Group H’s dark horses Belgium could spring a surprise.
BELGIUM
Head coach Marc Wilmots. As a player, he went to four World Cups and is his country’s leading scorer in the competition. When he finished playing, he spent two years as a politician before returning to football.
Belgium’s leading World Cup goalscorer, Wilmots netted 28 times for his country in 70 appearances. The 45-year-old also featured for the likes of Standard Liege and Bordeaux at club level before starting his managerial career with German outfit Schalke, another of his former clubs. able to call upon one of the most talented Belgium squads ever seen.
How they qualified The most convincing of all the qualifiers, winning their group by nine points from Croatia. Unbeaten home and away.
Most valuable player Vincent Kompany. There is a strong Premier League presence in the squad and it’s led by the best central defender in English football. He holds Manchester City together with his imposing physical presence and does the same job for Belgium. When he was injured in November, they conceded five goals in two home friendlies against Colombia and Japan.
Prospects This is Belgium’s Golden Generation and many view them as dark horses to claim the trophy itself. That would be setting the bar extremely high, though it is clearly the best squad produced by the country since the 1986 World Cup, and that vintage of the Red Devils made it to the last four.
SOUTH KOREA
Head coach Hong Myung-Bo. A veteran of four World Cups as a player, he was appointed last June after previous coach Choi Kang-Hee was dismissed after almost blowing qualification. Hong captained his country to a fourth-place finish when the South Koreans were joint hosts in 2002.
How they qualified Asian qualification has four rounds and they got a bye to round three. Having topped their group, they were fortunate to make it through round four, scraping through in second place in the group won by Iran.
Most valuable player Park Chu-Yung. Park looked to be heading for the Premier League as a 20-year-old after starring in the 2004 Asian Youth Championships, but a proposed move to Chelsea never materialised.
Prospects They had a last-16 finish in South Africa and will want to equal that.
RUSSIA
Head coach Fabio Capello. Has a point to prove after he took England to South Africa and was roundly criticised for over-cooking them in preparation, then operating martial law at an isolated camp.
How they qualified Did well to top a qualifying group that included Portugal, pipping them by a single point. Won all their home games and only conceded five goals, but showed their vulnerability when beaten by Northern Ireland.
Most valuable player Roman Shirokov. The captaincy was a thorny issue when Capello was with England and Shirokov is a controversial choice. Agoalscoring midfielder, he’s Russia’s answer to Joey Barton on Twitter.
He has a history of falling out with coaches and team-mates. His club, CSKA, sent him to serve in the army, but it didn’t curb his rebel tendencies.
Prospects The 2018 hosts have not progressed beyond the group stage since 1986. This time, they’re likely to get out of the group.
ALGERIA
Head coach Vahid Halilhodic. The Bosnian missed out on taking Ivory Coast to the World Cup in South Africa when, having secured qualification, he was sacked four months before the tournament. A former PSG boss, he returned to international management after a spell at Dinamo Zagreb.
How they qualified Finished top of their group, but only edged into the Finals by beating Burkina Faso in a play-off on away goals, thanks to a strike by ex-Rangers player Madjid Bougherra.
Most valuable player Islam Slimani. The tall 25-year-old striker has only been on the international scene for two years and moved to Sporting Lisbon last summer. He scored four goals during qualification and was Algerian Player of the Year in 2013.
Prospects They had a poor Africa Cup of Nations and they’ve never managed to get out of their World Cup group. Will do well not to finish bottom.
Report by John Barrett and Adma Lanigan
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