Hey everyone. So, Round 1 of the Group Stage has concluded, and what a World Cup this is shaping up to be. There’s been big wins, big upsets, close matches, technological controversy, debatable calls by referees, injuries, and so much emotion. And we’ve only just started Round 2. It’s absolutely mental. So let’s get into a bit of a review of Round 1.

Russia v Saudi Arabia: Host nation Russia made a brilliant start to their World Cup campaign, taking out a 5-0 win against Saudi Arabia. In reality however, it’s not that Russia were amazing, it’s that Saudi Arabia were just really bad. The defence made mistakes that shouldn’t have occurred, and gave Russia too many opportunities to score. Russia deserved this win, well done to them.

Egypt v Uruguay: What a game this was. Egypt, without the talent of their star midfielder Mohamed Salah, played the game of their lives, holding off Uruguay’s star forwards Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani. Both teams were strong in their defence, especially the Egyptians, however the game could’ve gone either way with both teams becoming sloppy in their attack. Uruguay did well to get the 1-0 win, with a goal right at the end, but Egypt should be commended for a match well played.

Morocco v Iran: This was one that was always going to be close. Iran having never broken out of the group stage, and Morocco playing their first World Cup match in 20 years, this match could have easily ended in a draw. But Morocco made a big mistake, and an own goal off the head of Bouhaddouz in the last minute of the game cost them the match. 1-0 to Iran.

Portugal v Spain: A match that just kept providing goals. Spain scored three pretty great ones, in particular Nacho’s goal in the 58th minute. However, Portugal, with their one man team of Cristiano Ronaldo, managed to keep the score level, as Ronaldo converted from a penalty, scored another, and converted from a free-kick. Neither team could be separated at 3-3.

France v Australia: Everyone expected Australia to be dominated in this game against a world class team worth around 307 million Euro (481.7million AUD). But Australia held their own, and they played probably their best football ever seen in a World Cup. Conceding a penalty from a VAR reviewed decision, a debatable one at that, Australia went 1-0 down, but levelled with a penalty of their own after a handball by Samuel Umtiti. However, a lucky goal off the crossbar that just made it over the line won France the match 2-1. Well done to Australia though on a job well done.

Argentina v Iceland: What a match this was. After Aguero put one in the back of Iceland’s net, the World Cup debutants fought back and levelled the score with a fantastic goal of their own, and held Argentina to a draw, with goalkeeper Hannes Halldorsson making the save of his life, denying star player Lionel Messi a penalty. They should be congratulated for a stellar debut performance. 1-1.

Peru v Denmark: It was always going to be a tough start for Peru, having not qualified for a World Cup for 36 years, a long wait for the opportunity to play on the world stage. They played a decent match against the Danes, and they were managing to hold them off, however Denmark were always going to be the team with more experience, and it showed with a goal from Poulsen in the 59th minute, taking out a 1-0 win to go to 2nd place in their group.

Croatia v Nigeria: Croatia were always going to be the better team in this match-up. However, they didn’t necessarily score goals of their own volition, rather making the best of opportunities and mistakes gifted to them by the opposing side. Nigeria gifted Croatia an own goal in the 32nd minute, and then practically gave the game away when they gave away a penalty in the 71st, one which star midfielder Luka Modric converted with ease, giving Croatia a 2-0 win and top spot in the group.

Costa Rica v Serbia: A close match, but one which proved the Serbs to be the better side. Costa Rica did their best to hold off the Serbs, with goalkeeper Keylor Navas performing well between the posts. However, it wasn’t enough to keep the Serbs at bay, with a goal from striker Aleksandar Kolarov proving a winner for the Serbian team, who took the game 1-0.

Germany v Mexico: I think everyone expected reigning champions Germany to get an easy win here. But the Mexicans weren’t going to go down easy, and they fought amazingly, dominating the game, with their counter attacks being something else, the Germans struggling to hold them off. And they got their reward in the 35th minute, with a stellar goal from Lozano putting them ahead of the champions. A clear cut penalty denied in the 69th minute put the crowd on edge, however, the Mexicans took out the match, making it Germany’s first loss in an opening match in 36 years. Mental.

Brazil v Switzerland: A match where the Swiss team seemed to have one objective: whatever you do, don’t let Neymar do anything spectacular. Something they did by constantly fouling him, equaling the record for most fouls on one player, being 10. Brazil played some really top quality football though, and Coutinho put a stunner in the net in the first half. But Switzerland managed to equalise, and despite some bad fouls that pulled three yellows, and a clear cut penalty in which a Swiss defender wrapped his arms around Brazilian forward Gabriel Jesus, which was however not called, the match ended in a 1-1 draw.

Sweden v South Korea: One of the tightest matches of the Round. Sweden dominated most of the game, however the Koreans managed to hold them off, with their keeper jumping and diving to make some brilliant saves. However, a decision reviewed by the VAR in the 65th minute gave Sweden a penalty, and Granqvist converted it to score the only goal of the match, getting Sweden an all important 1-0 win.

Belgium v Panama: Not a lot was expected of Panama coming into this their first ever World Cup Group Stage match. And Belgium showed their strength, netting three against the debutants. A match won easily by Belgium, putting Panama in a tough position in the Cup.

Tunisia v England: Coming off the back of a stellar qualifying campaign, England were the favourites going into the match, and they managed to hold off Tunisia, winning 2-1, with Harry Kane proving his worth throughout the match, scoring both goals for the English side.

Colombia v Japan: This was an interesting match. Japan coming in as an Asian team against one from South America, it was so unlikely that Japan would actually manage to hold their opponents off, let alone win the match. After an early penalty from a handball off the hand of Colombian defensive midfielder Carlos Sanchez, who was subsequently given the first red card of the tournament, leaving Colombia with just 10 men on the field. But Colombia struck back with a goal from a free kick just making it over the line before the first half was finished. Yet it was not enough, as a header from a Keisuke Honda corner midway through the second half put Japan ahead 2-1, a lead which they held right to the end to be the first Asian team to win a match against a South American one in a World Cup, and causing an upset for the Colombians.

Poland v Senegal: What a match this was. African nation Senegal were not at all seen as going to be able to edge European nation Poland. But after an own goal from Poland’s Cionek, and a follow up goal in the second half from Niang, Poland were at a loss to keep Senegal at bay, only scoring one goal, coming from Krychowiak in the 86th minute, but it was already too little too late. Senegal became the first African nation to win a match at the 2018 World Cup, 2-1, causing one of the major upsets of the tournament, and their coach Aliou Cisse, the youngest at the World Cup being 42 years of age, ecstatic.

Highlight Of The Round: There were two highlights for me this Round. First, Iceland’s spectacular World Cup debut. Their goal, Hans Halldorsson’s brilliant penalty save, denying Lionel Messi from the spot, and the way in which they managed to hold their own against one of the top teams in the world. Second, Mexico’s major upset defeating the reining Champions Germany in their greatest ever World Cup match. Watching them win it was purely a thrill. Well done to them. *Just going to add a third highlight, that being Senegal head coach Aliou Cisse’s celebration after the team’s second and winning goal of the game. With his dreadlocks and cool sense of style, he is being called the coolest man at the World Cup. What a guy.

Bittersweet Moment Of The Week: In a match that Egypt played so well defensively, holding back Uruguay’s impressive forward line, it was overall bittersweet. When Giménez put one in the back of the net in the 89th minute, the looks on the Egyptians’ faces was one of heartbreak, especially for Mohamed Salah, who had been smiling and laughing on the bench for much of the game, watching his team play so well. It was particularly disheartening for him considering he appeared ready to play and wanted to be brought on, but was left off the whole match.

Biggest Upsets: This World Cup is proving to be one of many many upsets. The major upsets of the first Round of the Group Stage came against all the big name teams. Spain and Portugal couldn’t break a deadlock. World Cup debutants Iceland held world number 5 team Argentina to a draw. Switzerland managed to stave off Brazil and force a draw against them. Asian nation Japan fought off South American nation Colombia in a 2-1 win. Poland were left stunned by Senegal in a 2-1 win for the Africans. And, in the biggest upset of the Round, Mexico dominated Germany to take out a 1-0 win against the current reigning World Champions. This World Cup is probably the most unpredictable one we’ve seen yet.

Controversy: We all knew that this World Cup was going to be different, the biggest change being the addition of new technology in the form of the Video Assistant Referee, commonly known as the VAR. And it was only a matter of time before it started to cause controversy in what is the biggest sporting event in the world. There have already been a number of calls made that have been a result of VAR reviews, with some decisions being questionable. There have also been situations in which the VAR isn’t used, but really should have been. For example, when Gabriel Jesus was brought down in the box by a Swiss player, and when Javier Hernandez was brought down in the box against Germany in the 69th minute. The VAR should have been used to review both of these situations, and a penalty call should have been made. The penalty call for France against Australia, when Australian defender Josh Risdon made a tackle just inside the box was also debatable, with different angles showing whether or not he touched the ball. The other thing to takeaway from this Round was the standard of refereeing. Some players got away with some bad tackles this Round, while other lighter tackles were punished. In particular of note were the bad tackles made on Brazil’s Neymar, with Behrami and Granit Xhaka getting away with some fairly dirty play, Xhaka going straight for Neymar and pulling on his shirt to bring him down when he had a chance to get forward and potentially set up or score a goal, an offence that was given nothing more than a warning. Some players even got two warnings. Also, a Colombian player, Carlos Sanchez, was given the first red card of the tournament after a hand ball in the box, whereas French defender Samuel Umtiti did not receive a punishment for the same offence, with only a penalty being given. Not sure if all the referees are on par in terms of punishment and judging tackles made throughout their matches.

Noticeable Statistic: You’ll notice that many of the best teams in this tournament, the best teams in the world, which are the teams you’d expect to get wins and take the three points that come with a win, are all sitting on one point or less. Portugal, Spain, Argentina and Brazil are all sitting on 1 point each after being held to draws by their opponents (where Spain and Portugal played against each other), and Germany, the reigning, defending Champions of the World Cup, are sitting on 0, after failing to gain even one point from their opening match against Mexico. Interesting to see this occur in the first Round of the Group Stage. And it’ll be even more interesting to see if this continues to occur throughout the next two Rounds of the Group Stage.

Do or Die: Going into Round 2, there are a number of teams who are facing the prospect of being knocked out of the tournament. The teams which must not lose their games include: Egypt and Saudi Arabia from Group A, Australia and Peru from Group C, Germany and South Korea from Group F, Tunisia and Panama from Group G, and Colombia and Poland from Group H. Losing their matches this week may prove to put them out of the tournament in the Group Stage.

What To Expect From Round 2: Going into Round 2, I’d expect many more upsets, and the potential for some teams to secure their places in the Round of 16 early. Don’t always expect the top teams to perform well just because they’re ranked highly. And expect more from Iceland. They seem like a team that could really make something out of this opportunity and take it as far as possible. And I wouldn’t doubt them actually winning a match against Nigeria or Croatia for that matter. I’d also keep an eye on Australia. They look like they are doing everything they can this year to get to the Round of 16, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they manage to just get out of their Group and through to the next Round, potentially getting wins against Denmark and Peru. Overall, expect the unexpected, and be prepared for anything to happen.

Note: Most of this article was written before Egypt played Russia early this morning. With Egypt’s loss, they will be knocked out of the tournament if Uruguay win or draw their match against Saudi Arabia tonight, which is likely.

JJ

Hey everyone, it’s the first bi-weekly Mystery Monday. A day on the blog where the post could be absolutely anything. There could be one post, there could be multiple posts. It could be a story, an article, or something completely different. You never know what’s going to happen. That’s why it’s called Mystery Monday. It’s a mystery. Exciting, isn’t it?

So today, on the first ever Mystery Monday, I have for you (drum roll please) …………. Poetry! Yes, poetry. This is one I composed quite recently. It just sort of popped into my head and I wrote it down. Hope you like it and enjoy!

Freckles

A layer of speckled dots peppered across a soft, smooth surface,

Some huddled together,

Others spreading out,

Making their home in a small part of a vast land.

Some taking refuge on a face, an arm, a leg,

Each like a small grain of sand sprawled along an expansive beach,

A front for the vast ocean that sometimes spills over onto the shore,

Dampening these minuscule flecks.

Like a thousand shining stars glowing in the night sky,

Forming a map against their unique backdrop,

Each of them in their own way making it unique,

Making it special.

Many have them,

Some cover them up,

Some like to have them on display,

But each of these tiny faint spots add a unique beauty to their owner,

Setting them apart,

Making them different,

Making them special.

Some have more than others,

Some don’t have any at all,

But these little spots,

In all their wonder,

Are a brilliant sight,

Scattered across their surface,

Like sprinkles atop ice cream,

Adding a marvellous extra layer,

To an already spectacular individual.

A marvel to behold,

These infinitesimal specks,

Interspersed over a soft, silky layer of skin,

Instilling individuality,

Creating uniqueness,

Making someone special.

There you go, hope you enjoyed it. Stay tuned for more posts in the coming days. And for all those who are questioning whether or not there will be a World Cup Wednesday this week, I can now exclusively reveal that the answer is yes. I’ll have maybe one or two feature articles this week too. Get excited!

JJ

Hey everyone, welcome to the first weekly Flashback Friday, a weekly segment in which I’ll be taking a look back at and reviewing the past week. Let’s get straight into it.

First, and most notably, the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia kicked off last night with the shortest opening ceremony ever seen, lasting only 15 minutes. Robbie Williams featured with Russian singer Aida Garifullina, causing some controversy within his act. After the opening ceremony was completed, Russia went up against Saudi Arabia in the opening match of the tournament, and kicked off their World Cup campaign with a bang, defeating Saudi Arabia 5-0, in a fairly one-sided match. Meanwhile Spanish head coach Julen Lopetegui was sacked just a few days out from Spain’s opening match against Portugal. Lopetegui was announced as the new head coach of Spanish club Real Madrid, to the dismay of the Spanish board, who were not notified of the impending announcement prior to it being made, and subsequently sacked Lopetegui due to their lack of being informed. The players are reportedly unperturbed by the incident, and will play on as they planned to in the tournament. Egypt will play Uruguay in the next match of the tournament tonight. (Also, there’s some odd stuff going on in Russia during the World Cup now, which involves bears and the infamous Vuvuzela. You can see for yourself here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=w8gYl8IFSBI)

In other news, a major event looked on by many around the world occurred earlier this week, that event being the Singapore Summit between United States President Donald Trump, and North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un. The historical meeting took place on neutral territory, with the two leaders meeting and shaking hands in front of the media, before undergoing talks spanning a number of hours. After going slightly longer than planned with their initial meeting, the two leaders shared in a lunch inclusive of food from both their countries, and then went back to talk a little more before fronting the media and signing documents which contained an agreement in which North Korea would work towards complete denuclearisation if their country, whilst the US would put in place security guarantees for North Korea. After the historic signing of this agreement in which both countries committed to working together to achieve peace, they once again shook hands outside before going their separate ways with their respective delegations. Trump later fronted the media to discuss what had occurred, with the world somewhat in awe of what had been achieved in this one day, with history being made.

Meanwhile back in Australia, only two members of Pauline Hanson’s One Nation party remain in the Senate after New South Wales Senator Brian Burston quit the party to become an independent Senator. Upon quitting the party, he made the somewhat bold statement that the party should be called ‘Gone Nation’, and claimed that there was a lack of, if any, democracy in the party due to Pauline Hanson’s decision making. Burston was asked by Hanson to resign on earlier due to his intent to support the company tax cuts proposed by the Government, something which she did not wish for her Party to support. One Nation is now left with two representatives in the Senate, being Western Australian Senator Peter Georgiou, who Burston has encouraged to honour the deal made with the government to pass the company tax cuts, as well as Senator Pauline Hanson herself.

In some more tragic news this week, well-known celebrity television chef Anthony Bourdain has passed away after battling with his mental health. The travelling chef, known for cooking all over the world and documenting it for television entertainment in his television shows Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations and Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown, tragically took his own life. Bourdain was loved by many who watched his television series’, and will no doubt be missed greatly. His death follows the tragic loss of famous handbag designer Kate Spade earlier in the week, who also tragically took her own life. Their passing is a timely reminder that mental health is a serious thing, and we should always be open to discuss it. Our hearts go out to their families and friends at this time.

And finally, in entertainment news, the long-awaited and highly-anticipated Disney Pixar animated film The Incredibles 2 has been released in cinemas. The film, which takes off from where the first Incredibles left off, features all the original characters from the first film, with most of the original cast retaining their roles, inclusive of Craig T. Nelson as Mr Incredible, Holly Hunter as Elastigirl, Sarah Vowell as Violet, Brad Bird as Edna Mode, and my personal favourite, Samuel L. Jackson as Frozone. The only major change in casting has been for the role of Dash, originally voice by Spencer Fox, however now being voiced by Huck Milner. It has been almost 14 years since the first Incredibles film was released to cinemas around the world, so you can imagine the anticipation and the hype of the fans for the long-awaited sequel. Disney Pixar’s Incredibles 2 is out in cinemas today.

And that’s it for this week’s Flashback Friday. Hope you all enjoyed reading, and this segment will be back next Friday. Enjoy the week ahead, have fun, and as per the schedule, I’ll be back with something on Monday. Thanks for reading.

JJ

Hey everyone, just a follow up to the World Cup preview article I posted earlier today. I’m going to keep this one brief, and just predict the top two teams in each group. And just a disclaimer before I go forward: I am not in any way an expert, so don’t go placing any bets based on what you see below. Here we go:

Group A: Russia, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Uruguay. Russia will be looking to ensure as hosts that they go through past the group stage and deep into the competition. However, for this group, Uruguay and Egypt are likely to take the top two spots and go through to the Round of 16. Uruguay more certainly, Egypt if they are in form with Mohamed Salah. 1. Uruguay, 2. Egypt, 3. Russia, 4. Saudi Arabia

Group B: Portugal, Spain, Morocco, Iran. Portugal and Spain are almost certainly going to take the top to spots in this group and progress, unless an upset occurs. Iran will fight for it, but will likely just miss out. 1. Spain, 2. Portugal, 3. Iran, 4. Morocco

Group C: France, Australia, Denmark, Peru. This one’s a little more unpredictable. France will most definitely take the top spot, however it will be a close contest for second place. Denmark are most likely the best contenders for the position, however Australia could prove to cause an upset if they can hold their own and push through with minimal goals conceded against France. This one will be interesting. 1. France, 2. Denmark, 3. Australia, 4. Peru (although Australia could place 2nd).

Group D: Argentina, Iceland, Croatia, Nigeria. Again an unpredictable group. Argentina will look to take out the top spot, and the most likely will, however their run through the qualifiers wasn’t the greatest. Many upsets could be caused in this group. And Iceland are new to the tournament, and bring with them complete unpredictability. A group that will no doubt be interesting to watch. 1. Argentina, 2. Croatia, 3. Iceland, 4. Nigeria

Group E: Brazil, Switzerland, Costa Rica, Serbia. Brazil will easily take the top spot in this group. 2nd place will most likely come down to a battle between Switzerland and Costa Rica. Serbia are unlikely to progress from this group. 1. Brazil, 2. Switzerland, 3. Costa Rica, 4. Serbia

Group F: Germany, Mexico, Sweden, South Korea. Reigning Champions Germany will most certainly take the top spot in the group, however the battle for second place will be tight. Mexico will probably edge out the competition to take the second spot and progress to the Round of 16, however, Sweden and South Korea will more than likely fight valiantly to secure the spot for themselves. The battle for 2nd place will be an interesting one to watch. 1. Germany, 2. Mexico, 3. Sweden, 4. South Korea

Group G: Belgium, Panama, Tunisia, England. This one is fairly easy to call. Belgium and England are both top tier, top quality teams, and will likely easily edge the competition to take the top two spots. With this being Panama’s first World Cup, it will be interesting to see if they can cause an upset, however it is unlikely they will. Belgium v England should be an interesting game, with both teams vying for the top spot in the group. 1. England, 2. Belgium, 3. Panama, 4. Tunisia

Group H: Poland, Senegal, Colombia, Japan. Poland will most likely take the top spot in this group, although the competition will be tight. Senegal will most likely face the toughest challenge and succumb to being unable to surpass the Group Stage. Colombia and Japan will both be highly competitive, and it will be interesting to see who will edge who, and if either of them can edge Poland. Definitely a group to watch. 1. Poland, 2. Colombia, 3. Japan, 4. Senegal

And there you have it, my predictions for the Group Stage at this year’s World Cup. As I said before, please don’t take these predictions as expert ones and place any bets or anything based on them. These are purely my predictions based on what I think will happen at this year’s World Cup and based on my own knowledge of these teams. They may be wrong, or they could even be right, you never know. And, if by some freak of nature they are all correct, just remember you saw/heard it here first. Also there may be a few follow up World Cup articles to come throughout the tournament, potentially on Wednesdays, or they may feature on other days instead.

Enjoy the Cup!

JJ

Hey everyone, welcome to World Cup Wednesday. It’s that special time in the world of sport that comes around every 4 years, where the entire world stops to watch the beautiful game on the world stage. This year, we will see 32 teams from countries all over the world battle it out in Russia for the Cup and the glory of becoming the greatest team in the world. We are now less than two days away from the first whistle, and the excitement is building up. The first round of the group stage begins at 12:55am on Friday morning Australian time. And so, in order to prepare for this exciting four-yearly event, let’s have a brief look at each of the 32 teams vying for glory at this year’s FIFA World Cup:

Group A:

Russia: The hosting nation of this year’s World Cup. They will be aiming to prove themselves in their own nation this year, doing all that they can to ensure that they take the Cup in their own country. Their fans will be lining the stands, cheering them on in their own country, so they will have the advantage of playing in their own home territory. This will be their 11th World Cup, their best result being 4th in the 1966 World Cup in England.

Current FIFA Ranking: 70

Star Player: Igor Akinfeev (GK, Captain)

Saudi Arabia: The Saudi Arabian national team will be out to do their absolute best this year. This will be their 5th appearance in a World Cup, with their best result being the Round of 16 at the 1994 World Cup in the US. They will have a decent challenge in their first match, playing against host team Russia. It will be quite interesting to see if they can manage to get through the group stage this year, considering they also have to play Egypt and Uruguay.

Current FIFA Ranking: 67

Star Player: Abdullah Otayf (Midfielder)

Egypt: Egypt don’t usually get much mention when it comes to the World Cup, but they have one player in their squad who will no doubt shine on the world stage. Mohamed Salah has been a force to reckon with at Liverpool, taking them all the way to the Champions League Final this year. But after an incident around 30 minutes in to that same Final which resulted in a shoulder injury for the star player, the question looked as to whether he will represent his nation at the World Cup. At this stage, he is hopeful of playing in their first match against Uruguay this Friday. This will be Egypt’s 3rd appearance in the World Cup, their best result being 13th in the 1934 edition.

Current FIFA Ranking: 45

Star Player: Mohamed Salah (Forward)

Uruguay: Uruguay are probably one of the teams that usually perform quite well at this tournament. Having won the World Cup twice (1930 and 1950), they will more than likely be looking to take home the Cup for a third time. They have played in the tournament 12 times already, making this their 13th World Cup appearance. With players like Diego Godín, Luis Suárez and Edinson Cavani, this team will no doubt be playing top quality football.

Current FIFA Ranking: 14

Star Player: Luis Suárez (Forward)

Group B:

Portugal: One of the best international teams in the tournament. Portugal has one of the most well known and greatest players of our time, Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo makes Portugal’s attack all the more greater than many of the other teams in the World Cup. In more recent World Cups, the team has managed to do quite well, getting through the group stage and the Round of 16 quite easily, often making it to the quarter and/or semi finals. They have featured 6 times in this tournament, making this their 7th World Cup. Their best result came from the 1966 World Cup in England, where they came third. They should perform quite well.

Current FIFA Ranking: 4

Star Player: Cristiano Ronaldo (Forward)

Spain: The Spanish international team are up there with the best. There are a number of top class players on the squad, with the likes of goalkeeper David De Gea, defenders Gerard Pique, Dani Carvajal, Sergio Ramos, and Jordi Alba, midfielders Sergio Busquets, Andres Iniesta, David Silva and Isco, and forward Diego Costa. Spain boast all these big names, and a lot of talent, and so it is no surprise that they usually get most of the way through the World Cup. This will be their 15th World Cup, having appeared 16 times previously, with their best result being Champions in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. They will be one to watch.

Current FIFA Ranking: 10

Star Player: David De Gea (Goalkeeper)

Morocco: Morocco were the first African team to win a group at the World Cup when they finished top of their group above Portugal, Poland and England in the 1986 World Cup. They made it to the Round of 16, being the first African team to do so, but unfortunately lost out to West Germany and were subsequently eliminated from the tournament. Since then they have had a rough patch of international football, and this will be their first World Cup in 20 years, and their 5th appearance at the tournament. Their best result came from the 1986 World Cup where they made the Round of 16, something they will surely be looking to repeat this year, but with a tough group to get through.

Current FIFA Ranking: 41

Star Player: Ayoub El Kaabi

Iran: Iran have always fought to get a place in the Round of 16, but have never managed to get out of the Group Stage. They’ve made 4 previous appearances in the tournament, their best result being the group stage. They will more than certainly make a good attempt to get out of their group this year, fighting for a spot in the Round of 16. However, they do have a tough group to get out of, with Portugal and Spain being major challenges. It will be interesting to see if they can hold out and push through, or if they will once again be lost to the Group Stage.

Current FIFA Ranking: 37

Star Player: Sardar Azmoun (Forward)

Group C:

France: The French National team are a top tier team. They play well, and they are very good at what they do. They also have probably one of the most noteworthy forward lineups you’ll see in international football with the likes of Antoine Griezmann, Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, Alexandre Lacazette, Dimitri Payet, Anthony Martial and Olivier Giroud. And let’s not forget their very well known keeper Hugo Lloris. France have made 14 previous appearances in the tournament, making this their 15th, with their best result coming from the 1998 World Cup in their own country, in which they were Champions. They will more than likely be the stars of their group, and they will definitely be a challenge for each and every one of their group stage opponents.

Current FIFA Ranking: 7

Star Player: Antoine Griezmann (Forward)

Australia: Australia have had many highs and lows over the past few years. They’ve won the Asian Cup under coach Ange Postecoglou, and they’ve played in the Confederations Cup against some of the best teams in international football. But then they had one of the most extensive World Cup qualifying campaigns of the year, having to play in a series of play offs in order to actually make it to the World Cup. After two nail biting games against Syria, and then another two against Honduras, the team made the World Cup for the 5th time, having made 4 previous appearances. The Socceroos best performance in a World Cup came in the 2006 World Cup in Germany, when the team made it to the Round of 16. Aside from that one tournament, they have never made it out of the Group Stage. However, despite the competition in their group this year, this group may be their chance to get to the Round of 16 and maybe even further this year. With the resignation of their coach Ange Postecoglou earlier this year after qualification, and the subsequent appointment of seasoned coach Bert Van Marwijk to the position of head coach, the Socceroos are beginning to change. Van Marwijk has won the World Cup with the Netherlands before, and I’m sure he’ll be hoping to make that happen again, this time with Australia. And with young and new talent like Daniel Arzani and Andrew Nabbout, it looks like the Australian World Cup dream may once more be alive.

Current FIFA Ranking: 36

Star Player: Josh Risdon (Defender) (Keep an eye on Daniel Arzani though as well.)

Denmark: The Danes are going to prove to be contenders for making it out of their group this year. They do play well, and with players like Christian Eriksen and goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, they will more than likely be a challenge for at least Australia and Peru. They have featured in the World Cup 4 times previously, making this their 5th appearance, their best result being the Quarter Finals in the 1998 World Cup in France. They will no doubt be looking to make it that far once again this tournament.

Current FIFA Ranking: 12

Star Player: Christian Eriksen

Peru: Peru are the team in this group that are not all too well known. They have somewhat slipped under the radar, until recent times. They had a very extensive qualifying campaign for this year’s World Cup, one that was parallel with Australia’s, with the team having to play a number of playoffs alike to the Socceroos. After winning those playoffs, the second two being against New Zealand in which there was controversy when the fans shone laser pointers in the New Zealand goalkeeper’s eyes, there was a period of time in which Peru’s spot in the Cup became questionable, with some political issues occurring and FIFA warning them against some changes, but they pulled through nonetheless. But then further controversy struck when Peru’s captain Paolo Guerrero was banned due to drug use, however he has since been cleared to play in the tournament. Peru will be a team to watch, having played in 3 previous World Cups, with their best result being the Quarter Finals in the 1970 World Cup in Mexico, and they also made the Round of 16 again in the 1978 World Cup in Argentina. It will be challenging for them, but they will more than likely fight to stay in the Cup.

Current FIFA Ranking: 11

Star Player: Paolo Guerrero

Group D:

Argentina: One of the top tier teams. Argentina are another team that boast one of the best attacking line-ups in national football, with the likes of Sergio Aguero, Pablo Dybala, Gonzalo Higuain, Angel Di Maria (a midfielder but an attacking one at that), and of course, the star of the squad and one of the greatest players of our time, Lionel Messi. This team always performs well at this tournament, proving to be one of the toughest teams to beat. Having made 16 previous appearances, this will be their 17th World Cup, their best results being the Champions of the 1978 and 1986 World Cups in their own country and in Mexico. They did have a shaky qualification process this year, almost missing out on playing World Cup football, however were spared by Chile bowing out in the qualifiers to see Argentina make it through. But they will more than likely fight hard and play top quality football once again at this World Cup to get deep in to the tournament.

Current FIFA Ranking: 5

Star Player: Lionel Messi (Forward)

Iceland: Now this is the team I’m excited about, and I’m sure many would agree. If you aren’t excited about Iceland being in a World Cup, you really should be. Iceland are one of the up and coming teams of our time. This is their first World Cup, and they will be out to prove themselves to the world on the world stage this year. This is only their second international tournament, their first being the UEFA Euro 2016 two years ago, in which they made the Quarter Finals, making an impact like no other on the world. And their fans will most certainly be behind them in this their first World Cup with their trademark Viking Clap. They will be looking to make their mark on the world, and I for one am quite excited to see just how far they will go. They will have to get through a fairly challenging group, but I’m sure they will perform well and play their best football at this tournament.

Current FIFA Ranking: 22

Star Player: Gylfi Sigurdsson (Midfielder)

Croatia: Croatia have made the World Cup a total of 4 times previously, making this their 5th appearance. Their best result came from the 1998 World Cup in France, where they placed third overall. With creative players like Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic in midfield, and goal scorers Ivan Perisic and Mario Mandzukic in the forward line-up, they will be likely contenders to make it out of their group and further into the competition. And they will more than likely be looking for their first World Cup championship.

Current FIFA Ranking: 20

Star Player: Luka Modric (Midfielder)

Nigeria: Nigeria aren’t one of the most well known team in international football, but they had a massive PR boost when their kit for this year’s World Cup debuted and sold out within 15 minutes upon its release. They have made 16 previous appearances in this tournament, making this their 17th World Cup, their best results being the Round of 16 in the 1994, 1998 and 2014 editions of this tournament in the US, France and Brazil. They will more than likely be looking to go further this year, and they have an interesting group to get out of.

Current FIFA Ranking: 48

Star Player: Ahmed Musa

Group E:

Brazil: One of the top tier teams in the world. Brazil has some of the greatest footballers to ever play in world football, being home to one of the greatest football cultures in the world. The players are highly skilled, and will be looking for retribution after their disastrous bowing out in their home country in the 2014 World Cup to Champions Germany. They will be out to prove they are back in it this year, and will no doubt fight the hardest they’ve fought. With players like Thiago Silva, Miranda, Marcelo, Dani Alves, David Luiz and Filipe Luis in defence, Fernandinho, Phillips Coutinho, Paulinho and Willian in midfield, and Gabriel Jesus, Roberto Firmino, Douglas Costa and Neymar in attack, this team is looking to be one of the best at this World Cup. What’s surprising however, is the omission of winger Hulk from this year’s squad. Brazil, having played in every single World Cup in history (21 to be exact), are probably the most well equipped team in this tournament, and will more than likely go deep into the tournament. They have won the tournament 5 times, being crowned World Cup Champions in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002 in Sweden, Chile, Mexico, the US, and South Korea and Japan. You’ll notice they also have the rare achievement of winning back to back World Cups in 1958 and 1962. Despite Neymar being injured and out for around three months prior to the World Cup, Brazil will no doubt be looking to add the 2018 World Cup in Russia to their list of Championships. And with Neymar back and in top quality shape, they look to be ready to take off in this year’s tournament.

Current FIFA Ranking: 2

Star Player: Neymar (Forward)

Switzerland: The Swiss National team seem to always push through in this tournament, and have shown themselves to be fair contenders in the past. They will be making their 10th appearance in a World Cup at this year’s tournament, having made 9 previous appearances, with their best results being the Quarter Finals in the 1934, 1938 and 1954 World Cups in Italy, France, and their own country. They will be looking to do this again this year, and push even further to get to the Semi-Finals and maybe even the coveted World Cup Final. And they may just be able to do so with players like Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaquiri. They will be one to watch.

Current FIFA Ranking: 6

Star Player: Xherdan Shaquiri

Costa Rica: Costa Rica will be looking to make it further into the tournament this year, having made it to the Quarter Finals at the last World Cup in 2014. This will be their 10th World Cup, having appeared in the tournament 9 times previously, their best result being that of the Quarter Finals in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. They have many experienced players, some with over 100 caps for the squad. And players with experience will most likely be the key for their World Cup performance this year in Russia, as they look to go one better than 2014.

Current FIFA Ranking: 23

Star Player: Keylor Navas (Goalkeeper)

Serbia: The Serbian national football team is not all that well known to many, but is probably one of the most underestimated teams in the tournament. They have played at 11 previous World Cups, making this their 12th appearance, with their best result coming from the 1930 World Cup in Uruguay, where they placed third overall. With experienced players like Branislav Ivanovic, who has 103 caps for the team, and Aleksandar Kolarov, who has 76, as well as somewhat seasoned players Nemanja Matic and Aleksandar Mitrovic, the Serbs will no doubt prove themselves fighters in this year’s World Cup. And they may just make it out of their group if they put up enough of a challenge.

Current FIFA Ranking: 34

Star Player: Nemanja Matic

Group F:

Germany: The current World Cup Champions. Germany will be looking to retain the World Cup Championship and go into the history books as one of the few teams to do so. They will more than likely make it deep into the tournament with the tenacity of the players they have. They are one of the top tier teams for a reason, and have proven themselves to be a force of nature, in particular at the 2014 World Cup in which they dominated Brazil in the Semi Final 7-1 to go to the Final and win the Cup. Boasting a team of top class players, including star goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, defenders Mats Hummels and Jerome Boateng, midfielders Sami Khedira, Toni Kroos, Mesut Ozil, Julian Draxler , Ilkay Gundogan and Mario Gotze, and attackers Thomas Muller, Marco Reus, and Mario Gomez, this is one of the best teams in the tournament, and they will be a tough opponent to any team that faces them. They have made 17 previous appearances in the World Cup, making this their 18th appearance in the tournament, with their best results being four Championships, coming from the 1954, 1974, 1990 and 2004 World Cups in Switzerland, West Germany, Italy and Brazil. They will undoubtedly be a tough competitor in this year’s tournament.

Current FIFA Ranking: 1

Star Player: Manuel Neuer (Goalkeeper)

Mexico: Mexico are a team of experience, with a number of players having made over 100 caps for the national team, and two, Rafael Marquez and captain Andrés Guardado having made 145 caps for their national team. Mexico have featured in 15 previous World Cups, making this their 16th. Their best results came from the 1970 and 1986 World Cups, both held in their own country, with them making it to the Quarter Finals both times. They will most definitely be looking to reproduce that this year, and go even further into the competition, with hopes of winning the Cup. They should prove to be a fighting contender in this year’s battle for the Cup.

Current FIFA Ranking: 15

Star Player: Javier Hernandez (Forward)

Sweden: The Swedes will be looking to go one further than their best this year and win the Cup. They have made 11 previous appearances in the World Cup, making this their 12th appearance, their best result being Runners-up at the 1958 World Cup in their own country, in which they lost out to Brazil 5-2 in the Final. With a host of experienced players and some fresh blood, and after a fairly stable and decent run through their qualifiers to get to this tournament, they will undoubtedly be fighters in this tournament and will be looking to battle it out to get as far into the Cup as they can. They will not feature their star player, the world famous Zlatan Ibrahimovic this year, despite his request to be a part of the squad. So it will be interesting to see how they do without him, and to see if they can hold their own.

Current FIFA Ranking: 24

Star Player: Andreas Granqvist (Defender, Captain)

South Korea: South Korea are one of the most formidable teams in Asia, and probably the most successful. They have played in 9 previous World Cups, making this their 10th appearance, with their best result being in the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan, in which they placed 4th overall. They will be looking to be even better this year, and maybe even make history as an Asian team if they win the Cup. They have some highly experienced players on the squad, and will be looking to do all they can to get out of their group, which will be an interesting one to watch.

Current FIFA Ranking: 57

Star Player: Son Heung-min

Group G:

Belgium: Belgium are a team that could prove to be formidable opponents when they are performing at their best. With many experienced players in the side, many of whom are playing in the English Premier League, the squad have some of the best talent in the world of football. Players like Eden Hazard (FW), Kevin De Bruyne (MF), Vincent Kompany (DF), Jan Vertonghen (DF), Thibaut Courtois (GK), and Romelu Lukaku (FW) have all shown their talents in season matches within the Premier League, and will no doubt display their talents on the pitch in Russia. Belgium have made 12 previous appearances in the World Cup, making this their 13th, with their best result coming from the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, where they placed 4th overall. They will no doubt play top quality football at this year’s World Cup.

Current FIFA Ranking: 3

Star Player: Romelu Lukaku (Forward)

Panama: Panama are this year making their World Cup debut, this being their first time featuring in the tournament. With a nail biting finish in the qualifiers putting them through to the Cup, putting the United States out of the running for qualification completely, and forcing Honduras to play a series of two play off qualifiers against Australia, who would go on to defeat them, Panama only really just made it into the tournament, and so it will be interesting to see if they can hold their own against some of the best national teams in the world. The only other international tournament they have played in is the CONCACAF Gold Cup, a tournament of national teams in North and South America and the Caribbean, which they have played in 8 times, being Runners-up twice. With players unknown to many, yet very much experienced with a number of players having been capped for the team over 100 times, no one can be certain as to just how good Panama will be, and just how well they will play. They are definitely one to watch.

Current FIFA Ranking: 55

Star Player: Luis Tejada (Forward)

Tunisia: This is a team that, like Australia and Iran, have constantly struggled to get out of the Group Stage. They placed top of their group in the qualifiers to make it to the Cup, however, they once again find themselves in a tough situation, with their group being somewhat difficult to get through. Whilst they may be able to edge out Panama, it will prove highly challenging for them to hold out against the high quality footballers that make up the Belgium and England national teams. This will be their 5th World Cup, having made 4 previous appearances, with their best result always being the Group Stage. They will have to fight harder than ever before if they want to progress from this group.

Current FIFA Ranking: 21

Star Player: Wahbi Khazri (Midfielder)

England: This team will be very well known to many. One of the top tier teams in the world, England have produced some really high quality football in the past, and they will no doubt prove to be worthy contenders for the Cup this year. After a stellar qualifying campaign, which saw them be the first team to qualify for this year’s World Cup, England will undoubtedly be ready to take on the world, and will more than likely progress from the Group Stage this year, potentially even finishing at the top of their group. With players like Gary Cahill and John Stones in defence, Dele Alli, Jordan Henderson, Jesse Lingard and Eric Dier in midfield, and a stellar forward line inclusive of Jamie Vardy, Raheem Sterling, Danny Welbeck, Marcus Rashford, and the star of the squad, Harry Kane, England will be a tough opponent, and will most certainly progress deep into the tournament. This will be their 15th appearance in the World Cup, having made 14 previous appearances, their best result coming from the 1966 World Cup in their own country, where they were Champions. They will undoubtedly be looking to reproduce that result at this year’s tournament.

Current FIFA Ranking: 12

Star Player: Harry Kane (Forward)

Group H:

Poland: Poland are quite underestimated in what they can do. There are some really top quality footballers on the squad, who have produced some spectacular moments in a number of competitions. The star of the squad is obvious however, that star being their legendary striker, Robert Lewandowski. The man who scored 5 goals in just 9 minutes back in September 2015, coming off the bench for Bayern Munich at half time to net goals at the 51st, 52nd, 55th, 57th and 60th minutes of the game against Wolfsburg. One of the greatest players of our time, Lewandowski will no doubt be looking to make his mark once again on the world stage. Having featured in the World Cup 7 times previously, this will be Poland’s 8th World Cup, their best results coming from the 1974 and 1982 World Cups in West Germany and Spain, placing third overall in both tournaments. They will undoubtedly be looking to go two better than that this year, and take home the Cup.

Current FIFA Ranking: 8

Star Player: Robert Lewandowski (Forward)

Senegal: Senegal have only played in the famous World Cup once before, this being their first time back in the competition in 16 years. After finishing safely on top of their group in the qualifiers, Senegal will be out to make their mark on the World Cup once again, and will be looking to go deeper into the tournament than they did last time. This is their 2nd World Cup, having made their one previous appearance at the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan, in which they made the Quarter Finals. It will be interesting to see how they progress in this year’s World Cup, their group being an interesting one.

Current FIFA Ranking: 27

Star Player: Moussa Konate (Forward)

Colombia: Colombia are somewhat of an unpredictable team. They have quite a few experience players on their side, including a highly experienced goalkeeper in David Ospina, who currently plays for English Premier League team Arsenal, and the highly skilled and experienced midfielder James Rodríguez, who currently plays for German side Bayern Munich, having previously made 77 appearances for Spanish side Real Madrid. This team has some highly skilled players, and some really fast paced play. They have featured in 5 previous World Cups, making this their 6th appearance, their best result coming from the more recent 2014 World Cup in Brazil, where they made the Quarter Finals. They will surely be looking to go further in this year’s tournament.

Current FIFA Ranking: 16

Star Player: James Rodríguez (Midfielder)

Japan: Japan is probably the most successful Asian team to feature in this tournament, which is surprising given that they are the lowest ranked team in this year’s tournament. They have qualified for the last 6 consecutive World Cups, and have some of the most experienced players in Asia on their side, a few having been capped over 100 times for the squad, and a number of players getting quite close to cracking the 100 caps mark. Having won the Asian Cup 4 times, Japan will be looking for their first World Cup Championship this year. This will be their 6th appearance at the World Cup, having featured in 5 previous tournaments, with their best result being the Round of 16 in both the 2002 and 2010 World Cups in South Korea and Japan and in South Africa. They will no doubt be looking to go further this year and be the first Asian team to take home the Cup.

Current FIFA Ranking: 61

Star Player: Shinji Okazaki (Forward)

And there you have it, all 32 teams at this year’s FIFA World Cup in Russia. I know this is probably one of the longest articles I’ve ever written, and trust me it’s taken a good few days to get through. But if you’ve made it this far, I really commend you for your dedication to this blog and it’s posts. And I thank you greatly for reading. Thanks, and enjoy the Cup!

JJ