* *Preferred formation: 4-2-3-1
Qualifying Route:
They qualified for the World Cup by finishing second top of AFC qualifying Group B, edging out Australia on account of their marginally better goal difference. It made for a nerve-shredding final round of matches, with Saudi Arabia recording a 1-0 win over Japan in their final match to finally book their place in Russia.
Past Performances:
Saudi Arabia qualified for their first FIFA World Cup in 1994. Under the leadership of Jorge Solari and with talents like Saeed Al-Owairan and Sami Al- Jaber, reinforced by national veteran Majed Abdullah, as team captain, Saudi Arabia beat both Belgium and Morocco in the group stage before falling to Sweden in the Round of 16. Saudi Arabia qualified for the next three World Cups, but did not win a group stage match in any of them. They failed to qualify for the 2010 and 2014 tournaments but secured qualification for the 2018 tournament, ahead of Australia.
Saudi Arabia are the three-time AFC Asian Cup champions and are generally considered one of the stronger sides in Asia. Yet they have only made the FIFA World Cup four times and have only made the knockouts once.
The Squad:
* *Goalkeepers: Abdullah al-Mayouf, Yasser al Mosailem, Mohammed al-Owais
* *Midfielders: Salman al-Faraj, Yahya al-Shehri, Hattan Bahebri, Abdulmalek al-Khaibri, Mohamed Kanno, Abdullah Otayf, Abdullah al-Khaibari, Houssain al-Mogahwi, Taisir al-Jassim, Salem al-Dawsari
* *Defenders : Mansoor al-Harbi, Osama Hawsawi, Ali al-Bulaihi, Omar Hawsaw, Mohammed al-Breik, Yasser al-Shahrani, Motaz Hawsawi
* *Forwards: Mohammad al-Sahlawi, Fahad al-Muwallad, Muhannad Assiri
✨ Uruguay ✨
* *Current FIFA Ranking : 17
* *Previous World Cup appearances: 12 – 1930, 1950, 1954, 1962, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1986, 1990, 2002, 2010, 2014
* *Best World Cup Results :Winners in 1930, 1950
* *Group fixtures : June 15 vs Egypt, June 20 vs Saudi Arabia, June 25 vs Russia
* *Captain: Diego Godin
* *Star Player⭐: Luis Suarez
* *Head coach: Oscar Tabarez
* *Preferred Formation : 4-1-4-1
Qualifying Route:
Brazil
breezed to first place in CONMEBOL qualifying but Uruguay were a
comfortable 2nd. Chile missed out and Argentina relied on Lionel Messi's
genius to qualify. Edinson Cavani was the key to their success, hitting
10 goals – three more than any other player in qualifying.
Past Performances:
Although
Uruguay has a population of little under four million, it packs a
historical punch in the World Cup like few others. It has won two FIFA
World Cups, including the 1st ever World Cup in 1930 as hosts, beating
Argentina 4–2 in the final. The team has qualified for 12 World Cups,
reaching the second round in all but three, the semifinals five times
and the finals twice. Even before the creation of the world Cup, Uruguay
has won the Gold Medals in football at the Summer Olympics twice, in
1924 and 1928. Uruguay refused to enter the World Cup until 1950, but
they stunned home team Brazil in the final by winning 2-1 at the
Maracana, the same year. Uruguay is one of the most successful teams in
the world, having won 19 official titles: 2 FIFA World Cup, 2 Olympic
Games and 15 Copa America.
Their exploits have
finished since those heady days in the past, but they have shown in each
of the last two editions that they are still a force to be reckoned
with.
The Squad:
* *Goal keepers: Fernando Muslera, Martรญn Campaรฑa, Martรญn Silva.
* *Defenders: Josรฉ Marรญa Gimรฉnez, Diego Godรญn, Guillermo Varela,
Nahitan Nรกndez, Gastรณn Silva, Maximiliano Pereira, Sebastiรกn Coates,
Martรญn Cรกceres.
* *Midfielders: Carlos Sรกnchez, Rodrigo
Bentancur, Cristian Rodrรญguez, Giorgian De Arrascaeta, Lucas Torreira,
Matรญas Vecino, Diego Laxalt, Jonathan Urretaviscaya.
* *Forwads: Luis Suรกrez, Cristhian Stuani, Maximiliano Gรณmez, Edinson Cavani.
✨ Russia ✨
* *Current FIFA Ranking : 66
* *Previous World Cup appearances: 11 - 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970, 1982, 1986, 1990 (all as USSR), 1994, 2002, 2014
* *Best World Cup result : Fourth - 1966
* *Group fixtures : June 14 vs Saudi Arabia, June 19 vs Egypt, June 25 vs Uruguay
* *Captain: Igor Akinfeev
* *Star Player: Denis Cheryshev
* *Head coach: Stanislav Cercesov
* *Preferred formation: 3-4-2-1
Qualification Route:
As
hosts, there was no need for Russia to go through any qualification
process and as such they are a side that are coming into the competition
largely untested. It is scheduled to take place in Russia from 14 June
to 15 July 2018, after the country was awarded the hosting rights on 2
December 2010.
Past Performances:
After
the breakup of the Soviet Union, Russia played its first international
match against Mexico on 16 August 1992 winning 2–0 with a team of former
Soviet Union players, including some born in other former Soviet
Republics. Russia were in Group 5 for the qualification campaign for the
1994 FIFA World Cup held in the United States which consisted of
Greece, Iceland, Hungary and Luxembourg. The suspension of the Federal
Republic of Yugoslavia reduced the group to five teams. Russia
eventually qualified alongside Greece with six wins and two draws.
Russia went to the USA to start a new era of Russian football as an
independent country. They appeared for the World Cup in 2002 and 2014 as
well.
This will be the first World Cup held in
Europe since the 2006 tournament in Germany, the first ever to be held
in Eastern Europe and the eleventh time that it has been held in Europe.
All of the stadium venues are in European Russia to keep travel time
manageable.
They are, however, eager to give a
strong account of themselves to the watching world, having failed to
progress past the group stage of the competition since the dissolution
of the Soviet Union.
Even on home soil, though,
their path will not be straightforward. Uruguay have an array of
attacking talent at their disposal while Egypt are expected to to be
carried by Mohamed Salah. It is essential they get their tournament off
to a flying start against Saudi Arabia.
The squad:
* *Goalkeepers: Igor Akinfeev, Andrey Lunyov, Vladimir Gabulov
* *Defenders: Mรกrio Fernandes, Ilya Kutepov, Sergei Ignashevich,
Andrei Semyonov, Fedor Kudryashov, Vladimir Granat, Yuri Zhirkov, Igor
Smolnikov
* *Midfielders: Denis Cheryshev, Daler Kuzyaev,
Yuri Gazinskiy, Alan Dzagoev, Roman Zobnin, Anton Miranchuk, Aleksandr
Golovin, Aleksandr Samedov, Aleksandr Erokhin
* *Forwards: Fedor Smolov, Aleksei Miranchuk, Artem Dzyuba
✨ Egypt ✨
* *Current FIFA Ranking : 46
* *Previous World Cup appearances: 2 - 1934, 1990
* *Best World Cup result : First round/Group Stage
* *Group fixtures : June 15 vs Uruguay, June 19 vs Russia, June 25 vs Saudi Arabia
* *Captain: Essam El Hadary
* *Star Player⭐: Mohamed Salah
* *Head coach : Hector Cuper
* *Preferred formation: 4-2-3-1
Qualifying Route:
Egypt
qualified over Uganda, Ghana and Congo in the third round of CAF. On
October 8, 2017, Egypt sealed their qualification with a 2–1 win over
Congo. The two goals were scored by Mohamed Salah with the second one in
a dramatic last minute penalty. Salah has scored the most goals in the
third round of the CAF 2018 World Cup Qualification campaign with five
goals.
Past performances:
Egypt
was the first African team to play in the World Cup finals in 1934.
Egypt has qualified to the world cup on three occasions, in 1934 , 1990
and 2018 FIFA World Cup. When they qualified in 1990, they became the
team with the longest-ever gap between two FIFA World Cup matches: 56
years and 16 days had passed(1934-1990). After beating
MandatoryPalestine, Egypt qualified for their first World Cup. . It is
notable that this World Cup will be the first in which Egypt plays
against a non-European team.
After another
near-three-decade absence, they have returned as they seek to progress
for the first time. Despite more positive news around Mohamed Salah's
injury, Egypt coach Hector Cuper has admitted that he is planning for
life without him just in case his star man isn't fit to start in Russia.
The Squad:
* *Goalkeepers: Essam El-Hadary, Sherif Ekramy, Ahmed El-Shenawy.
* *Defenders: li Gabr, Ahmed Elmohamady, Ahmed Hegazi, Ahmed Fathi,
Ayman Ashraf ,Mohamed Abdel-Shafy, Mahmoud Hamdy (El-Winsh), Saad Samir.
* **Midfielders: Omar Gabr, Sam Morsy, Tarek Hamed, Mohamed Elneny,
Mahmoud Abdel Razek (Shikabala), Abdallah El-Said, Amr Warda.
* **Forwards: Marwan Mohsen, Mohamed Salah, Mahmoud Abdel-Moneim (Kahraba), Ramadan Sobhi, Mahmoud Hassan (Trezeguet)
GROUP -B
- Portugal
- Spain
- Morocco
- Iran
✨ Portugal ✨
* Current FIFA Ranking : 4
* Previous World Cup appearances: 6 - 1966, 1986, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014
* Best World Cup result : Third place - 1966
* Group fixtures : June 15 vs Spain, June 20 vs Morocco, June 25 vs Iran
* Captain: Cristiano Ronaldo
* Star Player⭐: Cristiano Ronaldo
* Head coach : Fernando Santos
* Preferred formation: 4-4-2
Qualification Route:
The
2018 FIFA World Cup qualification UEFA Group B was one of the nine UEFA
groups for 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification. The group consisted of
six teams: Portugal, Switzerland, Hungary, Faroe Islands, Latvia, and
Andorra.
European champions Portugal booked
their spot in Russia after narrowly finishing top of Europe's Group B on
goal difference, edging out Switzerland on the final day to avoid the
play-offs.
Past Performances:
Portugal
have appeared in the finals of the FIFA World Cup on six occasions, the
first being in 1966, where they reached the semi final. The next two
times Portugal qualified for the World Cup finals were in 1986 and 2002,
going out in the first round both times. Although Portugal finished
first in the qualifying round for the 2006 World Cup, they faced Germany
in the third place play-off match in a 3–1 defeat. In 2010, they came
second in the qualifying round, but ended with a loss to eventual
champions, Spain in the round of 16, 1–0. However, in 2014, the team was
eliminated due to inferior goal difference to the Americans.
Portugal
displayed admirable defensive discipline and remarkable resilience to
defeat France in the final of Euro 2016 after the loss of their captain
and talisman Cristiano Ronaldo to an early injury.
Indeed,
the supposed next generation of stars (Andre Silva, Andre Gomes and
Renato Sanches, the latter who is left out of the squad) have struggled
terribly at club level, while drawing Spain, means Portugal are likely
to be left fighting for second place in Group B.
However,
as the Seleccao showed in France two years ago, they are capable of
springing a surprise, while a fully-fit Ronaldo makes anything possible.
The Squad:
* Goalkeepers: Anthony Lopes, Beto, Rui Patricio
* Defenders: Bruno Alves, Cedric Soares, Jose Fonte, Mario Rui, Pepe, Raphael Guerreiro, Ricardo Pereira, Ruben Dias
* Midfielders: Adrien Silva, Bruno Fernandes, Joao Mario, Joao Moutinho, Manuel Fernandes, William Carvalho
* Forwards: Andre Silva, Bernardo Silva, Cristiano Ronaldo, Gelson Martins, Goncalo Guedes, Ricardo Quaresma
✨ Spain ✨
* Current FIFA Ranking : 10
* Previous World Cup appearances: 14 - 1934, 1950, 1962, 1966, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014
* Best World Cup result : Winners - 2010
* Group fixtures : June 15 vs Portugal, June 20 vs Iran, June 25 vs Morocco
* Captain: Sergio Ramos
* Star Players⭐: Sergio Ramos, David de Gea, David Silva, Isco, Ascencia, Sergio Ramos.
* Head coach : Julen Lopetegui
* Preferred formation: 4-2-3-1
Qualification Route:
During
the qualifying rounds, they haven’t lost a single game. They kicked off
their qualifying campaign by thrashing Liechtenstein eight goals to nil
before dropping points after a 1-1 draw with Italy. They went back to
their winning ways away from home as they defeated Albania two goals to
nil. They ended their qualfying campaign on a high note after a
three-nil win over Albania and a one-nil win over Israel.
Past Performances:
Spain
is one of only eight countries ever to have won the FIFA World Cup,
which it did at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, the first time
the team had reached the final. The team is one of the most present at
the World Cup finals with 14 appearances out of the 20 tournaments.
Spain reached fourth-place in 1950, and has reached the quarter-finals
four times. The Spanish team has also won three UEFA European Football
Championships, in 1964, 2008 and 2012 and the Olympic football
tournament in 1992.
Spain may have disappointed
at their last two major tournaments but they will arrive in Russia as
one of the favourites to win the World Cup.
The Squad:
* Goalkeepers: David de Gea, Pepe Reina, Kepa Arrizabalaga
* Defenders: Dani Carvajal, Alvaro Odriozola, Gerard Pique, Sergio Ramos, Nacho, Cesar Azpilicueta, Jordi Alba, Nacho Monreal
* Midfielders: Sergio Busquets, Saul Niquez, Koke, Thiago Alcantara, Andres Iniesta, David Silva
* Forwards: Isco, Marcio Asensio, Lucas Vazquez, Iago Aspas, Rodrigo, Diego Costa
✨ Morocco ✨
* Current FIFA Ranking : 41
* Previous World Cup appearances : 4 - 1970, 1986, 1994, 1998
* Best World Cup result : Last 16 - 1986
* Group fixtures : June 15 vs Iran, June 20 vs Portugal, June 25 vs Spain
* Captain: Medhi Benatia
* Star Player⭐: Hakim Ziyech
* Head coach : Herve Renard
* Preferred Formation: 4-2-3-1
Qualification Route:
Goals
from defenders Nabil Dirar and Medhi Benatia handed Morocco a 2-0 away
win over the Ivory Coast in their last World Cup qualifier and booked a
return to the finals for the first time in two decades. Morocco
completed the CAF qualifcation campaign without conceding a goal,
finishing on 12 points, four ahead of the Ivorians. Gabon had seven and
bottom-placed Mali, five.
Past Performances:
As
the winners of the African Nations Cup in 1976, they were the first
African team to win a group at the World Cup, which they did in 1986,
finishing ahead of Portugal, Poland, and England. They were also the
first African team to make it to the second round, barely losing to
eventual runners-up West Germany, 1–0 in 1986. They also came within two
minutes of moving out of the group stage of the 1998 World Cup, Kjetil
Rekdal's late winning goal for Norway against Brazil, eliminating them.
After a 20-year absence, Morocco is ready to make a strong return to the game's grandest stage.
The Squad:
* Goalkeepers: Mounir El Kajoui, Yassine Bounou, Ahmad Reda Tagnaouti
* Defenders: Mehdi Benatia, Romain Saiss, Manuel Da Costa, Badr Benoun, Nabil Dirar, Achraf Hakimi, Hamza Mendyl
* Midfielders: M'bark Boussoufa, Karim El Ahmadi, Youssef Ait
Bennasser, Sofyan Amrabat, Younes Belhanda, Faycal Fajr, Amine Harit
* Forwards: Khalid Boutaib, Aziz Bouhaddouz, Ayoub El Kaabi, Nordin Amrabat, Mehdi Carcela, Hakim Ziyech
✨ Iran ✨
* Current FIFA Ranking : 37
* Previous World Cup appearances: 4 - 1978, 1998, 2006, 2014
* Best World Cup result : Group Stage
* Group fixtures : June 15 vs Morocco, June 20 vs Spain, June 25 vs Portugal
* Captain: Ashkan Dejagah
* Star Player⭐: Sardar Azmoun
* Head coach : Carlos Queiroz
* Preferred Formation: 1-4-5-1
Qualification Route:
Iran
became the second team to qualify for World Cup, after Brazil, in the
CAF Third Round, as they beat Uzbekistan 2-0 with goals from Sardar
Azmoun and Mehdi Taremi at the Azadi Stadium.
Past Performances:
Iran
is one of the most successful national teams in Asia with three Asian
Cup championships (1968, 1972, and 1976). Iran has qualified for the
World Cup five times (1978, 1998, 2006, 2014, and 2018) but has never
advanced past the group stage. Iran's only win in the World Cup has been
a 2–1 victory against the United States in 1998.
Iran's success was based upon their defensive excellence. Iran
do not lack attacking talent, though. Sardar Azmoun and Mehdi Taremi
combined for 19 goals over the course of the entire qualification
campaign, while winger Alireza Jahanbakhsh is coming off the back of the
most prolific season of his Eredivisie career.
However,
nothing less than victory in their tournament opener against Morocco
will suffice if Team Melli are to reach the knockout stage for the first
time in their history.
The Squad:
* Goalkeepers: Alireza Beiranvand, Rashid Mazaheri, Amir Abedzadeh
* Defenders: Ramin Rezaeian, Mohammad Reza Khanzadeh, Morteza
Pouraliganji, Pejman Montazeri, Seyed Majid Hosseini, Milad Mohammadi,
Roozbeh Cheshmi
* Midfielders: Saeid Ezatolahi, Masoud
Shojaei, Saman Ghoddos, Mehdi Torabi, Ashkan Dejagah, Omid Ebrahimi,
Ehsan Hajsafi, Vahid Amiri
* Forwards: Alireza Jahanbakhsh, Karim Ansarifard, Mahdi Taremi, Sardar Azmoun, Reza Ghoochannejhad
GROUP -C
- Australia
- France
- Peru
- Denmark
✨ Australia ✨
*Current FIFA Ranking : 36
*Previous World Cup appearances : 4 - 1974, 2006, 2010, 2014
*Best World Cup result : Last 16 - 2006
*Group fixtures : June 16 vs France, June 21 vs Denmark, June 26 vs Peru
*Captain : Mile Jedinak
*Star Player ⭐: Tom Rogic
*Head coach : Bert van Marwijk
*Preferred Formation : 4-4-1-1
Qualification Route :
Australia
had missed out on automatic qualification for finals after finishing
behind Asian Football Confederation rivals Japan and Saudi Arabia, and
so went into a regional play-off where they ended Syria's hopes of
advancing further towards Russia. Australia defeated Honduras 3-1 in the
second leg of their intercontinental play-off to qualify for the 2018
FIFA World Cup in Russia. Captain Mile Jedinak scored a half hat-trick
to give the Socceroos a 3-1 aggregate victory after the first leg
finished goalless.
Past Performances :
Socceroos have played at the FIFA World Cup on four occasions: in 1974, 2006, 2010 and 2014.
In
Australia's first appearance, representing OFC, a team made up entirely
of amateurs secured a scoreless draw against Chile, though eventually
departed from the 1974 tournament without a goal to show from their
inaugural appearance. Australia made up for lost time at Germany 2006
and qualified for the Round of 16 before narrowly falling to eventual
champions Italy. The German theme continued at South Africa 2010
although this time Australia, now representing the AFC, suffered a 4-0
loss against the European giants in a scoreline which ultimately
scuppered their progress. Australia were to lose all three games in a
tough group at Brazil, 2014.
Although Australia
first qualified for the World Cup in 1974, it is only in recent years
that they have become regulars at the tournament. Reaching Russia for
the competition this summer, though, was something of a trial for the
Socceroos. Reaching the second round and thereby equalling their
best-ever performance at a finals tournament would have to be considered
a significant achievement given they have a tricky group.
The Squad:
*Goalkeepers : Brad Jones, Mat Ryan, Danny Vukovic
*Defenders : Aziz Behich, Milos Degenek, Matthew Jurman, James Meredith, Josh Risdon, Trent Sainsbury
*Midfielders : Jackson Irvine, Mile Jedinak, Robbie Kruse, Massimo Luongo, Mark Milligan, Aaron Mooy, Tom Rogic
*Forwards : Daniel Arzani, Tim Cahill, Tomi Juric, Mathew Leckie, Andrew Nabbout, Dimitri Petratos, Jamie Maclaren
✨ France ✨
*Current FIFA Ranking : 7
*Previous World Cup appearances : 14 - 1930, 1934, 1938, 1954, 1958, 1966, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014
*Best World Cup result : Winners - 1998
*Group fixtures : June 16 vs Australia, June 21 vs Peru, June 26 vs Denmark
*Captain : Hugo Lloris
*Star Player ⭐: Antoine Griezmann
*Head coach : Didier Deschamps
*Preferred Formation : 4-3-3
Qualification Route:
The
talented French national team experienced no trouble in qualifying for
the World Cup in Russia topping their European qualifying group with 23
points in 10 matches. France conceded only six goals in the qualifying
group stage and scored 18 times. Chelsea's Olivier Giroud and Atletico
Madrid's Griezmann both scored four goals each.
Past Performances:
This
is a record of France's results at the FIFA World Cup. France was one
of the four European teams that participated at the inaugural World Cup
in 1930 and have appeared in 14 FIFA World Cups, tied for the sixth most
of any country. The national team is one of eight national teams to
have won at least one FIFA World Cup title.
The
French team won its first and only World Cup title in 1998. The
tournament was played on home soil and France defeated Brazil, 3–0 in
the final match. The tournament was hosted in France once before
in,1938, where France was eliminated by defending champions Italy in the
quarter finals.
In 2006, France finished as
runners-up losing 5–3 on penalties to Italy. The team has also finished
in third place on two occasions in 1958 and 1986 and in fourth place
once in 1982.
They travel to Russia with a
squad as deep as any in the competition, but with question marks hanging
over their mentality despite world-class talent including Paul Pogba
and Antoine Griezmann.
*The Squad :
*Goalkeepers : Alphonse Areola, Hugo Lloris, Steve Mandanda
*Defenders :
Lucas Hernandez, Presnel Kimpembe, Benjamin Mendy, Benjamin Pavard,
Adil Rami, Djibril Sidibe, Samuel Umtiti, Raphael Varane
*Midfielders : N'Golo Kante, Blaise Matuidi, Steven N'Zonzi, Paul Pogba, Corentin Tolisso,
*Forwards : Olivier Giroud, Antoine Griezmann, Thomas Lemar, Kylian Mbappe, Florian Thauvin, Ousmane Dembele, Nabil Fekir
✨ Peru ✨
*Current FIFA Ranking : 11
*Previous World Cup appearances : 4 - 1930, 1970, 1978, 1982
*Best World Cup result : Quarter-finals - 1970
*Group fixtures : June 16 vs Denmark, June 21 vs France, June 26 vs Australia
*Captain : Paolo Guerrero
*Star Player ⭐: Jefferson Farfan
*Head coach : Ricardo Gareca
*Preferred formation : 4-4-1-1
Qualification Route :
Peru
ended their 36-year FIFA World Cup drought by finishing fifth in the
CONMEBOL qualifying round and subsequently defeating New Zealand 2-0 on
aggregate in the intercontinental play-off. Farfan set the tone in the
28th minute – his 23rd international strike – unleashing an unstoppable
volley straight through All Whites goalkeeper Stefan Marinovic.
Past Performances :
Peru
has participated in the World Cup during the first World Cup in 1930
and in every tournament since 1958. Peru has reached the finals five
times: in 1930, 1970, 1978, 1982, and 2018. Peru was invited to the
first FIFA World Cup in Uruguay in 1930. They lost both of their games
and finished 10th out of 13 teams. The team either withdrew or did not
enter the next four tournaments, in 1934, 1938, 1950, and 1954. Peru
participated but did not qualify in 1958, 1962, or 1966.
Peru
had its best result in Mexico 1970, finishing in seventh place. Peru
again finished in the top eight at the World Cup in Argentina 1978. They
finished first in their group during the first round of the tournament,
but were eliminated after losing all their games in the second round.
Peru reached the next World Cup finals in Spain 1982, although the team
was eliminated in the first round after 2 draws and 1 loss. From 1986 to
2014, Peru did not advance past the CONMEBOL qualifying round.
The Squad :
*Goalkeepers: Carlos Caceda, Jose Carvallo, Pedro Gallese
*Defenders:
Alberto Rodriguez, Aldo Corzo, Anderson Santamaria, Miguel Araujo,
Miguel Trauco, Christian Ramos, Luis Advincula, Nilson Loyola
*Midfielders: Paolo Hurtado, Christian Cueva, Renato Tapia, Wilder Cartagena, Yoshimar Yotun, Pedro Aquino
*Forwards: Paolo Guerrero, Jefferson Farfan, Raul Ruidiaz, Andy Polo, Andre Carrillo, Edison Flores
✨ Denmark ✨
*Current FIFA Ranking : 12
*Previous World Cup appearances : 4 - 1986, 1998, 2002, 2010
*Best World Cup result : Quarter-finals - 1998
*Group fixtures : June 16 vs Peru, June 21 vs Australia, June 26 vs France
*Captain : Simon Kjaer
*Star Player ⭐: Christian Eriksen
*Head Coach : Age Hareide
*Preferred formation : 4-2-3-1
Qualification Route :
Denmark
finally qualified for World Cup 2018 in style as they defeated the
Republic of Ireland 5-1 in Dublin, in the play Off though their progress
to Russia was always balanced on a tightrope.
Past Performances :
The
first time Denmark entered the tournament was for the 1958 edition in
Sweden. However, they lost all four of their qualifying matches to
England and the Republic of Ireland.
They
qualified for the first time in 1986, where they won all three of their
Group Stage matches including a 2-0 against title contenders West
Germany, but were eliminated by Spain in the next round. Since then, the
Danish national team has regularly qualified for FIFA World Cup Finals
and will make their fifth appearance in Russia. Their best performance
was in 1998, where they reached the quarter finals.
They
are a side with a strong spine, led by captain Simon Kjaer, but they
are certainly not without their quality in attack, where Tottenham
playmaker Christian Eriksen will be the man pulling the strings.
*The Squad :
*Goalkeepers : Kasper Schmeichel, Jonas Lossl, Frederik Ronow
*Defenders : Simon Kjaer, Andreas Christensen, Mathias Jorgensen,
Jannik Vestergaard, Henrik Dalsgaard, Jens Stryger, Jonas Knudsen
*Midfielders : William Kvist, Thomas Delaney, Lukas Lerager, Lasse Schone, Christian Eriksen, Michael Krohn-Dehli
*Forwards : Pione Sisto, Martin Braithwaite, Andreas Cornelius, Viktor
Fischer, Yussuf Poulsen, Nicolai Jorgensen, Kasper Dolberg
GROUP - D
- Argentina
- Iceland
- Croatia
- Nigeria
✨ Argentina ✨
*Current FIFA Ranking : 5
*Previous
World Cup appearances : 16 - 1930, 1934, 1958, 1962, 1966, 1974,
1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014
*Best World Cup result : Champions - 1978, 1986
*Group fixtures : June 16 vs Iceland, June 21 vs Croatia, June 26 vs Nigeria
*Captain : Lionel Messi
*Star Player ⭐: Lionel Messi
*Head coach : Jorge Sampaoli
*Preferred Formation : 4-4-2
Qualification Route :
The
Argentina captain is the country’s all-time top goalscorer, and
delivered one of his best-ever international performances to send them
to Russia with Jorge Sampaoli’s side on the brink of a disastrous exit
in CONMEBOL qualifying round. Messi scored all three goals in the 3-1
away win against Ecuador to send Argentina through, earning a difficult
draw with Iceland, Croatia and Nigeria in Group D.
Past Performances:
Argentina
is one of the most successful national football teams in the world,
having won 2 World Cups in 1978and 1986. Argentina has been runners up
three times in the 1930, 1990 and 2014. The team was present in all but
four of the World Cups, being behind only Brazil, Italy and Germany in
number of appearances. Argentina has also won the Copa America 14 times,
one less than Uruguay. Moreover, Argentina has also won the
Confederations Cup and the gold medal at the Olympic football Tournament
in 2004 and 2008. Prior to that occasion Argentina had obtained two
silver medals in the 1928 and 1996 editions. On other levels of
international competition Argentina has won the FIFA U-20 World Cup a
record six times.
The Squad:
*Goalkeepers : Nahuel Guzman, Willy Caballero, Franco Armani
*Defenders :
Gabriel Mercado, Nicolas Otamendi, Federico Fazio, Nicolas Tagliafico,
Marcos Rojo, Marcos Acuna, Cristian Ansaldi, Eduardo Salvio
*Midfielders : Javier Mascherano, Angel Di Maria, Ever Banega, Lucas Biglia, Gio Lo Celso, Maximiliano Meza
*Forwards : Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero, Gonzalo Higuain, Paulo Dybala, Cristian Pavon
✨ Iceland ✨
*Current FIFA Ranking : 22
*Previous World Cup appearances : Debut
*Best World Cup result : N/A
*Group fixtures : June 16 vs Argentina, June 22 vs Nigeria, June 26 vs Croatia
*Captain : Aron Gunnarsson
*Star Player ⭐: Gylfi Sigurdsson
*Head coach : Heimir Hallgrimsson
*Preferred formation : 4-4-2
Qualification Route :
Following
a 2–0 home win over Kosovo in the final round of the qualifiers,
Iceland secured their spot in Russia 2018, finishing top of Group 1 by
two points over Croatia, who had defeated Iceland in the World Cup
play-offs four years earlier.
Past Performances:
Iceland
qualifies for the finals of a FIFA World Cup for the first time.They
directly qualified after securing the first spot in their qualifying
group on the final round. This meant that after 12 failed qualification
campaigns, Iceland would appear at the World Cup for the first time in
their history, and appear at only their second major international
tournament, after qualifying for UEFA Euro 2016 two years earlier.
Iceland
will also be one of the two smallest nations to reach the World Cup
finals, breaking the record set by Trinidad and Tobago. The other is
Panama.
Despite being the smallest nation to
ever qualify for the World Cup, they are sure to bring their tremendous
travelling support, whose trademark ‘Viking Clap’ became a defining
image of Euro 2016. Even if they don’t perform well on the pitch, their
supporters are guaranteed to enjoy themselves at their second-ever
international tournament.
The Squad:
*Goalkeepers : Hannes Thor Halldorsson, Runar Alex Runarsson, Frederik Schram
*Defenders :
Kari Arnason, Ari Freyr Skulason, Birkir Mar Saevarsson, Sverrir Ingi
Ingason, Hordur Magnusson, Holmar Orn Eyjolfsson, Ragnar Sigurdsson
*Midfielders :
Johann Berg Gudmundsson, Birkir Bjarnason, Arnor Ingvi Traustason, Emil
Hallfredsson, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Olafur Ingi Skulason, Rurik Gislason,
Samuel Fridjonsson, Aron Gunnarsson
*Forwards : Alfred Finnbogason, Bjorn Bergmann Sigurdarson, Jon Dadi Bodvarsson, Albert Gudmundsson
✨ Croatia ✨
*Current FIFA Ranking : 20
*Previous World Cup appearances : 4 - 1998, 2002, 2006, 2014
*Best World Cup result : Third place - 1998
*Group fixtures : June 16 vs Nigeria, June 21 vs Argentina, June 26 vs Iceland
*Captain : Luka Modric
*Star Player ⭐: Luka Modric
*Head coach : Zlatko Dalic
*Preferred formation: 4-2-3-1
Qualification Route:
Croatia
qualified for the 2018 World Cup on by holding Greece to a 0-0 draw in
the second leg of their play-off in Piraeus for a 4-1 win on aggregate.
Past Performances:
Croatia
have appeared in the finals of the FIFA World Cup on four occasions (in
1998, 2002, 2006 and 2014) since gaining independence in 1991. Before
that, from 1930 to 1990 Croatia was part of Yugoslavia.
Since
becoming an independent nation in the early 1990s, Croatia have been a
mainstay in international tournaments, only once missing out on World
Cup qualification.
However, they advanced to
the knockout stages just once too, and will be hoping that the current
crop of players can replicate the form of their 1998 ‘Golden Generation’
that reached the semi-finals.
The Squad:
*Goalkeepers : Danijel Subasic, Lovre Kalinic, Dominik Livakovic
*Defenders : Vedran Corluka, Domagoj Vida, Ivan Strinic, Dejan Lovren, Sime Vrsaljko, Josip Pivaric, Tin Jedvaj, Duje Caleta-Car
*Midfielders : Luka Modric, Ivan Rakitic, Mateo Kovacic, Milan Badelj, Marcelo Brozovic, Filip Bradaric
*Forwards : Mario Mandzukic, Ivan Perisic, Nikola Kalinic, Andrej Kramaric, Marko Pjaca, Ante Rebic
✨ Nigeria ✨
*Current FIFA Ranking : 48
*Previous World Cup appearances: 5 - 1994, 1998, 2002, 2010, 2014
*Best World Cup result : Last 16 - 1994, 1998, 2014
*Group fixtures : June 16 vs Croatia, June 22 vs Iceland, June 26 vs Argentina
*Captain : John Obi Mikel
*Star Player ⭐: Victor Moses
*Head coach : Gernot Rohr
Qualification Route:
Nigeria’s
Super Eagles were the first African team to qualify for the World Cup
in Russia in emphatic fashion; pulling off an unbeaten run against
strong competition from Cameroon, Zambia and Algeria. Winning four games
and drawing two, scoring 12 goals and conceding just 4, the Nigerian
side, which is highly rated by its fans at home, qualified with a game
to spare. Nigeria started the group stage matches with a 2–1 win over
Zambia in Ndola and defeated Algeria 3–1 in their second match at the
Godswill Akpabio International Stadium.
Past Performances :
Nigeria
have appeared in the finals of the FIFA World Cup on five occasions,
the first being in 1994 where they reached the second round. They are
three time Africa Cup of Nations winners, with their last title in 2013,
after defeating Burkina Faso in the final. In April 1994, the Super
Eagles was ranked 5th in the FIFA rankings, the highest FIFA ranking
position ever achieved by an African football team. Throughout history,
the team has qualified for six of the last seven FIFA World Cups (as of
2018), missing only the 2006 World Cup hosted in Germany, and have
reached the round of 16 three times. They were the only African team to
qualify for both the 2014 and 2018 tournaments.
The Squad :
*Goalkeepers : Ikechukwu Ezenwa, Daniel Akpeyi, Francis Uzoho
*Defenders :
William Troost-Ekong, Leon Balogun, Kenneth Omeruo, Bryan Idowu,
Chidozie Awaziem, Abdullahi Shehu, Elderson Echiejile, Tyronne Ebueh
*Midfielders : John Obi Mikel, Ogenyi Onazi, John Ogu, Wilfred Ndidi, Oghenekaro Etebo, Joel Obi
*Forwards : Odion Ighalo, Ahmed Musa, Victor Moses, Alex Iwobi, Kelechi Iheanacho, Simeon Nwankwo
GROUP - E
- Brazil
- Serbia
- Switzerland
- Costa Rica
✨ Brazil ✨
*Current FIFA Ranking : 2
*Previous
World Cup appearances : 20 - 1930, 1934, 1938, 1950, 1954, 1958,
1962, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006,
2010, 2014
*Best World Cup result : Champions - 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002
*Group fixtures : June 17 vs Switzerland, June 22 vs Costa Rica, June 27 vs Serbia
*Captain : Varies
*Star Player ⭐: Neymar
*Head coach : Tite
*Preferred formation : 4-3-3
Qualification Route :
Brazil
become the first side from CONMEBOL to reach Russia 2018. They sealed
their ticket to Russia with a comprehensive win over Paraguay. Neymar
starred once again, scoring a goal to become his side’s leading marksman
of the qualifiers with six, with Philippe Coutinho and Marcelo also on
target.
Past Performaces:
Brazil
is the most successful national team in the history of the World Cup,
having won five titles, earning second-place, third-place and
fourth-place finishes twice each. Brazil is one of the countries besides
Argentina, Spain and Germany to win a FIFA World Cup away from its
continent (Sweden 1958, Mexico 1970, USA 1994 and South Korea/Japan
2002). Brazil is the only national team to have played in all FIFA World
Cup editions without any absence or need for playoffs. Brazil also has
the best overall performance in World Cup history in both proportional
and absolute terms with a record of 70 victories in 104 matches played,
119 goal difference, 227 points and only 17 losses.
Traditionally,
Brazil's greatest rival is Argentina. The two countries have met each
other four times in the history of the FIFA World Cup, with two wins for
Brazil (West Germany 1974 and Spain 1982), one for Argentina (Italy
1990) and a draw (Argentina 1978). The country that played most against
Brazil in the finals is Sweden: 7 times, with five wins for Brazil and
two draws. Other historical rivals are Italy, which lost two World Cup
finals against Brazil and eliminated the Brazilians in two tournaments
(France 1938 and Spain 1982), France, which has eliminated Brazil on
three occasions (Mexico 1986, France 1998 and Germany 2006)..
The Squad:
*Goalkeepers: Alisson, Ederson, Cassio
*Defenders: Danilo, Fagner, Marcelo, Filipe Luis, Thiago Silva, Marquinhos, Miranda, Pedro Geromel
*Midfielders: Casemiro, Fernandinho, Paulinho, Fred, Renato Augusto, Philippe Coutinho
*Forwards: Neymar, Taison, Gabriel Jesus, Roberto Firmino, Willian, Douglas Costa
✨ Serbia ✨
*Current FIFA Ranking : 34
*Previous World Cup appearances: 11 - 1930, 1950, 1954, 1958, 1962, 1974, 1982, 1990, 1998, 2006, 2010
*Best World Cup result : Fourth place - 1930, 1962
*Group fixtures : June 17 vs Costa Rica, June 22 vs Switzerland, June 27 vs Brazil
*Captain: Aleksandar Kolarov
*Star Player⭐: Nemanja Matic
*Head coach : Mladen Krstajic
*Preferred formation: 4-2-3-1
Qualification Process :
They became the Group D winners in European qualifying, finishing two points clear of runners-up Republic of Ireland.
Past Performances:
From
the 1930 FIFA World Cup to the 1990 FIFA World Cup Serbia was part of
the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, which competed in the
world cup. From the 1994 FIFA World Cup to the 2006 FIFA World Cup,
Serbia played with Montenegro. From 2006 to the present, Serbia played
as an independent country. After the dissolution of the SFRY, Serbia has
not made it to the knockout stages.
They narrowly edged out the Republic of Ireland in qualifying, so will be looking for more consistency in the final tournament.
The Squad:
*Goalkeepers : Vladimir Stojkovic, Predrag Rajkovic, Marko Dmitrovic
*Defenders :
Aleksandar Kolarov, Antonio Rukavina, Milan Rodic, Branislav Ivanovic,
Uros Spajic, Milos Veljkovic, Dusko Tosic, Nikola Milenkovic
*Midfielders :
Nemanja Matic, Luka Milivojevic, Marko Grujic, Dusan Tadic, Andrija
Zivkovic, Filip Kostic, Nemanja Radonjic, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Adem
Ljajic
*Forwards : Aleksandar Mitrovic, Aleksandar Prijovic, Luka Jovic
✨ Switzerland ✨
*Current FIFA Ranking : 6
*Previous World Cup appearances : 10 - 1934, 1938, 1950, 1954, 1962, 1966, 1994, 2006, 2010, 2014
*Best World Cup result : Quarter-finals - 1934, 1938, 1954
*Group fixtures : June 17 vs Brazil, June 22 vs Serbia, June 27 vs Costa Rica
*Captain : Stephan Lichtsteiner
*Star Player ⭐: Granit Xhaka
*Head coach : Vladimir Petkovic
*Preferred formation : 4-2-3-1
Qualification Route :
Switzerland
held off Northern Ireland to seal a place at the 2018 World Cup in
Russia with a 1-0 aggregate play-off victory. Vladimir Petkovic’s side
wasted numerous first-half chances as the Northern Irish stayed in the
tie, but Ricardo Rodriguez’s controversial first-leg penalty in Belfast
proved enough for the Swiss to reach their fourth consecutive World Cup.
Past Performance :
Switzerland
have appeared in the finals of the World Cup on ten occasions, the
first being at the second finals in 1934 where they finished in seventh
position. Its best performances in the World Cup have been reaching the
quarter-finals three times, in 1934, 1938 and when the country hosted
the event in 1954. Switzerland also won silver at the 1924 Olympics.
In
2006, Switzerland set a FIFA World Cup record by being eliminated from
the competition despite not conceding a goal, losing to Ukraine in a
penalty shootout. in the round of 16, by failing to score a single
penalty – becoming the first national team in Cup history to do this.
They would not concede a goal until their second group stage match in
the 2010 World Cup, conceding a goal in the 74th minute to Chile,
setting a World Cup finals record for consecutive minutes without
conceding a goal.
The Squad :
*Goalkeepers: Roman Burki, Yvon Mvogo, Yann Sommer
*Defenders:
Manuel Akanji, Johan Djourou, Nico Elvedi, Michael Lang, Stephan
Lichtsteiner, Jacques-Francois Moubandje, Ricardo Rodriguez, Fabian
Schaer
*Midfielders: Valon Behrami, Blerim
Dzemaili, Gelson Fernandes, Remo Freuler, Xherdan Shaqiri, Granit Xhaka,
Steven Zuber, Denis Zakaria
*Forwards: Josip Drmic, Breel Embolo, Mario Gavranovic, Haris Seferovic
✨ Costa Rica ✨
*Current FIFA Ranking : 23
*Previous World Cup appearances: 4 - 1990, 2002, 2006, 2014
*Best World Cup result : 2014 - Quarter-finals
*Group fixtures : June 17 vs Serbia, June 22 vs Brazil, June 27 vs Switzerland
*Captain : Bryan Ruiz
*Star Player ⭐: Keylor Navas
*Head coach : Oscar Ramirez
*Preferred formation : 3-4-2-1
*Qualification Route :
Costa
Rica, qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, in the fifth round of
CONCACAF qualification matches played from 11 November 2016 to 10
October 2017. They finished second behind Mexico in the North, Central
America and Caribbean standings.
*Past Performances:
Costa
Rica is the most successful national football team in the history of
Central America. They have won three CONCACAF (1963, 1969 and 1989) and a
leading with eight championships in the Copa Centro-americana and its
predecessor. Costa Rica is the only national team in Central America to
have played in four FIFA World Cup editions.
Since
the late 1980s, the team has continuously been visible as a solidly
competitive side, with a prominent performance in the 1990 FIFA World
Cup in Italy, making it to the knockout stage in their debut after
finishing second in their group during the first phase, below Brazil.
They also managed to qualify for the 2002 and 2006 World Cups. In 2014,
Costa Rica made their best performance in history by finishing first in
their group that consisted of three former World Cup champions: Uruguay,
Italy, and England.
Costa Rica is unlikely to
win the World Cup any time soon, but the most successful Central
American side are always capable of causing an upset at the tournament
The Squad:
*Goalkeepers: Keylor Navas, Patrick Pemberton, Leonel Moreira
*Defenders:
Johnny Acosta, Giancarlo Gonzalez, Ian Smith, Oscar Duarte, Bryan
Oviedo, Francisco Calvo, Cristian Gamboa, Kendall Waston, Ronald
Matarrita
*Midfielders: Celso Borges, Christian Bolanos, Bryan Ruiz, Rodney Wallace, Randall Azofeifa, Yeltsin Tejeda, David Guzman
*Forwards: Daniel Colindres, Johan Venegas, Joel Campbell, Marco Urena
GROUP - F
- Germany
- Mexico
- Sweden
- Korea
✨ Germany ✨
*Current FIFA Ranking : 1
*Previous
World Cup appearances : 18 - 1934, 1938, 1954, 1958, 1962, 1966,
1970, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014
*Best World Cup result : Winners - 1954, 1974, 1990, 2014
*Group fixtures : June 17 vs Mexico, June 23 vs Sweden, June 27 vs South Korea
*Captain : Manuel Neuer
*Star Player ⭐: Toni Kroos
*Head coach : Joachim Low
*Preferred formation : 4-2-3-1
Qualification Route:
Germany
qualified for the finals in Russia with a perfect record of 10 wins
from 10 in UEFA Group C and scored 43 goals to boot. No fewer than 21
players found the target as Die Mannschaft became just the second team
in history – after Spain in 2010 – to progress with a 100 percent
record.
Past Performances:
Germany
is one of the most successful national teams at the FIFA World Cup,
winning four titles, earning second-place and third-place finishes four
times each and one fourth-place finish. Germany are the only team which
has stood on the podium (3rd place or better) every decade they entered
the tournament—1930s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s and
2010s.
The team was present in 19 out of the 21
tournaments, the second most frequent, and only once did not reach the
quarterfinals, in 1938. With this, Germany's 8th place or better
(quarterfinals) in 17 out of 18 tournaments (94%) ranks highest in FIFA
World Cup Finals history.
Although there are
concerns over the fitness of captain Manuel Neuer, Joachim Low will, no
matter what, be able to call upon several members of the side that beat
Argentina in Rio four years ago, including Jerome Boateng, Thomas
Muller, Sami Khedira and the peerless Toni Kroos. The squad has also
been strengthened by the emergence of a plethora of talented youngsters
such as Joshua Kimmich, Leon Goretzka, Julian Brandt and Timo Werner.
The Squad:
*Goalkeepers : Manuel Neuer, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Kevin Trapp
*Defenders :
Jerome Boateng, Matthias Ginter, Jonas Hector, Mats Hummels, Joshua
Kimmich, Marvin Plattenhardt, Antonio Rudiger, Niklas Sule
*Midfielders : Mesut Ozil, Leon Goretzka, Ilkay Gundogan, Sami Khedira, Toni Kroos, Sebastian Rudy
*Forwards : Julian Brandt, Julian Draxler, Mario Gomez, Thomas Muller, Marco Reus, Timo Werner
✨ Mexico ✨
*Current FIFA Ranking : 15
*Previous
World Cup appearances: 15 - 1930, 1950, 1954, 1958, 1962, 1966,
1970, 1978, 1986, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014
*Best World Cup result : Quarter-finals - 1970, 1976
*Group fixtures : June 17 vs Germany, June 23 vs South Korea, June 27 vs Sweden
*Captain : Rafael Marquez
*Star Player ⭐: Hirving Lozano
*Head coach: Juan Carlos Osorio
*Preferred formation*: 4-1-4-1
Qualification Route:
Mexico
capped a stellar run in the CONCACAF World Cup qualifying Hexagonal by
punching its official ticket for Russia 2018 with a 1-0 win over Panama
at Estadio Azteca. Hirving Lozano's goal in the 53rd minute was the
difference and had send Mexico to a seventh straight World Cup.
Past Performances:
The
Mexico national team has competed in the tournament since the inaugural
1930 FIFA World Cup, and has entered ever since, for a total of 15
tournaments, although it has failed to qualify for the finals proper on 3
occasions, 1934 (Italy), 1974 (West Germany) and 1982 (Spain). In
addition, it withdrew from the finals in the 1938 (France), and was
banned by FIFA from entering the 1990 (Italy) after having been found
fielding over-aged players during the 1988 Olympic Games qualifiers
which was a youth tournament.
Mexico have every
chance of extending their proud record of making it out of their group
at every World Cup. Elsewhere in defense, believe it or not, Rafael
Marquez is set to participate in a record 5th World Cup at the ripe old
age of 39. Marquez has already announced his retirement from club
football but will hope to extend his playing career with Mexico by
surviving Group F with champions Germany, Sweden and South Korea.
The Squad:
*Goalkeepers : Jesus Corona, Alfredo Talavera, Guillermo Ochoa
*Defenders : Hugo Ayala, Carlos Salcedo, Diego Reyes, Miguel Layun, Hector Moreno, Edson Alvarez
*Midfielders : Rafael Marquez, Jonathan dos Santos, Marco Fabian, Giovani dos Santos, Hector Herrera, Andres Guardado
*Forwards : Raul Jimenez, Carlos Vela, Javier Hernandez, Jesus Corona, Oribe Peralta, Javier Aquino, Hirving Lozano
✨ Sweden ✨
*Current FIFA Ranking : 24
*Previous World Cup appearances : 11 - 1934, 1938, 1950, 1958, 1970, 1974, 1978, 1990, 1994, 2002, 2006
*Best World Cup result : Runners-up - 1958
*Group fixtures : June 18 vs South Korea, June 23 vs Germany, June 27 vs Mexico
*Captain : Andreas Granqvist
*Star Player ⭐: Emil Forsberg
*Head coach : Janne Andersson
*Preferred Formation : 4-4-2
Qualification Route:
Swden
secured a 1-0 aggregate victory over Italy in the European play-offs,
having finished runners-up to France in Group A in UEFA qualifiers,
which paved their way to Russia.
Past Performances:
Sweden
have been one of the more successful national teams in the history of
the World Cup, having reached 4 semi-finals, and becoming runners-up on
home ground in 1958. They have been present at 11 out of 20 World Cups
by 2014.
Throughout the World Cup history,
Brazil has been Sweden's historical rival. The two countries have met
each other seven times but Sweden never managed to win, with five
victories for the Brazilian side and two draws. Another historical
opponent of Sweden in the finals is (West) Germany: four encounters,
with three wins for Germany and one for Sweden.
However,
Sweden's success is founded on their togetherness and discipline, both
of which were on show as they secured their place at Russia 2018 with a
shock 1-0 aggregate win over four-time world champions Italy.
The Squad:
*Goalkeepers : Robin Olsen, Karl-Johan Johnsson, Kristoffer Nordfeldt
*Defenders :
Mikael Lustig, Victor Lindelof, Andreas Granqvist, Martin Olsson,
Ludwig Augustinsson, Filip Helander, Emil Krafth, Pontus Jansson
*Midfielders :
Sebastian Larsson, Albin Ekdal, Emil Forsberg, Gustav Svensson, Oscar
Hiljemark, Viktor Claesson, Marcus Rohden, Jimmy Durmaz
*Forwards : Marcus Berg, John Guidetti, Ola Toivonen, Isaac Kiese Thelin
✨ Korea ✨
*Current FIFA Ranking : 57
*Previous World Cup appearances : 9 - 1954, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014
*Best World Cup result : Fourth place - 2002
*Group fixtures : June 18 vs Sweden, June 23 vs Mexico, June 27 vs Germany
*Captain : Ki Sung-yueng
*Star Player ⭐: Son Heung-min
*Head coach : Tae-Yong Shin
*Preferred formation : 4-4-2
Qualification Route :
South
Korea was the Group A runners-up in Asian qualifying, finishing seven
points behind Iran, but crucially two clear of third-place Syria. They
Won Group G in the second round of AFC qualifying.
Past Performances :
Since
the 1960s, South Korea has emerged as a major football power in Asia
and is historically the most successful Asian football team, having
participated in nine consecutive and ten overall FIFA World Cup
tournaments, the most for any Asian country. South Korea became the
first and currently only Asian team to reach the semi-final stages when
they co-hosted the 2002 tournament with Japan. They have since improved
their ability to play on foreign soil and were able to reach the Round
of 16 in the 2010 World Cup.
South Korea won
the first two AFC Asian Cup tournaments though they have been unable to
win since, finishing second in 1972, 1980, 1988, and 2015, and third in
1964, 2000, 2007, and 2011. They also took the gold medal at the 1970,
1978, and 1986 Asian Games. They have qualified for every FIFA World Cup
since 1986.
The Squad :
*Goalkeepers : Kim Seung-gyu, Kim Jin-hyeon, Cho Hyun-woo
*Defenders : Lee Yong, Jung Seung-hyeon, Oh Ban-suk, Yun Young-sun, Kim Min-woo, Hong Chul, Kim Young-gwon, Jang Hyun-soo
*Midfielders : Park Joo-ho, Ju Se-jong, Koo Ja-cheol, Jung Woo-young, Ki Sung-yueng, Lee Jae-sung, Go Yo-han
*Forwards : Son Heung-min, Kim Shin-wook, Lee Seung-woo, Hwang Hee-chan, Moon Seon-min
GROUP - G
- Belgium
- Panama
- Tunisia
- England
✨ Belgium ✨
*Current FIFA Ranking : 3
*Previous World Cup appearances : 12 - 1930, 1934, 1938, 1954, 1970, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2014
*Best World Cup result : 4th place - 1986
*Group fixtures : June 18 vs Panama, June 23 vs Tunisia, June 28 vs England
*Captain : Eden Hazard
*Star Player ⭐: Eden Hazard
*Head coach : Roberto Martinez
*Preferred Formation : 3-4-2-1
Qualification Route:
They
are the Group H winners in European qualifying, winning nine games and
drawing one, scoring a staggering 43 goals in the process. Belgium
became the first European side to join hosts Russia at the 2018 FIFA
World Cup after a 2-1 victory away to Greece that ensured the Red Devils
to finish top of UEFA Group H, and with it, claim the automatic
qualification spot
Past Performances :
Belgium
have appeared in the finals tournament of the FIFA World Cup on twelve
occasions, the first being at the first in 1930 where they finished in
eleventh place. The inaugural FIFA World Cup Final was officiated by
Belgian referee John Langenus.
Traditionally,
Belgium's greatest rival is Netherlands. The two countries have met each
other twice in the history of the FIFA World Cup, with one win for
Belgium (USA 1994) and one tie (France 1998). The team that played most
against Belgium in the finals is the continuum USSR- Russia: 5 times,
with three victories for Belgium and two for the Soviet Union.
Belgium
reached six successive World Cups from 1982 through 2002 by playing
qualification rounds, a record bettered only by Spain whose 2014 World
Cup is their eighth consecutive qualification (a streak going back to
1986).
The Squad:
*Goalkeepers : Koen Casteels, Thibaut Courtois, Simon Mignolet
*Defenders : Toby Alderweireld, Dedryck Boyata, Vincent Kompany, Thomas Meunier, Thomas Vermaelen, Jan Vertonghen
*Midfielders : Nacer Chadli, Kevin De Bruyne, Mousa Dembele, Leander Dendoncker, Marouane Fellaini, Youri Tielemans, Axel Witsel
*Forwards : Michy Batshuayi, Yannick Carrasco, Eden Hazard, Thorgan Hazard, Adnan Januzaj, Romelu Lukaku, Dries Mertens
✨ Panama ✨
*Current FIFA Ranking : 55
*Previous World Cup appearances : Debut
*Best World Cup result : N/A
*Group fixtures : June 18 vs Belgium, June 24 vs England, June 28 vs Tunisia
*Captain : Felipe Baloy
*Star Player ⭐: Luis Tejada
*Head coach : Hernan Gomez
*Preferred formation: 4-1-4-1
Qualification Route :
Panama
finished third in the North, Central America and Caribbean standings,
pipping Honduras on a goal difference. Panama booked their place at the
World Cup for the first time with a 2-1 win over Costa Rica in Panama
City.
Past Performances :
Panama
attempted to reach FIFA finals on 11 occasions, but failed to do so.
Panama came close to advancing out of the fourth round of the qualifiers
for the 2014 World Cup. In their last match, which was against the
United States, they led 2–1 after 90 minutes and were poised to advance
to a play-off against New Zealand, but they conceded two goals in
stoppage time and were eliminated, with Mexico taking the playoff slot
instead. They finished as runners-up in the 2005 Gold Cup and 2013 Gold
Cup. They have also competed in the sub-regional Central American Cup
championship which they won in 2009.
The Squad:
*Goalkeepers : Jose Calderon, Jaime Penedo, Alex RodrIguez
*Defenders :
Felipe Baloy, Harold Cummings, Eric Davis, Fidel Escobar, Adolfo
Machado, Michael Murillo, Luis Ovalle, Roman Torres
*Midfielders :
Edgar Barcenas, Armando Cooper, Anibal Godoy, Gabriel Gomez, Valentin
Pimentel, Alberto Quintero, Jose Luis Rodriguez
*Forwards : Abdiel Arroyo, Ismael Diaz, Blas Perez, Luis Tejada, Gabriel Torres
✨ Tunisia ✨
*Current FIFA Ranking : 21
*Previous World Cup appearances : 4 - 1978, 1998, 2002, 2006
*Best World Cup result : Group Stage
*Group fixtures : June 18 vs England, June 23 vs Belgium, June 28 vs Panama
*Captain : Aymen Mathlouthi
*Star Player⭐: Wahbi Khazri
*Head coach : Nabil Maaloul
*Preferred formation : 4-5-1
Qualification Route :
Tunisia
has officially taken a ticket to the World Cup Russia 2018 after its
0-0 draw against Libya on the last day of the African qualifying.
Tunisia was one point ahead of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in
group A by 14 points against 13 points.
Past Performances:
Tunisia
have appeared in the finals of the FIFA World Cup on four occasions,
the first being at the 1978 FIFA World Cup where they finished in ninth
position. Between 1998 and 2006 they had a streak of three World Cup
qualifications. They will make their fifth appearance at the finals in
the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. They created history in the 1978
tournament in Argentina by becoming the first African side to win a
World Cup match, beating Mexico 3–1. They also held defending champions
West Germany to a goalless draw before bowing out.
The Squad:
*Goalkeepers : Farouk Ben Mustapha, Moez Hassen, Aymen Mathlouthi
*Defenders :
Rami Bedoui, Yohan Benalouane, Syam Ben Youssef, Dylan Bronn, Oussama
Haddadi, Ali Maaloul, Yassine Meriah, Hamdi Nagguez
*Midfielders :
Mohamed Amine Ben Amor, Ghaylene Chaalali, Ahmed Khalil, Saifeddine
Khaoui, Ferjani Sassi, Ellyes Skhiri, Naim Sliti
*Forwards : Anice Badri, Fakhreddine Ben Youssef, Saber Khalifa, Wahbi Khazri, Bassem Srarfi
✨ England ✨
*Current FIFA Ranking : 12
*Previous World Cup appearancess : 14 - 1950, 1954, 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014
*Best World Cup result : Winners - 1966
*Group fixtures : June 18 v Tunisia, June 24 v Panama, June 28 v Belgium
*Captain : Harry Kane
*Star Player ⭐: Harry Kane
*Head coach : Gareth Southgate
*Preferred formation : 3-1-4-2
Qualification Route :
England
became the Group F winners in European qualifying, winning eight games
and drawing two to finish on 26 points, eight clear of Slovakia, which
assured their entrance to Russia.
Past Performances :
England
did not enter the competition until 1950, but has entered all seventeen
subsequent tournaments. It has failed to qualify for the finals on
three occasions, 1974 (West Germany), 1978 (Argentina) and 1994 (United
States), and has failed to advance from the group stages on three
occasions, at the 1950 World Cup, the 1958 World Cup and the 2014 World
Cup. Their best ever performance is winning the Cup in the 1966
tournament held in England, and reaching fourth place in 1990, held in
Italy
England are one of only eight countries
ever to win the World Cup. They defeated West Germany, 4–2 after extra
time to win the World Cup title. England also reached the semi final of
the UEFA European Championship in 1968 and 1996. They were the most
successful of the "home nations", in the British Home Championship with
54 wins (including 20 shared wins) before the competition was suspended
in 1984. England have had more goalless draws than any other team.
The Squad:
*Goalkeepers : Jack Butland, Nick Pope, Jordan Pickford
*Defenders :
Fabian Delph, Danny Rose, Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier, Trent
Alexander-Arnold, Harry Maguire, John Stones, Phil Jones, Gary Cahill
*Midfielders : Eric Dier, Jordan Henderson, Jesse Lingard, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Ashley Young, Dele Alli
*Forwards : Raheem Sterling, Harry Kane, Jamie Vardy, Marcus Rashford, Danny Welbeck
GROUP - H
- Senegal
- Poland
- Colombia
- Japan
✨ Senegal ✨
*Current FIFA Ranking : 27
*Previous World Cup appearances : 1 - 2002
*Best World Cup result : Quarter-final - 2002
*Group fixtures : June 19 vs Poland, June 24 vs Japan, June 28 vs Colombia
*Captain : Cheikhou Kouyate
*Star Player ⭐: Sadio Mane
*Head coach : Aliou Cisse
*Preferred formation : 4-2-3-1
Qualification Route :
Senegal
became the Group D winners in African qualifying, not losing a game en
route to finishing five points clear of Burkina Faso. Senegal have
seized a second chance to qualify for the World Cup, beating South
Africa 2-0 in a replay of a game they first lost last year. Sadio Mane
was pivotal in both goals. He set up Diafra Sakho for the opener in the
12th minute and forced an own goal by South Africa defender Thamsanqa
Mkhize in the 39th.
Past Performances:
Senegal
made its first FIFA World Cup appearance in 2002 and caused a huge
upset by defeating World and European champions France 1–0 in the
tournament's opening game. Senegal eventually reached the quarter-finals
of the 2002 World Cup, one of only three African teams to do so (the
first being Cameroon in 1990; the other being Ghana in 2010). In the
group, after defeating France, they drew with Denmark and Uruguay, and
beat Sweden in extra time in the round of 16, before losing to Turkey in
the quarter-finals
Senegal has won the Amilcar
Cabral Cup, a regional soccer tournament for West African nations,
eight times, more than any other country, with Guinea in second place
with five titles
The Squad:
*Goalkeepers : Abdoulaye Diallo, Khadim Ndiaye, Alfred Gomis
*Defenders : Saliou Ciss, Youssouf Sabaly, Kalidou Koulibaly, Kara Mbodji, Lamine Gassama, Moussa Wague, Pape Alioune Ndiaye
*Midfielders : Cheikhou Kouyate, Idrisa Gueye, Salif Sane, Cheikh Ndoye, Alfred Ndiaye
*Forwards : Moussa Sow, Moussa Konate, Diafra Sakho, Sadio Mane, Ismaila Sarr, Mame Biram Diouf, Mbaye Niang, Keita Balde
✨ Poland ✨
*Current FIFA Ranking : 8
*Previous World Cup appearances : 7 - 1938, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1986, 2002, 2006
*Best World Cup result : 3rd place - 1974 and 1982
*Group fixtures : June 19 vs Senegal, June 24 vs Colombia, June 28 v Japan
*Captain : Robert Lewandowski
*Star Player ⭐: Robert Lewandowski
*Head coach : Adam Nawalka
*Preferred formation : 4-4-1-1
Qualification Route :
Poland
became the Group E winners in European qualifying, winning eight games
(D1 L1) to finish five points clear of Denmark. The Bayern Munich
forward scored 16 goals in 10 games — a European qualifying record — to
propel Poland to its first World Cup in 12 years.
Past Performances :
One
of the most renowned Polish teams was the one of the mid-1970s. Poland
held England to a draw in a dramatic match at Wembley Stadium to qualify
for the 1974 FIFA World Cup. Poland reached the semi-finals, where the
deciding game against the eventual champions Germany resulted in a
narrow 0-1 defeat. Just missing out on the final, Poland ended the
tournament by defeating Brazil 1–0 to claim third place in the
tournament. Striker Grzegorz Lato won the Golden Boot for his seven
goals. Poland also finished third in the 1982 tournament, beating France
3–2 in the third-place play-off.
Poland also
won the gold medal in the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich; the silver
medal in 1976 in Montreal; and a silver medal in 1992 in Barcelona.
The Squad :
*Goalkeepers : Bartosz Bialkowski, Lukasz Fabianski, Wojciech Szczesny
*Defenders : Jan Bednarek, Bartosz Bereszynski, Thiago Cionek, Kamil Glik, Artur Jedrzejczyk, Michal Pazdan, Lukasz Piszczek
*Midfielders :
Jakub Blaszczykowski, Jacek Goralski, Kamil Goricki, Grzegorz
Krychowiak, Slawomir Peszko, Maciej Rybus, Piotr Zielinski, Rafal
Kurzawa, Karol Linetty
*Forwards : Dawid Kownacki, Robert Lewandowski, Arkadiusz Milik, Lukasz Teodorczyk
✨ Colombia ✨
*Current FIFA Ranking : 16
*Previous World Cup appearances : 5 - 1962, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2014
*Best World Cup result : Quarter-final - 2014
*Group fixtures : June 19 vs Japan, June 24 vs Poland, June 28 vs Senegal
*Captain : Radamel Falcao
*Star Player ⭐: James Rodriguez
*Head coach : Jose Nestor Pekerman
*Preferred formation : 4-2-3-1
Qualification Route :
Colombia
finished fourth in the CONMEBOL standings for Russia 2018 qualifying
after reaching the tournament on the final match day with a 1-1 draw in
Peru.
Past Performances :
Colombia
qualified for the 1990, 1994, and 1998 World Cups, only reaching the
second round in 1990. They missed three World Cups between 2002 and
2010. After a 16-year-long wait, in 2014 Colombia finally returned to
the World Cup, where they were able to advance to the quarter-finals,
the furthest Colombia has ever made it in a World Cup. Colombia's
midfielder James Rodriguez won two awards, the Golden Boot for most
goals (6) and Best Goal of the Tournament.
They
were the champions of the Copa America, which they hosted and set a new
Copa America record of conceding no goals and winning each match. Prior
to that success, they were runners-up to Peru in the 1975 Copa America.
In total, Colombia has gained a top four result in seven Copa Amรฉricas.
Colombia was the first team to win FIFA best mover in 1993 where the
achievement was first introduced and the second team after Croatia to
win it twice in 2012.
The Squad :
*Goalkeepers : David Ospina, Camilo Vargas, Jose Fernando Cuadrado
*Defenders : Cristian Zapata, Davinson Sanchez, Santiago Arias, Oscar Murillo, Farid Diaz, Johan Mojica, Yerry Mina
*Midfielders :
Wilmar Barrios, Carlos Sanchez, Jefferson Lerma, Jose Izquierdo, James
Rodriguez, Abel Aguilar, Juan Fernando Quintero, Mateus Uribe, Juan
Guillermo Cuadrado
*Forwards : Radamel Falcao Garcia, Miguel Borja, Carlos Bacca, Luis Fernando Muriel
✨ Japan ✨
*Current FIFA Ranking : 61
*Previous World Cup appearances : 5 - 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014
*Best World Cup result : Last 16 - 2002 and 2010
*Group fixtures : June 19 vs Colombia, June 24 vs Senegal, June 28 vs Poland
*Captain : Makoto Hasebe
*Star Player ⭐: Keisuke Honda
*Head coach : Akira Nishino
*Preferred formation : 4-2-3-1
Qualification Route :
Japan
became the Group B winners in Asian qualifying, finishing on 20 points
from 10 games, just one point ahead of Saudi Arabia and Australia. Japan
reached the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia after their 2-0 win against
Australia on 31 August 2017 which sealed progression from Asia's Group B
at the third round stage.
Past Performances :
Japan
is one of the most successful teams in Asia, having qualified for the
last six consecutive FIFA World Cups with second round advancements in
2002 and 2010, and having won the AFC Asian Cup a record four times, in
1992, 2000, 2004 and 2011. The team has also finished second in the 2001
FIFA Confederations Cup. Their principal continental rival are South
Korea and most recently, Australia.
Japan is
the only team from outside the Americas to participate in the Copa
America, having been invited in 1999 and 2011. Although they initially
accepted the invitation for the 2011 tournament, the JFA later withdrew
following the 2011 Thohoku earthquake and tsumani.
The Squad :
*Goalkeepers : Eiji Kawashima, Masaaki Higashiguchi, Kosuke Nakamura
*Defenders : Yuto Nagatomo, Tomoaki Makino, Maya Yoshida, Hiroki Sakai, Gotoku Sakai, Gen Shoji, Wataru Endo, Naomichi Ueda
*Midfielders : Makoto Hasebe, Shinji Kagawa, Gaku Shibasaki, Ryota Oshima, Hotaru Yamaguchi, Keisuke Honda
*Forwards : Takashi Inui, Takashi Usami, Genki Haraguchi, Shinji Okazaki, Yuya Osako, Yoshinori Muto
⚽⚽⚽⚽ W⚽orld Cup Trivia ⚽⚽⚽⚽
Hosts :
* On 2 December, 2010, for
the first time in its history, Russia was granted the right to host the
FIFA World Cup. This is not only the first time in history that Russia
plays host to the FIFA World Cup from June 14 to July 15, 2018, but also
the first time ever a World Cup will take place in Eastern Europe.
* The 2002 FIFA World Cup was the first time that matches were held in
two different countries — South Korea and Japan. 2018 World Cup is the
first in history to witness matches in two different continents — Europe
and Asia.
The Mascot :
* The 2018 World Cup mascot, the representative symbol of the
tournament was chosen via online voting. The mascot is a wolf named
Zabivaka ๐บ which was designed by a student Ekaterina Bocharova.
* FIFA World Cup matches didn’t include mascots until a lion known as
“World Cup Willie” ๐ฆ became the face of the England 1966 tournament.
Since then, the 12 other World Cup mascots have included everything from
an orange (Spain 1982), to a jalapeรฑo pepper (Mexico 1986), to a
three-banded armadillo (Brazil 2014).
The teams :
32
teams will take part in the competition. Russia and 13 national teams
would represent European zone (Russia was automatically qualified for
the Championship as the host country), five national teams from African
zone, and ten from Asia and South America, and three from North American
zone. Another two tournament tickets will be decided in play-offs.
Venue :
FIFA World Cup matches will be held in 11 cities:
* Saint Petersburg
* Ekaterinburg
* Kazan
* Samara
* Volgograd
* Nizhny Novgorod
* Saransk
* Rostov-on-Don
* Kaliningrad
* Sochi
* Moscow
Final matches of the world cup will be held in the beautiful city of Moscow which is the capital of Russia
Winners :
All
World Cups before this one have been won by Europeans (11) or South
Americans (9) teams. Guess one has to be born in one of the two
continents to clench that golden FIFA trophy
Fandom :
We’ve
come a long way from 1930. While the fewest number of fans recorded to
watch a World Cup football game was 300 back then in Uruguay, the
highest attendance ever tuned in to watch the 2014 World Cup. With
approximately 3.2 billion spectators all over the world and an average
attendance of 53,000 fans per game, the 2014 FIFA tournament broke all
records. Guess what would happen at Russia
Nationality :
A
curious case of nationality — every team that has ever won a FIFA World
Cup has done so under a coach who shares his nationality with his team.
There have not been any exceptions to this rule so far, so what happens
in Russia will be interesting to watch
Prize Money :
The
prize money given by FIFA to the winning team is a hefty $35 million.
The runner-up team gets $25 million. No wonder, losing the game is also
worthwhile! Actually, there are no losers, for even the participating
teams take home about an $8 million cheque each
Ambassadors :
The
2018 FIFA World Cup and each host city will be represented by elected
ambassadors - famous people who were either born in those cities, or are
somehow related to them. The ambassadors of the World Cup promote
sports and healthy lifestyle and promote the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
Interesting Facts :
* Essam El-Hadary, who represents Egypt ๐ช๐ฌ will become the oldest
player to play in the world Cup 2018. The veteran goalkeeper is
currently 45 years old.
* Rafael Marquez who
represents Mexico, is the only one from 2002 world cup will be ready to
play World Cup 2018 in Russia. The 39 years old is one the greatest
players Mexico ever had.
* The official
Football ⚽ of the FIFA World Cup 2018 is the named as Adidas Telstar.
The word Telstar is mixture of two words Television and star ⭐. The
good news is that it is produced by a company named “Forward Sports” in
Sialkot, Pakistan ๐ต๐ฐ. Although, Pakistan is not playing the FIFA world
Cup but biggest football players will be playing with the Football
which is made in Pakistan.
*
Two smallest nations Panama ๐ต๐ฆ and Iceland ๐ฎ๐ธ created history when
they qualified for the 1st time after years of struggle. This shows if
you work hard you can achieve anything ✌
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