'Although sometimes we don’t remember it, (the World Cup) is the biggest world stage there is.' Quite a build up. And that description came from the President of the United States, Barack Obama, as he wished his team good luck at the White House in May.

It's an event few leaders can afford to ignore now. It can bring the world's attention to your country for 90 crucial minutes.

But the game has not always been such a celebration. It has played its part in starting wars and ending them: its been used to divide people and unite them.

The World Cup is also a major security concern now too, offering one of the biggest and highest profile targets in the world.

In this edition we look at how the paths of football and security have overlapped over the ages. And it throws up some interesting links, including the revelation of which team Osama bin Laden supports.

Paul King