Who's saying what at the World Cup

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Who's saying what at the World Cup on Friday:

"It's not exactly as if I have to choose between going to hospital or to prison."

- UEFA president Michel Platini on whether or not to challenge FIFA boss Sepp Blatter.

"We didn't have bread every day and for shoes we had to rummage through rubbish bins, pick them out and then wear them."

- Ecuador midfielder Edison Mendez on his impoverished upbringing.

"Happiness for the whole country is more important than money."

- Lieutenant General Chatudom Titthasiri, head of army-run Channel 5 in Thailand after the junta decided to broadcast World Cup matches free of charge.

"This is the first strike. There will be more."

- Union boss Marcelo Schimdt on disruptions by groundstaff at Rio airport.

"The predictions have been halted by the authorities."

- Spokesman for the China Centre for Research and Conservation of Giant Pandas after plans to use baby pandas to predict World Cup scores were halted.

"I wish everyone a wonderful World Cup, played in a spirit of true fraternity."

- Pope Francis tweets his support for the World Cup.

"When you are in your mother's womb, our dads hope that it will be a boy so that he will play football for the Brazil team."

- Former Brazil international Sonny Anderson.

"As Honduras is a small team, they say that we are going to be aggressive and with this they are inciting the referees to focus on Honduras and give us the cards."

- Honduras midfielder Roger Espinoza fearing the giants of the World Cup may be trying to influence officials.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2014-06-13

[StevieH]

"and <deleted> Brazil, go 'ed Argentina." - Pope Francis tweets his support for the World Cup.

[jellydog]

"and <deleted> Brazil, go 'ed Argentina." - Pope Francis tweets his support for the World Cup.

The Pope don't take no prisoners.