Ewan MacKenna World Cup diary from Brazil

It was at sunrise on Tuesday in a hotel in Brasilia that a group of Nigerian air force personnel presented themselves at the counter for check in. Of all shapes and sizes – one man of at least 25 stone claimed to be a jet fighter pilot – what they had in common was enough seniority to be allowed to fly in for their nation’s second-round game with France.

But, drawing the attention ...