World Cup 2018 Group D
GROUP D
[Team Jersey Images © Soccerphile]
Argentina
Argentina quite possibly have the best attacking threat at the World Cup with Messi, Aguero and Higuain. However, the overall calibre of the squad may not be enough to lift the ultimate prize. In centre midfield and in the full back positions, the Albiceleste fall short. Now first choice keeper Sergio Romero has been ruled out with a leg injury. The semi-finals beckon but probably no further for Jorge Sampaoli's team.
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Argentina Kit 1 |
Argentina Kit 2 |
Argentina v Iceland 16 June; Moscow
Argentina v Croatia 21 June; Novgorod
Argentina v Nigeria 26 June; St. Petersburg
Coach
Jorge Sampaoli
Record
1934, 1958, 1962, 2002 First Round; 1974, 1982, 1994 Second Round; 1966, 1998, 2006, 2010 Quarterfinals; 1930, 1990, 2014 Second Place; 1978, 1986 Champions.
Men to watch
Lionel Messi, of course, in what could well be his final World Cup. AC Milan's Lucas Biglia in defensive midfield will be important to screen what is not the best back four Argentina have sent to a World Cup.
Argentina will make it out of the group along with probably Croatia, but the quarterfinals or semis seem the limit of their chances this time out.
How they qualified
Argentina struggled to qualify before finishing third in the South American COMMEBOL Qualifying Group.
On the sidelines
Coach Jorge Sampaoli had to retire as a player aged only nineteen after sustaining a serious leg injury. Sampaoli has managed in Europe and won the Copa America with Chile in 2015 beating Argentina in the final.
Analysis
Squad
Goalkeepers: Willy Caballero (Chelsea), Franco Armani (River Plate), Nahuel Guzman (Tigres)
Defenders: Gabriel Mercado (Sevilla), Federico Fazio (Roma), Nicolas Otamendi (Manchester City), Marcos Rojo (Manchester United), Nicolas Taglafico (Ajax), Javier Mascherano (Hebei Fortune), Marcos Acuna (Sporting Lisbon), Cristian Ansaldi (Torino)
Midfielders: Ever Banega (Sevilla), Lucas Biglia (AC Milan), Angel Di María, Giovani Lo Celso (both Paris St-Germain), Manuel Lanzini (West Ham), Cristian Pavon (Boca Juniors), Maximiliano Meza (Independiente), Eduardo Salvio (Benfica)
Strikers: Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Gonzalo Higuain, Paulo Dybala (both Juventus), Sergio Aguero (Manchester City)
Iceland
Iceland followed up their success at Euro 2016 by qualifying for their first ever World Cup. Their fairy tale success is built on hard work, set pieces and the counter attack backed by fervent support. The squad has the highest average age in the tournament. Fatigue could be a factor if the temperatures rise in Russia.
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Iceland Kit 1
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Iceland Kit 2
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Iceland v Argentina 16 June; Moscow
Iceland v Nigeria 22 June; Volgograd
Iceland v Croatia 26 June; Rostov-on-Don
Coach
Heimir Hallgrimsson
Record
First ever appearance
Men to watch
Gylfi Sigurdsson has had a relatively quiet season at new club Everton with just four goals compared with nine at Swansea the previous year. He will be out to impress in the summer.
We predict Iceland will not get out of the group but it will be neck and neck with Croatia.
How they qualified
Iceland won European Qualifying Group I ahead of Croatia, Ukraine and Turkey.
On the sidelines
Group D contains Croatia who Iceland beat at home 1-0 during qualifying with a last minute winner. They lost 2-0 away to the same opponents in Zagreb behind closed doors. Bizarrely, coach Heimir Hallgrimsson was once a dentist in his hometown. He will no doubt be out to inflict pain on his opponents and is obviously good with drills. Iceland with a population of just over 334,000 (2016) is the smallest nation ever to qualify for the World Cup finals.
Analysis
Squad
Goalkeepers: Hannes Thor Halldorsson (Randers FC), Runar Alex Runarsson (FC Nordsjælland), Frederik Schram (FC Roskilde)
Defenders: Kari Arnason (Aberdeen), Ari Freyr Skulason (K.S.C. Lokeren Oost-Vlaanderen), Birkir Mar Saevarsson (Hammarby), Sverrir Ingi Ingason (FC Rostov), Hordur Magnusson (Bristol City), Holmar Orn Eyjolfsson (Maccabi Haifa), Ragnar Sigurdsson (FC Rostov)
Midfielders: Johann Berg Gudmundsson (Burnley), Birkir Bjarnason (Aston Villa), Arnor Ingvi Traustason (Malmo FF), Emil Hallfredsson (Udinese), Gylfi Sigurdsson (Everton), Olafur Ingi Skulason (Kardemir Karabukspor), Rurik Gislason (FC Nurnberg), Samuel Fridjonsson (Valerenga), Aron Gunnarsson (Cardiff City)
Strikers: Alfred Finnbogason (FC Augsburg), Bjorn Bergmann Sigurdarson (FC Rostov), Jon Dadi Bodvarsson (Reading), Albert Gudmundsson (PSV Eindhoven)
Croatia
Croatia, as always, have some talented individuals. Real Madrid's Luka Modric, Barcelona's Ivan Rakitic, Juve's Mario Mandzukic and Inter's Ivan Perisic most readily spring to mind. Vedran Corluka and Dejan Lovren will be at the back. But it is here in defence that Croatia may have problems, though they only conceded four in qualifying.
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Croatia Kit 1
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Croatia Kit 2
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Croatia v Nigeria 16 June; Kaliningrad
Croatia v Argentina 21 June; Novgorod
Croatia v Iceland; 26 June; Rostov-on-Don
Coach
Zlatko Dalic
Record
2002, 2006, 2014 Group Stage; 1998 Third Place
Men to watch
Mateo Kovacic may not be a starter for Real Madrid but a successful World Cup could lead to better things at the Bernabeu or a big money move away.
Should get out of the group if they can overcome recent rivals Iceland, who they beat in a play off to make the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, incidentally.
How they qualified
Croatia came through a play off with Greece.
On the sidelines
Coach Zlatko Dalic has spent his most recent years managing in the Middle East in both Saudia Arabia and the UAE.
Analysis
Squad
Goalkeepers: Danijel Subasic (Monaco), Lovre Kalinic (Gent), Dominik Livakovic (Dinamo Zagreb)
Defenders: Vedran Corluka (Lokomotiv Moscow), Domagoj Vida (Besiktas), Ivan Strinic (Sampdoria), Dejan Lovren (Liverpool), Sime Vrsaljko (Atletico Madrid), Josip Pivaric (Dynamo Kyiv), Tin Jedvay (Bayer Leverkusen), Matej Mitrovic (Club Brugge), Duje Caleta-Car (Red Bull Salzburg)
Midfielders: Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic (both Real Madrid), Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona), Milan Badelj (Fiorentina), Marcelo Brozovic (Inter Milan), Filip Bradaric (Hajduk Split)
Strikers: Mario Mandzukic (Juventus), Ivan Perisic (Inter Milan), Nikola Kalinic (AC Milan), Andrej Kramaric (Hoffenheim), Marko Pjaca (Schalke), Ante Rebic (Eintracht Frankfurt)
Nigeria
Nigeria, on paper, do not look to have one of their strongest squads. Their leading scorer is Ahmed Musa who has endured a poor season at Leicester City in the Premier League, being shipped out on loan back to former club CSKA Moscow. The squad has quality in midfield and attack with John Obi Mikel, Wilfred Ndidi at Leicester, Victor Moses (Chelsea) and Alex Iwobi (Arsenal). However the defence and goal keeping positions are filled by players many people may hardly heard off, who ply their trade in Nigeria or with lesser teams in Europe.
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Nigeria Kit 1 |
Nigeria Kit 2
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Nigeria v Croatia 16 June; Kaliningrad
Nigeria v Iceland 22 June; Volgograd
Nigeria v Argentina 26 June; St. Petersburg
Coach
Gernot Rohr
Record
Second Round 1994, 1998, 2014; First Round 2002, 2010.
Men to watch
Leicester pair Kelechi Iheanacho for his goal threat and Wilfred Ndidi for his holding in midfield.
How they qualified
Nigeria came through a tough African qualifying group that contained Zambia, Algeria and Cameroon.
On the sidelines
Nigeria will have the youngest squad at the 2018 World Cup. German coach Gernot Rohr has coached Bordeaux in three different spells. His biggest achievement was taking Bordeaux to the 1996 Uefa Cup final where they lost to Bayern. Rohr has prior African experience having coached Burkina Faso, Gabon and Niger.
Analysis
Squad
Goalkeepers: Francis Uzoho (Deportivo La Coruna), Ikechukwu Ezenwa (Enyimba), Daniel Akpeyi (Chippa United)
Defenders: William Troost-Ekong (Bursaspor), Abdullahi Shehu (Bursaspor); Tyronne Ebuehi (Ado Den Haag), Olaoluwa Aina (Hull City); Elderson Echiejile (Cercle Brugge KSV), Bryan Idowu (Amkar Perm), Chidozie Awaziem (Nantes FC); Leon Balogun (Brighton), Kenneth Omeruo (Kasimpasa)
Midfielders: Mikel John Obi (Tianjin Teda), Ogenyi Onazi (Trabzonspor), Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City), Oghenekaro Etebo (Las Palmas), John Ogu (Hapoel Be'er Sheva), Joel Obi (Torino), Mikel Agu (Bursaspor)
Strikers: Ahmed Musa (CSKA Moscow), Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City); Victor Moses (Chelsea), Odion Ighalo (Changchun Yatai), Alex Iwobi (Arsenal), Simeon Nwankwo (Crotone)