On June 14, the most anticipated sports event of the year begins - the 2018 World Cup. In Russia, for over a month, the 32 strongest teams on the planet will compete for the main tournament trophy - the golden cup.
In this championship, Europe has the most representatives - 14 national teams. Following closely are five teams from other continents - Africa, South America, and Asia. North and Central America have three representatives - Costa Rica, Mexico, and Panama.
Altogether, the 32 teams are divided into eight groups - from A to H. As always, in each group, each team will play against each other, and then the knockout matches will begin - from the round of 16 to the final.
The World Cup will be spread across Russia - matches will take place in 11 different cities. The opening match will be held at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, which can accommodate 81,000 spectators. This stadium will also host the most important tournament matches - the battle for the championship title.
The most popular football news portal in the country, "EuroFootball.com," will also provide its visitors with the most interesting and heated news from Russia during the entire championship. With only a short time left until the end of the championship, we present an overview of Group G, where Belgium, England, Panama, and Tunisia will compete.
Belgium
Key information:
Confederation: UEFA (Europe)
Coach: Roberto Martinez (Spanish)
Captain: Eden Hazard ("Chelsea")
Top scorer: Romelu Lukaku (34)
Most capped player: Jan Vertonghen (101)
FIFA ranking: 3
Highest achievements in World Cups: fourth place (1980)
Path to the World Cup: Belgium's journey to Russia was easy - Roberto Martinez's team won 9 out of 10 matches in their qualifiers and securely secured the top spot in their group. Belgium also had some luck with the draw, facing Greece, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Estonia, Cyprus, and Gibraltar in their group.
Star player: Undoubtedly, Belgium's football star is Eden Hazard. The 27-year-old winger is not only the best in his country but also one of the best footballers in the world. Having played 82 matches and scored 21 goals for the national team, E. Hazard is expected to be a leader and captain at this World Cup.
Team experience: Despite his constant injury problems, Vincent Kompany is expected to play a crucial role in defense at this championship. His leadership qualities and experience will be important for the team.
Coach: Since 2016, the 44-year-old Spanish coach Roberto Martinez has been leading the Belgian national team. He had some doubters at the beginning, but Belgium performed well in the qualifiers, which gave him extra credibility. However, the pressure will be on him as the tournament progresses.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Koen Casteels ("Wolfsburg"), Thibaut Courtois ("Chelsea"), Simon Mignolet ("Liverpool");
Defenders: Toby Alderweireld ("Tottenham"), Dedryck Boyata ("Celtic"), Vincent Kompany ("Manchester City"), Thomas Meunier (PSG), Thomas Vermaelen ("Barcelona"), Jan Vertonghen ("Tottenham");
Midfielders: Yannick Carrasco ("Dalian Yifang"), Kevin De Bruyne ("Manchester City"), Mousa Dembele ("Tottenham"), Leander Dendoncker ("Anderlecht"), Marouane Fellaini ("Manchester United"), Eden Hazard ("Chelsea"), Thorgan Hazard ("Borussia Gladbach"), Adnan Januzaj ("Real Sociedad"), Dries Mertens ("Napoli"), Youri Tielemans ("Monaco"), Axel Witsel ("Tianjin Quanjian");
Forwards: Michy Batshuayi ("Chelsea"), Nacer Chadli ("West Brom"), Romelu Lukaku ("Manchester United").
England
Key information:
Confederation: UEFA (Europe)
Coach: Gareth Southgate (English)
Captain: Harry Kane ("Tottenham")
Top scorer: Wayne Rooney (53)
Most capped player: Peter Shilton (125)
FIFA ranking: 12
Highest achievements in World Cups: Winners (1966)
Path to the World Cup: England also dominated in their qualifiers, winning eight matches and topping their group with an 8-point lead.
Star player: Harry Kane is the standout player for England. The 24-year-old striker has become one of the best in the world, scoring 41 goals in 48 matches last season for his club, "Tottenham."
Team experience: Experienced defender Gary Cahill will bring crucial experience to the team's defense.
Coach: Gareth Southgate took over as coach in late 2016 and has done well with the team. He will need to continue to deliver good results in Russia.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Jack Butland ("Stoke City"), Jordan Pickford ("Everton"), Nick Pope ("Burnley");
Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold ("Liverpool"), Gary Cahill ("Chelsea"), Fabian Delph ("Manchester City"), Phil Jones ("Manchester United"), Harry Maguire ("Leicester City"), Danny Rose ("Tottenham"), John Stones ("Manchester City"), Kieran Trippier ("Tottenham"), Kyle Walker ("Manchester City"), Ashley Young ("Manchester United");
Midfielders: Dele Alli, Eric Dier (both "Tottenham"), Jordan Henderson ("Liverpool"), Jesse Lingard ("Manchester United"), Ruben Loftus-Cheek ("Chelsea");
Forwards: Harry Kane ("Tottenham"), Marcus Rashford ("Manchester United"), Raheem Sterling ("Manchester City"), Jamie Vardy ("Leicester City"), Danny Welbeck ("Arsenal").
Panama
Key information:
Confederation: CONCACAF (North and Central America)
Coach: Hernan Dario Gomez (Colombian)
Captain: Roman Torres ("Seattle Sounders")
Top scorers: Luis Tejada and Blas Perez (43)
Most capped player: Gabriel Gomez (143)
FIFA ranking: 55
Highest achievements in World Cups: debut (2018)
Path to the World Cup: Panama's journey to Russia was challenging, as they finished second in their group but secured a spot in the finals.
Star player: The 36-year-old forward Luis Tejada is the biggest star in the Panama team, having scored 43 goals in 104 appearances for the national team.
Team experience: The presence of 37-year-old defender Felipe Baloy will be crucial for Panama's defense.
Coach: The experienced 62-year-old Colombian coach Hernan Dario Gomez is leading Panama at the World Cup.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Jose Calderon ("Chorrillo"), Jaime Penedo (Bucharest "Dinamo"), Alex Rodriguez ("San Francisco");
Defenders: Felipe Baloy ("Municipal"), Harold Cummings ("San Jose Earthquakes"), Eric Davis ("Dunajska Streda"), Fidel Escobar ("NY Red Bulls"), Adolfo Machado ("Houston Dynamo"), Michael Murillo ("NY Red Bulls"), Luis Ovalle ("Olimpia"), Roman Torres ("Seattle Sounders");
Midfielders: Edgar Barcenas ("Cafetaleros de Tapachula"), Armando Cooper ("Club Universidad de Chile"), Anibal Godoy ("San Jose Earthquakes"), Gabriel Gomez ("Bucaramanga"), Valentin Pimentel ("Plaza A...
