World Cup 2014: The fans – in pictures

Thousands of fans travelled from around the world, their colours as bright as their spirits were high Photograph: Getty

Football lovers on Ipanema beach in Rio Photograph: Tom Jenkins/Tom Jenkins

A Costa Rica fan feeds his pet rooster Photograph: Esteban Felix/AP

After early anti-Fifa protests, Brazil’s well-armoured police were kept relatively quiet Photograph: Pacific Press/Rex Features

A dejected Brazil fan after their humiliation at the hands (and feet) of Germany Photograph: AGF s.r.l./REX/AGF s.r.l./REX

A lone US supporter dressed as Captain America sits in the stands after Belgium sent the Americans home Photograph: Natacha Pisarenko/AP

England fans make their feelings known Photograph: Tom Jenkins

A Belgian fan reacts during the quarter final game between the Netherlands and Belgium Photograph: Amin Mohammad Jamali/Getty Images

A Brazilian man plays football in Porto Seguro Photograph: Anne-Christine Poujoulat/AFP/Getty Images

A Dutch fan holds a replica of the World Cup trophy. The Netherlands are yet to lift the genuine article Photograph: Odd Andersen/AFP/Getty Images

A Brazilian fan shows his support for misfiring forward Hulk Photograph: Vanderlei Almeida/AFP/Getty Images

An Argentinian fan posing in front of a promotional poster of Luis Suárez’s gaping jaws after the Uruguayan striker sunk his teeth into Italy centre-back Giorgio Chiellini. See more fans' tomfoolery here Photograph: Tom Jenkins

Argentina took their sporting icons as seriously as ever Photograph: Pedro Ugarte/AFP/Getty Images

A kaleidoscopic crowd take their seats for the quarter-final between France and Germany Photograph: Francois Xavier Marit/AFP/Getty Images

Prince Harry at the end England's final game of the competition against Costa Rica. It was the first time England had failed to qualify for the knock-out stages Photograph: Odd Andersen/AFP/Getty Images

French supporters ahead of their group game against Ecuador Photograph: Odd Andersen/AFP/Getty Images

Ivory Coast's fans before their match with Greece Photograph: Gabriel Bouys/AFP/Getty Images

Brazilians celebrate at a fruit stand in Porto Seguro after Brazil's victory over Chile in the Round of 16 Photograph: Anne-Christine Poujoulat/AFP/Getty Images

US superfan 'Teddy Goalsevelt' gives a salute Photograph: Sergio Moraes/Reuters