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First we will offer some condolences:
United States
Italy
Chile
Cameroon
Algeria
Netherlands
Ivory Coast
Ghana
Usually in it, but not this time. RIP in peace
Now that thats over, lets get started. Welcome to the World Cup, prepare for high quality divegrass, and investigative journalism of disgusting acts
Move over vuvuzela players. The musical instrument to master for this year's soccer World Cup is the Russian spoon.
Eight years after South Africans blared away on their plastic vuvuzela horns when they hosted the contest, Russians are hoping fans at the tournament it hosts starting on Friday (AEST) will celebrate by clacking their "lozhkas" — spoons that beat out an insistent, but quieter rhythm.
Folk musicians using the traditional instruments — two wooden spoons held back to back and struck by a third — have already become a feature at official receptions.
****High Level Analysis/World Cup Guide****
Group A
Russia
Why they will do well: They are the host country and have Putin and intimidating and possibly racist Russian hooligans that have trained for months to absolutely besmirch opposing countries fans into a living death
Why they wont: Their team is terrible in terms of quality and they play a boring style.
Player to watch: Aleksandr Golovin. The 22 year old CSKA Moscow midfielder is one of Russias brightest prospects and already one of their best players. A big world cup in his home country could draw interest from other teams.
Saudi Arabia
Why they will do well: Using their endless oil money to get the rigged whistle on their side.
Why they wont: Because Ive never heard of anyone on their team
Players to watch: fun fact. Saudi Arabia and La Liga agreed to a partnership deal where they loaned players to them in the second half of the season in order to help prepare for the world cup. Most of them didnt even play a minute, but perhaps Fahad Al-Muwallad (Levante), Salem Al-Dawsari (Villarreal) or Yahya Al-Shehri (Leganes) have learned something upon plying their trade in the best league in the world.
Egypt
Why they will do well: Mohamed Salah, the gift from Allah
Why they wont do well: Salah not being close to 100% or missing games will completely fuck them
Player to watch: All eyes will be on Salah, who had an amazing season with Liverpool but recently had a shoulder injury a few weeks ago and may not be ready for the World Cup. This is Egypts first WC appearance in almost 30 years, and he was the main part why. Others who will have to pick up the slack especially if he doesnt play are Mohamed Elneny (Arsenal), Trezeguet who is coming off a great season in Turkey or the tricky young winger Ramadan Sobhi (now Huddersfield after 2 years at Stoke)
Uruguay
Why they will do well: Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani is one of the best striker duos in this tournament, two proven goalscorers at club level. Diego Godin is a true defensive enthusiast, brings a tear to my eye. Him and Jose Gimenez are an excellent CB paring, especially since they are also teammates at Atletico Madrid, quite possible the best defensive team in the world
Why they wont do well: Will Suarez be able to contain his urge from biting players again? Cavani sometimes goes through periods where he cant score to save his life. Not enough help from the midfield/wide players. Will Guillermo Varela get a tattoo infection before a pivotal game?
Players to watch: The players I mentioned. Some younger midfielders from the Serie A like Rodrigo Bentancur (Juventus) and Lucas Torreira from Sampdoria (@Chules says hes good according to youtube) will be beneficial to link the defense and the attack as well.
Group B
Portugal
Why they will do well: Cristiano Ronaldo exists
Coming off of the Euros 2016 triumph, Portugal is absolutely stacked in their midfield, both at winger and in the center, as well as the FB spot. A good mix of veterans (Ronaldo, Joao Moutinho, Pepe) and younger players (Bernardo Silva, Gelson Martins, Goncelo Guedes)
Why they wont do well: They have poor depth at striker and have a bunch of 35 year olds in their defense
Players to watch: Obviously CR7, one of the best players to ever play the game. Will Pepe (ex Real Madrid, not the frog) and goalkeeper Rui Patricio (Sporting?) be able to help piece together an aging defense to keep teams off the scoresheet?
Spain
Why they will do well: Loaded with Barcalona and Madrid based players, this team has the best midfield hands down in the tournament, as well as an excellent defense, goalkeeper and technically is head and shoulders above most teams.
Why they wont do well: They fired their manager literally hours ago. Diego Costa or Sergio Ramos does something underhanded and gets a red card. David de Gea suffers a drop in form because his teammates dont like him playing metal music in the locker room.
Players to watch: Who is going to be the guy up top? If Costa, Rodrigo, and/or Iago Aspas play well, theres no reason Spain cant win it all, unless newly appointed manager Fernando Hierro is completely incompetent. What dark arts will Sergio Ramos dabble in?
Morocco
Why they will do well: Morocco have a very good backline lead by Juventus CB Medhi Benetia, RB Achraf Hakimi (Real Madrid) and Romain Saiss (Wolves), a midfielder by trade but a CB on the national team. They didnt allow a single goal in World Cup Qualifying
Why they wont do well: The attacking is the opposite, they scored well against shitty teams but still very questionable against World Cup caliber opposition. Goalkeeper is a weakness
Players to watch: Hakim Ziyech (Ajax) was named the best player in the Dutch league. A very well rounded midfielder, scouts from bigger teams will definitely be tuned in to see how he does. Amine Harit (Schalke) is an exciting talent as well.
Iran
Why they will do well: Iran is one of the better teams in Asia and play hard despite not having the star power. Last world cup they drew with Nigeria and lost to Argentina on a late goal
Why they wont do well: Half of their team play in the middle east and I can name 20 leagues off my head that are stronger
Player to watch: Sardar Azmoun has a mediocre goal scoring rate in the Russian league but turns it on for the national team (23 in 33 games). After Iran only scored 1 goal last WC, the 23 year old striker will be counted on to knock them in. Alireza Jahanbakhsh won the golden boot in the Dutch league, the first Asian player to do it in a notable European league.
Group C
France
Why they will do well: A surplus of talent in their attack. You could make a team made up of players who didnt make the World Cup roster and it would still be better than half of the teams in it. Tons of young talent that will see them as a contender in any major tournament for the next decade.
Why they wont do well: Questions in defense, people have questions about the manager being good enough to win a major tournament (Zidane LOOMS?)
Players to watch: Antoine Griezmann, N'golo Kante and Paul Pogba highlight a fantastic team but Ill focus on Olivier Giroud. The Chelsea striker is better as a backup at club level and probably wouldnt even be on the team if Karim Benzema wasnt a retard that has issues with the manager but starts for France because he fits the system. If he continues to play like does for France they should be a shoo in to advance to the later rounds, if not all the way. Kylian Mbappe, the most expensive teenager in the world, is another option at
Australia
Why they will do well: Maty Ryan and Aaron Mooy had good seasons in the Premier League for Brighton and Huddersfield respectively. Mathew Leckie is one of the fastest players in the Bundesliga. Tom Rogic has been very good for Celtic. The team is battle tested, having to play numerous games to get qualified. Massimo Luongo nearly won Ballon d'Or
Why they wont do well: Not a lot of quality overall, unproven against top teams.
Players to watch: The aforementioned. Daniel Arzani at 19 is the youngest player in the World Cup and Australias brightest prospect. On the flip side, Tim Cahill at 38 is one of the oldest. Can he score for a 4th World Cup in a row?
Peru
Why they will do well: Peru is an entertaining team to watch and play extremely hard, they wont go down without a fight. If you can qualify for the World Cup coming from South America you definitely earned it. This is their first World Cup in 36 years.
Why they wont do well: Lack of experience obviously. How rusty is Guerrero?
Players to watch: The main narrative surrounding Peru to the World Cup was around Paolo Guerrero, Perus captain, leader, and national hero being cleared to play after a questionable drug suspension tldr version here. His first game back he scored a brace in a 3-0 friendly vs Saudi Arabia. His main partner in crime will be Jefferson Farfan who enjoyed a slight resurgence as Lokomotiv Moscow won the Russian league
Denmark
(completes hat trick)
Why they’ll do well: Star player Christian Eriksen has been in amazing form, scoring 11 goals in WC qualifying, only Lewandowski and Ronaldo had more. They have a big and physical team, but their entire gameplan is centered around the Spurs midfielder
Why they wont do well: fullbacks, rely on Eriksen too much. If he struggles the team struggles, hes the only consistent goal scorer as well.
Players to watch: Eriksen, Thomas Delaney (Bremen, just signed with Dortmund), Pione Sisto (Celta Vigo) and Yussef Paulsen (RB Leipzig)
Group D
Argentina
Why they’ll do well: A very strong attack lead by one of the best players in the world. When the likes of Paulo Dybala and Sergio Aguero aren’t guaranteed starters you know you have some serious depth
Why they won’t do well: Weak in defense and questionable midfield. Losing Sergio Romero and Manuel Lanzini right before the WC is significant. Higuain, Aguero, di Maria and Dybala have sometimes failed to clicked and underperformed at times
Player to watch: Obviously Messi. Ever Banega (Sevilla) needs to play well, he will be an X factor in midfield which isn’t great on paper with Lanzini out, Mascherano aging and Biglia not fully fit. Giovani Lo Celso (PSG) will need to step up as well
Iceland
Why they’ll do well:
Iceland continue their magical run and qualify for their first World Cup after a successful Euros, making it to the quarterfinals. Pretty much the entire team from 2 years ago is here. They have great team chemistry and play well together in all areas despite being low on big names.
Why they won’t do well: Sigurdsson was injured toward the end of his season with Everton so it remains to be seen how in shape he is. They won’t have the element of surprise sneaking up on teams again
Players to watch: Iceland will rely on their talents who play in England, their main player in Sigurdsson, Gudmundsson (Burnley), Bjarnason (Aston Villa) and Gunnarsson (Cardiff) all form a solid midfield. Finnbogason (Augsburg) is a good option at striker as well
Croatia
Why they'll do well: A strong midfield with Real Madrid players Luka Modric and Mateo Kovasic, along with Barcalonas Ivan Rakitic. Versatility at forward. Croatia is one of the oldest teams in the tournament, their top players are in their physical prime so this will probably be their best chance to make a run.
Why they wont do well: Croatia is inconsistent, they can beat anyone but lose to them as well. Dejan Lovren has been criticized at Liverpool and will need to play better here.
Players to watch: Andrej Krameric is coming off a good year at Hoffenheim, him, Mario Mandzukic and Ivan Perisic will headline Croatias versatile attack
Nigeria
Why they'll do well: Nigeria rely on their teamwork to win games. Alex Iwobi and Victor Moses play better for the national team than they do for their clubs. If you look good, you feel good, you play good
Why they wont do well: defense, theyre starting a 19 year old in goal who has hardly any experience.
Players to watch:
Chelsea legend John Obi Mikel is the leader of the team and provides a great balance. Leicester duo Wilfred Ndidi and Kelechi Iheanacho and Iwobi headline the younger group of talent
Group E
Brazil
Why they'll do well: A strong and balanced team in every area, Brazil is loaded and ready to right the wrongs from last WC where they were embarrassed by Germany in their home country. Ederson, Filipe Luis, one of Silva/Marqinhos/Miranda, Firmino, Costa and Fred are all unlikely to start which shows how deep this team is.
Why they wont do well: RB is the biggest weakness by a mile, with Dani Alves missing they have to rely on Danilo and
ner who are a huge step down from the rest of the roster. The left side might suffer defensively as well since Marcelo loves going forward and Neymar doesnt really defend.
Player to watch:
LORD PAULINHO even when he was playing in China is an absolute monster with Brazil, given that hes worked with Brazils manager for many years now. Him and his fellow teammate Phillipe Coutinho link well together. Neymar is likely the 3rd best player in the world behind the big two, all eyes will be on him as well.
Switzerland
Why theyll do well: Switzerland have a solid back 6 (4231) and Xherdan Shaqiri is a fan favorite in the country with his impressive skills. Yann Sommer, the starting GK for the Swiss and Gladbach, has a food blog
Why they wont do well: Dont score many goals nor do they have a consistent scorer.
Player to watch: Shaqiri and Breel Embolo (Schalke) who is coming off a serious injury need to lead the attack while Granit Xhaka has to improve from his inconsistent club form.
Costa Rica
Why they'll do well: After reaching the quarterfinals in 2014, Costa Rica look to improve their standing. Giancarlo Gonzalez (Bologna) and Oscar Duarte (Espenyol) are solid CBs headlined by Real Madrid GK Keylor Navas. Theyre a good counter attacking team that usually line up with 3 CBs.
Why they wont do well: Given theyre set up to counter and dont have a consistent goal scoring threat they will struggle if they allow goals early on
Players to watch: Navas is hands down the most important player. Bryan Ruiz (Sporting?) is still around. Joel Campbell is coming off an injury and remaining forever aloan, but has played well for the national team in the past.
Serbia
Why they'll do well: Very strong midfield, with Milinkovic-Savic (Lazio), Matic (Man United), and Milivojevic (Crystal Palace) all having strong seasons. Mitrovic was on fire at Fulham and helped them achieve promotion to the Premier League.
Why they wont do well: defense looks shaky and slow as well. When the likes of Kolorov and Ivanovic are in your back 4, you might have trouble against a team with quick attackers
Player to watch: Sergej Milinkovic-Savic is one of the most impressive looking players ive ever seen from watching youtube highlights. Hes just as good in "actual games". Fantastic talent that is destined for brighter things
Group F
Germany
Why theyll do well: Germany is strong in a lot of areas as they look to win the WC again. No notable weak links in their starting XI
Why they wont do well: Neuer hasnt played all season due to injury. ter Stegen is no slouch himself, having a phenomenal season at Barca. If Neuer starts its possible that he rusty and could hurt them. Is Timo Werner ready to be the starting striker?
Players to watch: Werner as I said. The RB Leipzig striker fits the style of the team but is still young and still improving. If he plays well, Germany is a strong bet to make it all the way. Marco Reus will finally play in his first World Cup!
Mexico
Why they'll do well: El Tri highlight an exciting attack with Javier Hernandez, their leading goal scorer, Carlos Vela, and Hirving Lozano. Hector Herrera and especially Andreas Guardado form a solid midfield with experience, and Guillermo Ochoa always plays better for the national team than he does elsewhere. After being eliminated from the round of 16 5 straight times, Mexico look to advance further.
Why they wont do well:
There are questions about Juan Carlos Osario the manager, he rotates way too much and doesnt settle on a consistent formation. STD's
Players to watch: Hirving Lozano will look to be the breakout young star of the tournament after a great season at PSV. Rafael Marquez probably wont start but at 39, if he plays it will be his 5th World Cup.
Sweden
Why they'll do well: Life without Zlatan for Sweden has been successful as they play very well as a team, compact defensively and a timely goal here and there. They deserved to beat Italy over their 2 leg World Cup playoff
Why they wont do well: Life without Zlatan has also resulted in nobody who can score consistently. Most of their attacking players have been poor at club level.
Players to watch: Emil Forsberg from RB Leipzig is the star player, a midfielder who can do a bit of everything. Victor Lindelof and especially the captain Andreas Granqvist have looked very good in the qualifying games. Granqvist was named the Swedish player of the year, the first non Zlatan player in a decade.
South Korea
Why they'll do well: S Korea are pacy upfront, they lack a strong striker but have solid wingers who can create problems.
Why they wont do well: Not enough quality especially in defense.
Players to watch: The hopes of South Korea rest on Heung-Min Son's shoulders. The Spurs attacker is an exciting player and will look to deliver for his country, along with Swansea's Ki Sung-yueng, the teams leader. You may remember Lee Seung-woo who signed for Barcelona at the age of 12 and ended up getting them a transfer ban. Hes now 20 and plays for Hellas Verona, not a lot of senior team experience but has played well with the youth national teams.
Group G
Belgium
manchester united pun intended ok stop dad
Why they'll do well: Belgium have a good well rounded team in all areas. Their front 3 of Eden Hazard, Romelu Lukaku and Dries Mertens have been on fire for the team for the past 2 years. Kevin de Bruyne is one of the best midfielders in the world. The CB pairing is familiar with each other and their biggest weakness (fullbacks) are negated because they play with 3 CBs, making Thomas Meunier a better fit than he is in a back 4
Why they wont do well:
Questions surround Roberto Martinez on whether hes the right guy to manage the team. Some of the team selections have been bizarre (Axel Witsel plays over Dembele, Nainggolan is well publicized, picking Boyata who is horrible at Celtic over Kabasele who has been solid at Watford is another)
Players to watch: Eden Hazard is the star of the show. Sometimes criticized at Chelsea for not enough goals/assists, that isnt the case with Belgium.
Panama
Why they'll do well: They play hard, sometimes a little too hard. Panama is probably the worst team on paper in the WC, but obviously they play hard or they wouldnt have gotten this far.
Why they wont do well: If youve heard of any of these players, congrats.
Player to watch: Fidel Escobar, one of their up and coming young players who plays in MLS. His name sounds like hes a badass.
Tunisia
Why they'll do well:
They play hard
Why they wont do well: no striker
Player to watch: Wahbi Khazri didnt work out at Sunderland but hes been playing well in the more cultured and not Sunderland level bad Ligue 1. An attacking mid, he'll be playing striker because they need one. Ellyes Skhiri is the captain at only 22, he had a good year for Montpellier. Leicester greats Yohan Benalouane and Harry Maguire CB facing off toe to toe will be worth watching
England
Why they'll do well:
Its coming home! England seem to have some sense of stability and direction under Gareth Southgate, as opposed to the past where they were sticking square pegs in round holes. They played well in qualifying. Danny Welbeck doesnt look like a Mansfield Town level player when wearing the Three Lions shirt
Why they wont do well: The team on paper looks pretty average, worse than previous years where the team underachieved with superior talent. Phil Jones not making a funny face throughout the entire tournament will doom them.
Players to watch: Harry Kane has been overall disappointing for England in big games (remember him taking corner kicks) so he will set out to prove his quality that he shows for Spurs. Raheem Sterling has gotten a lot of hate lately (who knows) and will try to prove the doubters wrong, moving to a more center role for England. Marcus Rashford and Jamie Vardy are usually strong when they come in from the bench if they dont start.
Group H
Poland
Why they'll do well:
Robert Lewandowski is in great form for Poland, setting an all time record with 16 goals in the qualifying rounds. The team averaged nearly 3 goals a game.
Why they wont do well:
There are some solid pieces in defense (Glik, Piszczek, and Szczesny/Fabianski are coming in with good form) but the rest of it is lacking. Krychowiak had an impressive Euro 16 and was linked to numerous clubs but has been forgettable for PSG and West Brom since.
Player to watch:
Arkadiusz Milik is coming off of 2 ACL tears but the Napoli striker has talent. If he can ease some of the pressure off of teams focusing on Lewa this will make Poland more dangerous. Kamil Grosicki is ok at Hull City but much better for Poland. Piotr Zielinski provides playmaking in the middle. Jakub Blaszczykowski might have one more run left in the tank. Kuba has been injured most of the year for Wolfsburg but has rehabbed and ready for the World Cup
Senegal
Why they'll do well: Koulibaly (another Napoli player in this group), along with West Ham's Kouyate and Evertons Gueye, Ndiaye from Stoke along with Liverpools Sadio Mane (who plays in the middle for Senegal) form an impressive spine. BOISTS
Why they wont do well:
Their manager has been criticized for playing too negative at times, relying too much on Mane to bail them out. Inconsistent players.
Player to watch: Koulibaly, who rejected interest from France to play for Senegal, is basically a wall. Ismalia Sarr, the 20 year old winger from Rennes has potential and could draw intrest from other teams with a good tournament. Keita Balde, joining Monaco from Lazio last year, on the other side is inconsistent at times but when hes on, hes on.
Colombia
Why they'll do well:
Their top players are in good form. Rademel Falcao has found his missing self the last 2 years. James Rodriguez played well at Bayern after uncertainty at Real Madrid. Jose Izquierdo was red hot for Brighton once he adjusted to the team. Add in Juan Cuadrado and this is a strong attack
Why they wont do well:
The defense could be boom or bust. David Ospina has been meh for Arsenal and his form has carried over to the national team, where it didnt before this year. They have no other options, so he must improve. Fabra and Arias the FB's are fast and good forward but not defensively. A Yerry Mina/Davinson Sanchez paring on paper has potential, but is very inexperienced in big games, less so Sanchez. Mina was a disaster in his last game for Barcalona.
Player to watch:
James is the obvious choice. He contributed to nearly half of Colombia's goals/assists in qualifying. This is a team that can get to the quarterfinals like last time if he continues to play well.
Japan
Why they'll do well: Japan has an agile and hard working attack, highlighted by Leicesters Shinji Okazaki and Mainz's Yoshinori Muto. Mainstay Keisuke Honda, has played very well in Mexico after a couple forgettable seasons. Takashi Inui (Eibar moving to Betis) is a fantastic dribbler. Shinji Kagawa (Dortmund) and the captain Makoto Hasebe (Frankfurt) form a solid veteran midfield.
Why they wont do well: Questions defensively. New manager that was appointed in April.
Player to watch:
Basically everyone named
United States
Italy
Chile
Cameroon
Algeria
Netherlands
Ivory Coast
Ghana
Usually in it, but not this time. RIP in peace
Now that thats over, lets get started. Welcome to the World Cup, prepare for high quality divegrass, and investigative journalism of disgusting acts
Move over vuvuzela players. The musical instrument to master for this year's soccer World Cup is the Russian spoon.
Eight years after South Africans blared away on their plastic vuvuzela horns when they hosted the contest, Russians are hoping fans at the tournament it hosts starting on Friday (AEST) will celebrate by clacking their "lozhkas" — spoons that beat out an insistent, but quieter rhythm.
Folk musicians using the traditional instruments — two wooden spoons held back to back and struck by a third — have already become a feature at official receptions.
****High Level Analysis/World Cup Guide****
Group A
Russia
Why they will do well: They are the host country and have Putin and intimidating and possibly racist Russian hooligans that have trained for months to absolutely besmirch opposing countries fans into a living death
Why they wont: Their team is terrible in terms of quality and they play a boring style.
Player to watch: Aleksandr Golovin. The 22 year old CSKA Moscow midfielder is one of Russias brightest prospects and already one of their best players. A big world cup in his home country could draw interest from other teams.
Saudi Arabia
Why they will do well: Using their endless oil money to get the rigged whistle on their side.
Why they wont: Because Ive never heard of anyone on their team
Players to watch: fun fact. Saudi Arabia and La Liga agreed to a partnership deal where they loaned players to them in the second half of the season in order to help prepare for the world cup. Most of them didnt even play a minute, but perhaps Fahad Al-Muwallad (Levante), Salem Al-Dawsari (Villarreal) or Yahya Al-Shehri (Leganes) have learned something upon plying their trade in the best league in the world.
Egypt
Why they will do well: Mohamed Salah, the gift from Allah
Why they wont do well: Salah not being close to 100% or missing games will completely fuck them
Player to watch: All eyes will be on Salah, who had an amazing season with Liverpool but recently had a shoulder injury a few weeks ago and may not be ready for the World Cup. This is Egypts first WC appearance in almost 30 years, and he was the main part why. Others who will have to pick up the slack especially if he doesnt play are Mohamed Elneny (Arsenal), Trezeguet who is coming off a great season in Turkey or the tricky young winger Ramadan Sobhi (now Huddersfield after 2 years at Stoke)
Uruguay
Why they will do well: Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani is one of the best striker duos in this tournament, two proven goalscorers at club level. Diego Godin is a true defensive enthusiast, brings a tear to my eye. Him and Jose Gimenez are an excellent CB paring, especially since they are also teammates at Atletico Madrid, quite possible the best defensive team in the world
Why they wont do well: Will Suarez be able to contain his urge from biting players again? Cavani sometimes goes through periods where he cant score to save his life. Not enough help from the midfield/wide players. Will Guillermo Varela get a tattoo infection before a pivotal game?
Players to watch: The players I mentioned. Some younger midfielders from the Serie A like Rodrigo Bentancur (Juventus) and Lucas Torreira from Sampdoria (@Chules says hes good according to youtube) will be beneficial to link the defense and the attack as well.
Group B
Portugal
Why they will do well: Cristiano Ronaldo exists
Coming off of the Euros 2016 triumph, Portugal is absolutely stacked in their midfield, both at winger and in the center, as well as the FB spot. A good mix of veterans (Ronaldo, Joao Moutinho, Pepe) and younger players (Bernardo Silva, Gelson Martins, Goncelo Guedes)
Why they wont do well: They have poor depth at striker and have a bunch of 35 year olds in their defense
Players to watch: Obviously CR7, one of the best players to ever play the game. Will Pepe (ex Real Madrid, not the frog) and goalkeeper Rui Patricio (Sporting?) be able to help piece together an aging defense to keep teams off the scoresheet?
Spain
Why they will do well: Loaded with Barcalona and Madrid based players, this team has the best midfield hands down in the tournament, as well as an excellent defense, goalkeeper and technically is head and shoulders above most teams.
Why they wont do well: They fired their manager literally hours ago. Diego Costa or Sergio Ramos does something underhanded and gets a red card. David de Gea suffers a drop in form because his teammates dont like him playing metal music in the locker room.
Players to watch: Who is going to be the guy up top? If Costa, Rodrigo, and/or Iago Aspas play well, theres no reason Spain cant win it all, unless newly appointed manager Fernando Hierro is completely incompetent. What dark arts will Sergio Ramos dabble in?
Morocco
Why they will do well: Morocco have a very good backline lead by Juventus CB Medhi Benetia, RB Achraf Hakimi (Real Madrid) and Romain Saiss (Wolves), a midfielder by trade but a CB on the national team. They didnt allow a single goal in World Cup Qualifying
Why they wont do well: The attacking is the opposite, they scored well against shitty teams but still very questionable against World Cup caliber opposition. Goalkeeper is a weakness
Players to watch: Hakim Ziyech (Ajax) was named the best player in the Dutch league. A very well rounded midfielder, scouts from bigger teams will definitely be tuned in to see how he does. Amine Harit (Schalke) is an exciting talent as well.
Iran
Why they will do well: Iran is one of the better teams in Asia and play hard despite not having the star power. Last world cup they drew with Nigeria and lost to Argentina on a late goal
Why they wont do well: Half of their team play in the middle east and I can name 20 leagues off my head that are stronger
Player to watch: Sardar Azmoun has a mediocre goal scoring rate in the Russian league but turns it on for the national team (23 in 33 games). After Iran only scored 1 goal last WC, the 23 year old striker will be counted on to knock them in. Alireza Jahanbakhsh won the golden boot in the Dutch league, the first Asian player to do it in a notable European league.
Group C
France
Why they will do well: A surplus of talent in their attack. You could make a team made up of players who didnt make the World Cup roster and it would still be better than half of the teams in it. Tons of young talent that will see them as a contender in any major tournament for the next decade.
Why they wont do well: Questions in defense, people have questions about the manager being good enough to win a major tournament (Zidane LOOMS?)
Players to watch: Antoine Griezmann, N'golo Kante and Paul Pogba highlight a fantastic team but Ill focus on Olivier Giroud. The Chelsea striker is better as a backup at club level and probably wouldnt even be on the team if Karim Benzema wasnt a retard that has issues with the manager but starts for France because he fits the system. If he continues to play like does for France they should be a shoo in to advance to the later rounds, if not all the way. Kylian Mbappe, the most expensive teenager in the world, is another option at
Australia
Why they will do well: Maty Ryan and Aaron Mooy had good seasons in the Premier League for Brighton and Huddersfield respectively. Mathew Leckie is one of the fastest players in the Bundesliga. Tom Rogic has been very good for Celtic. The team is battle tested, having to play numerous games to get qualified. Massimo Luongo nearly won Ballon d'Or
Why they wont do well: Not a lot of quality overall, unproven against top teams.
Players to watch: The aforementioned. Daniel Arzani at 19 is the youngest player in the World Cup and Australias brightest prospect. On the flip side, Tim Cahill at 38 is one of the oldest. Can he score for a 4th World Cup in a row?
Peru
Why they will do well: Peru is an entertaining team to watch and play extremely hard, they wont go down without a fight. If you can qualify for the World Cup coming from South America you definitely earned it. This is their first World Cup in 36 years.
Why they wont do well: Lack of experience obviously. How rusty is Guerrero?
Players to watch: The main narrative surrounding Peru to the World Cup was around Paolo Guerrero, Perus captain, leader, and national hero being cleared to play after a questionable drug suspension tldr version here. His first game back he scored a brace in a 3-0 friendly vs Saudi Arabia. His main partner in crime will be Jefferson Farfan who enjoyed a slight resurgence as Lokomotiv Moscow won the Russian league
Denmark
(completes hat trick)
Why they’ll do well: Star player Christian Eriksen has been in amazing form, scoring 11 goals in WC qualifying, only Lewandowski and Ronaldo had more. They have a big and physical team, but their entire gameplan is centered around the Spurs midfielder
Why they wont do well: fullbacks, rely on Eriksen too much. If he struggles the team struggles, hes the only consistent goal scorer as well.
Players to watch: Eriksen, Thomas Delaney (Bremen, just signed with Dortmund), Pione Sisto (Celta Vigo) and Yussef Paulsen (RB Leipzig)
Group D
Argentina
Why they’ll do well: A very strong attack lead by one of the best players in the world. When the likes of Paulo Dybala and Sergio Aguero aren’t guaranteed starters you know you have some serious depth
Why they won’t do well: Weak in defense and questionable midfield. Losing Sergio Romero and Manuel Lanzini right before the WC is significant. Higuain, Aguero, di Maria and Dybala have sometimes failed to clicked and underperformed at times
Player to watch: Obviously Messi. Ever Banega (Sevilla) needs to play well, he will be an X factor in midfield which isn’t great on paper with Lanzini out, Mascherano aging and Biglia not fully fit. Giovani Lo Celso (PSG) will need to step up as well
Iceland
Why they’ll do well:
Iceland continue their magical run and qualify for their first World Cup after a successful Euros, making it to the quarterfinals. Pretty much the entire team from 2 years ago is here. They have great team chemistry and play well together in all areas despite being low on big names.
Why they won’t do well: Sigurdsson was injured toward the end of his season with Everton so it remains to be seen how in shape he is. They won’t have the element of surprise sneaking up on teams again
Players to watch: Iceland will rely on their talents who play in England, their main player in Sigurdsson, Gudmundsson (Burnley), Bjarnason (Aston Villa) and Gunnarsson (Cardiff) all form a solid midfield. Finnbogason (Augsburg) is a good option at striker as well
Croatia
Why they'll do well: A strong midfield with Real Madrid players Luka Modric and Mateo Kovasic, along with Barcalonas Ivan Rakitic. Versatility at forward. Croatia is one of the oldest teams in the tournament, their top players are in their physical prime so this will probably be their best chance to make a run.
Why they wont do well: Croatia is inconsistent, they can beat anyone but lose to them as well. Dejan Lovren has been criticized at Liverpool and will need to play better here.
Players to watch: Andrej Krameric is coming off a good year at Hoffenheim, him, Mario Mandzukic and Ivan Perisic will headline Croatias versatile attack
Nigeria
Why they'll do well: Nigeria rely on their teamwork to win games. Alex Iwobi and Victor Moses play better for the national team than they do for their clubs. If you look good, you feel good, you play good
Why they wont do well: defense, theyre starting a 19 year old in goal who has hardly any experience.
Players to watch:
Chelsea legend John Obi Mikel is the leader of the team and provides a great balance. Leicester duo Wilfred Ndidi and Kelechi Iheanacho and Iwobi headline the younger group of talent
Group E
Brazil
Why they'll do well: A strong and balanced team in every area, Brazil is loaded and ready to right the wrongs from last WC where they were embarrassed by Germany in their home country. Ederson, Filipe Luis, one of Silva/Marqinhos/Miranda, Firmino, Costa and Fred are all unlikely to start which shows how deep this team is.
Why they wont do well: RB is the biggest weakness by a mile, with Dani Alves missing they have to rely on Danilo and
ner who are a huge step down from the rest of the roster. The left side might suffer defensively as well since Marcelo loves going forward and Neymar doesnt really defend.Player to watch:
LORD PAULINHO even when he was playing in China is an absolute monster with Brazil, given that hes worked with Brazils manager for many years now. Him and his fellow teammate Phillipe Coutinho link well together. Neymar is likely the 3rd best player in the world behind the big two, all eyes will be on him as well.
Switzerland
Why theyll do well: Switzerland have a solid back 6 (4231) and Xherdan Shaqiri is a fan favorite in the country with his impressive skills. Yann Sommer, the starting GK for the Swiss and Gladbach, has a food blog
Why they wont do well: Dont score many goals nor do they have a consistent scorer.
Player to watch: Shaqiri and Breel Embolo (Schalke) who is coming off a serious injury need to lead the attack while Granit Xhaka has to improve from his inconsistent club form.
Costa Rica
Why they'll do well: After reaching the quarterfinals in 2014, Costa Rica look to improve their standing. Giancarlo Gonzalez (Bologna) and Oscar Duarte (Espenyol) are solid CBs headlined by Real Madrid GK Keylor Navas. Theyre a good counter attacking team that usually line up with 3 CBs.
Why they wont do well: Given theyre set up to counter and dont have a consistent goal scoring threat they will struggle if they allow goals early on
Players to watch: Navas is hands down the most important player. Bryan Ruiz (Sporting?) is still around. Joel Campbell is coming off an injury and remaining forever aloan, but has played well for the national team in the past.
Serbia
Why they'll do well: Very strong midfield, with Milinkovic-Savic (Lazio), Matic (Man United), and Milivojevic (Crystal Palace) all having strong seasons. Mitrovic was on fire at Fulham and helped them achieve promotion to the Premier League.
Why they wont do well: defense looks shaky and slow as well. When the likes of Kolorov and Ivanovic are in your back 4, you might have trouble against a team with quick attackers
Player to watch: Sergej Milinkovic-Savic is one of the most impressive looking players ive ever seen from watching youtube highlights. Hes just as good in "actual games". Fantastic talent that is destined for brighter things
Group F
Germany
Why theyll do well: Germany is strong in a lot of areas as they look to win the WC again. No notable weak links in their starting XI
Why they wont do well: Neuer hasnt played all season due to injury. ter Stegen is no slouch himself, having a phenomenal season at Barca. If Neuer starts its possible that he rusty and could hurt them. Is Timo Werner ready to be the starting striker?
Players to watch: Werner as I said. The RB Leipzig striker fits the style of the team but is still young and still improving. If he plays well, Germany is a strong bet to make it all the way. Marco Reus will finally play in his first World Cup!
Mexico
Why they'll do well: El Tri highlight an exciting attack with Javier Hernandez, their leading goal scorer, Carlos Vela, and Hirving Lozano. Hector Herrera and especially Andreas Guardado form a solid midfield with experience, and Guillermo Ochoa always plays better for the national team than he does elsewhere. After being eliminated from the round of 16 5 straight times, Mexico look to advance further.
Why they wont do well:
There are questions about Juan Carlos Osario the manager, he rotates way too much and doesnt settle on a consistent formation. STD's
Players to watch: Hirving Lozano will look to be the breakout young star of the tournament after a great season at PSV. Rafael Marquez probably wont start but at 39, if he plays it will be his 5th World Cup.
Sweden
Why they'll do well: Life without Zlatan for Sweden has been successful as they play very well as a team, compact defensively and a timely goal here and there. They deserved to beat Italy over their 2 leg World Cup playoff
Why they wont do well: Life without Zlatan has also resulted in nobody who can score consistently. Most of their attacking players have been poor at club level.
Players to watch: Emil Forsberg from RB Leipzig is the star player, a midfielder who can do a bit of everything. Victor Lindelof and especially the captain Andreas Granqvist have looked very good in the qualifying games. Granqvist was named the Swedish player of the year, the first non Zlatan player in a decade.
South Korea
Why they'll do well: S Korea are pacy upfront, they lack a strong striker but have solid wingers who can create problems.
Why they wont do well: Not enough quality especially in defense.
Players to watch: The hopes of South Korea rest on Heung-Min Son's shoulders. The Spurs attacker is an exciting player and will look to deliver for his country, along with Swansea's Ki Sung-yueng, the teams leader. You may remember Lee Seung-woo who signed for Barcelona at the age of 12 and ended up getting them a transfer ban. Hes now 20 and plays for Hellas Verona, not a lot of senior team experience but has played well with the youth national teams.
Group G
Belgium
manchester united pun intended ok stop dad
Why they'll do well: Belgium have a good well rounded team in all areas. Their front 3 of Eden Hazard, Romelu Lukaku and Dries Mertens have been on fire for the team for the past 2 years. Kevin de Bruyne is one of the best midfielders in the world. The CB pairing is familiar with each other and their biggest weakness (fullbacks) are negated because they play with 3 CBs, making Thomas Meunier a better fit than he is in a back 4
Why they wont do well:
Questions surround Roberto Martinez on whether hes the right guy to manage the team. Some of the team selections have been bizarre (Axel Witsel plays over Dembele, Nainggolan is well publicized, picking Boyata who is horrible at Celtic over Kabasele who has been solid at Watford is another)
Players to watch: Eden Hazard is the star of the show. Sometimes criticized at Chelsea for not enough goals/assists, that isnt the case with Belgium.
Panama
Why they'll do well: They play hard, sometimes a little too hard. Panama is probably the worst team on paper in the WC, but obviously they play hard or they wouldnt have gotten this far.
Why they wont do well: If youve heard of any of these players, congrats.
Player to watch: Fidel Escobar, one of their up and coming young players who plays in MLS. His name sounds like hes a badass.
Tunisia
Why they'll do well:
They play hard
Why they wont do well: no striker
Player to watch: Wahbi Khazri didnt work out at Sunderland but hes been playing well in the more cultured and not Sunderland level bad Ligue 1. An attacking mid, he'll be playing striker because they need one. Ellyes Skhiri is the captain at only 22, he had a good year for Montpellier. Leicester greats Yohan Benalouane and Harry Maguire CB facing off toe to toe will be worth watching
England
Why they'll do well:
Its coming home! England seem to have some sense of stability and direction under Gareth Southgate, as opposed to the past where they were sticking square pegs in round holes. They played well in qualifying. Danny Welbeck doesnt look like a Mansfield Town level player when wearing the Three Lions shirt
Why they wont do well: The team on paper looks pretty average, worse than previous years where the team underachieved with superior talent. Phil Jones not making a funny face throughout the entire tournament will doom them.
Players to watch: Harry Kane has been overall disappointing for England in big games (remember him taking corner kicks) so he will set out to prove his quality that he shows for Spurs. Raheem Sterling has gotten a lot of hate lately (who knows) and will try to prove the doubters wrong, moving to a more center role for England. Marcus Rashford and Jamie Vardy are usually strong when they come in from the bench if they dont start.
Group H
Poland
Why they'll do well:
Robert Lewandowski is in great form for Poland, setting an all time record with 16 goals in the qualifying rounds. The team averaged nearly 3 goals a game.
Why they wont do well:
There are some solid pieces in defense (Glik, Piszczek, and Szczesny/Fabianski are coming in with good form) but the rest of it is lacking. Krychowiak had an impressive Euro 16 and was linked to numerous clubs but has been forgettable for PSG and West Brom since.
Player to watch:
Arkadiusz Milik is coming off of 2 ACL tears but the Napoli striker has talent. If he can ease some of the pressure off of teams focusing on Lewa this will make Poland more dangerous. Kamil Grosicki is ok at Hull City but much better for Poland. Piotr Zielinski provides playmaking in the middle. Jakub Blaszczykowski might have one more run left in the tank. Kuba has been injured most of the year for Wolfsburg but has rehabbed and ready for the World Cup
Senegal
Why they'll do well: Koulibaly (another Napoli player in this group), along with West Ham's Kouyate and Evertons Gueye, Ndiaye from Stoke along with Liverpools Sadio Mane (who plays in the middle for Senegal) form an impressive spine. BOISTS
Why they wont do well:
Their manager has been criticized for playing too negative at times, relying too much on Mane to bail them out. Inconsistent players.
Player to watch: Koulibaly, who rejected interest from France to play for Senegal, is basically a wall. Ismalia Sarr, the 20 year old winger from Rennes has potential and could draw intrest from other teams with a good tournament. Keita Balde, joining Monaco from Lazio last year, on the other side is inconsistent at times but when hes on, hes on.
Colombia
Why they'll do well:
Their top players are in good form. Rademel Falcao has found his missing self the last 2 years. James Rodriguez played well at Bayern after uncertainty at Real Madrid. Jose Izquierdo was red hot for Brighton once he adjusted to the team. Add in Juan Cuadrado and this is a strong attack
Why they wont do well:
The defense could be boom or bust. David Ospina has been meh for Arsenal and his form has carried over to the national team, where it didnt before this year. They have no other options, so he must improve. Fabra and Arias the FB's are fast and good forward but not defensively. A Yerry Mina/Davinson Sanchez paring on paper has potential, but is very inexperienced in big games, less so Sanchez. Mina was a disaster in his last game for Barcalona.
Player to watch:
James is the obvious choice. He contributed to nearly half of Colombia's goals/assists in qualifying. This is a team that can get to the quarterfinals like last time if he continues to play well.
Japan
Why they'll do well: Japan has an agile and hard working attack, highlighted by Leicesters Shinji Okazaki and Mainz's Yoshinori Muto. Mainstay Keisuke Honda, has played very well in Mexico after a couple forgettable seasons. Takashi Inui (Eibar moving to Betis) is a fantastic dribbler. Shinji Kagawa (Dortmund) and the captain Makoto Hasebe (Frankfurt) form a solid veteran midfield.
Why they wont do well: Questions defensively. New manager that was appointed in April.
Player to watch:
Basically everyone named
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