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The Canarinha (Canary) of Brazil and the Orlovi (Eagles) of Serbia will hope to do their best to fly out of this tricky group. Drawn together with Brazil and Serbia are Costa Rica and Switzerland. The possession-based play of Switzerland and the over-performing underdogs Costa Rica will do their best to keep the birds from flying too high.
The standout fixture will be the game between Brazil and Switzerland. Although the five-time World Champions might be favoured on paper, Switzerland boasts an experienced and consistent squad. Expect this game to dictate the shape of the group.
Match to Watch: Brazil v Switzerland (17th June, 7 PM GMT).
#1 Brazil - Marcelo
Marcelo wrote that his "one final mission" would be to win the world cup with Brazil. Under Tite, he is a regular starter for the Seleção, and most Brazilian fans agree, voting him the first player they would like to see in the starting lineup in a survey by Globoesporte.
Marcelo is one of the best full-backs in the world and his attacking and defensive work rates are unparalleled. Add to this, his ability to dribble at opposition along with his ability to cut inside and create space in the channels for wingers and we can begin to understand why Marcelo is simply unplayable.
El Loco, as he is referred to by his Madrid teammates, would definitely add a bit of steel to a very classy Brazilian side filled with silky talents like Neymar Jr, Coutinho and Firmino. Expect Marcelo and the Seleção to do their best in Russia to make the 7-1 drubbing in their homeland seem a distant memory.
Notable Mention: Gabriel Jesus
#2 Switzerland - Granit Xhaka
Granit Xhaka is a vital cog in the Swiss midfield. Although Shaqiri would be the easy pick, as the winger usually contributes with decisive goals, Xhaka might be more important for Switzerland.
Last season, Xhaka was often questioned for his poor tackling and bad decision making. This season he has let his technical side flourish for Arsenal. His impressive ability to read the game has improved and he has also ventured forward more frequently and provided vital assists. His ability to sit back and break up play will be vital against opponents like Brazil, whereas his ability to spray passes forward to ignite attacking plays will be decisive against opponents like Costa Rica.
Xhaka will be a part of an experienced triumvirate along with Valon Behrami and Blerim Džemaili and he will play a pivotal role in Russia if the Swiss are to make it out of the group.
Notable Mention: Xherdan Shaqiri
#3 Costa Rica - Keylor Navas
Costa Rica is all set to make their fifth World Cup appearance and is expected to recreate some of the magic from the previous edition in which they went on to win a group which had Italy, England and Uruguay and only lost in the quarter-finals on a penalty shootout to the Netherlands.
Keylor's performances four years ago earned him a move to Real Madrid where he has established himself as a regular starter. He has won two Champions League title and La Liga once with Los Blancos despite which he is often considered the weakest link in the Madrid setup. The rumour mills keeps churning out bigger names to replace Navas, but it doesn't faze the Costa Rican at all. He had a wonderful showing in the latest El Clasico, denying Messi on numerous occasion and he is expected to take this form with him to Russia.
Although Bryan Ruiz and Joel Campbell will be vital going forward, it will be Keylor's quality and leadership that will be key to Costa Rica's success in Russia as they have to keep out shots from the likes of Neymar, Gabriel Jesus, Shaqiri, Xhaka and Mitrovic. Expect Keylor Navas to give his best to keep clean sheets and give Costa Rica the best chance of winning each match in Russia.
Notable Mention: Bryan Ruiz
#4 Serbia - Nemanja Matić
Serbia is all set to play in the World Cup in Russia after missing out on the previous edition in 2014. This will be the second time they are participating in a World Cup as an Independent nation. Although the Serbian National team is filled with recognisable names, it will be United's Matić who will be pivotal to their Campaign.
Nemanja Matić will be the lynchpin for the Orlovi in the middle of the park. The tall and strong Serb will not only help in breaking the opponent's play but also contribute going forward with his passing ability. Matić with his powerful shots might occasionally score the odd scorcher as well.
The Serbs have a pretty good defence with the likes of Branislav Ivanović and Aleksandar Kolarov marshalling the defensive line and hence would rely more on the technical abilities of Matić. He would be expected to work in tandem with the forwards and wingers, to create chances and to help them navigate a tricky group containing Costa Rica, Switzerland, and Brazil.
Notable Mention: Dušan Tadić
