'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
As every group has completed their first round of fixtures in the FIFA World Cup 2018, there has been quite a few surprises for us. Some high-profile names have been a no-show, some unlikely stars have risen up, and some have performed to their hype.
The first round saw some favorites being upset by the minnows, some dark horses fulfilled their billing, and Germany was the only big one to bite the dust. However, two more matches lie in store for every one of them, and fortunes can change quickly around here.
That said, here is a look at the best players from every group at the end of the first match-week in Russia. Since there can only be one best player, there might be quite some selections you disagree with. Where is the fun in not ruffling a few feathers though?
Group A
Group A saw two straight victories, and there were only three names even in consideration - Golovin, Cheryshev, and Gimenez. But by virtue of being the better player when the stats were taken out of consideration, I am going with Aleksandr Golovin on this one.
One yellow card, one goal, and two assists were what Golovin delivered in the opener - a match some people (including me) thought Saudi Arabia could have a chance in. Turns out that the Saudi are all bark and no bite, as Golovin ripped through them like a knife through hot butter.
At 22, Golovin already has everything going for him. He has the pace, the brains and he has the passing range that makes the best use of both of those talents. He might be a little hot-headed as we witnessed from his card, but the positives massively overshadow the minor infringements he commits from time to time.
Group B
Group B witnessed what many believe to be the best game of the WC so far, in Spain's 3-3 draw against Portugal while Iran and Morocco played out a highly defensive 1-0. Despite Diego Costa ending up scoring twice, he doesn't take the cake because of a certain Cristiano Ronaldo.
Ronaldo might have scored only 3 goals in all the previous World Cups combined, but this time he took the bull by its horn. One look at him, and you could sense that he meant business and answered his fans and critics with a sensational hat-trick.
The first two goals were not highlight material - a penalty and a howler from De Gea, but the third was as good as they come. Ronaldo stood several yards away from the ball, took several deep breaths and placed the free-kick perfectly on the top right corner, and followed it up with his trademark jump-in-the-air-and-point-to-himself celebration.
Seriously, how do you top this?
Group C
Group C saw France play out a hard-fought 2-1 win against Australia, while Denmark held out Peru for a 1-0 win and established themselves as the candidates to get out of the group. A lack of attacking from the group means that it has to go to a defensive player, and between Kante and Schmeichel, I have to go with Kasper Schmeichel.
Schmeichel, after shuttling between various clubs in England, rose to popularity during Leicester's historic title-winning season and has been one of the most solid keepers in the PL since then.
In the Peru game, Schmeichel had 6 saves to his name, and was solely responisble for keeping the clean sheet, including a penalty save (but it was more of a miss than a save).
While scorer Poulsen and Christian Eriksen were involved in the game as well, Kasper was the main reason for the result in Denmark's favour, as most of those saves looked like definite goals.
Group D
The "Group of Death" saw favorites Argentina being held to a 1-1 draw by Iceland, while Croatia cruised to a comfortable 2-0 win against Nigeria. It was a toss-up between the two man of the matches, Luka Modric and Halldorson, but when you are responsible for your team's first ever point in the WC, you deserve to be mentioned.
Iceland's goalkeeper, Hannes Thor Halldorsson is a part-time film maker, and was even the one who directed Iceland's WC ad sponsored by Coca-cola. On the field though, he brought a different kind of magic and saved Lionel Messi's penalty to deny Argentina a win.
The penalty was not the only major save he made, but towards the end, he parried away a dangerous shot from Pavon to ensure that his previous effort did not go down in vain. With a well-organized defense lurking in front of him, do not be surprised if Halldorsson's name is repeated again in the future.
Bonus point, because that ad is legit fantastic!
Group E
Group E saw favorites to win the World Cup, Brazil held to a 1-1 draw by Switzerland, while Serbia managed to pip Costa Rica for an unlikely 1-0 win. If you were expecting this to be Coutinho or Neymar, I am sorry as I choose to go with Sergej Milinkovic-Savic.
Milinkovic-Savic might not have gotten onto the scoresheet, but he absolutely bossed the game from beginning to end and was one of the major reasons why Costa Rica never got any traction on the ball.
Along with the experienced Matic and Milivojeic alongside him, the 23-year-old was everything you would expect from a player dubbed "The Sergeant" at Lazio. He ran, he passed, he pointed to where the ball should go, he tracked back. A complete package.
With several clubs already lining up to snatch him up, this performance is sure to have driven his price up by a fair amount, and the Serbian fans will be hoping for a few more along the same lines. If the team and he can keep the same level of spirited performances up, getting out of the group will not be that hard.
Group F
Group F saw the defending champions fall to a surprise 0-1 loss against Mexico, while Sweden pulled off an annoying 1-0 grind against the Korea Republic. This was the easiest pick of all - Joshua Kimmich, who ran the entire length of the pitch a hundred times. Oh, who am I kidding? It was Hirving Lozano.
Nicknamed "El Chucky" because of his childhood habit of hiding under the bed and scaring his teammates, Lozano showed the same sense of dread and fear to the German defenders with his pace on the ball.
Whether it was an organic reaction, or Mexico's master-plan to lure the Germans into the attack and then hit them on the counter, it worked really well - thanks to Lozano on the left. The moment he got the ball, he ran with it and was easily a yard or faster than Boateng and Hummels.
A sharp finish to the left corner and past a diving Manuel Neuer was just what he deserved for everything else he did on the pitch, and even imagining what he can do against Korea should be illegal for obvious reasons.
Group G
Group F saw the favorites pick up wins, one harder than it should have been and the other as easy as it could have been. Belgium defeated Panama in a 3-0 goal-fest while England clawed their way to an injury-time 2-1 win over Tunisia.
Despite both Lukaku and Kane getting on the end of two goals, Kane wins on the virtue of carrying his team over the finishing line.
A lot was said of Harry Kane before the World Cup, and most of it were questions. Can he carry such a tremendous pressure on his young shoulders? Can he keep his head when things do not go his way? Can he bring the cup home? The answer to those questions is yes, yes, and possibly - in that order.
Kane's goals were nothing special, and will not make the highlight reel at the end of the tournament. But make no mistake about the importance of them. England have a history of disappointing in major tournaments, and this would have gone in the same manner without Kane.
The next matches are bound to see a change in personnel around Kane, and rightly so. He was too lonely at the front, with Sterling looking half the player he was at Manchester City, and England's midfield lacking anything concrete in creativity.
Group H
Group H saw both of the favorites succumb to 1-2 defeats, as Senegal beat Poland and Japan fought their way through 10-man Colombia to leave an already unpredictable group even more chaotic.
This was the hardest pick of all, as both the winning teams won as a team, rather than one particular individual's standout performance from the others. But in order to complete the theme, I am going with Sadio Mane, who closely Salif Sane in defense.
Sadio Mane might not have gotten on to the scoresheet tonight, but with the amount of work he put in this game, he might as well have as an honorary scorer. Originally slotted at the left, Mane was everywhere Senegal had the ball and even popped up with a couple of cameos when defending.
He fully kept Piszczek occupied on the left, and miraculously also kept Rybus on the other side of the pitch on high-alert. Unlike Liverpool where he makes the runs and waits for the ball to get to him, he toiled hard in midfield and ensured that the offense kept the balls moving as soon as possible. A proper captain's job.
