World Cup 2018 Group B Preview
GROUP B
Sean O'Conor
Portugal
Coach: Fernando Santos
Formation: 4-4-2
FIFA World Ranking: 4th
Best World Cup: 3rd in 1966
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Portugal Kit 1 |
Portugal Kit 2 |
Portugal v Spain 15 June; Sochi
Portugal v Morocco 20 June; Luzhniki
Portugal v Iran 25 June; Saransk
The surprise 2016 European champions arrive buoyed not only by that unlikely triumph but also by the fact they beat the hosts in the final without Cristiano Ronaldo.
Inevitably the world will be watching CR7 when Portugal play and many will be hoping for a Ronaldo v Leo Messi quarter final, as both superstars play their final World Cups,
But the way the Portuguese eked out victory at Euro 2016 showed that their most potent weapon is their dogged team spirit. They won that cup not by outplaying opponent after opponent but by holding out through extra-time and penalties and grabbing winners.
Portugal do not enter the World Cup looking impressive either. A 3-0 win over Algeria was a morale-boosting send off following draws with Belgium and Tunisia and a poor 0-3 home loss to the Netherlands in March.
Eder, scorer of the winner in that final, as well as the Young Player of the Tournament Renato Sanches have both been dropped, while much of the starting eleven have endured on-off seasons domestically.
Milan's Andre Silva will partner Ronaldo up front with Man City's Bernardo Silva from the right the key supplier.
The defence is mean but ageing with Bruno Alves, Fonte and Pepe all in their mid-30s. Alves has playing experience in Russia with Zenit so will at least feel at home.
Portugal should get out the group as the only real quality is the nation they know best: Spain.
They are unlikely to win the World Cup but few gave them much hope of winning the Euros either. Ronaldo was injured throughout Brazil 2014 so a fit CR7 adds to their chances of disproving the critics.
Spain
Coach: Fernando Hierro
Formation: 4-2-3-1
FIFA World Ranking: 10th
Best World Cup: Winners 2010
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Spain Kit 1 |
Spain Kit 2 |
Spain v Portugal 15 June; Sochi
Spain v Iran 20 June; Kazan
Spain v Morocco 25 June; Kaliningrad
The golden age of La Roja might have ended with Euro 2012 but six years on its embers still glow.
Six of the squad which blasted Italy 4-0 in Kiev that year are on the plane to Russia in fact: Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets, Andres Iniesta, Gerard Pique, Sergio Ramos and David Silva. Most of these should start so the Spain version 2018 is one of evolution rather than revolution.
They still have an embarrassment of riches so could afford to leave Cesc Fabregas, Javi Martinez, Juan Mata, Alvaro Morata and Pedro at home.
Like most returning champions do, Spain stumbled awkwardly out of Brazil 2014 and the recovery has been gradual. A Round of 16 exit from Euro 2016 to Italy was marginally less painful, but with a new coach since that tournament ended, La Roja has gone 20 games unbeaten.
Nine wins and a draw (away to Italy) meant they topped UEFA Group G with ease and got revenge on the Azzurri.
And yet, doubts that La Roja have been properly tested remain. Whilst they hammered Argentina 6-1 in March, they also eked a 1-0 win over Tunisia and have drawn with Russia, Germany and Switzerland in the last six months.
They are not exactly overflowing with goals or strikers - Diego Costa will lead the line alone, a legacy of the false nine formation which worked so well for Vicente del Bosque. While the finesse of tiki-taka has gone along with the personnel, Iniesta apart, the system remains a passing-dependent one. Keep and circulate the ball is still the Spanish mantra.
Whether Spain have the nous to chase games remains questionable as there is no real plan B or super-subs.
David De Gea in goal is an asset and an all Barcelona/Real Madrid back four should reassure, but it will be interesting to see how much gas is left in the tanks of the veterans ahead of him. Ramos showed in the 2018 Champions League Final how hungry he is for more silverware and all neutrals will delight in seeing the little wizard Iniesta one last time.
Silva is still capable of dazzling runs and Diego Costa is sometimes unplayable but perhaps it is time for Isco to be the protagonist and establish himself as a Spanish great. The other player who may come through is Marco Asensio, who has had a great season at the Bernabeu.
Big things are expected of the side and provided they win their group, should see a smooth path to the semi-finals ahead. If they can avoid probable Group A winners Uruguay in the Round of 16 they have only France to fear in their half of the draw. In sensational news, coach Julen Lopetegui was sacked on the eve of the tournament after it was announced he was to become the new coach of Real Madrid. Fernando Hierro takes over.
Morocco
Coach: Herve Renard
Formation: 4-2-3-1
FIFA World Ranking: 41st
Best World Cup: Round of 16 in 1986
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Morocco Kit 1
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Morocco Kit 2
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Morocco v Iran 15 June; Saint Petersburg
Morocco v Portugal 20 June; Luzhniki
Morocco v Spain; 25 June; Kaliningrad
A first World Cup appearance since 1998 and six clean sheets in qualifying mean the Atlas Lions go to Russia with some confidence.
That spirit will be tested in their first match versus Iran, an effective make or break clash because their others are against Portugal and Spain. Expect an open game in St Petersburg but more cat and mouse in their next two.
Their squad plays in a variety of countries. Juventus' Medhi Benatia skippers the side from centre-back, while Herve Renard's team will revolve around Galatasaray's Younes Belhanda in midfield with Ajax's erratic but sometimes superb Hakim Ziyech in support on the right.
Behind them thirty-somethings Karim El Ahamdi and Mbark Boussoufa provide defensive midfield cover. The team is athletic and hard-running and will surely fight to escape a tough draw.
Morocco are not expected to advance into the knockout stages but the Iberians should beware the North Africans' smooth qualification, nine wins and a draw in their last ten games and only 11 goals conceded in 23 outings.
In 1986 they were not tipped to do well either but ended up topping their group after drawing with England and Poland and defeating Portugal.
Iran
Coach: Carlos Queiroz
Formation: 4-3-3
FIFA World Ranking: 37th
Best World Cup: 1st Round in 1978, 1998, 2006 and 2014
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Iran Kit 1
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Iran Kit 2
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Iran v Morocco 15 June; St. Petersburg
Iran v Spain 20 June; Kazan
Iran v Portugal 25 June; Saransk
The Asian qualifying stalwarts travel to their fifth World Cup still in search of a place in the knockout stages.
Indeed, their only win so far was that memorable night in Lyon in 1998 when they beat the USA 2-1. Few people expect them to break that duck but stranger things have happened.
With the vastly experienced Carlos Queiroz at the helm, they can be expected to be well drilled, will adopt a tight defensive shape and hope to hit sides on the break.
The Portuguese veteran, whose coaching CV includes Portugal, Real Madrid and South Africa as well as being assistant to Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, is well aware of his side's limitations so will insist on not conceding goals above all. Iran played mean in qualifying, averaging only a goal a game but winning their group ahead of South Korea.
For this they will count on their two wide men: AZ Alkmaar's Alireza Jahanbakhsh can be an electric winger at times and aged 24 is tipped for greater things. Nottingham Forest's Ashkan Dejagah and Ostersund's Saman Ghoddos will contest the other spot behind striker Mehdi Taremi or Sardar Azmoun.
Like Morocco, they must have winced when Spain and Portugal were drawn in the same group but if they do fail again to exit the group at least they will go down fighting. Queiroz for one will relish the clash with his homeland.