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The WC 2018 is now just days away and the participating teams are making their way over to Russia in readiness for the start of the tournament. The teams go in with different levels of expectations. Some teams are expected to go all the way and take home the coveted trophy. Some have already exceeded expectations by making it this far. Some will be aiming to prove that they are better than they have been made out to be.
While all eyes will be on who will end up lifting the trophy in the end, there will be a couple of sub-plots in play. Can Germany become the third country to defend the title? Italy won it in 1934 and 1938 and Brazil in 1958 and 1962. Can Germany equal Brazil's record of five title wins? Can a team from outside the dominant continents of Europe and South America make it to the final for the first time? Can we have a ninth different World Cup winning country?
There will be varying amounts of pressure on different countries. This increases the chances of seeing a couple of upsets with some countries going into games with nothing to lose against others that have everything to lose. Ultimately, every country participating in Russia wants to win the World Cup but for these four countries, they just absolutely need to win it.
#4 England
England have really struggled to impress and live up to expectations at the World Cup. The English Premier League is considered by many to be the most competitive (certainly the most watched) league in the world. World class stars from home and abroad ply their trade in the Premier League. The Championship, the second tier of English football, is also brimming with talent.
It is somewhat strange, therefore, that the national team has failed to constantly deliver on the big stage. Their World Cup win in 1966, though impressive, remains the only one to date. In fact, that win aside, the Three Lions have only made it past the quarterfinals once and even that was some 28 years ago when they got knocked out in the semifinal.
England need to win a World Cup to shake off that tag of perennial underachievers. Russia 2018 presents a good opportunity. They have a young, energetic squad with a lack of injuries to key players. There is unlikely to be a conflict of egos with the players across the squad held to a similar standard. A goalscoring machine in captain Harry Kane who is at the top of his game also presents them with a lethal weapon.
Time for England to make their mark once more on the grandest stage by lifting the big one for the second time.
#3 Belgium
The Red Devils go into this year's World Cup with one of the most talented teams in the world. There are no discernible weaknesses in the team with plenty of top players from top clubs. They include captain Eden Hazard, Thibaut Courtois (both Chelsea), Kevin de Bruyne, Vincent Kompany (both Manchester City), Romelu Lukaku, Marouane Fellaini (both Manchester United) and Toby Alderweireld, Jan Vertonghen and Mousa Dembele of Tottenham Hotspur.
This is the 'Golden Generation' of Belgian football which is why they need to make it count. These superstars are at their peaks and the World Cup could not have come at a better time. Manager Roberto Martinez needs to find a working formula to ensure that this generation of players has a trophy to show at the end of it all.
The 2022 World Cup could come too late for stars who will be in their 30s like Alderweireld (29), Dembele (30), Fellaini (30) Napoli's Dries Mertens (31), Vertonghen (31), and Kompany (32). The time is now for Belgium and they have a team strong enough to deliver their first World Cup title. It will be a huge missed opportunity if they don't.
#2 Argentina
Critics of Lionel Messi hold his lack of international honours against him in discussions on the greatest player of all time. They say he needs to win the World Cup to be considered as the best ever. In his time at Barcelona, Messi has won just about every team and individual trophy multiple times. With Argentina though, he is still seeking a senior international trophy. He is somewhat unlucky having finished as runner-up at the 2014 World Cup, and thrice at the Copa America (2007,2015,2016).
He won the Golden Ball award at the last edition of the World Cup but his team lost to Germany in the final. Messi will be on a personal quest for International success but the Argentine team will also be looking to break the trend of losing in major international finals. Manager Jorge Sampaoli could be the man to take the team to the next step and win the World Cup.
Sampaoli has a talented team with the likes of Ever Banega (Sevilla), Angel Di Maria, Giovani Lo Celso (both Paris St-Germain), Gonzalo Higuain, Paulo Dybala (both Juventus) and Sergio Aguero (Manchester City). With the right balance, this team has the potential to go all the way and Messi could join Argentine legends Mario Kempes (1978) and Diego Maradona (1986) in leading Argentina to a World Cup title.
#1 Brazil
Brazil needs to win the World Cup to exorcise the demons of the 2014 World Cup. The South Americans, who have won the World Cup a record five times, played host in 2014. They were strong favorites to win the title for a sixth time on home soil until they ran into Germany in the semifinal.
What followed was shocking and embarrassing and one of the lowest points in Brazilian football history as they were humiliated losing 7-1 to the Germans. A 3-0 defeat to the Netherlands followed in the third-place playoff.
Brazil will be looking to set things right at this year's edition. They will be led by PSG superstar Neymar who is fit after suffering an injury playing for his club in the Champions League. Neymar missed the embarrassing defeats in the last World Cup because he was sidelined with an injury and will look to make the most of his participation this year.
Brazil coach Tite has revamped the squad and turned them into serious contenders with a wonderful attacking style of play. Expect the likes of Philippe Coutinho (Barcelona), Willian (Chelsea), Marcelo (Real Madrid), Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City) and Roberto Firmino (Liverpool) to light up the tournament alongside Neymar. Winning the trophy would be the perfect way for Brazil to bounce back from that disappointment in 2014.
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