Germany vs Portugal, World Cup 2014 Highlights: Thomas Muller's Hattrick Helps Germany Destroy Portugal 4-0

Germany beat Portugal 4-0 at Salvador. Catch the highlights of the match here (Matchcentre):

23:36 (IST): Thomas Muller's hattrick is the 49th in the history of World Cup. He now has 20 goals in 50 matches. Germany off to the perfect start in the tournament.

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23:22 (IST): The final whistle is blown! That is the end of the contest. The score reads 4-0 as Thomas Muller is responsible for the first hattrick of the tournament. Portugal clearly left to ponder at what went wrong. The truth is that Germany were simply brilliant.

23:16 (IST): Germany not letting Portugal off the hook at any cost. Podolski makes a conscious effort in the 88th minute but the shot is blocked. Ronaldo not looking anything like the player who was voted as World Footballer of the Year.

23:09 (IST): GOAL! Muller scores his hat-trick and Germany lead 4-0 in the 78th minute. It is the first hat-trick of the tournament. He now has 8 goals in 2 World Cups.

23:05 (IST): Ronaldo coming close to putting Portugal on the scoresheet but the keeper thwarts his efforts.

22:59 (IST): Horrible miss by Mario Gotze. Germany have missed at least three one-to-one situations.

22:55 (IST): No light visible at the end of the tunnel for Portugal as Fabio Coentrao is carried off on a stretcher in the 65th minute.

22:50 (IST): Ronaldo fails to convert a freekick in the 60th minute and is booed by the Portugal fans.

22:45 (IST): Germany's biggest World Cup win was 8-0 vs Saudi arabia in 1994. The Saudis had upset Belgium in that World Cup.

22:41 (IST): Germany lose two opportunities to make it 4-0. Ozil's shot is palmed away and Muller's header sends the ball over the bar. Muller not happy with his effort and Portugal have definitely had a lucky escape.

22:39 (IST): The likes of Podolski and Klose are yet to take the field. Not an entertaining prospect for the Portugal players who are literally with their backs to the walls.

22:35 (IST): It has been an offensive game so far, and the fans have nothing to complain about. The second half begins and Portugal have to look for something special as Germany are hungry for more goals.

22:25 (IST): Only once have the Germans lost a World Cup opener. That was back in 1982.

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22:17 (IST): So that's the end of the first half. Germany lead 3-0 and Muller has been outstanding. Portugal in total disarray. A heavily marked Cristiano Ronaldo has been totally off-colour and has hardly been able to get the ball for a long period of time.

22:16 (IST):  GOAL! Muller has his second as Germany lead 3-0 in the 45th minute.

22:13 (IST): Mario Gotze fires well over the bar in the  40th minute as Germany look to make the most of their one man advantage and wrap it up before half-time.

22:08 (IST): Pepe gets a red card for head butting Muller in the 38th minute. Portugal down by two goals and now have to play with 10 men. He had once suffered a 10-match suspension for head butting an opponent.

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22:04 (IST): Germans are collectively the tallest team in this World Cup

22:02 (IST): GOAL! Hummels header from a corner makes it 2-0 for Germany in 32nd minute.

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21:55 (IST): Nani's 25th minute shot is just over the bar as Portugal look desperately for an equaliser.

21:52 (IST): It is anybody's game as Portugal's Miguel Veloso sees a shot cannon back off his own player in the 13th minute, Germany break with devastating pace. Sami Khedira thinks he's clean through on goal, but doesn't count on the pace of his Real Madrid teammate Pepe, who catches the midfielder and expertly robs him of possession before jinking back into space and clearing the ball.

21:49 (IST): Nani fouls Lahm in the 19th minute and is cautioned by the referee.

21:45 (IST): This is Germany's 207th goal in World Cup finals from 100 games.

21:43 (IST): GOAL! Muller converts a penalty in the 11th minute to give Germany the lead. This is his 18th goal in 50 matches.

21:37 (IST): Portugal making repeated attacks into Germany;'s box but Khedira responds and almost puts Germany ahead but his shot is just wide of the post.

21:35 (IST):  Ronaldo displaying some of his brilliance but his shot is fired well over the target and the ball ends up in the stands.

21:31 (IST): The referee blows the whistle and the Group G match is underway. Germany not starting with Podolski or Klose for this game.

21:24 (IST): The anthems are on and one must remember that Portugal have not beaten Germany since Euro 2000.

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Germany will take a lot of inspiration from countryman and Formula One legend Michael Schumacher, who was today transferred from a French hospital to a facility in Switzerland on Monday after emerging from a coma following his devastating ski accident in December

In a surprise announcement, the retired racing star's spokeswoman Sabine Kehm said he had left hospital in the French Alpine city of Grenoble, where he had been treated since December when he slammed his head on a rock while skiing with his son and friends. (Read more)

#Schumacher out of coma & out of hospital.....just in time for Germany's 1st game of this World Cup. Inspiration. #RioInRio

- Rio Ferdinand (@rioferdy5) June 16, 2014

Preview

Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal aim to end a run of three defeats by Germany in major tournaments when their World Cup clash takes centre-stage Monday.

Ghana play the United States in a second Group G game, while in Group F, Iran take on Nigeria.

Germany beat the FIFA Ballon D'Or winner's side 3-1 in the third place playoff at the 2006 World Cup, 3-2 in the 2008 European Championships quarter final and 1-0 in the first round of Euro 2012. Other statistics weigh against Ronaldo as Germany have won all of their World Cup opening matches since 1990.

Germany had a number of injury doubts going into the much awaited encounter in Salvador.

But goalkeeper Manuel Neuer will return to duty after overcoming a strained shoulder. And midfield star Bastian Schweinsteiger will play even though he was helicoptered to a hospital on Saturday for a knee scan at FIFA's insistence, the German FA said.

The 29-year-old Ronaldo is on a high having won the Champions League with Real Madrid. But he has been training with a heavily strapped knee in recent days.

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Ronaldo Says he is 100 Percent Fit

Cristiano Ronaldo insists he is '100 percent fit' and ready to help Portugal break their losing streak against Germany in Monday's key World Cup clash.

The 29-year-old Ballon d'Or winner has laboured with a knee and thigh problem recently, but took a full part in Sunday's final training session in Salvador.

"I have been practising for a few days, which I couldn't do if I was injured," said superstar Ronaldo ahead of the Group G clash. (Read more)

Ronaldo Looks to Upstage Messi

Cristiano Ronaldo gets the opportunity to upstage fellow superstar Lionel Messi when Portugal open their World Cup campaign Monday with a mouthwatering clash against fellow European heavyweights Germany. (Read more)

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A German Team Prepared to Succeed

A wise man never bets against Germany at the major tournaments, and the team that manager Joachim Low has been painstakingly building for six years is now expected to be ready for the European Championships.

The belief is that its young players, like Mesut Ozil and Sami Khedira of the Spanish champion Real Madrid, are much more worldly than they were when they blossomed at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

And the experienced guys - like Philipp Lahm, Lukas Podolski and that inveterate striker of goals, Miroslav Klose - are tired of finishing second or third, and want a title to cap their careers. (Read more)

A Brazilain during a separate protest against the FIFA World Cup.

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Rio Officer Shoots Live Round During Protests

A motorcycle policeman can be seen on an Associated Press video firing what appeared to be a live pistol round at anti-World Cup protesters Sunday near Rio de Janeiro's Maracana soccer stadium.

During the small but violent and chaotic protest that played out about 1.5 kilometers (1 mile) from the stadium, another man in plainclothes who identified himself as a police officer also pulled a pistol and fired two shots into the air.

Pedro Dantas, a spokesman for the Rio de Janeiro security secretariat that oversees all security forces, said in a phone interview that if authorities verify the accuracy of the video, "we'll immediately open an investigation into the incident." (Read)