Sweden qualified for their first FIFA World Cup since 2006 by finishing second in a tough group behind France but ahead of the Netherlands. They then managed to knock Italy out of the play-offs with a 1-0 aggregate score. In this team profile, we'll look at their coach Janne Andersson,...
As the current holders, plenty of eyes will be on Germany as they seek to bring back the World Cup again from Russia. After their semi-final exit at Euro 2016, there were some questions as to whether Joachim Low's era was coming to a close, with the likes of Philipp...
Switzerland managed to win nine out of ten in the qualifying campaign for the FIFA World Cup in Russia. But the lost in the last game against Portugal forced them into a play-off. There they beat Northern Ireland 1-0 on aggregate to qualify for Russia 2018. Going into the tournament...
They say that there are some things in life that are certainties. These include death, taxes and the fact that Nigeria will draw Argentina in the group stage of the World Cup, this is the case once again for the fifth time in sixth appearances for the Super Eagles but...
Serbia qualified for their second FIFA World Cup as an independent nation by winning a tough qualifying group which included the Republic of Ireland and Austria. After their group stage exit at the 2010 finals in South Africa, the Balkan nation will hope they can progress from the group this...
Despite being the competition's most successful team, few would blame Brazil for feeling anxious heading to Russia - although it's hard to see how they could plunge any lower. Four years ago, the Selecao set out to right the wrongs of the 1950 World Cup, where Brazil lost out to...
Croatia needed a play-off to qualify for the FIFA World Cup 2018. But there they dismantled Greece 4-1 on aggregate. Heading into Russia 2018, Croatia will be one of the teams to watch. Partly because of their fantastic midfield. But perhaps most for their entertaining football under Zlatko Dalic. Russia...
In 2014 Lionel Messi and his Argentine team-mates were so close to reaching their goal. In the World Cup final, they played well and fought with Germany the whole game. In the end, Mario Götze scored the decisive goal in extra time. One year later Argentina finished second again, this...
As fairytale stories go the qualification of Peru for the World Cup this summer in Russia will take some beating. It has been 36 years since the Peruvians last played at the World Cup and the to say that the Peruvian people are celebrating the occasion would be an understatement....
FIFA World Cup 2018: Denmark Out of all of the European sides that have qualified for the World Cup this summer in Russia it may be Denmark who have the widest spectrum of expected performance. On one hand you would not be terribly surprised to see them fail to qualify...
France is probably one of the favorite for this World Cup, even more after their final during Euro 2016. With probably the best team since the 2006 World Cup (where they lost in final too) their chances are real with a mix of youth and experience. However there are some...
The preparation for the World Cup this summer in Russia has been anything but straightforward for Australia, the last side to qualify for the tournament they then had their coach Ange Postecoglu stood down immediately after securing qualification. Since then the coaching situation has been made anything but clear. The...
Morocco are back on the grandest of world stages after a 20-year absence, having last played at the FIFA World Cup in 1998. The Atlas Lions had a stellar qualification campaign, beating Equatorial Guinea 2-1 on aggregate in the second qualification round for CAF, before winning all six games without...
Iran as a national team has long been neglected by the international community despite their past and recent successes. Russia 2018 will be their fifth World Cup appearance, but Team Melli has yet to advance to the knockout rounds in their history. Portuguese head coach Carlos Queiroz has been at the helm...
For the Euro 2016 champions nostalgia will not win them the trophy and Portugal manager Fernando Santos shows no signs of this, dropping Euro 2016 winners Nani (Lazio), Andre Gomes (Barcelona) and Renato Sanches (Bayern Munich) and extra-time winning goal scorer Eder (on loan at Lokomotiv Moscow from Lille). One...
World Cup 2018 will be something of a transition point for the Spanish national team moving forward. The core of the side that won the World Cup in 2010 in South Africa and the European Championship in 2008 and 2012 are still present but this may be the last time...
Squad Saudi Arabia's victory over Greece was the Green Falcons' third in six matches under new manager Juan Antonio Pizzi. The Argentinian is the third Saudi Arabia coach in less than a year, following Bert van Marwijk – who led the Arabians to FIFA World Cup 2018 qualification – and...
Uruguay are one of the true heavyweights of international football with two FIFA World Cup titles in their trophy cabinet. Granted, the last of those came in 1950 but Uruguay still manage to do well from time to time. Most recently their fourth place finish at the 2010 FIFA World...
Qualification for Russia 2018 was anything but straightforward for Egypt. Despite their standing as the most successful African side and their reputation as a football obsessed nation it took a 93rd minute penalty from talisman Mohamed Salah in the penultimate qualifying match to seal their place in Russia. It was...
Russia head into the FIFA World Cup 2018 tournament, with a huge weight of expectation on them, given they are the proud host nation. In this article I hope to give you a guide to the hosts and what to expect from them on home soil. Many eyes will be...
