2018 FIFA World Cup overview: Everything you need to know
By Collin Giuliani//Sports Editor
The 2018 FIFA World Cup will have a much different feel in the United States for longtime soccer fans. For one, the World Cup is being televised on FOX this year for the first time; this will be the first time since the 1990 World Cup, held on TNT, that the tournament will be televised on a network that is not a partner of ABC. This is also the first time that Russia is hosting the World Cup. But perhaps the biggest difference is that for the first time since 1986, the United States failed to qualify for the World Cup. After qualifying for seven straight tournaments dating back to the 1990 World Cup in Italy, the USA will be absent from this year’s tournament. The United States is not the only notable nation absent from this year’s World Cup, as Italy missed the World Cup for the first time since 1954, Chile missed after winning the past two editions of the Copa America, and the Netherlands missed after finishing inside the top three in 2010 and 2014. As for the 32 teams participating in this year’s World Cup, here’s a group-by-group overview of what to expect from June 14 to July 15.
GROUP A: The first group happens to be the easiest group of the competition, with the average FIFA ranking of the four teams involved being 43.75, as the top ranked team (Uruguay) is currently ranked 17th in the FIFA rankings. For some perspective, while Group A only has one team ranked inside the top 25 of the FIFA rankings, Group F has three (Germany, Mexico and Sweden). Russia, the host nation, has not made it out of the group stage since 1986 when they were known as the Soviet Union. Russia will look to avoid being the second team in World Cup history, alongside South Africa in 2010, to host the World Cup and fail to qualify for the knockout stages. The past two international tournaments have not been kind to Russia, as the Russians failed to qualify for the knockout stages in the 2017 Confederations Cup, and finished last in Group B at the Euro 2016 tournament. Uruguay enters this group as the favorite, finishing second in the qualifying stages of South America and ending the qualification round on a four-match unbeaten streak. Uruguay is led up top by Luis Suarez, who has scored 27 goals across all levels of competition for FC Barcelona this season. For the first time since 2006, Saudi Arabia returns to the World Cup, looking to make it to the knockout stages for the second time ever (in their first World Cup appearance in 1994, they accomplished this feat). If Saudi Arabia is going to accomplish this feat again, a big performance by striker Mohammad Al-Sahlawi will be needed. Al-Sahlawi spent three weeks with Manchester United preparing for this tournament, and is coming off of a strong qualifying round, scoring 16 goals during the qualification process. For Egypt, this is just the third time ever that the nation has qualified for the tournament, having previously qualified in 1934 and 1990; however, the Egyptians have never been able to make it out of the first round. The teams in this group could come as a shock to Egypt. Since the conclusion of the 2014 World Cup, Egypt has only played two games against opponents outside of Africa, and lost both of these games (a 2-1 defeat to Portugal and a 1-0 defeat to Greece). Despite that, Egypt could make a surprising run in the tournament if Mohamed Salah, who is on pace to break the Premier League record for most goals in a season, continues his hot run of form.
GROUP B:Following a disappointing outing at the 2014 World Cup, Spain is looking to win its second World Cup in three years, and enters as the favorite in Group B. Spain has not lost a match since June 27, 2016, when the Spaniards lost to Italy 2-0 in Euro 2016; since then, Spain has gone unbeaten in 18 consecutive matches and went unbeaten in the qualifying round. For Portugal, Cristiano Ronaldo is set to appear in his fourth World Cup; in 37 appearances for Real Madrid across all competitions, Ronaldo has scored 41 goals. Portugal recently won Euro 2016, winning that competition for the first time ever, and has enjoyed a strong run of form lately, losing just two out of their last 20 competitions. Iran and Morocco enter this stage as heavy underdogs; Iran has never made it out of the group stage, and Morocco, participating in its first World Cup since 1998, has only accomplished this feat once (1986 World Cup in Mexico).
GROUP C:France arguably enters this tournament as the favorite. In the toughest of the European qualifying groups, consisting of Sweden and the Netherlands, France lost just one game, and took 23 out of a possible 30 points. Led by Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann, who has scored 26 goals for Atletico Madrid across all competitions this season, and goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, who will likely make his 100th cap with France during this tournament, France should have no problem getting past this group. Following a shaky qualifying run, which involved having to qualify through the intercontinental playoff against Honduras, Australia has qualified for the World Cup for the fourth consecutive year. This World Cup could be a struggle, though, if Tim Cahill doesn’t turn things around, or if Australia cannot find a replacement for him. Arguably the greatest player in Australian history, Cahill has yet to score a goal in any club competition during the 2017-18 season, as the 38-year old forward may be on his last legs. Peru qualifies for the World Cup for the first time since 1982, while Denmark, looking to make the knockout stages for the first time since 2002, is hoping that their recent run of form continues; Denmark has not lost a match since Oct. 11, 2016 (a 1-0 loss to Montenegro), and has gone unbeaten in their last 13 matches.
GROUP D:After finishing as runners-up in the 2014 World Cup, Argentina qualifies for the 2018 tournament for the 12th consecutive time. However, unlike previous years, this qualification period came with struggles. It took until the final match, a 3-1 victory over Ecuador, before Argentina’s qualification became official; additionally, Argentina only scored 19 goals in the 18 qualifying games, which was tied with Paraguay and Venezuela for the second worst total in South America. Despite the team’s recent struggles, including a 6-1 defeat in a friendly to Spain, Argentina is always a threat as long as Lionel Messi, who has averaged a goal per game for FC Barcelona this season in La Liga, is playing at his top form. For the first time ever, Iceland qualified for the World Cup; following a surprising quarterfinal appearance in Euro 2016 (the first time that Iceland ever qualified for the Euros). Iceland is a nation on the rise in the soccer world. Croatia, led by manager Zlatko Dalic (who has been the manager for only five games and is relatively inexperienced at the international level), will look to qualify for the knockout rounds for the first time since the 1998 World Cup. Meanwhile Nigeria, which has qualified for the World Cup for the sixth time in the last seven tournaments, will be looking for Ahmed Musa, who has scored in just one game for Nigeria since the start of 2016, to turn things around.
GROUP E:The first World Cup was held in Uruguay in 1930. Brazil is the only nation to qualify for every single World Cup, and the 2018 World Cup is no exception. After dominating in qualifying, losing just one out of 18 games and finishing with a +30 goal differential (for perspective, only one other team in South America had a goal differential greater than +3), Brazil enters this World Cup in amazing form. Across all levels of competition, Brazil has lost just one out of its last 19 games; however, if Neymar’s foot, which was injured in February, does not heal and he is unable to be at full strength, then this significantly weakens this side. Still, Brazil has gotten out of the group stages every year since the 1966 World Cup, and has qualified for the quarterfinals in each of the past six World Cups; this year should be no different. Following a stunning quarterfinal appearance at the 2014 World Cup, which was the team’s best finish ever, Costa Rica returns to the tournament. However, the Costa Ricans have been in poor form lately, winning just one out of their last seven games across all competitions. Switzerland enters the World Cup in fantastic form, winning 13 out of their last 15 games, while Serbia, led by an inexperienced manager in Mladen Krstajic (Krstajic has managed just four games as a head coach at any level and was named the head coach of the Serbians in December), will look to make the knockout stages for the first time since 1998.
GROUP F:While there is no obvious Group of Death in this year’s World Cup like there has been in previous years, on paper, this looks like the toughest group of the tournament. Germany has finished in the top three in each of the past four World Cups and enter this tournament as one of the favorites. Mesut Ozil, who earlier this year for Arsenal broke the Premier League record for fastest to 50 assists (he did this in just 141 games), commands a strong midfield, while Joachim Low, who has managed Germany since 2006, is still in charge looking to defend the title. While Germany is on an incredible run of form, losing just one out of their last 23 games, history is not on their side. The last time a team repeated as World Cup champion was in 1962 when Brazil did it following their win in 1958. Mexico has advanced past the group stage every year since 1994, and if Carlos Vela up front can provide goals like he’s been doing for Los Angeles FC in Major League Soccer so far this season (five goals and two assists in just six games), then the Mexicans will have a good chance of doing the same for a seventh straight World Cup. Sweden qualifies for the World Cup for the first time since 2006, in what is likely to be 36-year old striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s final World Cup, while South Korea, in the World Cup for the ninth consecutive tournament, looks to play spoiler. The Group of Death can surprise people at times; look no further than the 2014 World Cup, where Costa Rica ended up shocking the world by winning Group D over Uruguay, Italy, and England.
GROUP G:Belgium enters this World Cup on what might be the best run of form of any team in the tournament. The Belgians have not lost a match since a Sep. 9, 2016 friendly against Spain (a 2-0 defeat). Since then, Belgium has gone unbeaten in their last 15 matches, scoring multiple goals in eight of their last nine games. Led by Eden Hazard, who is one of the top players in the Premier League, and striker Romelu Lukaku, who is currently sixth in the Premier League with 16 goals scored, Belgium enters the World Cup with one of the most dangerous offenses in the tournament. England’s recent international struggles have been well-documented. However, with Harry Kane (currently second in the Premier League with 26 goals) up front, England should be able to make it out of an inexperienced group. Tunisia has never made it out of the group stages, qualifying for the first time since 2006, while Panama joins Iceland as one of two nations making its debut in the World Cup this year.
GROUP H:Poland made it out of the group stages in 1986. Since then, the Polish have only qualified for the World Cup twice, and have not advanced out of the group stages. However, those fortunes could change in 2018 thanks to Robert Lewandowski. The Bayern Munich striker currently leads all Bundesliga scorers with 27 goals; for perspective, second place (Kevin Volland) has scored 14. After a quarterfinal appearance in the 2014 World Cup, which was the team’s best ever finish, Colombia returns to the World Cup this year, led by Falcao up top. Falcao, following a disappointing stint in the Premier League, has had a career revival in Ligue 1, as he is currently tied for third in goals scored. Recent form, however, has not been kind to Colombia, as the team has won just five out of their last 16 matches. Senegal qualifies for the World Cup for the first time since 2002 and just the second time ever, while Japan, qualifying for the sixth consecutive tournament, enters this World Cup having won just two out of its last eight matches.