HELLO, WORLD
The biggest names in soccer hit Russia as World Cup begins today
CHRISTIAN Pulisic, Gigi Buffon, Alexis Sanchez, Virgil Van Dijk and of course Gareth Bale, the hero of Real Madrid's latest Champions League title, all belong to the same sorry club.
You will not see those bold face names at the 2018 World Cup because the United States, Italy, Chile, Holland and Wales failed to qualify. Their loss is our loss, especially in the case of Pulisic, the best young American player we've ever seen.
Alas, there is still plenty of star power at this year's World Cup which begins Thursday with the host nation Russia facing Saudi Arabia in the opening match. The monthlong spectacle has arrived.
Here is a list of the top players to watch in each Group. GROUP A
Mohamed Salah, Egypt – The King of Egypt, voted Player of the Year in the English Premier League, scored 41 goals in 46 matches for Liverpool. He is lethal on his favored left foot. You know he's going left. The defender knows he's going left. The goalkeeper knows he's going left and yet Salah, who works well in tight spaces, still gets the job done.
The hope is that Salah, who suffered a shoulder injury in the Champions League Final three weeks ago, will be available for Friday's opener against Uruguay. A healthy Salah could get Egypt out of the Group ahead of Russia and Saudi Arabia. Luis Suarez, Uruguay – You remember good ol' Luis, don't know? He's the guy that took a bite out of Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini four years ago in Brazil.
The Barcelona striker can be nasty at times. He'll dive all over the pitch. But he's a proven scorer, who along with Paris-Saint Germain striker Edinson Cavani, give Uruguay the talent and experience to make a deep run. Suarez is a former Liverpool man so the opening match on Friday against Salah creates plenty of intrigue. GROUP B
Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal – The Ronaldo vs. Messi debate is football's version of LeBron vs. Jordan. In other words, Ronaldo is an all-time great who has won every major trophy for club and country except the World Cup. He's now 32 so time is running out for the Real Madrid legend.
Here's a key for Ronaldo
and Portugal: They meet Spain in the first match of Group play and both should advance. Depending on how things work out with Morocco and Iran there may be an opportunity for Portugal to rest Ronaldo, who has played a lot of soccer this year. Having him healthy and rested for the knockout stages could give Portugal that extra boost.
Andres Iniesta, Spain – The world-class midfielder, who just completed his brilliant career with Barcelona, scored the lone goal in the World Cup final in 2010, and at 34 this will be his last tournament. Spain is a beautiful team to watch. They will dominate possession in most of their matches and will create scoring chances out of nothing. The brain of the operation is Iniesta.
A few things about Spain to keep in mind: Manchester United's David De Gea may be the best goalkeeper in the tournament and Diego Costa (think Luis Suarez: good and nasty) is carrying a knee injury.
And yes, Spain fired its manager, Julen Lopetegui, 48 hours before the World Cup, but you or I can coach this squad. Spain, one of the clear favorites in Russia, is a machine.
GROUP C
Antoine Griezmann,
France – He is the drama king of the tournament. The attacking midfielder, who is leaving Atletico Madrid, has made a final decision about his future but won't say where he's headed. The answer is likely Barcelona although Manchester United can't be ruled out.
Griezmann, who scored 29 goals in 49 games for Atletico last season, was the star of the
Euro 2016 before France lost on home soil to Portugal in the final.
This French side is loaded and they should advance out of a group that includes Australia, Peru and Denmark. But a draw at home to the United States last week in their last tune-up match raised some eyebrows. Good for the USA. Not so much for Les Bleus. Christian Eriksen, Denmark – The Tottenham midfielder is a creative player and a free-kick specialist. He was 18 when he made his World Cup debut in 2010 and now Eriksen has matured into a top talent. Meanwhile, Denmark, which brings an 11match unbeaten streak into the World Cup, hasn't played a major tournament since the 2012 Euro's. This is his and their time to make some noise.
GROUP D
Lionel Messi, Argentina – Believe it or not Argentina, the runners-up four years ago, nearly missed the World Cup this year until Messi, the little magician, rescued the country.
Sometimes needing to fight in order to qualify helps a squad once the tournament begins. This is the only major trophy Messi has yet to win and it is why this No. 10 is still a notch below the original No. 10, Diego Maradona.
Argentina should advance out of a Group that includes Croatia, Nigeria and everybody's lovable underdog, Iceland. The real tournament starts in the knockout stages and that's when Messi, with help up top from Manchester United's Sergio Aguero, Juventus' Gonzalo Higuain, needs to make his mark. Luka Modric, Croatia – The team with the uniform that resembles a picnic tablecloth qualified through the
two-leg playoff, but Croatia has the players to contend. It all starts with Modric, the Real Madrid midfielder, who is a wonderfully gifted playmaker and leader. He and Barcelona's Ivan Rakitic are as dynamic as any midfielders in the tournament.
The key for Croatia will be Mario Mandzukic, the Juve striker with a nose for the goal. He's good in the air and has the strength to overpower defenders. GROUP E
Neymar, Brazil – The one and only. When you mention Ronaldo and Messi the third name is usually Neymar, who at 26 is entering his prime. He missed the last three months of the season with Paris-Saint Germain but is rounding into form at the appropriate time.
Neymar and Brazil are motivated after being embarrassed at home by Germany four years ago in the World Cup semifinals. That 7-1 loss still stings, but Neymar, quick and skilled, can change the narrative over the next month. He is simply one of the most entertaining players you'll ever see. Keylor Navas, Costa Rica – One moment stands out; if you go back to last Labor Day weekend at Red Bull Arena it was Navas, the Real Madrid goalkeeper, stopping Jozy Altidore's point-blank chance in the second half of a crucial qualifying match.
Altidore scores there, the U.S. gets an important draw. Navas makes the save, the U.S. pushes players forward, is left vulnerable in the back and Costa Rica gets the killer second goal.
Four years ago, Costa Rica reached the quarters, but in a Group with Brazil, Serbia and Switzerland the tiny Central American country may not make it to the knockout round. GROUP F Thomas Muller, Germany – Here's how you impress your friends: Ask them to name the player with the most goals over the last two World Cups. The answer: Muller with 10. To put that in context, England has scored 11 goals in its last three World Cup appearances.
“He is a very unorthodox player,” says Germany manager Joachim Low. “You can't really predict his lines of running, but he has one aim and that is ‘How can I score a goal?' ”
Like Costa and Suarez, Muller is irritating to opposing defenders, but there's no denying his ability to find the back of the net. The defending champs just might make it two straight. Javier Hernandez, Mexico
– “Chicharito” caused a stir earlier this month after a Mexican magazine reported that Hernandez provided prostitutes for his teammates at his birthday party. Well, that's one way to prepare for the World Cup.
“There were no escorts and what has been said shows a lack of respect for all the guests,” he said. “We didn't do anything bad, it was in our free time, but we wouldn't do it again.”
Mexico has reached the last six World Cups and has been eliminated each time in the Round of 16. With Germany, Sweden and South Korea in the Group there is no guarantee that Mexico is one of two teams to advance but Hernandez, the West Ham striker, has a knack of delivering in big moments.
GROUP G
Kevin De Bruyne, Belgium – This is Belgium's “golden generation” and its best chance to crash the party and win the title. De Bruyne, the Prince Harry lookalike, had a breakout campaign at Manchester City. He's an attacking midfielder who can strike from any part of the pitch. Along with Chelsea's Eden Hazard, Belgium is as dangerous a side as you'll see in Russia. Add in striker Romelu Lukaku and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and a case could be made that Belgium has the most talent of any team. No excuses this time. The rest of the Group, Panama, Tunisia and England, doesn't pose any real threats. Belgium will cruise into the knockout stage. Harry Kane, England – If you are a glutton for punishment, England is your team. Two years ago, they lost to Iceland in the Round of 16 at the Euro's and historically underperform at major tournaments. Why could this year be different? Kane, the great striker from Tottenham, has been one of the best players in the EPL for the last three years. He's also scored 12 goals in 23 games for the Three Lions.
GROUP H
Robert Lewandowski, Poland – This is a sleeper team led by a big time striker. Lewandowski, who plays for German power Bayern Munich, scored 16 goals during qualifying as Poland reached the World Cup for the first time since 2006. Poland lost to Portugal in the quarterfinals at Euro 2016 in penalty kicks so don't underestimate this team, especially in a weak group with Senegal and Japan. Colombia, led by James Rodriguez, should advance.
Sadio Mane, Senegal – Mane and Mo Salah are a dynamic one-two punch for Liverpool but neither is surrounded by the same level of talent with their national teams. Mane has the speed and creativity to cause headaches. But it may not be enough for Senegal to repeat its performance from 2002, when the African nation beat defending champion France and advanced to the quarters.