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In only a few hours time, the WC 2018 will go live in Moscow, the capital city of Russia. It is the highest level in the sport and football fans can't wait to witness this incredible tournament.
The competition has lived up to its billing, becoming one of the most anticipated events of the year. The preparations have also been really intense, with many of the greatest footballing nations preparing to battle it out in Russia.
As usual, many fantastic players will entertain us in the World Cup this year. United by their passion and divided by their nationalities, these incredible superstars will also be going head-to-head in their bid to claim glory for their respective countries.
With the kick-off of the competition only a matter hours away, lets quickly look at 5 group-stage matches in which top superstars will face each other in the competition.
#5 Kevin De Bruyne vs. Harry Kane (Belgium vs England - 28, June 2018)
Kevin De Bruyne and Harry Kane are two of the biggest names in the Premier League at the moment. After playing against each other twice last term, the two superstars are set to meet once again.
This time, they won't be playing a regular league game, rather, they will be facing each other on the biggest stage in football. The World Cup fixture, which is scheduled to take place on June 28 will pit De Bruyne's Belgium and Kane's England together in a high-profile clash during the group stages.
With both players acting as leaders of their respective nations, we can expect to see an intense individual battle at the Kaliningrad stadium.
#4 Neymar vs. Keylor Navas (Brazil vs. Costa Rica - June 22, 2018)
Paris Saint Germain attacker, Neymar and Real Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navas are two of the top superstars that will be facing each other in the group stages of the World Cup this year.
The two superstars know each other quite well from their time in Spain. In fact, they met on multiple occasions during the El Clasico matches between Barcelona and Real Madrid before Neymar departed the Camp Nou.
This amazing duo could face each other again when Neymar leads a rampant Brazilian side against Costa Rica in a World Cup match on June 22. While the attacker will be looking forward to seeing the back of the net on that day, his counterpart will also be hoping to stop him from doing so.
#3 Antoine Griezmann vs. Christian Eriksen (France vs Denmark - June 26, 2018)
The World Cup will produce a lot of interesting moments this year. While various nations will be fighting intensely to claim important victories, there will also be a lot of individual battles between notable top superstars in the tournament.
One of such battles could take place on June 26 when Atletico Madrid superstar, Antoine Griezmann, and Tottenham's Christian Eriksen face each other in a group-stage fixture between France and Denmark.
The two superstars are playing at an incredible level at the moment. Therefore, this will be an exciting match as both superstars will be looking forward to earning the bragging rights for their respective nations.
#2 Cristiano Ronaldo vs. Andres Iniesta (Spain vs. Portugal - 15 June 2018)
After leading Real Madrid to claim the UEFA Champions League last month, Cristiano Ronaldo will be looking forward to reaching a similar level of impacts with Portugal in the World Cup this term.
The European champions will face a big test early in the tournament as they prepare to meet Spain for their first game.
Led by Barcelona legend, Andres Iniesta, the 2010 World Cup winners will not be taking the match with fragile hands. Despite his age, Iniesta is still one of the most impressive superstars on the planet.
While Ronaldo has his sights set on a famous victory against Fernando Hierro's men, Iniesta will also be looking forward to starting the competition in the best way by leading his nation to win their first match of the tournament.
In the end, the match could be decided by the outcome of the individual battle between the two amazing superstars.
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#1 Lionel Messi vs. Luka Modric (Argentina vs. Croatia - June 21, 2018)
Barcelona talisman, Lionel Messi and Real Madrid icon Luka Modric are two prominent figures in La Liga at the moment. The two superstars were involved in serious battles during the El Clasicos the last term and they are already looking forward to reigniting the rivalry when they face each other in the World Cup in Russia this month.
With Argentina and Croatia drawn in the same group, Lionel Messi and Luka Modric will go head-to-head on June 21 when they lead their respective nations against each in their second game of the competition.
Considering their amazing talents and incredible influence, we can be sure of a classic battle between the two La Liga heroes at the Nizhny Novgorod stadium.
