World Cup briefs:

Magic number

Uruguayans hoping their team can pull off a repeat of their 1950 World Cup upset against Brazil have found a new source of optimism in a mathematical formula that has gone viral on social networks.

The magic number, according to the theory, is 3964. Brazil won the World Cup in 1970 and 1994. Add those up and you get 3964. Argentina won in 1978 and 1986, Brazil again in 1962 and 2002, Germany in 1974 and 1990 -- all add up to 3964.

By that logic, Uruguay should be due for its next championship in -- grab your calculator -- 2014.

Football with the boss

Most companies in Argentina will let their employees watch World Cup matches live, according to a survey of 168 firms.

Human resources specialists Mercer found that 88% of Argentine companies had decided to show matches on TV at work -- though 80% will only let their staff watch Argentina's own games.

When good shrimp go bad

Brazilian health officials raided hotels that will host visiting World Cup teams and confiscated expired food such as shrimp, salmon and butter from their kitchens.

Swank hotels that will host England, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Argentina and Ecuador were all caught in the raid. Many teams however plan to import their own food and most will have their own chefs.

Welcome to the jungle

Italy's coaches have tried to create a training environment in Florence to mimic the conditions the Azzurri will face in Brazil.

They have set up a small wooden shed beside their locker room where players run on treadmills or ride stationary bikes in temperatures of up to 33 degrees Celsius (91 Fahrenheit) and humidity of around 70 percent.

The goal is to recreate the climate of northeast Brazil and the Amazon, where Italy play their three first-round matches.

Early morning for Becks

Football icon David Beckham is facing an early start if he wants to watch England's World Cup opener against Italy on July 14.

The globe-trotting ex-England captain is in Singapore that day for a promotional event at a casino resort. With a 12-hour time difference from Manaus, Brazil, "Becks" will have to be up at 6:00 am if he wants to watch the game.

Postcards from home

Belgium's postal service will hand out free postcards so fans can send messages of support to the national team in Brazil.

Officials said the cards would be read out every day to the "Red Devils," who have enthralled their fans by qualifying for their first World Cup in 12 years.

Political backing

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said defending champs Spain were "the team to beat" at the World Cup, but admitted they faced a tough group.

"Holland bring back good memories (of Spain's 2010 World Cup finals win), but it's a bad opponent to start the tournament," he said. "And Chile is one of the best teams in South America."

He voiced confidence in coach Vicente del Bosque, "who knows football like few others."

Don't buy an iguana in Brazil

World Cup fans looking for that special souvenir from Brazil should know it is illegal to buy parrots, iguanas, monkeys, birds, snakes, butterflies, spiders and other wildlife, authorities said, releasing a list of environmental guidelines for tourists.

Buying wildlife, dead or alive, is punishable by a fine of up to 5,000 reals ($2,300, 1,700 euros) per animal and a prison sentence of up to one year, said the Rio Grande do Norte state branch of the Brazilian Environment and Resources Institute.

Twitter tiff

USA coach Jurgen Klinsmann apologized after his teenage son posted a Tweet mocking veteran forward Landon Donovan's dropping from the Stars and Stripes' World Cup squad.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAH DONAVAN (sic) HAHAHAHAA I DIDNT EVEN NOTICE UNTIL MY PHONE NOTIFIED ME," tweeted 17-year-old Jonathan Klinsmann, before his account was deleted.

"I am very disappointed," his father told a press conference, saying his son "has a huge admiration for Landon" and had only been joking with friends, not realizing how the story would explode on Twitter.

"He owes him a big apology, that was highly disrespectful and I think he has learned the biggest social media lesson that he can imagine," he said.

Tagging twins

The plane carrying Brazil to their matches has been painted top to bottom by graffiti artists Os Gemeos (The Twins) -- identical twin brothers Otavio and Gustavo Pandolfo.

The duo decorated the plane, owned by aptly named airline Gol, in their trademark yellow-tinged style, which can be seen in street art and murals in their native Sao Paulo and cities around the world.

No selfies with CR7

Bosses at The Palms hotel in Campinas, outside Sao Paulo, have told employees they will have to surrender their cell phones each day before work to guard against surreptitious photos of Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.

"Welcoming a team is an honor but also a responsibility," said manager Antonio Dias. "In a hotel of our stature, we have to be demanding."