Cristiano Ronaldo to get FOUR bodyguards, France ban soap bars and Japan want a hot tub for each room... weird and wonderful World Cup hotel requests revealed
By John Drayton
Published: 10:50 GMT, 29 April 2014 | Updated: 11:59 GMT, 29 April 2014
The World Cup will feature some of the highest-profile players on the planet and with this summer's tournament on the horizon, protecting the biggest stars is high on the 32 nations' agenda.
Some eclectic requests have been given by countries to their team hotels to make them as comfortable as possible, including a steady stream of banana baskets and bars of soap to be replaced by liquid.
Protected: Ronaldo will have four bodyguards in Brazil, with just two for the rest of the Portugal side
Requests: Bodyguards will protect Ronaldo, while Australia players have asked for newspapers every day
Brazilian newspaper Lance has uncovered how far some teams will go to ensure the perfect surroundings for their sides during the most important summer of their careers.
Portugal seem particularly keen to protect their star man - they have employed six bodyguards for their 23-man squad, but four of them will be for Cristiano Ronaldo alone.
Didier Deschamps' France side have requested that all soap bars are replaced by a liquid wash, perhaps to prevent any slips.
Their opponents Ecuador, meanwhile, have asked that they receive banana baskets every day throughout the tournament, and Japan want a hot tub installed in each player's room.
Colombia, in Group C alongside Greece, Ivory Coast and Japan, want 15 youth players from Sao Paulo to join their training sessions for some healthy competition, and England's opponents Uruguay have asked for silent air conditioning in each room.
No slip up: The French national side will be banning soap bars in their bathrooms at the World Cup
Boost: French players won't be seeing any soap in Brazil, but Ecuador's squad will eat plenty of bananas
Other requests include the respective nation's TV channels in each room, high-speed internet and newspapers from around the globe delivered to the door. Algeria have also asked that all rooms for players and team officials need to have a Koran.
England's requests have not been revealed as yet, but we suspect Roy Hodgson will be asking for some tranquil relaxation music for when those penalty shootouts come about...
Bubbles: Japan players want a hot tub in each room to help them relax during the tournament
Perfect setting: The weird and wonderful requests were revealed in Brazilian newspaper Lance
Serene: Roy Hodgson's requests for the England side are yet to be revealed
