Opening game lacking in appeal
MOSCOW — A World Cup shrouded in corruption controversies and struggling to attract sponsors could have the dreariest of starts on the field — a meeting of the lowest-ranked teams in the 32team field.
Host Russia and Saudi Arabia play June 14 at Moscow in an opener lacking global appeal, but things pick up the next day when 2010 champion Spain and defending European champion Portugal meet in Sochi.
The Iberian neighbors were drawn into Group B at a ceremony-Friday at the Kremlin. Morocco coach Herve Renard hoped to avoid the “two ogres” but will face them alongwith Iran.
“It’s a complicated group,” Spain coach Julen Lopetegui said. “It will be tough. Portugal is a great team. It is the defending European champion and has a squad filled with top players.”
None more so than Cristiano Ronaldo, who recently joined Argentina’s Lionel Messi as the only five-time winners of FIFA’s player of the year award. Messi’s quest for his first World Cup title begins the following day when Argentina takes on Iceland — at 334,000 the least-populous country to qualify for the World Cup.
Iceland coach Heimir Hallgrimsson already knows what he must tell his team: “Watch out for No. 10.”
The United States is missing from soccer’s top event for the first time since 1986 and four-time champion Italy will be watching from afar for the firsttime since 1958.
Germany remains the favorite. Its depth was clear when an experimental squad won the Confederations Cup in Russia in July. Germany opens against Mexico in its quest to become the first country to win back-to-back World Cup titles since Brazil in 1962. The Germans then face Sweden and South Korea in Group F.
“We got opponents that are not unknown to us,” Germany captain Manuel Neuer said. “That’s what I like, when weknow what to expect.”
Germany is hoping to be based in Sochi along with Brazil. The Brazilians, beaten, 7-1, at home by Germany in the 2014 semifinals, were drawn in Group E with Switzerland, Costa Rica and Serbia.
England, eliminated in the group stage three years ago, was drawn into Group G along with newcomer Panama, Tunisia and Belgium. Gareth Southgate’s first World Cup game as a coach will be a repeat of his first as a player — Southgate made his World Cup debut in England’s 2-0 win over Tunisia in 1998.
“We’ve been good at writing off teams and then getting beaten by them,” Southgate said.
Roberto Martinez also will be making his World Cup debut. But the Belgium coach knows England well after spending two decades there as a coach and player.
“It is going to be one of those games with no secrets,” said Martinez, a former Everton manager. “We have 25 players in the British game. That brings that understanding. That brings that competitive level.”
Peru, the last of the 32 teams to qualify, is in Group C with 1998 champion France, Australia and Denmark.