WED, MAY 23 2018-theG&BJournal-The 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia begins on June 14 and ends on July 15, with 32 squads from around the globe taking part in football’s most prestigious tournament.
Nigeria in the tricky GROUP D, is drawn to play against Argentina, Croatia and Iceland in the group stage, all of these teams pack some of the biggest names in club football in Europe and the Americas and all the teams have named their provisional squad. The only less recognised national side in the group is Iceland, and it is making its first appearances at the world stage.
Fans of the beautiful game will see Lionel Messi, Javier Mascherano, Sergio Agüero, Gonzalo Higuaín, (ARGENTINA), Luka Modric, Ivan Rakitic and Mario Mandzukic (CRAOTIA) represent their respective countries. Iceland have less known names than Nigeria but hopes to come with surprises from midfielders- Gylfi Sigurdsson (Everton), Emil Hallfredsson (Udinese) and strikers Alfred Finnbogason (Augsburg) and Nikola Kalinic (AC Milan/ITA).
The full team list that squares off against Nigeria
ARGENTINA: Argentina is two-time winners
Goalkeepers: Sergio Romero (Out with injury), Nahuel Guzman, Willy Caballero, Franco Armani.
Defenders: Gabriel Mercado, Nicolás Otamendi, Federico Fazio, Nicolás Tagliafico, Marcos Rojo, Marcos Acuña, Ramiro Funes Mori, Cristian Ansaldi, Eduardo Salvio, Germán Pezzella.
Midfielders: Javier Mascherano, Ángel Di María, Ever Banega, Lucas Biglia, Manuel Lanzini, Gio Lo Celso, Ricardo Centurión, Guido Pizarro, Leandro Paredes, Maximiliano Meza, Enzo Pérez, Pablo Pérez, Rodrigo Battaglia.
Forwards: Lionel Messi, Sergio Agüero, Gonzalo Higuaín, Paulo Dybala, Mauro Icardi Cristian Pavón, Lautaro Martínez y Diego Perotti.
CROATIA:Modric leads crack team of stars. Croatia are appearing at the World Cup for the fifth time. Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic named Monday a 24-man World Cup squad, which will be eventually reduced by one player, and is led by international stars Luka Modric, Ivan Rakitic and Mario Mandzukic.
Goalkeepers (3): Danijel Subasic (Monaco/FRA), Lovre Kalinic (Gent/BEL), Dominik Livakovic (Dinamo Zagreb)
Defenders (9): Vedran Corluka (Lokomotiv Moscow/RUS), Domagoj Vida (Besiktas/TUR), Ivan Strinic (Sampdoria/ITA), Dejan Lovren (Liverpool/ENG), Sime Vrsaljko (Atletico Madrid/ESP), Josip Pivaric (Dinamo Kiev/UKR), Tin Jedvaj (Bayer Leverkusen/GER), Matej Mitrovic (Club Brugge/BEL), Duje Caleta-Car (Salzburg/AUT)
Midfielders (6): Luka Modric (Real Madrid/ESP), Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona/ESP), Mateo Kovacic (Real Madrid/ESP), Milan Badelj (Fiorentina/ITA), Marcelo Brozovic (Inter Milan/ITA), Filip Bradaric (Rijeka).
Forwards (6): Mario Mandzukic (Juventus/ITA), Ivan Perisic (Inter Milan/ITA), Nikola Kalinic (AC Milan/ITA), Andrej Kramaric (Hoffenheim/GER), Marko Pjaca (Schalke/GER), Ante Rebic (Eintracht/GER).
ICELAND: Iceland is making its first appearance at the world stage. It has also made just one appearance in UEFA Euro championship in 2016 where it stunned the football world with performances that saw through to the quarter-finals.
Goalkeepers: Hannes Halldorsson (Randers), Runar Alex Runarsson (Nordsjaelland), Frederik Schram (Roskilde);
Defenders: Ari Freyr Skulason (Lokeren), Hordur B. Magnusson (Bristol City), Ragnar Sigurdsson (Rostov), Kari Arnason (Aberdeen), Holmar Orn Eyjolfsson (Levski Sofia), Sverrir Ingi Ingason (Rostov), Birkir Mar Saevarsson (Valur), Samuel Kari Fridjonsson (Valerenga).
Midfielders: Gylfi Sigurdsson (Everton), Aron Gunnarsson (Cardiff City), Emil Hallfredsson (Udinese), Birkir Bjarnason (Aston Villa), Johann Berg Gudmundsson (Burnley), Olafur Ingi Skulason (Karabukspor), Arnor Ingvi Traustason (Malmo), Rurik Gislason (Sandhausen)
Forwards: Alfred Finnbogason (Augsburg), Bjorn Bergmann Sigurdarson (Rostov), Jon Dadi Bodvarsson (Reading), Albert Gudmundsson (PSV).
