Group F

GERMANY

Team: Germany
Current FIFA Ranking: 1
Previous World Cup appearances: 18 - 1934, 1938, 1954, 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014
Best World Cup result: Winners - 1954, 1974, 1990, 2014
Group fixtures: June 17 vs Mexico, June 23 vs Sweden, June 27 vs South Korea
Captain: Manuel Neuer
Star Player: Toni Kroos
Head coach: Joachim Low

GERMANY SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Kevin Trapp
Defenders: Jerome Boateng, Matthias Ginter, Jonas Hector, Mats Hummels, Joshua Kimmich, Marvin Plattenhardt, Antonio Rudiger, Niklas Sule
Midfielders: Mesut Ozil, Leon Goretzka, Ilkay Gundogan, Sami Khedira, Toni Kroos, Sebastian Rudy
Forwards: Julian Brandt, Julian Draxler, Mario Gomez, Thomas Muller, Marco Reus, Timo Werner

Germany are quietly confident of becoming the first side to retain the World Cup since Brazil in 1962.

Although there are concerns over the fitness of captain Manuel Neuer, Joachim Low will, no matter what, be able to call upon several members of the side that beat Argentina in Rio four years ago, including Jerome Boateng, Thomas Muller, Sami Khedira and the peerless Toni Kroos.

The squad has also been strengthened by the emergence of a plethora of talented youngsters such as Joshua Kimmich, Leon Goretzka, Julian Brandt and Timo Werner.

Germany won the Confederations Cup in Russia last year with a second-string squad; it will take a superb side to stop their first-teamers from repeating the feat at this summer’s World Cup.

mexico

Team: Mexico
Current FIFA Ranking: 15
Previous World Cup appearances: 15 - 1930, 1950, 1954, 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970, 1978, 1986, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014
Best World Cup result: Quarter-finals - 1970, 1986
Group fixtures: June 17 vs Germany, June 23 vs South Korea, June 27 vs Sweden
Captain: Rafael Marquez
Star Player: Hirving Lozano
Head coach: Juan Carlos Osorio

MEXICO SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Jesus Corona, Alfredo Talavera, Guillermo Ochoa
Defenders: Hugo Ayala, Carlos Salcedo, Diego Reyes, Miguel Layun, Hector Moreno, Edson Alvarez
Midfielders: Rafael Marquez, Jonathan dos Santos, Marco Fabian, Giovani dos Santos, Hector Herrera, Andres Guardado
Forwards: Raul Jimenez, Carlos Vela, Javier Hernandez, Jesus Corona, Oribe Peralta, Javier Aquino, Hirving Lozano

Mexico have every chance of extending their proud record of making it out of their group at every World Cup since 1994.

El Tri dominated the final round of CONCACAF qualifying, finishing five points clear of Costa Rica at the top of the six-team group, after losing just one of their 10 matches - and even that sole defeat, in Honduras, came after they had already booked their flight to Russia.

Germany will obviously be tough to beat but, with Javier Hernandez likely to be supported by Carlos Vela and PSV starlet Hirving Lozano in attack, Mexico will hope to have the firepower to beat Sweden and South Korea to second spot.

However, recent injuries to defensive duo Carlos Salcedo and Nestor Araujo have exposed their lack of quality cover at the back, and El Tri may not have sufficient strength in depth, or enough nous in midfield, to get past the last 16 for the first time since hosting the World Cup in 1986.

sweden

Team: Sweden
Current FIFA Ranking: 24
Previous World Cup appearances: 11 - 1934, 1938, 1950, 1958, 1970, 1974, 1978, 1990, 1994, 2002, 2006
Best World Cup result: Runners-up - 1958
Group fixtures: June 18 vs South Korea, June 23 vs Germany, June 27 vs Mexico
Captain: Andreas Granqvist
Star Player: Emil Forsberg
Head coach: Janne Andersson

SWEDEN SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Robin Olsen, Karl-Johan Johnsson, Kristoffer Nordfeldt
Defenders: Mikael Lustig, Victor Lindelof, Andreas Granqvist, Martin Olsson, Ludwig Augustinsson, Filip Helander, Emil Krafth, Pontus Jansson
Midfielders: Sebastian Larsson, Albin Ekdal, Emil Forsberg, Gustav Svensson, Oscar Hiljemark, Viktor Claesson, Marcus Rohden, Jimmy Durmaz
Forwards: Marcus Berg, John Guidetti, Ola Toivonen, Isaac Kiese Thelin

Zlatan Ibrahimovic may have threatened to come out of international retirement to play in the World Cup but, in truth, Sweden have been doing just fine without their all-time record goalscorer.

Indeed, the Scandinavians have qualified for the first time since 2006 primarily due to the wonderful work done by coach Janne Andersson, who took after the nation’s tame first-round elimination at Euro 2016.

Veteran striker Marcus Berg stepped up in qualifying, netting eight times as Sweden pipped Netherlands to a play-off berth, while RB Leipzig ace Emil Forsberg has developed into a fine midfielder.

However, Sweden's success is founded on their togetherness and discipline, both of which were on show as they secured their place at Russia 2018 with a shock 1-0 aggregate win over four-time world champions Italy.

sOUTH KOREA

Team: South Korea
Current FIFA Ranking: 57
Previous World Cup appearances: 9 - 1954, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014
Best World Cup result: Fourth place - 2002
Group fixtures: June 18 vs Sweden, June 23 vs Mexico, June 27 vs Germany
Captain: Ki Sung-yueng
Star Player: Son Heung-min
Head coach: Tae-Yong Shin

SOUTH KOREA
Goalkeepers: Kim Seung-gyu, Kim Jin-hyeon, Cho Hyun-woo
Defenders: Lee Yong, Jung Seung-hyeon, Oh Ban-suk, Yun Young-sun, Kim Min-woo, Hong Chul, Kim Young-gwon, Jang Hyun-soo
Midfielders: Park Joo-ho, Ju Se-jong, Koo Ja-cheol, Jung Woo-young, Ki Sung-yueng, Lee Jae-sung, Go Yo-han
Forwards: Son Heung-min, Kim Shin-wook, Lee Seung-woo, Hwang Hee-chan, Moon Seon-min

South Korea may have gone further at the World Cup than any other Asian nation, reaching the semi-finals in 2002, but there is little optimism surrounding the current side after an underwhelming qualification campaign.

German coach Uli Stielike was sacked after a 3-2 loss in Qatar last summer that left their qualification hopes in jeopardy but his replacement, former Under-23s boss Shin Tae-yong, managed to carry Korea over the line by shoring up the defence sufficiently to earn successive scoreless draws, at home to Iran and away to Uzbekistan.

Despite being in possession of Tottenham's dazzling attacker Son Heung-min and Swansea midfielder Ki Sung-yueng, the Taegeuk Warriors struggle to both create and take goal-scoring chances.

Their World Cup hopes hinge upon resolving their attacking issues and picking up points before they face Germany in their final group fixture.