Group G

belgium

Team: Belgium
Current FIFA Ranking: 3
Previous World Cup appearances: 12 - 1930, 1934, 1938, 1954, 1970, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2014
Best World Cup result: 4th place - 1986
Group fixtures: June 18 vs Panama, June 23 vs Tunisia, June 28 vs England
Captain: Eden Hazard
Star Player: Eden Hazard
Head coach: Roberto Martinez

BELGIUM SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Koen Casteels, Thibaut Courtois, Simon Mignolet
Defenders: Toby Alderweireld, Dedryck Boyata, Vincent Kompany, Thomas Meunier, Thomas Vermaelen, Jan Vertonghen
Midfielders: Nacer Chadli, Kevin De Bruyne, Mousa Dembele, Leander Dendoncker, Marouane Fellaini, Youri Tielemans, Axel Witsel
Forwards: Michy Batshuayi, Yannick Carrasco, Eden Hazard, Thorgan Hazard, Adnan Januzaj, Romelu Lukaku, Dries Mertens

‘Dark horses’ at their last two major tournaments, failure to get past the quarter-finals of either the 2014 World Cup or Euro 2016 spelled the end for coach Marc Wilmots.

Now managed by former Everton boss Roberto Martinez and right-hand man Thierry Henry, the Red Devils’ ‘Golden Generation’ must now start delivering on their undoubted promise.

In Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku they possess some of the most exciting attacking talent in Russia while Thibaut Courtois, Vincent Kompany, Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen provide defensive steel.

Whether Martinez can pull it all together remains the million-dollar question.

panama

Team: Panama
Current FIFA Ranking: 55
Previous World Cup appearances: Debut
Best World Cup result: N/A
Group fixtures: June 18 vs Belgium, June 24 vs England, June 28 vs Tunisia
Captain: Felipe Baloy
Star Player: Luis Tejada
Head coach: Hernan Gomez

PANAMA SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Jose Calderon, Jaime Penedo, Alex RodrIguez
Defenders: Felipe Baloy, Harold Cummings, Eric Davis, Fidel Escobar, Adolfo Machado, Michael Murillo, Luis Ovalle, Roman Torres
Midfielders: Edgar Barcenas, Armando Cooper, Anibal Godoy, Gabriel Gomez, Valentin Pimentel, Alberto Quintero, Jose Luis Rodriguez
Forwards: Abdiel Arroyo, Ismael Diaz, Blas Perez, Luis Tejada, Gabriel Torres

One of two teams making their debut at this year’s tournament, Panama stunned the world by beating the likes of the USA and Honduras to automatic qualification from CONCACAF.

Twice runners-up in the Gold Cup, making it to Russia is by far their greatest footballing achievement to date, and given their lack of household names may yet surprise a few teams as the tournament wears on.

That said, a 6-0 defeat at the hands of Switzerland during the March friendlies suggests they still have plenty of work to do if they are to be more than whipping boys come the end of the competition.

tunisia

Team: Tunisia
Current FIFA Ranking: 21
Previous World Cup appearances: 4 - 1978, 1998, 2002, 2006
Best World Cup result: Group Stage
Group fixtures: June 18 vs England, June 23 vs Belgium, June 28 vs Panama
Captain: Aymen Mathlouthi
Star Player: Wahbi Khazri
Head coach: Nabil Maaloul

TUNISIA SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Farouk Ben Mustapha, Moez Hassen, Aymen Mathlouthi
Defenders: Rami Bedoui, Yohan Benalouane, Syam Ben Youssef, Dylan Bronn, Oussama Haddadi, Ali Maaloul, Yassine Meriah, Hamdi Nagguez
Midfielders: Mohamed Amine Ben Amor, Ghaylene Chaalali, Ahmed Khalil, Saifeddine Khaoui, Ferjani Sassi, Ellyes Skhiri, Naim Sliti
Forwards: Anice Badri, Fakhreddine Ben Youssef, Saber Khalifa, Wahbi Khazri, Bassem Srarfi

The highest-ranked African team in Russia, Tunisia have returned to the top table of international football having failed to qualify for either of the last two World Cups.

Nabil Maaloul is the man tasked with coaching the Eagles into the knockout stages for the first time in their history, though a knee ligament injury picked up in April has ruled star forward Youssef Msakni out of the tournament.

The remainder of their squad either play their football in Tunisia or France, though former Sunderland winger Wahbi Khazri and Leicester City defender Yohan Benalouane will be familiar names to Premier League fans.

england

Team: England
Current FIFA Ranking: 12
Previous World Cup appearances: 14 - 1950, 1954, 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014
Best World Cup result: Winners - 1966
Group fixtures: June 18 v Tunisia, June 24 v Panama, June 28 v Belgium
Captain: Harry Kane
Star Player: Harry Kane
Head coach: Gareth Southgate

ENGLAND SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Jack Butland, Nick Pope, Jordan Pickford
Defenders: Fabian Delph, Danny Rose, Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Harry Maguire, John Stones, Phil Jones, Gary Cahill
Midfielders: Eric Dier, Jordan Henderson, Jesse Lingard, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Ashley Young, Dele Alli
Forwards: Raheem Sterling, Harry Kane, Jamie Vardy, Marcus Rashford, Danny Welbeck

Having failed to get out of the groups at the last World Cup and with the nation still reeling from their Euro 2016 exit at the hands of Iceland, expectations have never been so low ahead of a major tournament for the Three Lions.

That said, Gareth Southgate - hired in the aftermath of Sam Allardyce’s controversial dismissal - has managed to coax some encouraging performances out of his young side in recent friendlies, and they head to Russia with a genuine belief they could provide a surprise or two.

Harry Kane’s form in front of goal will likely be the difference between success and yet more failure.