Innehållsförteckning för June 2018 från FourFourTwo UK

The first time I discussed putting Harry Kane on the front cover of FourFourTwo was in January 2015. He was midway through his first full season as a regular starter for Spurs and had scored six goals during the Christmas period, including a brace against Chelsea. The North London derby was around the corner and maybe, just maybe, it was the right time for his first big interview? In the end, I was outvoted: the general consensus was that it was a bit too soon. After all, we’d just interviewed Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi for the cover and were negotiating with Neymar for a Copa America special. Oh how things have changed. In just three short years, Harry Kane has gone from the fringes of the Tottenham first team…

“I’D LOOK AT DUNCAN FERGUSON AND THINK, ‘I’LL GO TO WAR WITH YOU ANY DAY OF THE WEEK’. HE NEVER STARTED ANYTHING - HE JUST FINISHED IT” CLUBS 1998-2004 Millwall 2004-12 Everton 2012-15 New York Red Bulls 2015-16 Shanghai Shenhua 2016 Hangzhou Greentown 2016-17 Melbourne City 2018- Millwall COUNTRY 1994 Samoa U20 2004- Australia IS IT TRUE THAT SEAN DYCHE EATS WORMS? WILL HE EVER FORGIVE PIERLUIGI COLLINA? WHAT DOES HE HAVE AGAINST CORNER FLAGS? FourFourTwo have handed Tim Cahill a pair of boxing gloves – but we’ve unwittingly committed a faux pas. “Red? That’s Liverpool!” says the former Everton man, tongue in cheek. Despite the colour – and no corner flag to victimise – he dons the gloves and starts punching away in front of the FFT…

“MANY OF THE BAYERN TEAM WHO WON AT WEMBLEY IN 2013 WERE HOMEGROWN PLAYERS - THE SIDE’S HEART AND SOUL” Germany 4 Costa Rica 2 June 9, 2006 World Cup “I’d say playing at a World Cup in your own country is probably one of the most thrilling things you can experience. The most important tournament in football in front of your own supporters... it was fantastic. On top of that, to score in my home town in the opening game of the tournament was the jewel in the crown. Don’t forget, I wasn’t exactly known as a goalscoring machine!” B Munich 1 Chelsea 1 (3-4p) May 19, 2012 Champions League Final “My memories of the 2012 final are not that great, obviously. However, it was incredible to play a…

QUEEN’S PARK 1875 Scottish pioneers Queen’s Park reached the semi-finals of the inaugural English FA Cup in 1872, holding Wanderers to a 0-0 draw, but were then eliminated because they couldn’t afford to travel south a second time for a replay – it’s a long way to London from Scotland, you know. The much-anticipated 1875 rematch north of the border was billed as an “international championship match”, with Queen’s Park crowned international kings after a 5-0 victory. HIBERNIAN 1887 The “Association Football Championship of the World” match was a wonderfully overhyped fixture between the titans of Hibernian and Preston North End. Hibs were reigning Scottish Cup champions, but Preston had lost to West Bromwich Albion in the semi-finals of the FA Cup, so it wasn’t really a clash of respective…

Fernando Munoz Post supervisor, 46 Carlos Bacca Striker, 31 Q: Which player scored Colombia’s first goal at the 2014 World Cup? FM: Er, I’ll have to go for James? : CB: Pablo Armero. 6 0-1 Q: How many times have Los Cafeteros got out of their group at a World Cup finals? FM: Three? : CB: Twice. 6 0-2 Q: Colombia played England at the 1998 World Cup. Who scored from a direct free-kick? FM: That one’s easy. David Beckham. 6 CB: I don’t know. : 1-2 Q: Who has more goals for Colombia: Faustino Asprilla, Freddy Rincon or James Rodriguez? FM: That’s a good one… I’ll go with Asprilla. : CB: I think it’s James. 6 1-3 Player wins…

@Paul_Gascoigne8 I recently got crushed by a pile of books, I’ve only got my shelf to blame hahaha! @tomvictor Things I’ve learned today: Roberto Baggio has fewer caps than Jermain Defoe. @LuisSuarez9 Langkawi Global Geopark is located in the north-western corner of Peninsular Malaysia. This island was formed on 99 islands that together made up the legendary archipelago, unspoiled jungle, hot springs and pretty beach. @GalacticKeegan I was absolutely made up when City won the league. I said to Pep: “I know how it feels to win a Premier League title – Sir Alex Ferguson used to tell me all the time.” @DadDadB74 Brilliant article in FourFourTwo on 1860 Munich. Fascinating club history and a really interesting read.…

LIGHTING IT UP After Argentina captain Antonio Rattin was controversially sent off against England at the 1966 World Cup, and confusion over whether Jack Charlton had got booked, referee chief Ken Aston had a brainwave while stuck at a set of traffic lights in London. “WAIT THERE, KEN…” “As the light turned red,” Aston – who had officiated the Battle of Santiago between Italy and Chile in 1962 – later explained, “I thought, ‘Yellow, take it easy; red, stop, you’re off’.” Once he was back home, his wife Hilda cut out two bits of card for him. GREETINGS, CARDS Football had to wait four years for the introduction of the card system, at the 1970 World Cup. Soviet Union defender Evgeny Lovchev was shown the game’s first ever yellow card…

Carlos, you’ve been both a first-team coach and assistant manager. What is the difference between the roles? I’d say the main difference between the two is responsibility. The manager is the leader and the one who’s entrusted with making good decisions regarding every single aspect of the team. In both roles, you must not ignore your principles and always remain loyal. You’ve been a coach since 1984. What tips would you give to the 30-year-old Carlos Queiroz at the beginning of his managerial career? If I could give him one bit of advice, I’d tell him to try to stay in a positive mood at all times, regardless of what football throws at you during your career. That’s a valuable piece of advice but also hard to follow because, despite…

Ray Wilkins The former Chelsea, Manchester United and Milan midfielder passed away in April after a heart attack. Rest in peace, Butch. Football Italia The story of Serie A’s seminal ’90s era on Channel 4 was retold in a brilliant BT Sport programme. Golazzo! Cristiano Ronaldo CR7 scored a bicycle kick against Juventus in the first leg of Real Madrid’s Champions League quarter-final, before firing home a 97th-minute penalty in the return fixture. Gianluigi Buffon The Juve legend saw red in what was likely his final Champions League outing, after raging at the referee over the contentious spot-kick in Madrid. Sean Morrison Cardiff’s captain was videoed mocking the manhood of Derby’s Jason Shackell in an extraordinary tirade. Alan Pardew The 56-year-old was booted out of West Brom after winning only…

1 Calves Rolling around on a bit of sponge might look like a laugh, but there’s a reason why players often do it straight after a match. “Research has shown muscle soreness peaks at 48 hours if you don’t foam roll, but at 24 hours if you do,” says Moriarty. “Rolling increases your range of motion so your legs get fresher faster.” 2 Quadriceps Running, twisting and turning causes stiffness in your legs. There’s an easy way to give them some much-needed TLC. “Players perform about 54 decelerations in a 90-minute game, which reduces the range of motion of your quads. Rolling them with a long, slow sweeping motion loosens them up.” 3 Adductors Sprinting and whipping crosses into the penalty area will fire up your adductors but can leave…

AT 5FT 6IN, TORREIRA IS ALL ABOUT CREATING FROM DEEP – BUT, BEING URUGUAYAN, HE CAN STILL HANDLE HIMSELF 1 SERGEJ MILINKOVIC-SAVIC Serbia Lazio’s 23-year-old midfielder has it all: strength, dribbling ability and, increasingly, goals. The erstwhile Serbia manager Slavoljub Muslin wasn’t convinced, but replacement Mladen Krstajic was quick to bring Milinkovic-Savic back into the fold following World Cup qualification. In a solid Serbia outfit that’s hardly flair-heavy, the talented midfielder should bring a bit of imagination and dynamism to his nation’s efforts in Russia. “He has the touch of a Brazilian, and some of the things he does remind me of Zinedine Zidane,” former Serbia star Mateja Kezman has said. 2 LEANDER DENDONCKER Belgium If at first you don’t succeed, try, try and try again. That’ll be Dendoncker’s philosophy…

BALABOL CHATTERBOX A balabol in Russian folklore is a person who talks too much. The word might be used by a fan to complain about a garrulous commentator or a manager who is too fond of the sound of his own voice. BOMBARDIR-TARAN BATTERING RAM STRIKER This is a term for a big, unwieldy centre-forward – the kind of player whose stock-in-trade is flick-ons, lay-offs and crashing back-post headers [See: left]. DEREVO TREE A technically inadequate player, typically one who’s tall and doesn’t move around much, is imagined in Russian to have literally taken root [See: left]. DOGOVORNYAK AGREED MATCH It describes the practice, long believed to be endemic in Russian football, whereby a team agree to throw a match and are then ‘rewarded’ with a victory over the same…

How are Russia looking right now? We played Argentina, Spain and Brazil recently, and those games showed we still have to improve, but we’re on the right path. We have got better since Euro 2016. What does it mean for Russia to play this World Cup on home soil? To play at a World Cup at home is something special – it’s an honour and a huge responsibility. We want to make our country’s fans happy. You were born in Ukraine and won two caps for Germany – why did you switch to represent Russia? I was really happy when Russia called me up, and since I wasn’t selected for Germany at the time, there wasn’t a conflict. My dad’s family is German and my mum’s family is Russian. They…

Egypt have had at least three golden generations over the previous three decades, but have somehow failed to qualify for the World Cup since 1990. Now this crop – seen as less talented than their forebears – have somehow managed to pull it off to reach Russia. LESSON FROM QUALIFYING Try to spread the burden – this side are hugely dependent on Mohamed Salah for their inspiration. Egypt are not quite a one-man team, but other areas need to contribute, especially if the Liverpool goal machine gets injured this summer. STRENGTHS Egypt are defensively organised and do not lack attacking talent. Qualifying also showed them to be mentally strong and surprisingly calm during their difficult moments. It was a much-needed trait in a group that contained Ghana and a confident…

FIXTURES June 15, Egypt Yekaterinburg, 1pm June 20, Saudi Arabia Rostov-on-Don, 4pm June 25, Russia Samara, 3pm LAST SIX RESULTS vs Wales (N) 1-0 vs Czech Rep (N) 2-0 vs Austria (A) 1-2 vs Poland (A) 0-0 vs Bolivia (H) 4-2 vs Venezuela (A) 0-0 WORLD CUP RECORD 1930 Winners 1934 DNE 1938 DNE 1950 Winners 1954 Fourth place 1958 DNQ 1962 Group stage 1966 Quarter-finals 1970 Fourth place 1974 Group stage 1978 DNQ 1982 DNQ 1986 Last 16 1990 Last 16 1994 DNQ 1998 DNQ 2002 Group stage 2006 DNQ 2010 Fourth place 2014 Last 16…

Iran have reached consecutive World Cups for the first time ever, and with Carlos Queiroz in charge since 2011, consistency is indeed the name of the game. An extraordinary defensive record in qualifying suggests they’ll once again be a tough nut to crack. LESSON FROM QUALIFYING When Iran drew their final match 2-2 with Syria, it was the first time they’d conceded in 13 qualifiers. They’ll carry that assurance into the finals, recalling only too well that they were holding Argentina to a goalless draw in Brazil until Lionel Messi netted in injury time. STRENGTHS Queiroz prioritises tactical organisation and he will prepare his team rigorously for each opponent. In addition to being very well-coached, Iran are motivated, experienced and united, and in Alireza Jahanbakhsh they have a potential star…

FIXTURES June 15, Portugal Sochi, 7pm June 20, Iran Kazan, 7pm June 25, Morocco Kaliningrad, 7pm LAST SIX RESULTS vs Argentina (H) 6-1 vs Germany (A) 1-1 vs Russia (A) 3-3 vs Costa Rica (H) 5-0 vs Israel (A) 1-0 vs Albania (H) 3-0 WORLD CUP RECORD 1930 DNE 1934 Quarter-finals 1938 DNE 1950 Fourth place 1954 DNQ 1958 DNQ 1962 Group stage 1966 Group stage 1970 DNQ 1974 DNQ 1978 Group stage 1982 Second round 1986 Quarter-finals 1990 Last 16 1994 Quarter-finals 1998 Group stage 2002 Quarter-finals 2006 Last 16 2010 Winners 2014 Group stage…

FIXTURES June 16, Australia Kazan, 11am June 21, Peru Yekaterinburg, 4pm June 26, Denmark Moscow (Luzhniki), 3pm LAST SIX RESULTS vs Russia (A) 3-1 vs Colombia (H) 2-3 vs Germany (A) 2-2 vs Wales (H) 2-0 vs Belarus (H) 2-1 vs Bulgaria (A) 1-0 WORLD CUP RECORD 1930 Group stage 1934 First round 1938 Quarter-finals 1950 DNE 1954 Group stage 1958 Third place 1962 DNQ 1966 Group stage 1970 DNQ 1974 DNQ 1978 Group stage 1982 Fourth place 1986 Third place 1990 DNQ 1994 DNQ 1998 Winners 2002 Group stage 2006 Runners-up 2010 Group stage 2014 Quarter-finals…

This is your second World Cup, so what does it mean to you? Last time I was quite new. This one will be special as I played a part in qualifying. It was difficult: the most distance travelled by one team ever. The fans reacted in a negative way when we didn’t qualify directly, so there was pressure in the play-offs. And the whole world was probably cheering on Syria when we played them. It was all very stressful, but when we qualified, it meant more. Against Honduras, Mile Jedinak hit a hat-trick to seal qualification (left), just as Lionel Messi did for Argentina. Is he Australia’s Messi? Mile? Definitely not! He is solid and breaks up the play. He is Australia’s leader and his presence inspires the team. Tim…

When they failed to qualify for the 2014 World Cup and Euro 2016, this generation was seen as anything but Danish Dynamite, but now fans are bouncing once again. Hopes are high following a favourable draw, and in Christian Eriksen, the Scandinavians have a genuinely world-class player. LESSON FROM QUALIFYING Never give up. They lost two qualifiers in October 2016, but displayed fighting spirit to recover before producing two stellar results the following autumn. A 4-0 shellacking of leaders Poland and 5-1 play-off victory in Dublin showed the players are growing in confidence. STRENGTHS The dressing-room atmosphere is magnificent under manager Aage Hareide, and while teamwork has been key, it’s obvious that Eriksen can decide any game on his own – and that feeling is a major bonus. WEAKNESSES Hareide…

FIXTURES June 16, Iceland Moscow (Spartak), 2pm June 21, Croatia Nizhny Novgorod, 7pm June 26, Nigeria Saint Petersburg, 7pm LAST SIX RESULTS vs Spain (A) 1-6 vs Italy (N) 2-0 vs Nigeria (N) 2-4 vs Russia (A) 1-0 vs Ecuador (A) 3-1 vs Peru (H) 0-0 WORLD CUP RECORD 1930 Runners-up 1934 First round 1938 DNE 1950 DNE 1954 DNE 1958 Group stage 1962 Group stage 1966 Quarter-finals 1970 DNQ 1974 Second round 1978 Winners 1982 Second round 1986 Winners 1990 Runners-up 1994 Last 16 1998 Quarter-finals 2002 Group stage 2006 Quarter-finals 2010 Quarter-finals 2014 Runners-up…

Just how special will Iceland’s first World Cup be? I can’t even say it’s a dream come true. I never dreamed of qualifying for a World Cup as a boy. I thought it was impossible. It’s going to be a brilliant summer for every one of our 300,000 population. How much are the fans looking forward to it? Over 10 per cent of our population went to Euro 2016, and the whole world saw how amazing Icelandic fans are. Tens of thousands have already booked their trip to Russia. Did beating England at Euro 2016 surprise even you? Yes, a bit. But I was more surprised by how we won, as England didn’t have many clear chances to score. We can surprise people again. Any plans to play naked chess…

While it isn’t the finest team Nigeria has ever produced, this collection of individuals has come together with a single-mindedness that may serve them quite well in Russia. They want to prove they’ve got what it takes to match the 1994 and 1998 vintage, and that means reaching the Last 16. LESSON FROM QUALIFYING The decision to trust in youth has been vindicated. This team is full of pace, but has maintained its physical edge. More importantly, there are game-changers now who can turn a match on its head. STRENGTHS With some pacy wide options such as Ahmed Musa and Joel Obi (above), the Super Eagles can sure launch a mean counter-attack. The 4-2 friendly victory over Argentina last November, having trailed 2-0, offered ample proof of that. WEAKNESSES There’s…

FIXTURES June 17, Switzerland Rostov-on-Don, 7pm June 22, Costa Rica Saint Petersburg, 1pm June 27, Serbia Moscow (Spartak), 7pm LAST SIX RESULTS vs Germany (A) 1-0 vs Russia (A) 3-0 vs England (A) 0-0 vs Japan (N) 3-1 vs Chile (H) 3-0 vs Bolivia (A) 0-0 WORLD CUP RECORD 1930 Group stage 1934 First round 1938 Third place 1950 Runners-up 1954 Quarter-finals 1958 Winners 1962 Winners 1966 Group stage 1970 Winners 1974 Fourth place 1978 Third place 1982 Second round 1986 Quarter-finals 1990 Last 16 1994 Winners 1998 Runners-up 2002 Winners 2006 Quarter-finals 2010 Quarter-finals 2014 Fourth place…

FIXTURES June 17, Brazil Rostov-on-Don, 7pm June 22, Serbia Kaliningrad, 7pm June 27, Costa Rica Nizhny Novgorod, 7pm LAST SIX RESULTS vsPanama (H) 6-0 vs Greece (A) 1-0 vs N Ireland (H) 0-0 vs N Ireland (A) 1-0 vs Portugal (A) 0-2 vs Hungary (H) 5-2 WORLD CUP RECORD 1930 DNE 1934 Quarter-finals 1938 Quarter-finals 1950 Group stage 1954 Quarter-finals 1958 DNQ 1962 Group stage 1966 Group stage 1970 DNQ 1974 DNQ 1978 DNQ 1982 DNQ 1986 DNQ 1990 DNQ 1994 Last 16 1998 DNQ 2002 DNQ 2006 Last 16 2010 Group stage 2014 Last 16…

This is your second World Cup – is it more exciting than your first? This will be a special World Cup for me. I played in Russia for four years with Kuban Krasnodar. Russia was the first country I played in outside of Costa Rica and it helped to open many doors as a professional. Also, at my first World Cup I wasn’t able to break into the starting XI. That’s always been a huge dream of mine and I can’t wait for that first match against Serbia. Hopefully I can take advantage if I get the opportunity. In 2014, Costa Rica reached the quarter-finals. How did that feel? It was a truly special feeling, and unforgettable for all of Costa Rica. To score a goal against Uruguay in our…

Is this the best Serbia team you have played in? I think so, though let’s see how we do at the World Cup. We’ve become much stronger as a group. There’s a good chemistry between us now. What was qualifying like? There was pressure on us, but I’m very happy that we succeeded. It was really special. Personally I had a good campaign as well, because I was the most productive player with four goals and seven assists. Do you think Serbia can make it out of the group? Yes, I think we have a good chance. Four years ago we played a friendly in Brazil when they were preparing for the World Cup. We lost 1-0, but I think we were the better team for long periods of that…

James Maw: FFT’s Features Editor chatted with Spurs and England striker Harry Kane for our cover interview. “He knows he carries the hopes of a nation on his shoulders, but he seems very relaxed about it all. When you’ve been scoring that many goals, why wouldn’t you be?” David Diehl: The Swiss artist produced oil paintings to lend our World Cup icons features a bit of old-school gravitas. “I’ve been painting saints of the holy game for some time using strictly old techniques – oil on pine wood – and all the halos are in real gold.” Jon Enoch: The snapper shot Kane’s roar for our cover. “I’ve worked with him a few times and he’s physically transformed himself compared to a few years ago. It might just be…

1 “HELLO... IS IT NON-LEAGUE YOU’RE LOOKING FOR?” USA Las Vegas If there’s one thing that Lionel Richie is known for, it’s his willingness to throw his weight behind clubs threatened by relegation from the Football League. Hartlepool, Aldershot, Kidderminster Harriers: Lionel has supported them all (probably). This season he posed with a Chesterfield top to support the ailing Spireites, ahead of a summer concert. “Good luck to Chesterfield for the rest of the season!” he said, in a quote that definitely wasn’t made up on his behalf. “Looking forward to performing at the legendary Proact Stadium in June.” Legendary indeed... 2 WHAT A PAIR OF CLOWNS England Accrington Strange times at Accrington Stanley, where two Ronald McDonalds turned up at the Wham Stadium after an odd dispute between the…

ARSENAL RELEGATED! Never mind the Gunners, it’s been worse this season for Argentine outfit Arsenal de Sarandi, who’ve just been relegated to the second tier. Wenger out!…

 Viewers of a certain age will always picture you basking in the sun outside some Florentine coffee shop, wearing a crisp Man From Del Monte suit while reading La Gazzetta dello Sport. We’re on the phone, so please tell us that’s what you’re doing now? “WHAT WOULD BE MY DARTS WALK-ON MUSIC? CAN I COME ON TO THE BONGS FROM NEWS AT TEN?” We’re really asking the ‘What are you wearing’ question? OK, lace ensemble, it’s very comfortable. No, no. I’m just in black jeans and a shirt today, as we’ve been filming. It’s much less exotic than I used to dress. I wore some scary stuff – big jackets, questionable waistcoats. I’ve had quite a lot of coffee, though. If time’s tight, I go hard with an espresso. Surely…

No England player has been involved in more than six major finals, but Englishman Paul Balsom is off to his eighth this year – all for Sweden. The former Torquay youth player already has two day jobs – head of sports science and performance analysis at Leicester City, plus a role with ex-Foxes boss Nigel Pearson at sister club OH Leuven. He’ll also be going to the World Cup in the summer as the performance manager for Sweden, having been part of their backroom staff since Euro 2000. This will be his third World Cup. Sweden failed to qualify for the 2010 and 2014 finals, but Balsom did help Blagult boss Janne Andersson to secure a stunning play-off victory over Italy, booking their place in Russia. “This is my eighth…

OUTSTANDING CITY I’m 15 and think Man City are one of the best Premier League sides I’ve seen. They have been outstanding. Calum MacDonald ULTIMATE CHALLENGE Hey Pep! If you want us to believe you’re the world’s best manager, I challenge you to switch jobs with Rafa Benitez! Janet Risler CROSSING THE LINE I have a solution to stop players surrounding refs – why not spray a line 10 yards away, and crossing the line is a yellow card? Anthony Barber TIME FOR NEW BLOOD I’m disillusioned with the merry-go-round of Pulis, Pardew, Hughes and Allardyce. Why not give young managers a go? Farid Taher AM I REALLY THAT OLD? In FFT 286, I was taken aback by Justin Kluivert being too young to recall his dad at Newcastle. I…

Bulldog spirit We’ve scoured the FIFA rulebook and nowhere does it say you can’t play with a cartoon bulldog. Fact. Gary’s golden boot The closest an England player has come to winning something since ’66, Lineker showed off his trophy. Capping it all off “Peter, it’s your last England game, we’ve got this idea for the cover...” What a load of Pollocks Nothing says England vs Cameroon quite like a modern art mash-up of an 8-bit computer game. Probably. “Where are you looking, mate?” Paul Walsh and Gordon Cowans like visiting koalas, Down Under. Car or coach, lads? Why pick on Glenn? Presumably the whole squad would prefer a Saab. “It’s my ball, I’m going home...” Ex-England cricketer David Gower flogging paint brushes. Us neither. Club shop special As long…

“Spain 4, England 3: Spain scored victory against the English team before 25,000 spectators in Madrid. The first goal was scored by England after 15 minutes of play, when Carter took full advantage of a miskick by the goalkeeper Zamora. Five minutes later, there was a melee in front of the Spanish goal. Bradford got his head to the ball and the goolkeeper failed to stop it. But the home side did not slacken their efforts in spite of the double reverse, and they made a rapid advance upfield to score through Rubio. Lazcano then scored a wonderful shot as the interval came. Spain, now greatly encouraged, showed excellent form after the resumption, but Carter again put his side ahead from the penalty spot. Near the end Rubio scored the…

Ollie Harrington, Reading academy sports scientist, reviews players’ workout pics posted on Instagram 1 Gareth Bale @garethbale11 “Standing on a bosu ball with one leg is great for improving balance,” says Harrington. “It also strengthens the ankle for running and shooting.” 2 Jose Izquierdo @officialbhafc “Gym ball roll-outs will boost core strength. The instability of the ball makes the exercise a little bit harder.” 3 Thibaut Courtois @thibautcourtois “An anti-gravity treadmill allows injured players to run again much earlier in their rehabiltation, reducing the body weight by up to 80 per cent.” 4 Collin Quaner @htafcinstagram “The forward lunge is a safe and easy move to bolster the legs. It mainly targets quadriceps and glutes but works lower limb muscles as well.” 5 Ben Hamer @lcfc “The leg press machine…

FRANCESCO TOTTI “During my time at Roma, Francesco Totti taught me that leadership is not just about screaming at your team-mates on the pitch and in the dressing room. He was a very calm guy, but always in full control of the whole dressing room. Another thing I learned from Totti was the value of true loyalty to a club and how to represent the team in the right way. He made sure everyone at Roma followed that code at all times.” DIDIER DROGBA “I played alongside Didier for a season at Marseille and he was a top striker –one of the great No.9s of recent years. He’s certainly one of the best forwards I played with during my career. He was capable of scoring in so many different ways.…

The hosts have very little to show for seven-and-a-half years of planning for the biggest tournament in their history. For all of the new stadiums, Russia go into the World Cup with an average manager and a squad who lack quality, knowing only too well that a miracle is required to avoid an embarrassing group-stage exit. LESSON FROM QUALIFYING As automatic qualifiers, Russia’s only competitive fixtures were at last year’s Confederations Cup. A group-stage exit following losses to Portugal and Mexico pointed to one key lesson learned: this team simply isn’t good enough. STRENGTHS Captain Igor Akinfeev is still an accomplished goalkeeper and there’s ability in midfield, from Alan Dzagoev and 21-year-old Aleksandr Golovin to Roman Zobnin and the Miranchuk twins, Aleksei and Anton. WEAKNESSES When record cap-holder Sergei Ignashevich…

Saudi Arabia qualified in September, but any excitement was tempered by two coaching changes being made before the end of November. Bert van Marwijk’s departure ushered in Edgardo Bauza, before he was quickly sacked and replaced by Juan Antonio Pizzi. Then, on January 21, nine Saudi players joined seven Spanish teams on loan, which has resulted in zero appearances to date. After all that, no one really knows what to expect. LESSONS FROM QUALIFYING As the lowest-ranked team to qualify, they’ve learned you can go a long way on organisation and taking maximum points against Asia’s weakest outfits. STRENGTHS With no pressure on them to attack, the Saudis are usually content to sit back against stronger teams and rely on talented widemen to make things happen. As a team they…

Egypt will be playing at a World Cup for the first time since 1990. What does it mean to you? To qualify with my country means a lot. I’m really proud to have been part of the squad that took Egypt to the World Cup for the first time in 28 years. Now I’m hoping that we can take things a step further. What are Egypt’s strengths? Our biggest asset is our discipline. We also have many players who play in foreign leagues, and they provide some valuable experience. How crucial is Mo Salah? Mo is a fantastic player and a great guy – he’s scored so many goals in the Premier League. He’s having a great season and I hope he will carry his form into the World Cup.…

What is Uruguay’s aim this year? In 2010 we reached the semis and Uruguay have won the World Cup twice, so we have tradition and the capability to go all the way. But the first goal is to get out of the group. You have 96 caps. Would a World Cup make No.100 extra special? I’m so proud to be near 100 caps. Playing for La Celeste is pure love. We often travel 15,000km to play matches, and go full of happiness. Luis Suarez: Uruguay’s best ever? He’s definitely one of our best ever players. He’s also the best No.9 in the world, and a leader. He talks in the dressing room a lot and always gives everything – it’s so inspiring. And his World Cup controversies...? In 2010, anybody…

The Atlas Lions return to the World Cup for the first time since France 98 with a compact outfit, an ambitious manager and a nation giving its full backing. Now they just have to finish above Spain or Portugal in Group B. Sounds pretty straightforward, right? LESSON FROM QUALIFYING Morocco enjoyed the benefits of a solid defence and united dressing room. The side didn’t concede in six qualifiers, all against tough opposition (Ivory Coast, Mali and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s Gabon), and their togetherness is felt across an increasingly giddy country. STRENGTHS Herve Renard, Morocco’s nomadic French boss, has forged a mentally tough team. They’re well-balanced with a strong spine: Munir in goal and Medhi Benatia organising the back four, with Mbark Boussoufa pulling the strings in midfield and Ajax’s impressive Hakim…

This will be your second finals – how will it compare to 2014? The 2014 World Cup was a brilliant experience just to be in Brazil and share the stage with great players. It happened really quickly for me back then, when I was only 20. It will be different this time around, as I was a substitute in 2014 but will probably start in Russia, so I’ll be looking to use my experience. What are your expectations for Iran going into this World Cup? Group B is definitely the toughest. Everyone is talking about Portugal and Spain, but Morocco are also one of the hardest opponents we could have got in the draw [from Pot 4]. On the other hand, we have nothing to lose. After we qualified, expectations…

How do you rate Spain’s hopes at the World Cup? Can you go all the way? We’ll be going to the World Cup wanting to do exactly that, yes. But we also know that it won’t be easy. We have to go little by little, because if you want to win the tournament you must give a lot. People like to talk about the brilliant midfield we’ve got – our base – but Spain is a strong team not only because of our midfielders, but also because of our attackers, defenders and goalkeepers. We’re very excited about doing good things at the finals. We’ll see what happens. What are your own ambitions for the tournament? I just want to help the team as much as possible. Every day this season…

For the first time in 36 years, Peru have emerged from the fiendishly difficult South American qualifying group and reached the World Cup. With a blend of decent young talent and solid veterans, Los Incas now want to go one better and emulate Chile’s impressive showing in 2014. LESSON FROM QUALIFYING Peru have got to score earlier – before half-time, at least – and then shut out matches when they’re on top. Ricardo Gareca’s men struggled in qualifying when they went behind, so being clinical will be key, as will Pedro Gallese’s performances in goal. STRENGTHS Paolo Guerrero is an attacking asset with Jefferson Farfan and Edison Flores helping to get the best out of him. Sao Paulo schemer Christian Cueva will play some incisive passes. Also, Peru’s last defeat…

How excited are you about making your World Cup debut? The World Cup is the biggest thing there is. I have clear memories of Denmark beating France in 2002 – I skipped school to watch games! Denmark recovered really well after a tough start to qualifying. What was the campaign like? The 1-0 home loss to Montenegro made us think, ‘Maybe we will miss another major tournament.’ But we beat Poland 4-0 and then showed what we are capable of in Ireland. What’s the strength of this team? Even if we lose, our spirit doesn’t go down. After drawing with Ireland in the first leg of the play-off, we never doubted that we could qualify. How crucial is Christian Eriksen? He’s the one who controls matches and influences the way…

What’s the main objective for Argentina at this World Cup? For the squad we’ve got and the players we have, Argentina have the ability to achieve something great at the World Cup. In 2014, you were a goal away from lifting the trophy. What’s the key to going one better this time around? Winning the World Cup is a score all us Argentines have to settle. In Russia, it will be up to destiny to decide what will happen. Four years ago in Brazil we got to the final and were nearly the world champions, but it wasn’t to be. What we’ve got to realise is that if we reach the final again, it’ll be because we deserve it. For years, all the talk has been of how Lionel Messi…

The 2018 World Cup is the last shot at something big for this talented Croatian generation. However, the players’ troubled relationship with the fans, who resent them for not speaking up against what they see as a corrupt federation, means that support at home is quickly fading. LESSON FROM QUALIFYING Shock tactics can produce immediate results, but not a permanent solution. For the third qualifying campaign in a row, Croatia changed manager ahead of a decisive game. Zlatko Dalic was given three days to acquaint himself with the players before having to beat Ukraine in order to secure a play-off place. Which, to be fair, he did. STRENGTHS They’ve been together for a long time. When properly motivated, Croatia can achieve on autopilot. WEAKNESSES There is a lack of balance,…

Nigeria qualified for Russia 2018 on your debut. How did that feel? To play for Nigeria for the first time was something that I’ll cherish for the rest of my life. The match was a bit tense, but I came on and did a decent job, so it turned out well. Does representing Nigeria mean a lot to you? You’re London-born... Definitely. I was born and raised in Southwark but representing Nigeria is such a great thing for my family and close friends, who are Nigerian. Everyone’s happy for me. Having been loaned from Chelsea to Hull, you’ll be heading straight from the Football League to the World Cup. Will that be difficult? It will be, but I think it’s something I can handle – football is football. How keen…

What is Brazil’s aim at this year’s tournament in Russia? No matter what happened at previous tournaments and no matter what happens during the build-up, we always go to a World Cup looking to win it. Obviously it will be very tough, but I hope we can come back from Russia with the sixth star on our yellow shirts. As a defender, how hard was it to watch the 7-1 defeat to Germany in 2014, having just missed out on the squad? In football there will always be frustrations and you must deal with them. Of course I wanted to be involved four years ago, but I prefer to think I am now even more mature, as a man and a player. The Selecao had a bad result, but it’s…

How far can Switzerland go? Nobody knows, because anything can happen in football. We are in a very hard group, but every team at the World Cup has the quality to beat their opponent. So do we. Did you get a bit of luck against Northern Ireland in the play-off? There will always be controversial situations. It’s normal that a team is unhappy about a penalty, but if you saw the whole play-off, I think we deserved to qualify. You face Brazil in your opener – have you played them before? I came on as a sub against them in 2013 and we won 1-0. You see, everything is possible in football! Xherdan Shaqiri has pulled off something special at his last two tournaments: a hat-trick in 2014 and scissor-kick…

Manager Slavoljub Muslin got Serbia playing with three at the back and focusing on a tight defence, securing a spot at their first major finals since the 2010 World Cup. But then he was fired – allegedly for refusing to call up Lazio’s Sergej Milinkovic-Savic – but in reality it was a complex power play. Now they have the player, but not the coach. Can Mladen Krstajic build on Muslin’s work this summer? LESSON FROM QUALIFYING Know your limits and remain humble. Muslin’s Serbia never overestimated themselves or underestimated their opponents. That kind of mentality is very hard to maintain in the Balkans. STRENGTHS Defence was definitely their greatest asset in qualifying, but now the focus is more on the well-balanced midfield marshalled by Nemanja Matic (above). WEAKNESSES Tournament experience…

Roma vs Liverpool May 2 The Reds have never lost at the Stadio Olimpico: can they reach another Champions League final? Atletico Madrid vs Arsenal May 3 Europa League semi-final – Chelsea won at the Wanda Metropolitano earlier this season Barcelona vs Real Madrid May 6 This Camp Nou clash may not be a La Liga title decider, but El Clasico is always a must watch FA Cup Final May 19 England’s ready for the big match: it’s the Royal Wedding that day and the Wembley showpiece Championship Play-off Final May 26 Behold, the most lucrative game in football: this year worth at least £776 trillion to the winners Champions League Final May 26 Kiev’s Olimpiyskiy Stadium hosts the first European final staged in Ukraine’s capital…

Mo Salah is known as the Egyptian King, and he could have become the Egyptian president too if voters had got their way. Such is the wing wizard’s fame that when Egypt held recent presidential elections, football fans crossed out the names of the actual candidates on the ballot paper, and voted for Liverpool’s star man instead. “I was initially going to void my vote,” Cairo resident Abdullah Hani tells FFT. “Abdel Fattah el-Sisi was going to win anyway, and when I was there I thought, ‘Salah deserves a vote’. He has made Egyptians feel very happy by sending us to the World Cup. It was spontaneous. I sent my mother a photo of the ballot paper – she was super mad at what I’d done.” Hani’s photo went viral…

“AFTER SCORING THE GOAL THAT SENT NIGERIA TO THE WORLD CUP, I SPOTTED MY PARENTS JUMPING IN THE CROWD - I WAS ALMOST CRYING” How excited are you about taking part in your first World Cup? I’m buzzing. It was always my dream as a kid so I can’t wait to be involved. I’m looking forward to the atmosphere, playing in front of huge crowds and wearing the colours of Nigeria. I want to do the country proud. You scored the goal that took the Super Eagles to Russia, against Zambia in October. How did that make you feel? It’s difficult to describe, as the feeling was crazy! I remember looking at the crowd and seeing my parents jumping – I almost cried, it was emotional. I would never have…

It was the moment Cristiano Ronaldo made time stand still. As Dani Carvajal looped in a high cross during Real Madrid’s Champions League quarter-final first leg with Juventus in early April, the Madrid colossus and Portugal captain adjusted his body and took flight. The resulting goal, an extraordinary overhead kick that Ronaldo would later describe as the greatest of his career, prompted awe from everyone in the ground and watching at home. It was a moment that perfectly encapsulated Ronaldo as a player and a man: a combination of daring, technique and pure athleticism that left those around him motionless. But more than that, it was a moment where the game once again bent to his will and became about him, his brilliance overshadowing his team-mates, the opposition and the…

1930  Host nation: Uruguay Games: 18 Goals: 70 (3.89 per match) Dismissals: 1 Venues: 3 Winners: Uruguay Top scorer: Guillermo Stabile (8 goals) The inaugural World Cup got off to an inauspicious start, despite hosts Uruguay offering to pay for every participant’s travel and accommodation. The English FA – having already resigned from FIFA in a hubristic huff – said no, while Sweden, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands declined when they were told they’d be off to Uruguay. Romania were forced to go by enthusiastic King Carol II, who picked their squad himself. Jules Rimet harangued the French (bottom) into playing in his own tournament. Ditto Belgium, who suspended star striker Raymond Braine over the heinous act of opening up a café. Egypt, meanwhile, pulled out at the last minute…

Who? Southampton legend and the most-capped Englishman never to feature at the World Cup or Euros. A 1976 FA Cup winner with the then second-tier Saints, the battering ram striker also lifted the 1985 League Cup after joining Norwich. Saints fans must love him, then… As did club president Herbert Blagrave – he gave him two horses to stop him departing the South Coast, and it sparked a lifetime’s equine love. Channon even exited the 1976 FA Cup party early to attend the birth of his stables’ first foal. Not one to stand around furlong (sorry), Mick counts Alex Ferguson among many clients. Any more big fans? Just a bit. A “fervent royalist”, Mick bought the Queen’s stables and cites his proudest moment as forming part of the traditional procession…

“GOOD LUCK, SON…” There can be few prouder moments for a father than watching his progeny make his international debut. Imagine, then, how Iceland striker Arnor Gudjohnsen feels as son Eidur replaces him at half-time in April’s friendly against Estonia. “It was a big moment,” Eidur later told FFT, “and he gave me a kiss on the cheek.” SUITS YOU, LADS Liverpool bring sartorial splendour to May’s drab FA Cup final, sporting cream Armani suits before a match which Eric Cantona settles with an 85th-minute winner. The Reds’ clobber only adds to the Spice Boys tag – attached to the cabal of Steve McManaman, Robbie Fowler, Jamie Redknapp and Jason McAteer – which becomes increasingly pejorative. “It was all a bit stupid,” Fowler later told FFT. “I lent the suit…

Oversized shorts There’s nothing like a good old-school pair of britches in which to play the beautiful game. Not exactly streamlined, but warm and cosy. The Miracle of Castel Di Sangro American writer Joe McGinniss immerses himself in deepest Italy to follow the fortunes of newly promoted Serie B minnows. A thrilling tale, brilliantly told. The mullet It’s difficult to judge whether football is in the vanguard or lags behind fashion, but it brings it to the fore. Chris Waddle, Barry Venison (below) et al popularised a rotter.…

MICHAEL HAMILTON AFC Wimbledon academy coach The Dons’ coaching master offers tips that will improve your ability to work with players of all ages. Twitter: @mikehamilton_14 HANNAH SHERIDAN Tottenham nutritionist Bin the biscuit tin and find out how to fuel your body for 90 minutes thanks to Spurs’ nutrition guru. Twitter: @HSperfnutrition JAMES MILNER Liverpool’s Mr Versatile A stream of self-deprecating posts are sure to get you giggling, even if you don’t support Liverpool. Twitter: @jamesmilner…

LIONEL MESSI Argentina Many neutrals are hoping this will be Messi’s World Cup and it couldn’t be set up any better for him, given his form and Argentina’s strategy. A Golden Boot would sit nicely next to his 2014 Golden Ball, though his face upon winning that suggested he’d rather lift the big one. CRISTIANO RONALDO Portugal CR7 has looked exhausted in the last two major international tournaments but he’s in much better nick now, and peaking in the second half of the campaign again. He has his best foil for Portugal yet in strike partner Andre Silva of Milan. NEYMAR Brazil His foot injury was a massive blow for PSG but may work out nicely for the Selecao, forcing their star to rest and focus on the World Cup.…

FIXTURES June 14, Saudi Arabia Moscow (Luzhniki), 4pm June 19, Egypt Saint Petersburg, 7pm June 25, Uruguay Samara, 3pm LAST SIX RESULTS vs France (H) 1-3 vs Brazil (H) 0-3 vs Spain (H) 3-3 vs Argentina (H) 0-1 vs Iran (H) 1-1 vs South Korea (H) 4-2 WORLD CUP RECORD* 1930 DNE 1934 DNE 1938 DNE 1950 DNE 1954 DNE 1958 Quarter-finals 1962 Quarter-finals 1966 Fourth place 1970 Quarter-finals 1974 DNQ 1978 DNQ 1982 Second round 1986 Last 16 1990 Group stage 1994 Group stage 1998 DNQ 2002 Group stage 2006 DNQ 2010 DNQ 2014 Group stage…

This will be Saudi Arabia’s first World Cup since 2006 – what’s the feeling like in the country? The Saudi people are very happy, and it’s an indescribable feeling for me. The players from 2006 tell me that the World Cup is completely different to any other tournament, so I want to do everything for my team-mates. I’m looking forward to playing abroad after the World Cup and I’m really close to that. What is the Saudi team’s style? We play offensively, but we have to be smart because we’ll play against stronger sides. We’re not playing at the Asian Cup now. Our ambition is to get out of the group, as we have some good players and a very good manager with a lot of experience. You’re set to…

After a disappointing 2017 and calls for a makeover, Uruguay had their World Cup hopes boosted by a very favourable draw. This tournament will be a last shot at glory for many of the heroes who defied the odds by reaching the semi-finals in 2010, before lifting 2011’s Copa America. LESSON FROM QUALIFYING A siege mentality helps – because the easier things seem, the harder Uruguay make them. Once qualification looked assured, three defeats on the spin and a draw against Venezuela ensured that La Celeste sweated until the final day. STRENGTHS Uruguay are known for their hard, spirited players and ‘never surrender attitude. Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani (above) guarantee goals, and attacking midfielders will take advantage of the spaces they open up, too. WEAKNESSES Midfield. The long-delayed renovation…

PORTUGAL HAVE THE SAME STRATEGY AS BEFORE: HOPE THAT RONALDO PRODUCES Portugal, the sixth-favourites behind England before the tournament got going, stunned everyone by winning Euro 2016. Cristiano Ronaldo aside, the team wasn’t full of Europe’s best individual talents, nor was it one of Portugal’s finest squads of the past 20 years. But they had the grit to get the job done, despite winning one match in 90 minutes – three fewer than Wales, the one team Portugal did conquer in normal time, and four fewer than finalists France. Fernando Santos has made his side ruthlessly hard to beat. Under his reign, they’ve lost just once in 29 competitive games, if you discount a shootout loss to Chile in the semi-finals of last year’s Confederations Cup. Ronaldo was missing through…

How excited are you about going to your first World Cup? It’s hard to even put it into words. I never thought I’d get to play at a World Cup, but now my country have qualified and I’m a part of the team. It’s such a huge honour. What does it mean to Morocco to be back at the tournament? Morocco is a country that breathes football, and this is our first World Cup since 1998! The country will be totally focused. I hope that we can make the most of this opportunity. You were born in France – why did you decide to represent Morocco? My parents were born in Morocco – I followed my heart. I really wanted to play for Morocco, even if it’s true that I’m…

MORATA MIGHT NOT MAKE THE CUT EVEN THOUGH HE WAS THE JOINT-TOP SCORER DURING QUALIFYING With the 650-cap pack of six making up more than half of La Roja’s starting XI, there is room for only two of Isco, Koke, Thiago Alcantara, Marco Asensio and Saul Niguez. Thiago will probably take a midfield berth after another fine year with Bayern Munich, but the spot on the left of the front three will go to a late bolter. A hat-trick in March’s 6-1 rout of Argentina makes Isco (who says he “feels more alive” playing for Spain than Real Madrid) the form horse. The most interesting dilemma is at centre-forward. Diego Costa, another player pushing 30, had to wait until January for his second Atletico Madrid debut and is yet to…

THERE ISN’T A SENSE THAT THEY’LL FORM A UNIT TO MATCH THEIR ILLUSTRIOUS PARTS There are few nations at the World Cup – European ones, at least – with such a rich pool of talent available. After the French agonisingly failed to win Euro 2016 on home soil, the emergence of fresh-faced starlets such as Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele (now two of the four most expensive players in the world) as well as Thomas Lemar, Djibril Sidibe and Benjamin Mendy gave Les Bleus added energy and dynamism. It has also placed them among the World Cup favourites for many fans and pundits, although their prospects are viewed with more caution at home. The dark old days of the implosion in South Africa two tournaments ago are fading into the…

The Socceroos head to Russia on the back of the most arduous qualifying campaign in World Cup history: a full 22 games with more than 250,000km travelled. Their epic journey took its toll, as coach Ange Postecoglou quit after winning both sets of play-offs. His replacement, Bert van Marwijk, had helped Saudi Arabia to qualify automatically, ahead of Australia on goal difference, but didn’t sign a new contract. Now, he will go to the ball. LESSON FROM QUALIFYING Hold onto a lead. Australia were well on course to seal automatic qualification but four draws on the spin allowed Japan and the Saudis to sneak in front. They’d led in three of the four ties. Experience proved key in the play-offs, with Tim Cahill’s brace seeing off…

It’s Peru’s first World Cup since 1982, so how much excitement is there back home? Everyone in Peru is happy about it. The whole country is really excited and we celebrated a lot when we qualified at home to New Zealand. Now the players need to focus and perform in the best possible way, knowing that we are representing the entire nation. For all of us, this is going to be the most important tournament of our lives. I’m very much looking forward to the start. Peru are in Group C with France, Denmark and Australia – how do you rate your chances? France are the favourites to win the group, of course. They are strong – the players they have are so good. We will have to fight with…

Can they win a final at last? That’s the big question haunting Argentina fans as they watch Lionel Messi, Gonzalo Higuain and Sergio Aguero score goal after goal in Europe each week. This undoubtedly talented generation of individuals has reached three finals in the past four years (World Cup 2014, Copa America 2015 and Copa America 2016). But they lost all three and failed to even score. That these dismal displays came from truly great players, well accustomed to producing the goods in the Champions League, suggests a kind of international mental block. And the infuriating fault seemed to emerge once again during qualifying, from the depressing 3-0 loss inflicted by Brazil in November 2016 to the 1-1 draw at home to Venezuela 10 months later (a first ever point…

Behold: the smallest nation ever to qualify for the World Cup. Having stunned England to reach the last eight at Euro 2016, Iceland made it to Russia via a very difficult group, proving they have become a major force. Some five to 10 per cent of the population have applied for tickets, and their debut against Argentina was one of the first two matches to sell out – the other being the final. LESSON FROM QUALIFYING Don’t change a winning formula. Lars Lagerback may have stepped down as joint-manager but Heimir Hallgrimsson continues in the same direction, and his team finished top of their group ahead of Croatia, Ukraine and Turkey. STRENGTHS They have sky-high confidence, tactical know-how, superb team spirit and the feeling of representing a proud nation, while…

Do you agree that Euro 2016 was a missed opportunity for Croatia? You’d finished top of your group while Portugal had finished third in theirs, so you were favourites in the Last 16... Definitely. Looking at the teams we would have played after Portugal – Poland, then Wales – it was maybe the best chance for our generation, but it’s our fault that we didn’t take it. I think the pressure got to us. We played it safe instead of taking risks against a Portugal team that were very low on self-esteem at the time. How do you view your opponents this time around? Our first match will set the tone, so that will be the crucial game for us. Nigeria are better than us physically but we have a…

The 7-1 crushing by Germany and two embarrassing Copa America exits led many to believe that this was the worst Brazil side in history – one that could even miss out on a World Cup for the first time. How, then, did the same team cruise to qualification with four matches to spare, their only defeat coming in the first of 18 games? The 3-0 win over rivals Argentina in November 2016 goes a long way towards explaining it. As Paulinho – the Spurs flop turned Barcelona linchpin – scored Brazil’s third goal, head coach Tite sprinted down the touchline to party with his players. Moments later, something almost unprecedented happened: Selecao fans chanted the manager’s name. It was only his fifth game in charge. Tite’s standing is so lofty…

After beating a Ronaldo-less Portugal to kick off their campaign, the Swiss didn’t drop a point until their group’s final game, where defeat in Lisbon – having failed to rack up goals against Andorra et al – dropped them into the play-offs. There, a phantom handball and their usual solid defence helped them to sneak past Northern Ireland. LESSON FROM QUALIFYING You make your own luck. Although the manner of defeat was deeply unfair on Northern Ireland, Switzerland arguably deserved to qualify for taking 27 points from 30 on offer, only to finish second. This squad is potentially stronger than at Euro 2016, with youngsters such as Breel Embolo, Manuel Akanji and Denis Zakaria (above) pushing for game time. STRENGTHS Their full-backs, Stephan Lichtsteiner and Ricardo Rodriguez, are tireless workers…

Four years ago, Costa Rica shocked Planet Football by topping a World Cup group with three former winners and reaching the quarter-finals. An ageing, out-of-sorts side makes for less encouraging prospects this time. LESSON FROM QUALIFYING Find some consistency. Performances varied wildly in the qualifiers: excellent 4-0 and 2-0 victories over the USA sat in contrast with six winless encounters against Honduras, Panama and Mexico. They’ve scored more than once in only four of their 22 fixtures since the start of 2017, with their unlucky victims being the US, Trinidad & Tobago, French Guiana and Belize. STRENGTHS The 2014 team’s core remains; they know each other by heart. WEAKNESSES Costa Rica depend heavily on their Europe-based stars – Keylor Navas, Bryan Ruiz, Celso Borges, Joel Campbell – but with the…

FIXTURES June 17, Costa Rica Samara, 1pm June 22, Switzerland Kaliningrad, 7pm June 27, Brazil Moscow (Spartak), 7pm LAST SIX RESULTS vs Nigeria (N) 2-0 vs Morocco (N) 1-2 vs South Korea (A) 1-1 vs China (A) 2-0 vs Georgia (H) 1-0 vs Austria (A) 2-3 WORLD CUP RECORD* 1930 Semi-finals 1934 DNQ 1938 DNQ 1950 Group stage 1954 Quarter-finals 1958 Quarter-finals 1962 Fourth place 1966 DNQ 1970 DNQ 1974 Second round 1978 DNQ 1982 Group stage 1986 DNQ 1990 Quarter-finals 1994 DNE 1998 Last 16 2002 DNQ 2006 Group stage 2010 Group stage 2014 DNQ…