The Rio Olympic Games kicked off in spectacular fashion with a colourful opening ceremony that celebrated global diversity.

The show was a riot of music and a celebration of Brazil's multi-ethnic history, watched by audiences around the world.

Samba music featured prominently at the event, put together by the City of God director Fernando Ferreira Meirelles.

Supermodel Gisele dazzled the crowds at the opening ceremony, in what was billed as her final cat walk appearance.

Millions of people across the planet are expected to watch the games, but not everyone is happy about the event taking place in Rio.

An estimated 3,000 people took part in protests over the huge cost of the event outside the stadium earlier in the night.

And in other bad news, Brazil's football legend Pele - due to light the Olympic cauldron - pulled out of the ceremony citing health reasons.

Read below for our minute-by-minute coverage of the whole event.

Nadal and Wozniacki represent

Fireworks light up RIo

The Olympic opening ceremony in Rio comes to a close

The climax continues with fireworks shooting from the Olympic rings.

President of the Rio 2016 committee Carlos Nuzman then addressed the crowd.

He said: “I am talking to the whole planet! We welcome you to Rio, the Olympic city.

“We stand to deliver history. The Olympic dream is now a wonderful reality.”

Plants form explosive climax

The Olympic opening ceremony in Rio comes to a close

Foliage forms the famous Olympic rings in the climax the athletes arrival.

Young representatives from each team have planted a tree as a permanent legacy to the games.

The rings then exploded in a verdant riot of colour.

Pele Tweets

Football legend Pele has Tweeted his support for the countrymen.

The star was supposed to light the Olympic cauldron but pulled out citing health reasons.

He Tweeted: “I am there with you tonight with energy and thought at Maracanã Stadium. God bless you all!”

The crowd go wild for Brazil

Brazilian team arrive at the opening ceremony

The home team are out in the Maracana to rapturous cheers from the capacity crowd.

The athletes are given a heroes welcome as they steep out in Rio.

They hope to double their haul of 14 medals from London.

The refugee team get this biggest cheer of the night

Refugee Olympic team arrive

A team of refugees have got the biggest cheer of the night.

The athletes, with no team, no flag, no national anthem, represent people form war torn countries world wide.

This is what it's like to walk out with Team GB

This video gives you an idea of what it is like to walk out at the Maracana with Team GB.

The footage was taken by golf star Justin Rose’s caddy.

The Thailand team

The Thailand team arrive (
Image:
BBC)

The Thais are here for medal success.

Thailand faces an important vote domestically this week over whether to give the military more power.

Team GB selfie

This is a selfie taken by Team GB rugby player Daniel Norton.

He Tweeted: “What a night!! The start of something special.

“The boys were hyped for this.”

The Swiss arrive right on time

Switzerland enter (
Image:
BBC)

The Swiss are next to enter the Maracana.

Their number includes tennis legend Martina Hingis.

Hello to the Swedes

Sweden enter (
Image:
BBC)

The Swedish team have arrived, looking resplendent in yellow.

Reduced Russian team arrive

Russian team athletes arrive for the opening ceremony

The Russian team arrived to a mixed reception from the capacity crowd.

Many of their athletes have been disqualified due to a state-sponsored doping scandal.

The North Koreans wave their flags

North Korean team athletes arrive for the opening ceremony

The team from North Korea have made their entrance.

The athletes from the super secretive state looked like they were here to win medals.

Portugal arrive to huge cheers

Portuguese team athletes arrive for the opening ceremony

Portugal - the country which colonised Brazil - have just received a huge cheer as they enter the stadium.

Intriguingly, they are the only team so far to have chosen to wear jeans with their blazers.

Here comes Paraguay

Paraguayan team athletes arrive for the opening ceremony

Fellow South American team Paraguay have made the short trip to Rio.

The landlocked nation of 6 million people borders Brazil.

Next up Panama

Panamanian athletes arrive for the opening ceremony

The central American country of Panama is next to enter the stadium.

The stadium is nearly full to bursting

Athletes arrive for the opening ceremony

As more and more athletes pour in, the stadium must be close to capacity.

A total of 11,000 competitors are expected to walk thought the Maracana.

Hola Mexico

Mexican team arrives for the opening ceremony

The Mexicans arrive to a huge cheer inside the Maracana.

In 2012, the Mexicans beat Brazil to the football gold medal.

The Mauritians get on the front foot

Mauritian team arrives for the opening ceremony

The Mauritian team are proudly waving their flag.

Mauritius is an Island nation in the Indian Ocean.

Morocco step up to the plate

Moroccan team arrives for the opening ceremony

The Moroccans are here and they mean business.

Australia's tribute

The Australian team are wearing jackets with the name of every gold medallist in the country’s history printed on the lining.

Their touching tribute can be seen in this Tweet.

Olympic journalists 'caught up in gunfight between police and gangsters'

Coach pictures purportedly showing people caught inbetween gunfire between gangs and police in Rio

A group of Olympic journalists have reportedly been caught up in the middle of a gunfight between police and gangsters after arriving in Rio.

Chinese reporters due to cover the basketball events were travelling from the Tom Jobin International Airport to the Olympic village when the shooting took place.

Six local people were killed during the roadside firefight but there are no Chinese casualties, according to the Shanghaiist.

Read the full story here.

Japan saunters in

Japanese team arrives for the opening ceremony

The Japanese team have made their presence felt.

Tokyo is the host for the 2020 games.

Welcome Jamaica

Jamaican team arrives for the opening ceremony

The Jamaican team are here - and intend to win medals.

The world’s fastest man Usain Bolt is bidding to become the first person to win 3 100metres golds on the spin.

Hello to the Italians

Italian team arrives for the opening ceremony

The Italian team are full of beans as they officially arrive in Rio.

The athletes jumped on top of each other and stuck their tongues out at the camera as they walked through the stadium.

Israel are here

Israeli team arrives for the opening ceremony

The Israeli team arrive at the Maracana.

The athletes had a disappointing games in 2012 without a single medal.

Murray's 'proudest moment'

Andy Murray leads in Team GB (
Image:
BBC)

Andy Murray said leading out Team GB is the highlight of his career.

He is attempting to emulate the great Steve Redgrave by carrying the flag one handed for the entire circuit of the stadium.

Opening ceremony kicks off in spectacular in spectacular fashion

The 2016 Olympic Games have kicked off in spectacular fashion, thanks to a supermodel, some samba and a spectacular opening ceremony.

Hundreds of performers took part in the show, which celebrated Brazil’s past and present, it’s history, diversity and grand musical traditions.

But Olympic chiefs faced a race against time to find a last-minute ‘substitute’ for Pele at the Games opening event early today when the legend was forced to pull out of the event.

Read more from Jeremy Armstrong here.

The excitement is too much for some

The razzmatazz of the opening ceremony has clearly overcome this spectator.

Slumped forward in her chair, she obviously needs a lie down after all the excitement.

Here come Team GB!

Team GB are in the building.

Andy Murray is leading the way - waving the flag one handed in his left hand.

How any medals will they scoop this time round?