World Cup 2018: 5 underdogs to cheer for

The World Cup seldom follows the form book. Increasingly, it has become a tournament that has gotten tighter and tighter with the gulf between the nations reducing significantly. Yes, Europe is still the powerhouse and Latin America dazzles with talent, but African and Asian counties have caught up.

There are no easy games in the group stage anymore. In every edition, there are rousing, inspiring underdog stories that have captured the imagination for however brief a while.

Here's a look at a talented bunch of underdogs - with key details like star players, preferred formations, FIFA ranking and group stage opponents. There's one nation each from the continent of Europe, Africa, Asia, North and South America to pick and support during the FIFA World Cup 2018.

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#5 Iceland

The smallest nation ever to qualify for the World Cup is renowned for the Viking Clap

Coach: Heimir Hallgrímsson | Preferred system 4-4-2 | Group D

FIFA Ranking: 22 | Key players: Gylfi Sigurdsson, Hordur Bjorgvin Magnusson

Best WC performance: Debuting in 2018

Opening Round Opponents: Argentina (June 14) | Nigeria (June 22) | Croatia (June 26)

Iceland have made the footballing world sit up and notice their meteoric rise in Europe. That an island nation with just 300 thousand population is among the 32 teams at the World Cup is a bit of a miracle in itself. With their vociferous support base, capable of drowning a stadium with their chants behind them, Iceland will make for a wonderful sub-plot in the extremely tough Group D. If not for their against the odds qualification, they will win support for their Viking thunderclap celebrations and spirited displays.

#4 Egypt

Egypt will look to ride on the devastatingly good form of Mohamed Salah

Coach: Héctor Cúper | Preferred system 4-2-3-1 | Group A

FIFA Ranking: 46 | Key players: Mahmoud Hassan, Mohamed Salah

Best WC performance Group Stage (1934,1990)

Opening Round Opponents: Uruguay (June 14)| Russia (June 19) | Saudi Arabia (June 25)

Under their Argentine coach, Egypt have been miserly in defence. Defensively they are sorted, but all eyes are on the Ballon d'Or contender and Premier League Golden Boot winner Mohamed Salah. By all indications, he will be fit to play a part in the campaign after a worrying shoulder dislocation in the Champions League final. Egypt, with an energetic battery of attacking mid-fielders, should make it out of their group. Anything beyond that is an upset, but the Pharaohs are a good team to scream for. Back in the World Cup for the first time after 1990, they will look to make their presence felt.

#3 Japan

Japan shoulders Asia's brightest hope of a good showing

Coach: Akira Nishino | Preferred system 4-3-3 | Group H

FIFA Ranking: 60 | Key players: Maya Yoshida, Yosuke Ideguchi, Keisuke Honda

Best WC performance Round of 16 (2002, 2010)

Opening Round Opponents: Colombia (June 19) | Senegal (June 24) | Poland (June 28)

In a bold move, Japan sensationally sacked their Bosnian coach Vahid Halilhodzic in the lead-up to the cup in favour of Akira Nishino. Japan have been Asian footballing powerhouses for far too long, but have fallen short of their own expectations at the world stage way too often. The Japanese have reached the World Cup every time since first making it in 1998. Japan is also in one of the 4 groups that has the potential to turn into the group of death. The Samurai Blues are in a group with no runaway favourites despite the presence of Poland and their unreasonably high ranking.

#2 México

El Tri has the potential to set years of underperformances right in Russia

Coach: Heimir Hallgrímsson | Preferred system 4-3-3 | Group F

FIFA Ranking: 15 | Key players: Javier Hernández, Guillermo Ochoa, Hirving Lozano

Best WC performance: Quarter-finals (1970, 1986)

Opening Round Opponents: Germany ( June 17) | South Korea (June 23) | Sweden (June 27)

Winners of Concacaf, México have a core of players that is technically the best they have had in years. They have unfinished business after being unfairly and excruciatingly eliminated by the Netherlands last time around. They should progress into the next round as runners-up from their group that includes defending champions Germany.

Even if they do, they have to erase an unwanted record of 6 straight round of 16 eliminations. With the USA absent, they are the only team from North America with a decent shot of making a splash at the World Cup.

#1 Uruguay

Uruguay can slip under the radar and make a fine run in the Cup

Coach: Óscar Tabárez | Preferred system: 4-4-2 | Group A

FIFA Ranking: 17 | Key players: Luis Suárez, Edinson Cavani, Rodrigo Bentancur

Best WC performance Champions (1930, 1950)

Opening Round Opponents: Egypt ( June 14) | Saudi Arabia (June 20) | Russia (June 25)

They are the only country on this list who have gone beyond the semis in a World Cup but that was half a century ago. Uruguay enter the cup high on confidence after finishing second behind Brazil in the South American qualifiers. The opening game against Egypt is realistically the only game that can trouble them. They will get out the group and face either Spain or Portugal, and they have the potential to cause an upset as they have a solid defence, creative midfielders and fox-in-the-box strikers in Cavani and Suárez.