FOOTBALL VIEWS

Preview to Group G BELGIUM MANAGER: Rudi Garcia FIFA RANKING: 9 WORLD CUP APPEARANCES: 14 BEST WORLD CUP FINISH: 3rd Place - 2018 Belgium are a team at a crossroads coming into this tournament because they're not the team they used to be and no one knows what to expect from them. Their golden generation era is over and has been since Qatar with their group stage exit marking the end of it. Thibaut Courtois, Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku are the only players from that sid

Preview to Group F HOLLAND MANAGER: Ronald Koeman FIFA RANKING: 7 WORLD CUP APPEARANCES: 11 BEST WORLD CUP FINISH: Runners Up x3 - 1974, 1978 and 2010 Holland are arguably the unluckiest team in World Cup history as they've been beaten in three finals. They've had some incredible talents over the years with Johan Cruyff of course being their main stand out, but they just haven't been able to win a World Cup. They have a strong squad on paper heading into this tournament with

Group E Preview GERMANY MANAGER: Julian Nagelsman FIFA RANKING: 10 WORLD CUP APPEARANCES: 20 BEST WORLD CUP FINISH: Winners x4 - 1954, 1974, 1990 and 2014 The pressure will be on Germany to get out the group after failing to do so at the last two World Cup's. It was the end of an era in 2018 as they were an ageing team back then whilst in 2022 they were a side in transition and a team without a plan. Since winning this tournament in 2014, their performances in major tournamen

Preview to Group D USA MANAGER: Mauricio Pochettino FIFA RANKING: 16 WORLD CUP APPEARANCES: 11 BEST WORLD CUP FINISH: 3rd Place - 1930 USA are back hosting the World Cup 32 years after they last hosted it in 1994 and they'll be feeling confident that they can give this one a good shot. They might not be in the best of form at the moment, but they do have a good squad of players and having home advantage will be a big plus for them as they'll have the crowd on their side and w

Preview to Group C BRAZIL MANAGER: Carlo Ancelotti FIFA RANKING: 6 WORLD CUP APPEARANCES: 22 BEST WORLD CUP FINISH: Winners x5 - 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002 Brazil might still be the record winners of this tournament, but they haven't won it in 24 years. Since their last World Cup win in 2002, they've been a side who are fancied at the start of every tournament only for them to blow it. But in Carlo Ancelotti, they have a manager who has won the lot at club level includin