World Cup 2018: 5 captains who will be crucial for their teams

Captains have always been a central part of great World Cup teams and Russia 2018 will be no different. A lot has changed in football since it became a fully professional sport nearly 2 centuries ago. However, the role of the captain has remained as constant as the Northern Star.

Chief cheerleader, on-pitch motivator, first-born in a community of brothers, the captain is usually the man who gives his team an identity.

In the long and often majestic history of the World Cup, great captains have emerged who have led their nations to do magical things on football’s greatest stage.

Examples are legion: Zvonimir Boban leading Croatia to a bronze medal in its first ever World Cup (France 1998) as an independent nation is one for the romantics to cherish. Fans of Argentina’s Albiceleste will forever cherish Daniel El Gran Capitan Passarella (Argentina 1978) and the G.O.A.T himself; Diego Armando Maradona (Mexico 1986).

Russia 2018 promises to be a showpiece tournament where captains will once again be at the centre of everything good that their teams want to do, here are 5 of these super-players who will have a major say in how far their teams go:

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#5 John Obi-Mikel (Nigeria)

Mikel will be responsible for Nigeria's creative work

It is no exaggeration to say that if John Mikel-Obi does not bring his “A’ game to the World Cup, Nigeria’s chances of escaping from a very difficult looking Group D will plummet from very hard to full on impossible.

The Super Eagles may have qualified handily from a difficult looking World Cup qualifying group (included favourites Algeria and Cameroon) but the team’s performances in friendlies have raised a lot of doubt about the team’s quality.

The Eagles have looked bereft of ideas and have been very disappointing in an attacking sense. The wingers have been terrible in delivering quality; the midfield has looked slow and cumbersome while the attack has been almost non-existent.

Mikel’s ability to shield the ball and prompt attacks with his excellent range of passing will be the key for coach Gernot Rohr’s side which is expected to play a quick counter-attacking style at the World Cup.

He is the only midfielder capable of carrying the ball forward from midfield and his composure and calmness on the ball will be needed for when the team will be under pressure from the opposition’s midfield.

#4 Manuel Neuer (Germany)

The bionic man, Neuer will be more than just a goalie for Germany

How much influence a goalkeeper-captain can have on a team is a subject that will always be a source of intense discussions. These discussions, however, are irrelevant when it comes to discussing the cyborg that is Manuel Neuer.

Marc Andre ter-Stegen has had a season to remember for FC Barcelona and for most other countries; he would be the undisputed starter. For Die Mannschaft however, Neuer is the ultimate choice and will start as numero uno at Russia 2018 despite just recovering from a long-term injury.

His ability to make reality-defying saves, agility, reflexes, and brilliance have long made him one of the best goalkeepers in the world, however, he has even more important roles to play for the German team.

Coach Joachim Low has adopted the Pep Guardiola style in looking to have his goalkeeper act as an auxiliary sweeper/quarterback. In Neuer, both managers have found the perfect goalie. Due to his presence in goal, the German team is able to play higher up the pitch and quickly press the opponents to get the ball back closer to the opposition’s goal.

The centre-backs (usually Mats Hummels and Jerome Boateng) will be eager to drive the ball forward as Neuer’s acceleration and agility mean he can quickly close down attackers who have beaten the defence line (did this to great effect at the 2014 World Cup).

His passing range also means that the wingers: Marco Reus, Julian Draxler and Julian Brandt will be able to stay wide and stretch the opposition.

#3 Sergio Ramos (Spain)

El Capitan will be the leave-it-to-me man for Spain

Capitan, Líder, Leyenda (Captain, Leader, Legend). These appellations and many more do not do justice to the modern day legend that is Sergio Ramos (Liverpool and Barcelona fans might disagree).

The 31-year-old has been front and centre of Spain and Real Madrid’s greatest triumphs in the last decade and he will be leading La Furia Roja as captain at a World Cup for the first time.

Say what you will about his disciplinary record, sometimes harebrained moves and other valid criticism of his style, few centre-backs at the World Cup will be as crucial as him.

His combination with Gerard Pique will be crucial for Spain’s fabled midfield and their confidence to drive forward and strut their stuff. His ability to cover for the fullbacks and make great interceptions will be crucial. This is because, in manager Julen Lopetegui’s system, the fullbacks will be tasked with providing the width for the team

Given that Dani Carvajal and Alvaro Odriozola are the right-backs at the tourney (both are very attack-minded), Ramos’ knowledge of the role (he started out as a right-back) would be crucial for the team’s defensive solidity.

In a team filled with nice guys, his old-school bastardy and ability to roughhouse with the best of them will give the team an edge especially in the later stages of the competition.

#2 Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)

No Ronaldo, no party for Portugal at the World Cup

If the current Ballon d’Or holder and team captain does not score, it is difficult to see where the goals for A Seleção das Quinas will come from.

Portugal may be the defending European champions but this feat was achieved more on the back of a solid backline and a tough but unimaginative midfield rather than blitzing the opposition with goals.

Despite having a long tradition of producing excellent, world-class wingers (Luis Figo, Ronaldo himself, Paulo Futre among others), the Portuguese have struggled to produce great goal scorers aside the peerless Eusebio of course. This explains why middling to average strikers like Helder Postiga, Pedro Pauleta have gotten 70 or more national caps.

Manager Fernando Santos has named just one out-and-out striker in his 23-man squad: AC Milan’s Andre Silva (who stunk out the place in his first season in Italian football). It is clear therefore that the Real Madrid superstar will carry his nation’s hopes and dreams on his very broad shoulders.

Cristiano Ronaldo's pace, agility, aerial ability and the sixth sense for always being in the right place would be crucial for the Portuguese team.

The presence of creative players like Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes, Ricardo Quaresma, Gelson Martins and others means the team should be able to create enough chances for Portugal’s greatest ever player to put away.

#1 Lionel Messi (Argentina)

If Messi does not play well, Argentina has no chance in Russia

If Lionel Messi plays up to 50% of his abilities, Argentina will have a chance to make at least the quarterfinals. If he plays at 100%, the Albiceleste have a great shot at winning the World Cup.

Such is the ridiculous dependence that a nation as storied as Argentines have come to place on La Pulga Atomica’s shoulders. A nation that can call upon the likes of Sergio Aguero, Gonzalo Higuain, Paulo Dybala and others should not be so dependent on one player (despite his out-of-this-world talent).

Coach Jorge Sampaoli has been faced with the incredibly difficult task since he took the job last year of designing a system that gets the best out of Messi while at the same time, not being over-dependent on him.

The 3-1 victory over Ecuador (Messi got a hat trick) which got the Argentines a last-minute ticket for the World Cup and the 6-1 humiliation at the hands of Spain in a recent friendly (Messi missed the game through injury) are two of the best examples of Messi-dependence that the team currently faces.

If the Albiceleste hopes to break its international trophy drought at Russia 2018, the other forward players must be willing to put in their share of the work in both defensive/offensive capacities. This would help Messi (who is also the team’s captain) to save himself for the key moments where he alone can be the difference maker.

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Which of these captains do you think will have the maximum impact on their teams? Tell us in the comments below