FIFA World Cup: Top 10 teams to look forward to
Even after the 2018 FIFA World Cup draws being labelled as 'balanced but disappointing' by experts, fans while waiting for their favourite football stars to represent their respective national teams in the biggest footballing event, seem to be going restless. Photo: Getty Images
By Abdullah Zafar
As Russia gears up to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup in June, the craze for the sport is reaching a new high all around the globe. From football fanatics’ social media groups overflowing with World Cup related content, to the fans taking their zeal out in the streets, the enthusiasm is unfathomable.
Even after the 2018 FIFA World Cup draws being labelled as ‘balanced but disappointing’ by experts, fans while waiting for their favourite football stars to represent their respective national teams in the biggest footballing event, seem to be going restless.
With the footballing fervour taking over the world by storm, here is your guide to all that you need to know about FIFA’s top 10 teams (as of November 23, 2017) that have qualified for the tournament, and how they’re shaping up for the 2018 World Cup.
10. Peru
Qualified for the first time since 1982 is expected to put up an excellent show owing it to their Argentinian coach. Photo: AP
While the fifth spot favourites for South America in the 2018 World Cup were Chile, Paraguay and Ecuador, to everyone’s surprise, Peru finishing above Chile, emerged as a big sensation of South America. Qualifying for the first time since 1982 past a play-off against New Zealand, the team regardless of the fact that it doesn’t have any big names playing, is expected to put up an excellent show of tactics owing to their Argentinian coach.
Coach Ricardo Gareca, who being a great motivator is famous for not being afraid of superior oppositions, will be accompanied by players such as Paolo Guerrero and Jefferson Farfan in the team’s attack. Guerrero being the leading scorer in the national team’s history, if allowed to play following his failed drug test, is expected to put up a brilliant show in Russia with the help of his team.
9. France
Coach Didier Deschamps who led France to victory at the 1998 World Cup and UEFA Euro 2000 as a captain, has transformed the team into a competitive side, but is yet to deliver a trophy. Photo: Twitter
While France is a team bursting with young, vibrant talent, the team based on its latest performances is believed to lack the concentration needed to be crowned as the champion. Although the movement and speed of France’s counter-attacks in recent matches has been laudable, cracks need to be filled if France desires to win the trophy for the second time.
Coach Didier Deschamps who led France to victory at the 1998 World Cup and UEFA Euro 2000 as a captain, has transformed the team into a competitive side, but is yet to deliver a trophy. With an incredible number of star players including Raphael Varane being a part of France, coach Deschamps can quite easily take two separate decent squads to the 2018 World Cup. All France needs to do in order to make its mark in Russia is to play as a unified force and not totally depend on its seasoned footballers like Paul Pogba.
8. Switzerland
The players having a decent experience of an international tournament’s pressure, along with three good Bundesliga goalkeepers in the squad, the team may prove many people wrong. Photo: Twitter
Managing to secure a spot in the World Cup for the fourth time in a row, Switzerland undoubtedly has got a lot of potential. While the quarter-finals for many, appear to be the ‘only possible goal’ for the Swiss, the team may deliver better than expected with the squad featuring a number of players from 2009’s U17 world champion team. The players having a decent experience of an international tournament’s pressure, along with three good Bundesliga goalkeepers in the squad, the team may prove many people wrong.
They key player of the team is expected to be Xherdan Shaqiri, who prior to his failed spells at Bayern Munich and Inter Milan was expected to become one of his generation’s best players. Now continuing as a rather inconsistent winger at Stoke City – showing rare sights of brilliance, the 26-year-old may present something unexpected in Russia.
7. Poland
With the upcoming World Cup possibly being the last mega-platform for Poland’s star player Robert Lewandowski, a large number of fans are expected to travel to Russia with high hopes. Photo: Getty Images
Being labelled as the ‘hundred-to-one shot’ team of the tournament, Poland will be playing the 2018 FIFA World Cup as its first since 2006. With the upcoming World Cup possibly being the last mega-platform for Poland’s star player Robert Lewandowski, a large number of fans are expected to travel to Russia with high hopes.
While the Polish team aims to be a phoenix rising from the ashes – trying to bring back its decades-old glory, the squad featuring Bayern’s star striker Lewandowski, as well as experienced players such as Lukasz Piszczek and Piotr Zielinski under Coach Adam Nawalka’s guidance are likely to put up a great skill show. Lewandowski with 30 goals in each of the two Bundesliga seasons earlier is already the most productive striker in the nation’s history. Moreover, Nawalka has also turned the team into a side always looking for a way to overtop possession.
6. Spain
Adding to the team’s abilities are players like Sergio Ramos, David De Gea and Gerard Pique. The talented players will be seen lending a hand to Alvaro Morata and the 33-year-old maestro, Andres Iniesta, whose fitness, by the way, could become a concern. Photo: Getty Images
Being one of the toughest teams in the group owing to the amalgamation of seasoned La Liga players that it features, the Spanish team is expected to achieve an easy qualification in the 2018 World Cup’s round of 16. Earlier seen struggling after failing to defend their titles at the World Cup and the UEFA Euro in 2014 and 2016, respectively, the 2010 World Cup Champions have now revived following the managerial change from Vicente del Bosque to Julen Lopetegui.
Adding to the team’s abilities are players like Sergio Ramos, David De Gea and Gerard Pique. The talented players will be seen lending a hand to Alvaro Morata and the 33-year-old maestro, Andres Iniesta, whose fitness, by the way, could become a concern. While Coach Lopetegui has steered La Roja through an undefeated series of qualifiers including a 3-0 victory against Italy, the perfect blend of experiences including those of Iniesta, Sergio Busquets, Marco Asensio, David Silva and Francisco Román Alarcón Suárez (Isco) have the Spanish team fans hopeful for reclaiming their lost title.
5. Belgium
One of the major reasons for the team being held back was its unexceptional coaching, but now owing to its Spanish coach, Roberto Martinez, the best is anticipated of the group of stars that Belgium features. Photo: Twitter
For a team like Belgium, it will be justified to say that it’s their golden generation. With the best squad the team has ever had, Belgium is expected to perform better than any of its previous appearances in the World Cup. One of the major reasons for the team being held back was its unexceptional coaching, but now owing to its Spanish coach, Roberto Martinez, the best is anticipated of the group of stars that Belgium features.
With a bit feeble defence, but Thibaut Courtois at the goal and players like the Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne, Manchester United’s Romelu Lukaku and Chelsea’s Eden Hazard at the front, the team may be able achieve more than many around the world expect it to. According to Pep Guardiola of Manchester City, Kevin De Bruyne – Belgium’s 26-year-old key player, can one day prove to be worthy enough to win a Ballon d’Or.
4. Argentina
Unacceptable for the fans of a team with countless premium class strikers, Argentina have not won a major senior title since the 1993 Copa America. Photo: Getty Images
Even though it was seen struggling to qualify for the tournament, La Albiceleste can never be underestimated. While a team featuring Lionel Messi – the Barcelona superstar who singlehandedly led Argentina to the 2018 FIFA World Cup can never be disregarded, the disappointing performances by the team under Coach Jorge Sampaoli’s management has made Argentina 2018 World Cup’s ‘biggest question mark’.
With lesser known Boca Juniors striker Daria Benedetto deployed up front due to the team’s seasoned players like Gonzalo Higuain’s disappointing performances and Paulo Dybala seeming to be fated for the bench, one of the questions raised is that who will join Messi to steer Argentina in the upcoming tournament. Unacceptable for the fans of a team with countless premium class strikers, Argentina have not won a major senior title since the 1993 Copa America.
Upset Argentinian team fans now once again wonder if the 30-year-old magician, Messi, will finally be able to achieve the only missing accomplishment of his career by winning a title for his national team or not?
3. Portugal
Although the team appears to be working hard to find fresh talent in order to help its 33-year-old key player Cristiano Ronaldo, the European champion’s star doesn’t really seem to be willing to share the spotlight with his teammates. Photo: AFP
With 9 wins in 10 matches, Portugal outdid quiet an easy group in qualifying for the World Cup. But the real face-offs still await them. Although the team appears to be working hard to find fresh talent in order to help its 33-year-old key player Cristiano Ronaldo, the European champion’s star doesn’t really seem to be willing to share the spotlight with his teammates.
Even though young stars like Bernardo Silva and Goncalo Guedes are adding to the manager Fernando Santos’s quality options, the team appears to be lacking a good defence owing to it being mainly dependent on ageing Képler Laveran Lima Ferreira (Pepe). While the 2018 World Cup may be Ronaldo’s last chance to shine at the mega-event, Portugal having the spirit to win the World Cup following the team’s performance in the 2016 UEFA Euro, is expected to fly to Russia with an experienced squad in which Joao Moutinho will be handling the midfield as Silva assists Ronaldo with the attack.
2. Brazil
The team’s coach, Adenor Bacchi (Tite) did not only make the Brazilian team a favourite for the 2018 World Cup, but also put in all his efforts in a bid to release the squad from being heavily dependent on its key player, Neymar. Photo: Getty Images
Following a series of wins including a 3-0 victory over Argentina, Selecao were the first team to qualify for Russia. Making its way out of the despair that had taken over the national team after the 7-1 defeat against Germany in the 2014 World Cup, Brazil hasn’t only paved its way to the tournament through convenient victories, but with due credit to its coach has also managed to revive the passion and the authentic Brazilian style.
The team’s coach, Adenor Bacchi (Tite) did not only make the Brazilian team a favourite for the 2018 World Cup, but also put in all his efforts in a bid to release the squad from being heavily dependent on its key player, Neymar. With the Brazilian line up featuring players like Paulinho and Renato Augusto other than Neymar, wonders in the field are anticipated by its fans who are hoping to overwrite their painful memories from 2014. Although Neymar still is the key to Brazil’s expected success, it was his leg injury that had led a Brazil-dependent-on-Neymar to humiliation in the last World Cup.
1. Germany
Coach Joachim Low, who took over the team back in 2006 continued to oversee a consistent progress concluding with Germany being crowned as the champions of the last World Cup. Photo: Sky Sports
Determined to defend their title, the 2014 World Cup champions qualified for the tournament after standing victorious in all 10 matches. With a series of perfect wins, Germany completed its qualifying with a European-record of 43 goals while conceding only four.
Coach Joachim Low, who took over the team back in 2006 continued to oversee a consistent progress concluding with Germany being crowned as the champions of the last World Cup. With experienced footballing stars like Thomas Muller, Mesut Ozil, Toni Kroos, Manuel Neuer and Sami Khedira to name a few, raising a new generation of stars including Leroy Sane and Joshua Kimmich, there seems to be a strong possibility of the defending champions lifting their fifth World Cup, and the second in a row. Even though a lot may be dependent on Muller’s form, Toni Kroos – Germany’s new leader is someone whose intelligence and composition on the ball encourages the whole team to keep moving forward.
