With Brazil and Croatia also in Group A, Mexico and Cameroon will give their all to start their campaign with a win at Arena das Dunas in Natal.

But, while El Tri are rocked by successive defeats in their warm-up games, the Indomitable Lions have had to endure some difficult negotiations over player bonuses before arriving in Brazil.

While they usually qualify for the World Cup from the first place in the CONCACAF zone, Mexico needed a huge favour from bitter rivals USA to avoid missing out on the tournament finals altogether this time out.

El Tri did qualify through the play-offs, but they do not exactly go into their opening game in confident mood.

While the national team chiefs failed to persuade star player Carlos Vela to end his international exile, Mexico also had key midfielders Luis Montes and Juan Carlos Medina ruled out through injury, but that was not the end of their worries.

El Tri produced two under-par performances in their final warm-up games against Bosnia and Portugal, losing both games 1-0, meaning they will have to show an improvement if they are to defeat Cameroon.

Mexico have been made 2.30 (13/10) favourites to win their opening match, with online bookmakers probably believing their experience and organisation will prevail against the Indomitable Lions.

Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez will be left on the bench as coach Miguel Herrera plans to stick to the side that started the Portugal game.

Probable starting line-up (5-3-2): Corona – Aguilar, Marquez, Rodriguez, Moreno, Layun – Herrera, Vazquez, Guardado – Peralta, Dos Santos.

Cameroon were the first African side to reach World Cup quarter-finals as they impressed at the 1990 tournament in Italy, but they have enjoyed little success since.

The Indomitable Lions qualified for four of next five tournaments, but only to be stopped in the group stage and they will certainly be looking to go one step further this time out.

Boss Volker Finke has got some very good players at his disposal, with Samuel Eto’o, Alex Song, Stephane M’Bia and Pierre Weno boasting plenty of experience, while there are some quality youngsters as well.

Cameroon have been pretty inconsistent since clinching World Cup qualification, sharing spoils with Germany and defeating Macedonia and Moldova, but losing to Portugal and Paraguay.

And with a number of players missing some training through injury in recent weeks, there does not seem to be a lot of value in backing the Indomitable Lions at 3.80 (14/5).

Jean II Makoun has recovered from an ankle problem, but he will not be in the starting line-up, whilst Landry N’Guemo and Edgard Salli are injury doubts.

Probable starting line-up (4-3-3): Itandje – Nyom, N’Koulou, Chedjou, Bedimo – Song, Enoh, M’Bia – Moukandjo, Eto’o, Choupo-Moting.