker Casillas kneeling with head bowed as Dutch players celebrated after ripping apart the Spanish defense.