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Every World Cup edition brings with it a whole package of drama, delight and despair. It arouses emotions that can hardly be triggered by any other tournament in the world. But what it also brings to the table, like many other tournaments, is the element of surprise.
And surprises always around the corner in the World Cup. It was Costa Rica in 2014 and the knockouts of Italy and France in the group-stages left many rattled in 2010.
This World Cup has been full of surprises already, with the likes of United States, Italy and the Netherlands not in the tournament. The fact that Panama, Peru, Saudi Arabia and Tunisia are on their respective planes to Russia shows that we could be set to witness one of the most surprising World Cups of all time.
While surprises can’t be predicted before they hit us like lightning that very moment, here are things that can surprise us in the FIFA World Cup 2018.
#1 Senegal and their firepower
This time around, Senegal’s group has Colombia, Japan and Poland. These are three sides that aren’t really one of the top ones. While Colombia is a very good side, they don’t fall under the list of World Cup favourites. They do have the likes of Radamel Falcao and James Rodriguez, but one can’t really be sure if they will repeat their heroics of the last edition.
This will be the second time that Senegal will be playing the World Cup after their largely successful and impressive campaign back in 2002 when they beat France and held onto an entertaining 3-3 draw against Uruguay.
At the back, Senegal boast of the defensive prowess of Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly, whose performances for the Partenopei have attracted interest from other clubs and he is a vital part of the side at the club.
They have West Ham’s Cheikhou Kouyate and Everton’s Idrissa Gueye in midfield and both of them are one of the most feared midfield operators in England, despite playing for sides that are outside of the Premier League’s top six - West Ham and Everton.
This time around, Senegal will be spearheaded by the mercurial Sadio Mane, who played a vital role in guiding Liverpool to the UEFA Champions League this season. Keita Balde Diao scored eight times and assisted five times for Monaco in the Ligue 1 this season and will be an important part of Les Lions de la Teranga.
One would be making a grave error in underestimating this Senegalese side, which will look to repeat its heroics of 2002 all over again.
#2 Portugal and Ronaldo could disappoint again
The last time Portugal made it to the quarter-finals of a World Cup was back in 2006, where they ousted England on penalties to make their way into the semi-finals of the competition. They were knocked out in the Round of 16 by Spain in South Africa and couldn’t go past the group stages in Brazil four years ago.
Portugal’s first game of the tournament sees them lock horns with former World Champions Spain and will later face Iran and Morocco in subsequent games. Portugal had won the Euros in 2016 and are the reigning European Champions on that basis.
But it would be fair to say that the quality in their side has reduced since then and almost every single game in the regulation time in the Euros had ended in a draw for them, including the final. They could not defeat a single team in the knockout stages in the 90 minutes, bar the 2-0 win over Wales in the semi-final. And the defence was a more vital part of their campaign than the attack.
This time around, their defence has degraded. Pepe is no way near his best. Jose Fonte has aged and now plays in the backwaters of China. Bruno Alves has become fallen off if he wasn’t too good before already. All three of them are above the age of 32 and Ruben Dias, who is the fourth defender they have, has made just a single senior team appearance for Portugal.
The imbalance in the side has never been more. And it won’t be a surprise if Portugal don’t make it to the knockout stages.
#3 Denmark to leave their mark
The last time the Danes went past the group stages was back in 2002 and in 1998 but their only international achievement came in 1992 when they won the Euros with a golden generation of footballers. While the current generation is no way close, Age Hareide’s men aren’t that bad either. They’re 12th in the World Rankings, after all!
It would be worth pointing out that Denmark have every chance to going past the group stages this time around with France, Australia and Peru in their group. And it won’t be a crime in saying that they are the second best side in the group.
Spearheaded by the talismanic Tottenham superstar Christian Eriksen, who is one of the Premier League’s best players, Denmark boast of quality players in the side. And Eriksen isn’t the only one.
With the reliable Kasper Schmeichel in goal, Denmark have three reliable central defenders in Borussia Monchengladbach’s Jannik Vestergaard, Sevilla’s Simon Kjaer and Chelsea’s Andreas Christensen, who have all had decent or more than decent seasons for their clubs. Don’t rule out Huddersfield central defender Mathias Jorgensen, who had a very solid campaign with the Terriers.
If there’s anyone who will be just as important as Eriksen in midfield, then its Borussia Dortmund’s new signing Thomas Delaney, who arrived for a 20 million euros fee from Werder Bremen.
It is their forward line though, that boasts of variety and options. Yussuf Poulsen and Kasper Dolberg might have had below-par seasons with RB Leipzig and Ajax, but Pione Sisto and Nicolai Jorgensen have been very impressive in front of goal for Celta Vigo and Feyenoord.
Judging by the variety, quality and depth this side has, count them out at your own risk and don’t be surprised if they end up upsetting France too.
#4 Can Iceland do it again?
Iceland’s impressive march to the quarter-finals of the Euro 2016 was worth the watch. Not just because of the Viking Claps that are certain to give everyone goosebumps, but because of their dogged approach to the game and determined manner of digging deep to grind out results. That style, mind you, works wonders in knockout games.
The manner in which Iceland qualified for the World Cup was impressive in its own way. They went past sides like Ukraine, Croatia and Turkey to achieve the feat and that, in itself, deserves applause for a country whose goalkeeper was a film director during the Euros.
Gylfi Sigurdsson might have endured a poor season with Everton following his big-money move from Swansea, but he will have to step up to the plate in the tournament. Johann Berg Gudmundsson enjoyed a very impressive season with Burnley will look to carry forward his form in Russia to make sure that Alfred Finnbogason carries on from where he left for Augsburg, for whom he found the back of the net 12 times in the Bundesliga last season.
Iceland conceded only seven times in ten qualifying games- an indication of the fact that they have retained their style and approach to the game. It was dogged and determined, never pretty. And it was very effective too. They managed to beat Croatia, a side that is in group this time around, along with Nigeria and Lionel Messi’s Argentina.
With key defenders in Ragnar Sigurdsson, Hordur Magnusson and Kari Arnason having enjoyed good seasons with their respective clubs, Heimir Hallgrimsson’s side will believe that they can reach the knockout rounds and look to surprise a few from there on.
And as always, never count these determined bunch of Icelanders out.
What more surprises can we expect at World Cup 2018? Tell us in the comments below!
