MANGARATIBA, Brazil (AP) — No. 3 goalkeeper Mattia Perin has one foot high in the air as he leans down to return a table tennis shot.
Daniele De Rossi is battling Ignazio Abate in a video game.
Andrea Pirlo interrupts a pinball game to glance at the camera.
The photo that defender Leonardo Bonucci posted on Instagram last week offered insight into what Italy's players do with their free time at the Portobello Resort & Safari.
On Monday, goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu revealed which player is better at what on PlayStation and Xbox.
"Thiago Motta gets the gold medal at war games," he said. "(Alessio) Cerci, (Ciro) Immobile and (Lorenzo) Insigne dominate at football. De Rossi thinks he's good at basketball, but he's not, and I know that because Perin beat him.
"And I'm happy to let everyone know (De Rossi) is no good," Sirigu added with a laugh.
The game room must have been approved by Cesare Prandelli, although the Italy coach might do well to warn the players not to go overboard. It was only a few years ago that defender Alessandro Nesta had to have his thumb operated on, reportedly after injuring it playing too many video games.
"It's a good way to spend our free time and create team spirit," Sirigu said. "It's just good to be together."
— By Andrew Dampf — www.twitter.com/asdampf
___
WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT
FORTALEZA, Brazil (AP) — Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari sent a message to his former Portugal players after their 4-0 loss to Germany on Monday.
"I tell my friends that when I was the coach at the Euros (in 2004) we also lost the first match and we still went on to the final," Scolari said. "This is what I can say to motivate them. They have to regroup to try to win the next match, and then win again to make sure they can advance. We lost it that time at home but we still reached the final. It can still happen and this Portugal team can do it."
Scolari coached Portugal after he led Brazil to the 2002 World Cup title in South Korea and Japan. He stayed with the Portuguese national team until 2008.
In the news conference previewing Brazil's match against Mexico on Tuesday, the coach also took the time to joke with team captain Thiago Silva. In one of his answers, the defender was listing the players who could replace striker Hulk if he can't play because of an injury.
Scolari interrupted his player and asked, "Wait, so now you are the one who is saying who will be playing?"
— By Tales Azzoni — www.twitter.com/tazzoni
___
FIRST DRAW
CURITIBA, Brazil (AP) — The very first day of the 2010 World Cup, both games ended as draws — one of them scoreless.
The 2014 tournament made it to its fifth day and 13th match before its first tie. Nigeria and Iran ended 0-0 in their Group F opener Monday, a dull contrast to the streak of high-scoring games, all with a winner.
___
BRAZILIANS FOR PORTUGAL
SAO PAULO (AP) — Outside Restaurant Haddock Grill hangs a big flag of Brazil, and a small one of Portugal.
Inside, businessmen in suits and ties are having their lunch break — chattering loudly over their dishes with their eyes glued to the screen above the buffet offering. Portugal is playing its first World Cup game, and the mood suddenly turns dour as the team surrenders its second goal of the first half, en route to a 4-0 thrashing at the hands of Germany.
Even though Brazil has been independent from Portugal for nearly two centuries, most of the diners appear partial to the squad of their former colonizers.
"Portugal is in our blood, in our body," said Andres Szarukan, a 37-year-old business manager for a digital media company. "We still have a lot of families who came from Portugal and the connection is strong."
Among those are the Martins, the owners of the diner in downtown Sao Paulo who placed the flag outside.
Sandra Martins says her parents were born in Portugal, so naturally their allegiances were to the team of Cristiano Ronaldo — so long as they weren't playing Brazil. The 38-year-old frowns after Germany scores again.
As the first half comes to a close, the diners shuffle out and reluctantly head back to their offices. Less commotion is expected the next day, when Brazil is set to play again. Most say they'll skip their business lunch out, leaving work early to catch the afternoon game at home.
— By Aron Heller — www.twitter.com/aronhellerap
___
SING-OFF
BELO HORIZONTE, Brazil (AP) — Under towering palm trees in Belo Horizonte's main square, about 100 Algeria and Belgium fans engaged in a friendly but very boisterous sing-off.
They chanted back and forth at each other in Praca da Liberdade on Monday, to the bemusement of residents who use the square for taking a stroll or running. Algeria fans were the loudest, blowing air horns and even vuvuzelas. One group of Algerians even got up on the plaza's bandstand to shout down at the Belgians.
But it was all in good humor. The Algerians made their way down from the bandstand to join the Belgians, and they danced and sang in a circle. The square is one of Belo Horizonte's iconic images, surrounded by landmarks including the Minas Gerais state government headquarters and an Oscar Niemeyer-designed building.
Algeria and Belgium will play in the Group H opener at Mineriao Stadium on Tuesday.
— By Frank Griffiths — www.twitter.com/fgriffithsap
___
LANDON LAMPOONS
NATAL, Brazil (AP) — So how do you really feel, Landon?
U.S. star Landon Donovan, cut from the World Cup team, tweaks coach Jurgen Klinsmann's decision in a video released Monday, the day of the Americans' opener in Brazil. The promo for EA Sports' 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil video game depicts Donovan's supposed life without soccer — and not-so-subtly hints that his passion for the game would be the difference in lifting the U.S. to glory.
After sleeping in, Donovan slips on a USA robe and slippers. The camera cuts to images of soccer gear, then a newspaper with the headline: "Does Team USA have enough firepower?"
As Donovan sips his coffee, he knocks a replica World Cup trophy off the kitchen table and shakes his head. The clip ends with Donovan playing the video game, scoring a goal as himself to lead the U.S. to the championship. He then looks into the camera and rolls his eyes.
Fans will know a lot more about whether the decision to drop Donovan was a bad one after the Americans face Ghana later Monday in Natal. Donovan will be providing commentary for ESPN from Los Angeles.
___
Associated Press reporters will be filing dispatches about happenings in and around Brazil during the 2014 World Cup. Follow AP journalists covering the World Cup on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Sports/world-cup-2014