REUTERS/Marko Djurica
Hosts Russia did their best to get the party started on Thursday, cranking up the music as the guests mingled but the atmosphere still felt a bit flat.
Portugal and Spain tried to liven things up with a few party tricks in the kitchen on Friday, while Germany cracked open the beers on Sunday, only to find they were flat and out of date.
Meanwhile, all eyes kept glancing towards the door. The life and soul of the gathering had yet to arrive.
Then finally, on Sunday night, Brazil rocked up to the World Cup carnival.
Their opener provided plenty of entertainment and a goal for the ages but Switzerland held firm to keep Group E wide open.
What else did we learn from Brazil’s stalemate with Switzerland?