World Cup 2018 Group B- POR/ESP/MOR/IRAN

Group B

PORTUGAL
SPAIN
MOROCCO
IRAN

Schedule

15th June 16:00        Morocco v Iran
15th June 19:00        Portugal v Spain

20th June 13:00        Portugal v Morocco
20th June 19:00        Iran v Spain

25th June 19:00        Iran v Portugal
25th June 19:00        Spain v Morocco

Team Overviews

Portugal

FIFA ranking: 4th

Star Player: Cristiano Ronaldo- Only really one man it could be the Real Madrid man scored 15 goals during qualifying.

WC History: A Eusebio inspired 3^rd place finish in 1966 is the best they have managed a 4^th place finish in 2006 is the best they have managed since.

Odds: 20-1

Synopsis: Lost their first game of qualifying away to the Swiss after that they were ruthlessly efficient 32 goals and only 2 conceded seen them top Group B ahead of the Swiss on goal difference after a 2-0 win in Lisbon. Any team with Ronaldo in it must be taken seriously, they open with the big game against Iberian neighbours Spain then games against Morocco and Iran. Should be at least making it out of the group a potential Last 16 vs Uruguay could be their undoing though a quarter final or semi-final is not beyond their capabilities if it clicks for them.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Anthony Lopes (Lyon), Beto (Goztepe), Rui Patricio (Sporting Lisbon)

Defenders: Bruno Alves (Rangers), Cedric Soares (Southampton), Jose Fonte (Dalian Yifang), Mario Rui (Napoli), Pepe (Besiktas), Raphael Guerreiro (Borussia Dortmund), Ricardo Pereira (Porto), Ruben Dias (Benfica)

Midfielders: Adrien Silva (Leicester), Bruno Fernandes (Sporting Lisbon), Joao Mario (West Ham), Joao Moutinho (AS Monaco), Manuel Fernandes (Lokomotiv Moscow), William Carvalho (Sporting)

Forwards: Andre Silva (AC Milan), Bernardo Silva (Manchester City), Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Gelson Martins (Sporting Lisbon), Goncalo Guedes (Valencia), Ricardo Quaresma (Besiktas)

Spain

FIFA ranking: 8th

Star Player: A team were you could pick out majority of their squad as the star player but Isco was the key man against Italy in qualifying and Lopetegui seems to be getting the best out of him despite his club falters this season.

WC History: The perennial under achievers until 2010 were they were perhaps the best team in the World with Xavi, Iniesta,Busquets and Xavi Alonso orchestrating  their first World Championship.

Odds: 11/2

Synopsis: Qualifying was pitched as a straight shootout between themselves and Italy but they passed that with ease brushing the Italians aside in Madrid. As mentioned above an Iberian derby is their opener they currently hold the edge over them in head to head and I expect them to overcome them again, with Iran and Morocco making up Group B it is hard to see past them topping the Group and with the squad they have who knows they may go all the way again.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: David de Gea (Manchester United), Pepe Reina (Napoli), Kepa Arrizabalaga (Athletic Bilbao)

Defenders: Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid), Alvaro Odriozola (Real Sociedad), Gerard Pique (Barcelona), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid), Nacho (Real Madrid), Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea), Jordi Alba (Barcelona), Nacho Monreal (Arsenal)

Midfielders: Sergio Busquets (Barcelona), Saul Niguez (Atletico Madrid), Koke (Atletico Madrid), Thiago Alcantara (Barcelona), Andres Iniesta (Barcelona), David Silva (Manchester City)

Forwards: Isco (Real Madrid), Marco Asensio (Real Madrid), Lucas Vazquez (Real Madrid), Iago Aspas (Celta Vigo), Rodrigo (Valencia), Diego Costa (Atletico Madrid)

Morocco

FIFA ranking: 42nd

Star Player: Hakim Ziyech- Dutch born Ziyech was one of the stand out players for them in qualifying and will be key if they are to cause an upset in Russia 

WC History: A last 16 place in 1986 remains their best placing

Odds: 325-1

Synopsis: Didn’t concede a goal in Group containing Ivory Coast, Gabon and Mali in qualifying 3 wins and 3 draws seen them top the group. They open against Iran, if they can beat them then who knows if they can keep Ronaldo quiet could they finish 2^nd in the group? That will be their aim but I think they will bow out in the group stage.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Mounir El Kajoui (Numancia), Yassine Bounou (Girona), Ahmad Reda Tagnaouti (Ittihad Tanger)

Defenders: Mehdi Benatia (Juventus), Romain Saiss (Wolves), Manuel Da Costa (Basaksehir), Nabil Dirar (Fenerbahce), Achraf Hakimi (Real Madrid), Hamza Mendyl (LOSC)

Midfielders: M'barek Boussoufa (Al Jazira), Karim El Ahmadi (Feyenoord), Youssef Ait Bennasser (Caen), Sofyan Amrabat (Feyenoord), Younes Belhanda (Galatasaray), Faycal Fajr (Getafe), Amine Harit (Schalke 04)

Forwards: Khalid Boutaib (Malatyaspor), Aziz Bouhaddouz (Saint Pauli), Ayoub El Kaabi (Renaissance Berkane), Nordin Amrabat (Leganes), Mehdi Carcela (Standard de Liege), Hakim Ziyech (Ajax), Youssef En-Nesyri (Malaga).

Iran

FIFA ranking: 36th

Star Player: Sardar Azmoun scored 11 goals in qualifying and will be in familiar surroundings at the World Cup as he plays his club football for Rubin Kazan.

WC History: Have failed to progress further then Group Stage from their previous 4 appearances.

Odds: 500-1

Synopsis: Qualified unbeaten and only conceded 2 goals which were in the last game against Syria having already qualified. Similar to Morocco their aim will be for 2^nd place but I think they will fall short as I can’t see them making it out the group.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Alireza Beyranvand (Persepolis), Rashid Mazaheri (Zob Ahan), Amir Abedzadeh (Maritimo).

Defenders: Majid Hosseini (Esteghlal), Ramin Rezaeian (Ostende), Mohammad Reza Khanzadeh (Padideh), Morteza Pouraliganji (Alsaad), Pejman Montazeri (Esteghlal), Milad Mohammadi (Akhmat Grozny), Roozbeh Cheshmi (Esteghlal), Ehsan Hajsafi (Olympiacos).

Midfielders: Saeid Ezatollahi (Amkar Perm), Masoud Shojaei (AEK Athens), Mehdi Torabi (Saipa), Omid Ebrahimi (Esteghlal), Karim Ansarifard (Olympiacos).

Forwards: Alireza Jahanbakhsh (AZ Alkmaar), Mahdi Taremi (Al Gharafa), Sardar Azmoun (Rubin Kazan), Reza Ghoochannejhad (Heerenveen), Saman Ghoddos (Ostersunds), Ashkan Dejagah (Nottingham Forest), Vahid Amiri (Persepolis).