Innholdsfortegnelse for The Complete Guide to the World Cup 2018 i World Cup 2018

Few people thought Mario Gotze would end up being the hero of Germany’s 2014 Final triumph over Argentina in Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana stadium. But the striker seized his moment after being handed the opportunity as a late sub by coach Joachim Low. Low explained: “I said to Gotze: ‘OK, show the world you are better than Messi and can decide the World Cup.’ “I told him that. I always had a good feeling about Gotze. Argentina were becoming more and more tired, but we had players who could make a difference. “Gotze is a miracle boy, a boy wonder. He can play any position up front. I know he’s always able to decide a match, and it was a great winner he scored. But in extra time we had…

WORLD CUP FINALS HISTORY 1974 First round 1978 (did not qualify) 1982 (did not qualify) 1986 (did not qualify) 1990 (did not qualify) 1994 (did not qualify) 1998 (did not qualify) 2002 (did not qualify) 2006 Second round 2010 First round 2014 First round WORLD CUP THE SCHEDULE GROUP C June 16 v France (Kazan) June 21 v Denmark (Samara) June 26 v Peru (Sochi) THE BETTING 500/1 to win the World Cup 20/1 to win Group C THE QUESTIONS Can the new coach impose his ideas in time? Bert Van Marwijk took over from the attack-minded Ange Postecoglou in January and has only had two friendlies in March. Who will score the goals? Australia create a lot of chances but don’t convert enough. Tomi Juric has done a reasonable…

WORLD CUP FINALS HISTORY 1950 (did not enter) 1954 (did not enter) 1958 (did not qualify) 1962 Group stage 1966 (did not qualify) 1970 (did not qualify) 1974 (did not qualify) 1978 (did not qualify) 1982 (did not qualify) 1986 (did not qualify) 1990 Second round 1994 Group stage 1998 Group stage 2002 (did not qualify) 2006 (did not qualify 2010 (did not qualify) 2014 Quarter-finals THE SCHEDULE GROUP H June 19 v Japan (Saransk) June 24 v Poland (Kazan) June 28 v Senegal (Samara) THE BETTING 33/1 to win the World Cup 15/8 to reach the quarter-finals THE QUESTIONS Can they trust David Ospina? With the exception of a meaningless Copa Centenario group game, it is more than six years since anyone but Ospina has started a competitive match…

WORLD CUP FINALS HISTORY 1958 (did not qualify) 1966 (did not qualify) 1970 (did not qualify) 1974 (did not qualify) 1978 (did not qualify) 1982 (did not qualify) 1986 Second round 1990 (did not qualify) 1994 (did not qualify) 1998 Quarter-finals 2002 Second round 2006 (did not qualify) 2010 Group stage 2014 (did not qualify) THE SCHEDULE GROUP C June 16 v Peru (Saransk) June 21 v Australia (Samara) June 26 v France (Moscow Luzhniki) THE BETTING 100/1 to win the World Cup 6/1 to win Group C THE QUESTIONS Which system will get the best out of star man Christian Eriksen? Age Hareide prefers a 4-3-3 formation that allows Eriksen the space to operate behind a main striker and two wide men. However, it’s a different system to the…

WORLD CUP FINALS HISTORY 1930 Group stage 1934 First round 1938 Quarter-finals 1954 Group stage 1958 3rd place 1962 (did not qualify) 1966 (did not qualify) 1970 Group stage 1974 (did not qualify) 1978 Group stage 1982 4th place 1986 3rd place 1990 (did not qualify) 1994 (did not qualify) 1998 WINNERS 2002 Group stage 2006 Runners-up 2010 Group stage 2014 Quarter-finals THE SCHEDULE GROUP C June 16 v Australia (Kazan) June 21 v Peru (Yekaterinburg) June 26 v Denmark (Moscow Luzniki) THE BETTING 11/2 to win the World Cup 1/5 to win Group C THE QUESTIONS Will Didier Deschamps stick to his preferred 4-3-3 system? Having dabbled with 4-4-2, will he be daring and flexible enough to employ other systems? With the defensive talent at his disposal, three at…

WORLD CUP FINALS HISTORY 1974 (did not qualify) 1978 Group stage 1990 (did not qualify) 1994 (did not qualify) 1998 Group stage 2002 (did not qualify) 2006 Group stage 2010 (did not qualify) 2014 Group stage THE SCHEDULE GROUP B June 15 v Morocco (Saint Petersburg) June 20 v Spain (Kazan) June 25 v Portugal (Saransk) THE BETTING 500/1 to win the World Cup 25/1 to win Group B THE QUESTIONS Will Iran be able to score goals? Despite having such a talented attacker such as Sardar Azmoun, goals did not exactly flow freely in qualification. To get out of the group he is going to need support. Who will step up when the pressure is on? Iran has long had powerful midfielders, both physically and mentally, but the present…

WORLD CUP FINALS HISTORY 1930 (did not enter) 1934 (did not enter) 1938 (did not enter) 1950 (did not enter) 1934 (did not enter) 1958 (did not enter) 1962 (did not qualify) 1966 (did not enter) 1970 Group stage 1974 (did not qualify) 1978 (did not qualify) 1982 (did not qualify) 1986 Second round 1990 (did not qualify) 1994 Group stage 1998 Group stage 2002 (did not qualify) 2006 (did not qualify) 2010 (did not qualify) 2014 (did not qualify) THE SCHEDULE GROUP B June 15 v Iran (Saint Petersburg) June 20 v Portugal (Moscow Luzhniki) June 25 v Spain (Kaliningrad) THE BETTING 300/1 to win the World Cup 16/1 to win Group B THE QUESTIONS Will Morocco manage to retain their new-found unity this summer? There are many disparate…

WORLD CUP FINALS HISTORY 1930 Group stage 1934 (did not enter) 1938 (did not enter) 1950 (did not enter) 1954 (did not enter) 1962 (did not qualify) 1966 (did not qualify) 1970 Quarter-finals 1974 (did not qualify) 1978 Second round 1982 Group stage 1986 (did not qualify) 1990 (did not qualify) 1994 (did not qualify) 1998 (did not qualify) 2002 (did not qualify) 2006 (did not qualify) 2010 (did not qualify) 2014 (did not qualify) THE SCHEDULE GROUP C June 16 v Denmark (Saransk) June 21 v France (Yekaterinburg) June 26 v Australia (Sochi) THE BETTING 200/1 to win the World Cup 9/1 to win Group C THE QUESTIONS How will the return of skipper Paolo Guerrero boost the team? Peru’s centre-forward, all-time top scorer and only world-class player missed…

WORLD CUP FINALS HISTORY 1930-1990 As Soviet Union 1994 Group stage 1998 (did not qualify) 2002 Group stage 2006 (did not qualify) 2010 (did not qualify) 2014 Group stage THE SCHEDULE GROUP A June 14 v Saudi Arabia (Moscow Luzhniki) June 19 v Egypt (Saint Petersburg) June 25 v Uruguay (Samara) THE BETTING 50/1 to win the World Cup 7/4 to win Group A THE QUESTIONS Will injuries derail Russia’s World Cup? Key defender Victor Vasin and first-choice striker Alexander Kokorin, last season’s top scorer in the Russian league, recently suffered serious knee injuries, and another important defender Georgi Dzhikiya faces a race to fit in time for the finals. Can the new defence cope? Since Euro 2016, veteran defenders Sergei Ignashevich, along with Vasili and Alexei Berezutskiy, have quit…

WORLD CUP FINALS HISTORY As Yugoslavia 1930 Fourth place 1934-38 (did not qualify) 1950 Group stage 1954 Quarter-finals 1958 Quarter-finals 1962 Fourth place 1966-70 (did not qualify) 1974 Second round 1978 (did not qualify) 1982 Group stage 1986 (did not qualify) 1990 Quarter-finals As Serbia & Montenegro 1998 Second round 2002 (did not qualify) 2006 Group stage As Serbia 2010 Group stage 2014 (did not qualify) THE SCHEDULE GROUP E June 17 v Costa Rica (Samara) June 22 v Switzerland (Kaliningrad) June 27 v Brazil (Moscow Spartak) THE BETTING 150/1 to win the World Cup 9/1 to win Group E THE QUESTIONS Who will score the goals if Aleksandar Mitrovic is injured? Serbia’s first-choice striker moved to Championship club Fulham on loan from Newcastle United in January in a bid…

Is it easy being Lionel Messi? “I’m a normal person who tries to have a family life. Yes, it’s true that I’d like to go unnoticed and have a normal life without everyone watching me from time to time.” How has the birth of your children changed your family life? “It’s a very big change in every respect. You start to see different things, and in a different way. The truth is that being a father is the most beautiful thing that’s happened to me in all my life. In the morning I take Thiago and Mateo to school and when I come back from training I practically leave straight away to pick up Thiago.” Do the kids ask you to play football with them at home? “Thiago is already…

A World Cup without Brazil’s biggest star, Neymar Da Silva Santos Junior, is unthinkable. However, the world’s most expensive footballer faces a race against time to be fit in for Brazil’s first game, against Switzerland in Rostov on June 17, after he injured his foot playing for Paris Saint-Germain against Marseille in February. Without Neymar, PSG crashed out of the Champions League to Real Madrid, outplayed by Cristiano Ronaldo and co. Without Neymar, Brazil are also a different team. Four years ago the Selecao were humiliated in the World Cup semi-final in front of a home crowd in Belo Horizonte, thrashed 7-1 by eventual champions Germany. Neymar, of course, did not play in that fateful game as he had been injured in the quarter-final against Colombia. After being kneed in…

Spain will have a new midfielder leader in Russia this summer. After Xavi and Iniesta took the country to World Cup glory in 2010 in South Africa, there is now a new kid in town: Francisco Roman Alarcon Suarez, aka Isco. In the Real Madrid dressing room, Isco’s nickname is “Magia” (magic) – and you’ve got to be pretty good to earn that label in a dressing that includes talents such as Ronaldo, Bale, Benzema and Modric. But although Isco has become a key figure for his club over the past two seasons, there was a time when it was touch or go whether he would make it as a professional. When he was young he played for Atletico Benamiel on gravel pitches not far from Malaga, where a childhood…

WORLD CUP FINALS HISTORY 1930 First round 1934 First round 1938 First round 1954 Group stage 1958 (did not qualify) 1962 (did not qualify) 1966 (did not qualify) 1970 Group stage 1974 (did not qualify) 1978 (did not qualify) 1982 Second group stage 1986 Fourth place 1990 Second round 1994 Second round 1998 Group stage 2002 Second round 2006 (did not qualify) 2010 (did not qualify) 2014 Quarter-finals THE SCHEDULE GROUP G June 18 v Panama (Sochi) June 23 v Tunisia (Moscow Spartak) June 28 v England (Kaliningrad) THE BETTING 11/1 to win the World Cup 5/6 to win Group G THE QUESTIONS What is their Plan B? By switching to a 3-4-2-1 set-up, Roberto Martinez has shown an element of tactical flexibility that predecessor Marc Wilmots lacked. But while…

WORLD CUP FINALS HISTORY 1930 (did not enter) 1934 (did not enter) 1938 (did not enter) 1950 (did not enter) 1950 (did not enter) 1958 (did not qualify) 1962 (did not qualify) 1966 (did not qualify) 1970 (did not qualify) 1974 (did not qualify) 1978 (did not qualify) 1982 (did not qualify) 1986 (did not qualify) 1990 Second round 1994 (did not qualify) 1998 (did not qualify) 2002 Group stage 2006 Group stage 2010 (did not qualify) 2014 Quarter-finals THE SCHEDULE GROUP E June 17 v Serbia (Samara) June 22 v Brazil (Saint Petersburg) June 27 v Switzerland (Nizhny Novgorod) THE BETTING 300/1 to win the World Cup 16/1 to reach quarter-finals THE QUESTIONS Will the stars be back in time? Joel Campbell and Bryan Ruiz were both going through…

WORLD CUP FINALS HISTORY 1930 (did not enter) 1934 First round 1950 (did not enter) 1954 (did not qualify) 1970 (did not enter) 1974 (did not qualify) 1978 (did not qualify) 1982 (did not qualify) 1986 (did not qualify) 1990 Group stage 1994 (did not qualify) 1998 (did not qualify) 2002 (did not qualify) 2006 (did not qualify) 2010 (did not qualify) 2014 (did not qualify) THE SCHEDULE GROUP A June 15 v Uruguay (Yekaterinburg) June 19 v Russia (Saint Petersburg) June 25 v Saudi Arabia (Volgograd) THE BETTING 150/1 to win the World Cup 11/2 to win Group A THE QUESTIONS What targets will Egypt be setting themselves this summer? Hector Cuper says a place in the last 16 is the ambition, but a lack of experience may count…

WORLD CUP FINALS HISTORY 1930 (did not enter) 1934 Third place 1938 First round 1954 WINNERS 1958 Fourth place 1962 Quarter-finals 1966 Runners-up 1970 Third place 1974 WINNERS 1978 Second round 1982 Runners-up 1986 Runners-up 1990 WINNERS 1994 Quarter-finals 1998 Quarter-finals 2002 Runners-up 2006 Third place 2010 Third place 2014 WINNERS THE SCHEDULE GROUP F June 17 v Mexico (Moscow Luzhniki) June 23 v Sweden (Sochi) June 27 v South Korea (Kazan) THE BETTING 9/2 to win the World Cup 3/10 to win Group F THE QUESTIONS How predictable will Germany’s squad be? Anything but. Joachim Low has never had a deeper pool of talent at his disposal and hard choices will have to be made. He used 37 players in qualifying – and in the wake of recent German…

WORLD CUP FINALS HISTORY 1954 (did not qualify) 1962 (did not qualify) 1970 (did not qualify) 1974 (did not qualify) 1978 (did not qualify) 1982 (did not qualify) 1986 (did not qualify) 1990 (did not qualify) 1990 (did not qualify) 1998 Group stage 2002 Second round 2006 Group stage 2010 Second round 2014 Group stage THE SCHEDULE GROUP H June 19 v Colombia (Saransk) June 24 v Senegal (Yekaterinburg) June 28 v Poland (Volgograd) THE BETTING 250/1 to win the World Cup 9/1 to win Group H THE QUESTIONS Who are the strikers? The midfield formation varies but new coach Akira Nishino is likely to stick with a three-man front line. Yuya Osako is the first-choice centre-forward but all three positions are still up for grabs. The likes of Shinji…

WORLD CUP FINALS HISTORY 1930 (did not enter) 1934 (did not enter) 1938 (did not enter) 1950 (did not enter) 1954 (did not enter) 1958 (did not enter) 1962 (did not qualify) 1966 (did not qualify) 1970 (did not qualify) 1974 (did not qualify) 1978 (did not qualify) 1982 (did not qualify) 1986 (did not qualify) 1990 (did not qualify) 1994 Second round 1998 Second round 2002 Group stage 2006 (did not qualify) 2010 Group stage 2014 Second round THE SCHEDULE GROUP D June 16 v Croatia (Nizhny Novgorod) June 22 v Iceland (Volgograd) June 26 v Argentina (Saint Petersburg) THE BETTING 150/1 to win the World Cup 9/1 to win Group D THE QUESTIONS Could Nigeria go further than any other African country and reach the semi-finals? No African…

WORLD CUP FINALS HISTORY 1934 (did not qualify) 1938 First round 1950 (did not enter) 1954 (did not enter) 1958 (did not qualify) 1962 (did not qualify) 1966 (did not qualify) 1970 (did not qualify) 1974 Third place 1978 Second round 1982 Third place 1986 Second round 1990 (did not qualify) 1994 (did not qualify) 1998 (did not qualify) 2002 Group stage 2006 Group stage 2010 (did not qualify) 2014 (did not qualify) THE SCHEDULE GROUP H June 19 v Senegal (Moscow Spartak) June 24 v Colombia (Kazan) June 28 v Japan (Volgograd) THE BETTING 50/1 to win the World Cup 6/4 to win Group H THE QUESTIONS Who replaces Robert Lewandowski if he gets injured during the finals? Quite simply, there is no such player. The Bayern Munich striker…

WORLD CUP FINALS HISTORY 1958 (did not enter) 1962 (did not enter) 1966 (did not enter) 1970 (did not enter) 1974 (did not enter) 1978 (did not qualify) 1982 (did not qualify) 1986 (did not qualify) 1990 (did not qualify) 1994 Second round 1998 Group stage 2002 Group stage 2006 Group stage 2010 (did not qualify) 2014 (did not qualify) THE SCHEDULE GROUP A June 14 v Russia (Moscow Luzhniki) June 20 v Uruguay (Rostov) June 25 v Egypt (Volgograd) THE BETTING 1,000/1 to win the World Cup 20/1 to win Group A THE QUESTIONS What effect will the change of coaches have? Losing the experienced Dutchman Bert Van Marwijk, who took his homeland to the 2010 Final and has since been appointed as coach of Australia, was huge. Not…

WORLD CUP FINALS HISTORY 1950 (did not enter) 1954 Group stage 1958 (did not enter) 1962 (did not qualify) 1966 (did not enter) 1970 (did not qualify) 1974 (did not qualify) 1978 (did not qualify) 1982 (did not qualify) 1986 Group stage 1990 Group stage 1994 Group stage 1998 Group stage 2002 Fourth place 2006 Group stage 2010 Second round 2014 Group stage THE SCHEDULE GROUP F June 18 v Sweden (Nizhny Novgorad) June 23 v Mexico (Rostov-on-Don) June 27 v Germany (Kazan) THE BETTING 300/1 to win the World Cup 16/1 to win Group F THE QUESTIONS Can the team reverse poor results? Just one victory and a lack of good performances in 2017 has drained confidence in the team. Before the World Cup gets too close, the players…

WORLD CUP FINALS HISTORY 1930 (did not enter) 1934 Quarter-finals 1938 Fourth place 1950 Third place 1954 (did not qualify) 1958 Runners-up 1962 (did not qualify) 1966 (did not qualify) 1970 Group stage 1974 Second round 1978 Group stage 1982 (did not qualify) 1986 (did not qualify) 1990 Group stage 1994 Third place 1998 (did not qualify) 2002 Second round 2006 Second round 2010 (did not qualify) 2014 (did not qualify) THE SCHEDULE GROUP F June 18 v South Korea (Nizhny Novgorod) June 23 v Germany (Sochi) June 27 v Mexico (Yekaterinburg) THE BETTING 150/1 to win the World Cup 13/2 to win Group F THE QUESTIONS Would Janne Andersson ever be tempted with a back three? Hell might freeze over first. A 4-4-2 system is embedded within the soul…

WORLD CUP FINALS HISTORY 1958 (did not enter) 1962 (did not qualify) 1966 (did not enter) 1970 (did not qualify) 1974 (did not qualify) 1978 Group stage 1982 (did not qualify) 1986 (did not qualify) 1990 (did not qualify) 1994 (did not qualify) 1998 Group stage 2002 Group stage 2006 Group stage 2010 (did not qualify) 2014 (did not qualify) THE SCHEDULE GROUP G June 18 v England (Volgograd) June 23 v Belgium (Moscow Spartak) June 28 v Panama (Saransk) THE BETTING 750/1 to win the World Cup 14/1 to win Group G THE QUESTIONS Is there enough experience in the current team? There are only a handful of members of the squad who play for teams in Europe, and although club football in Tunisia is among the strongest on…

You write Gareth Southgate off at your peril. Throughout his career as a player – for Crystal Palace, Aston Villa and Middlesbrough – and a manager – for Middlesbrough and now England – Southgate’s strength of character has shone through as he has defied the critics who have dismissed his chances of success. As a trainee at Palace, in a team of strong personalities, Southgate quickly rose to be captain at the age of 22. At Euro 96 he stepped up to take the fateful penalty in the semi-finals against Germany while other, better-known players backed out. And when promoted from England under-21 boss to the top job, he was dismissed as a company “yes man” before demonstrating his own leadership skills. “Nothing’s ever been given to him,” says Alan…

WORLD CUP FINALS HISTORY 1930 Runners-up 1934 First Round 1938 First Round 1950 (did not qualify) 1954 (did not qualify) 1958 First Round 1962 (did not qualify) 1966 Quarter-finals 1970 (did not qualify) 1974 Second round 1978 WINNERS 1982 Second round 1986 WINNERS 1990 Semi-finals 1994 Second round 1998 Quarter-finals 2002 First round 2006 Quarter-finals 2010 Quarter-finals 2014 Runners-up THE SCHEDULE GROUP D June 16 v Iceland (Moscow Spartak) June 21 v Croatia (Nizhny Novgorod) June 26 v Nigeria (Saint Petersburg) THE BETTING 9/1 to win the World Cup 4/6 to win Group D THE QUESTIONS Do they have the players to defend in the way that Jorge Sampaoli wants? There appears to be a lack of defensive pace to push up and play a high line. Without good attacking…

WORLD CUP FINALS HISTORY 1930 Group stage 1934 First round 1938 Third place 1950 Runners-up 1954 Quarter-finals 1958 WINNERS 1962 WINNERS 1966 Group stage 1970 WINNERS 1974 Fourth place 1978 Third place 1982 Second round 1986 Quarter-finals 1990 Second round 1994 WINNERS 1998 Runners-up 2002 WINNERS 2006 Quarter-finals 2010 Quarter-finals 2014 Fourth place WORLD CUP THE SCHEDULE GROUP E June 17 v Switzerland (Rostov) June 23 v Costa Rica (Saint Petersburg) June 27 v Serbia (Moscow Spartak) THE BETTING 9/2 to win the World Cup 2/9 to win Group E THE QUESTIONS Have they been truly tested yet? Tite’s team were magnificent against a disappointing crop of South American rivals but stiffer tests lie ahead. That point was illustrated by the collapse of Argentina’s defence against Nigeria on the same…

WORLD CUP FINALS HISTORY 1930-1990 Part of Yugoslavia 1994 (did not enter) 1998 Third place 2002 Group stage 2006 Group stage 2010 (did not qualify) 2014 Group stage THE SCHEDULE GROUP D June 16 v Nigeria (Kaliningrad) June 21 v Argentina (Nizhny Novgorod) June 26 v Iceland (Rostov-on-Don) THE BETTING 28/1 to win the World Cup 7/4 to win Group D THE QUESTIONS Could Luka Modric be affected by his loss of popularity back home? Many Croat fans were unimpressed when he sensationally retracted his original testimony at the corruption trial of one-time Dinamo Zagreb chief Zdravko Mamic. The latter is very much a hate figure in the country and, with Modric appearing to side with him, abuse of the Real Madrid midfielder has been considerable. After creating havoc at…

WORLD CUP FINALS HISTORY 1950 First round 1954 Quarter-finals 1958 First round 1962 Quarter-finals 1966 WINNERS 1970 Quarter-finals 1974 (did not qualify) 1978 (did not qualify) 1982 Second group stage 1986 Quarter-finals 1990 Semi-finals 1994 (did not qualify) 1998 Second round 2002 Quarter-finals 2006 Quarter-finals 2010 Second round 2014 Group stage THE SCHEDULE GROUP G FIXTURES June 18 v Tunisia (Volgograd) June 24 v Panama (Nizhny Novgorod) June 28 v Belgium (Kaliningrad) THE BETTING 16/1 to win the World Cup 8/11 to reach quarter-finals THE QUESTIONS Who will score the necessary goals if Harry Kane is injured? Kane was top scorer in the qualifiers, while Jamie Vardy has struggled for Leicester City at times this season and record scorer Wayne Rooney has retired. Who will be first-choice keeper? Joe Hart…

WORLD CUP FINALS HISTORY 1930 (did not enter) 1934 (did not enter) 1938 (did not enter) 1954 (did not enter) 1958 (did not qualify) 1962 (did not enter) 1966 (did not enter) 1970 (did not enter) 1974 (did not qualify) 1978 (did not qualify) 1982 (did not qualify) 1986 (did not qualify) 1990 (did not qualify) 1994 (did not qualify) 1998 (did not qualify) 2002 (did not qualify) 2006 (did not qualify) 2010 (did not qualify) 2014 (did not qualify) THE SCHEDULE GROUP D June 16 v Argentina (Moscow Spartak) June 22 v Nigeria (Volgograd June 26 v Croatia (Rostov-on-Don) THE BETTING 250/1 to win the World Cup 14/1 to win Group D THE QUESTIONS How can such a small nation qualify for the World Cup? The recent generation of…

WORLD CUP FINALS HISTORY 1930 Group stage 1934 (did not qualify) 1938 (did not enter) 1950 Group stage 1954 Group stage 1958 Group stage 1962 Group stage 1966 Group stage 1970 Quarter-finals 1974 (did not qualify) 1978 Group stage 1982 (did not qualify) 1986 Quarter-finals 1990 (banned) 1994 Second round 1998 Second round 2002 Second round 2006 Second round 2010 Second round 2014 Second round THE SCHEDULE GROUP F June 17 v Germany (Moscow Luzhniki) June 23 v South Korea (Rostov) June 27 v Sweden (Yekaterinburg) THE BETTING 100/1 to win the World Cup 11/2 to win Group F THE QUESTIONS Where does the team’s biggest weakness lie? When analysing Mexico’s squad you can find an abundance of riches in attack, but they remain vulnerable at the back. El Tri…

WORLD CUP FINALS HISTORY 1930 (did not enter) 1934 (did not enter) 1938 (did not enter) 1950 (did not enter) 1954 (did not enter) 1958 (did not enter) 1962 (did not enter) 1966 (did not enter) 1970 (did not enter) 1974 (did not enter) 1978 (did not qualify) 1982 (did not qualify) 1986 (did not qualify) 1990 (did not qualify) 1994 (did not qualify) 1998 (did not qualify) 2002 (did not qualify) 2006 (did not qualify) 2010 (did not qualify) 2014 (did not qualify) THE SCHEDULE GROUP G June 18 v Belgium (Sochi) June 24 v England (Nizhny Novgorod) June 28 v Tunisia (Saransk) THE BETTING 1,000/1 to win the World Cup 20/1 to win Group G THE QUESTIONS Will the coach, Hernan Dario Gomez, dare to make changes? Of…

WORLD CUP FINALS HISTORY 1930 (did not enter) 1934 (did not qualify) 1938 (did not qualify) 1950 (did not qualify) 1954 (did not qualify) 1958 (did not qualify) 1962 (did not qualify) 1966 Third place 1970 (did not qualify) 1974 (did not qualify) 1978 (did not qualify) 1982 (did not qualify) 1986 Group stage 1990 (did not qualify) 1994 (did not qualify) 1998 (did not qualify) 2002 Group stage 2006 Fourth place 2010 Second round 2014 Group stage THE SCHEDULE GROUP B June 15 v Spain (Sochi) June 20 v Morocco (Moscow Luzhniki) June 25 v Iran (Saransk) THE BETTING 25/1 to win the World Cup 2/1 to win Group B THE QUESTIONS Have enough of the side had sufficient playing time this term? While the current crop of young…

WORLD CUP FINALS HISTORY 1970 (did not qualify) 1974 (did not qualify) 1978 (did not qualify) 1982 (did not qualify) 1986 (did not qualify) 1990 (did not enter) 1994 (did not qualify) 1998 (did not qualify) 2002 Quarter-finals 2006 (did not qualify) 2010 (did not qualify) 2014 (did not qualify) THE SCHEDULE GROUP H June 19 v Poland (Moscow Spartak) June 24 v Japan (Yekaterinburg) June 28 v Colombia (Samara) THE BETTING 150/1 to win World Cup 11/2 to win Group H THE QUESTIONS Will striker Sadio Mane’s hamstring hold out in the finals? If it does not, it will be a big blow to Senegal. However, Liverpool have had a physio travelling with the striker for several recent internationals in Africa to help him to keep properly in shape.…

WORLD CUP FINALS HISTORY 1930 (did not enter) 1934 Quarter-finals 1938 (did not enter) 1950 Fourth place 1954 (did not qualify) 1958 (did not qualify) 1962 Group stage 1966 Group stage 1970 (did not qualify) 1974 (did not qualify) 1978 Group stage 1982 Second round 1986 Quarter-finals 1990 Second round 1994 Quarter-finals 1998 Group stage 2002 Quarter-finals 2006 Second round 2010 WINNERS 2014 Group stage THE SCHEDULE GROUP B June 15 v Portugal (Sochi) June 20 v Iran (Kazan) June 25 v Morocco (Kaliningrad) BETTING 6/1 to win the World Cup 4/9 to win Group B THE QUESTIONS Can they keep up their current form? After a friendly last autumn, in which Spain had won 5-0, Costa Rica’s coach said of Spain: “They move the ball with one touch and…

WORLD CUP FINALS HISTORY 1934 Quarter-finals 1938 Quarter-finals 1950 Group stage 1954 Quarter-finals 1958 (did not qualify) 1962 Group stage 1960 Group stage 1970 (did not qualify) 1974 (did not qualify) 1978 (did not qualify) 1982 (did not qualify) 1986 (did not qualify) 1990 (did not qualify) 1994 Second round 1998 (did not qualify) 2002 (did not qualify) 2006 Second round 2010 Group stage 2014 Second round THE SCHEDULE GROUP E June 17 v Brazil (Rostov) June 22 v Serbia (Kaliningrad) June 27 v Costa Rica (Nizhny Novgorod) THE BETTING 100/1 to win the World Cup 6/1 to win Group E THE QUESTIONS Who will score the goals? Haris Seferovic started as the lone striker in all but one of Switzerland’s qualifiers and managed to score four goals. However, his…

WORLD CUP FINALS HISTORY 1930 WINNERS 1934 (did not enter) 1938 (did not enter) 1950 WINNERS 1954 Fourth place 1958 (did not qualify) 1962 Group stage 1966 Quarter-finals 1970 Fourth place 1974 Group stage 1978 (did not qualify) 1982 (did not qualify) 1986 Second round 1990 Second round 1994 (did not qualify) 1998 (did not qualify) 2002 Group stage 2006 (did not qualify) 2010 Fourth place 2014 Second round THE SCHEDULE GROUP A June 15 v Egypt (Yakaterinburg) June 20 v Saudi Arabia (Rostov) June 25 v Russia (Samara) THE BETTING 25/1 to win the World Cup 5/6 to win Group A THE QUESTIONS Are the newcomers ready? Over the last few months Uruguay have changed the balance of their midfield, looking for controlled possession from the likes of Federico…