Note: The world's single biggest sporting event is sure to cause plenty of excitement, shocks and of course controversies. Let's look back at ten of the most famous controversies in World Cup history.

 

10. Italy stands up for fascism, 1938

In the final World Cup before World War II, defending champions Italy were in the middle of their run towards a second World Cup title when controversy struck.

In the quarterfinals, Italy faced hosts France, and as both teams traditionally wear blue, Italy was asked to bring its alternate shirts which were traditionally white. Instead, on Benito Mussolini's orders, the team took to the field in black shirts, a symbol of the feared and despised Italian fascist paramilitary.

This, predictably, did not go down at all well with the thousands of French and Italian antifascist protestors present, but Mussolini added an extra frisson to proceedings by ordering the team to hold their fascist salutes for so long that the protestors ran out of energy and ceased their howling.