We preview the teams playing in Group G for this year’s soccer world cup 2018, which includes England, Belgium, Tunisia and Panama. Key players to watch in this group include Harry Kane, Eden Hazard, Nabil Maaloul and Hernan Dario Gomez. Get betting and predicitons here.
England
To Win Group 12/10
To Win Tournament 18/1
FIFA Ranking 13th
How they qualified
Group F winners in European qualifying, winning eight games and drawing two to finish on 26 points, eight clear of Slovakia.
Pedigree
Have appeared at 14 World Cup finals, winning the tournament on home soil in 1966. The best the Three Lions have done since is a semi-final finish in 1990.
Coach
Gareth Southgate – Southgate succeeded Sam Allardyce as caretaker England coach in September 2016 before being formally handed the reins on 30 November 2016. A former Three Lions defender, who was part of England’s campaigns at France 1998 and Korea/Japan 2002, he led his country to a sixth consecutive world finals appearance by topping Group F.
Key player
Harry Kane – Lauded as a “complete player” by Zinedine Zidane, Kane is now firmly established as one of the world’s leading strikers. The prolific Tottenham Hotspur star scored five times in six appearances for England during Russia 2018 qualifying.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Jack Butland (Stoke City), Jordan Pickford (Everton), Nick Pope (Burnley)
Defenders: Phil Jones (Manchester United), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Kyle Walker (Manchester City), Kieran Trippier (Tottenham Hotspur), Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Danny Rose (Tottenham Hotspur), Ashley Young (Manchester United), John Stones (Manchester City), Harry Maguire (Leicester City)
Midfielders: Eric Dier (Tottenham Hotspur), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Fabian Delph (Manchester City), Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Chelsea), Jesse Lingard (Manchester United), Dele Alli (Tottenham Hotspur)
Forwards: Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Jamie Vardy (Leicester City), Raheem Sterling (Manchester City), Danny Welbeck (Arsenal)
Group prediction
2nd
Belgium
To Win Group 83/100
To Win Tournament 11/1
FIFA Ranking 3rd
How they qualified
Group H winners in European qualifying, winning nine games and drawing one, scoring a staggering 43 goals in the process.
Pedigree
12 World Cup appearances to date, with their best showing coming in 1986 when reaching the semi-finals, losing to eventual winners Argentina.
Coach
Roberto Martinez – Roberto Martinez was a surprise pick for Belgium when they ditched Marc Wilmots after a disappointing Euro 2016. The Spaniard easily adapted to life in international management. Russia 2018 will represent Martinez’s first appearance at a FIFA tournament as a player or coach.
Key player
Eden Hazard – Speedy, skilful and a master at both creating and scoring goals, Hazard is one of the most exciting forwards in world football. The Chelsea star served up six goals and five assists during Belgium’s impressive qualifying campaign.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Thibaut Courtois (Chelsea), Simon Mignolet (Liverpool), Koen Casteels (Wolfsburg)
Defenders: Toby Alderweireld (Tottenham Hotspur), Dedryck Boyata (Celtic), Laurent Ciman (Los Angeles FC), Leander Dendoncker (Anderlecht), Vincent Kompany (Manchester City), Thomas Meunier (Paris Saint-Germain), Thomas Vermaelen (Barcelona), Jan Vertonghen (Tottenham Hotspur)
Midfielders: Yannick Carrasco (Dalian Yifang), Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City), Mousa Dembele (Tottenham Hotspur), Marouane Fellaini (Manchester United), Youri Tielemans (Monaco), Axel Witsel (Tianjin Quanjian), Nacer Chadli (West Bromwich Albion)
Forwards: Michy Batshuayi (Chelsea), Eden Hazard (Chelsea), Thorgan Hazard (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Romelu Lukaku (Manchester United), Dries Mertens (Napoli), Adnan Januzaj (Real Sociedad)
Group prediction
1st
Tunisia
To Win Group 14/1
To Qualify From Group 4/1
FIFA Ranking 14th
How they qualified
Group A winners in African qualifying, finishing one point above DR Congo.
Pedigree
First qualified in 1978 before appearing in three straight tournaments in 1998, 2002 and 2006. Failed to progress from any of their groups.
Coach
Nabil Maaloul – A former assistant under Roger Lemerre when Tunisia won the African Cup of Nations in 2002, Maaloul took over from Henri Kasperczak two matches into Tunisia’s World Cup qualifying campaign.
Key player
Wahbi Khazri – The pressure on him will be all the greater due to the loss of Tunisia’s stand-out playmaker Youssef Msakni due to injury.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Farouk Ben Mustapha (Al Shabab), Moez Hassan (Chateauroux), Aymen Mathlouthi (Al Batin)
Defenders: Rami Bedoui (Etoile Sahel), Yohan Benalouane (Leicester City), Syam Ben Youssef (Kasimpasa), Dylan Bronn (Ghent), Oussama Haddadi (Dijon), Ali Maaloul (Al Ahly), Yassine Meriah (CS Sfaxien), Hamdi Nagguez (Zamalek)
Midfielders: Mohamed Amine Ben Amor (Al Ahly Jeddah), Ghaylene Chaalali (Esperance), Ahmed Khalil (Club Africain), Seifeddine Khaoui (Troyes), Wahbi Khazri (Stade Rennes), Ferjani Sassi (Al Nassr), Elyes Skhiri (Montpellier)
Forwards: Fakhreddine Ben Youssef (Al Ittifaq), Anice Badri (Esperance), Saber Khalifa (Club Africain), Naim Sliti (Dijon), Bassem Srarfi (Nice). (Compiled by Mark Gleeson, editing by Clare Fallon)
Group prediction
3rd
Panama
To Win Group 40/1
To Qualify From Group 9/1
FIFA Ranking 55th
How they qualified
Finished third in the North, Central America and Caribbean standings, pipping Honduras on goal difference.
Pedigree
This will be Panama’s first World Cup appearance, having previously attempted to reach the finals on 11 occasions.
Coach
Hernan Dario Gomez – The Colombia has worked his magic again. He got Colombia into the 1998 World Cup, and then did the same for Ecuador in 2002. Now it’s Panama’s turn.
Key player
Luis Tejada – The striker has scored 43 goals for Panama.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Jose Calderon (Chorrillo FC), Jaime Penedo (Dinamo Bucharest), Alex Rodriguez (San Francisco FC)
Defenders: Felipe Baloy (CSD Municipal), Harold Cummings (San Jose Earthquakes), Eric Davis (DAC Dunajska Streda), Fidel Escobar (New York Red Bulls), Adolfo Machado (Houston Dynamo), Michael Murillo (New York Red Bulls), Luis Ovalle (CD 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 Amador), Alberto Quintero (Universitario de Lima), Jose Luis Rodriguez (KAA Gent)
Forwards: Abdiel Arroyo (LD Alajuelense), Ismael Diaz (Deportivo La Coruna), Blas Perez (CSD Municipal), Luis Tejada (Sports Boys), Gabriel Torres (CD Huachipato)
Group prediction
4th
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GROUP PROFILES
Group A Team Profiles
(Egypt, Uruguay, Russia, Saudia Arabia)
(Spain, Portugal, Iran, Morocco)
(France, Peru, Denmark, Australia)
(Argentina, Nigeria, Croatia, Iceland)
(Brazil, Costa Rica, Switzerland, Serbia)
(Germany, Mexico, Sweden, South Korea)
(England, Belgium, Tunisia, Panama)
(Colombia, Poland, Senegal, Japan)