Please, don’t blame the Messi-ger: The games are finally here. But before you start watching, you might want to consider this: Watching your team in the World Cup triples your chance of having a heart attack.

+ “Brazilians sense that this opportunity offers more bad than good. They await the Cup’s arrival the way high school students might await a test they haven’t studied for.” From FP: Brazil is totally screwed.

+ If you haven’t been paying attention, then watching and discussing the World Cup can feel like taking a test. Let’s get you ready with Slate’s guide to faking your way through the tournament. (And here’s a guide to all the scandals plaguing the World Cup.)

+ The biggest shootout of them all: Can Nike Beat Adidas?

+ Hate sports but love brackets? Here’s WSJ’s guide to the World Cup of Everything Else. Tons of interesting data.