GROUP A
- Russia
- Saudi Arabia
- Egypt
- Uruguay
- Portugal
- Spain
- Morocco
- Iran
- France
- Australia
- Peru
- Denmark
- Argentina
- Iceland
- Croatia
- Nigeria
- Brazil
- Switzerland
- Costa Rica
- Serbia
- Germany
- Mexico
- Sweden
- South Korea
- Belgium
- Panama
- Tunisia
- England
- Poland
- Senegal
- Colombia
- Japan
Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal will come up against Spain in the
standout fixture of the group stage of the 2018 World Cup, while England
were handed an encounter with a dangerous Belgium side in Friday's
draw.
Spain, the 2010 World Cup winners, have been revitalised
under Julen Lopetegui after underperforming in recent years and were
seen as the team to avoid after missing out on a place among the top
seeds.
It was Portugal, the reigning European champions, who were
handed an Iberian derby in a glitzy ceremony held at the Moscow Kremlin
and featuring an appearance from Russian President Vladimir Putin
alongside FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
The draw also laid out
all sides' potential routes to the final, and revealed such tantalising
prospects as a quarter-final between Spain and Argentina, and possible
semi-finals of Spain against Germany or France versus Brazil.
Spain's
match against Portugal is a mouthwatering early prospect, though, with
the fixture set for the Black Sea resort of Sochi on Friday June 15.
"They
are the champions of Europe, they have fantastic players and we are
talking about the highest level," coach Lopetegui told Spanish TV
station Cuatro.
Real Madrid star Ronaldo will be 33 come next year's finals, meaning this will probably be his last shot at World Cup glory.
- Messi v Iceland -
Meanwhile, reigning world champions Germany, the much-fancied
Brazil of Neymar, and France will all be pleased with their draws, but
the prospects appear tougher for Argentina.
They will come up
against Croatia, Nigeria and tournament debutants Iceland as Lionel
Messi looks to make up for losing the 2014 final to Germany.
The Barcelona man turns 31 during the tournament, meaning this is also probably his last chance to win the World Cup.
"Beyond
having the best player in the world, we need to have a team that
functions well," said Argentina coach Jorge Sampaoli, whose side
laboured through qualifying.
Germany were paired with Mexico,
Sweden and South Korea in Group F as Joachim Loew's men try to become
the first nation to retain the title since Brazil in 1962.
"I am certainly not scared," Loew told ZDF television.
Five-time
winners Brazil, eager to exorcise the demons of 2014 and their 7-1
semi-final humiliation against Germany, drew Switzerland, Costa Rica and
Serbia in Group E.
It has been said before that France coach
Didier Deschamps has a lucky star over his head when it comes to these
draws, and his side will be confident of emerging from Group C ahead of
Australia, Peru and Denmark.
- England wary -
Former
England striker-turned television presenter Gary Lineker oversaw the
draw and his nation will be pleased after Diego Maradona, who knocked
Lineker's England out of the 1986 World Cup with his infamous 'Hand of
God' goal, drew Gareth Southgate's men in Group G with Belgium, Tunisia
and debutants Panama.
England manager Southgate was wary, however, after all his country's recent disappointments at major tournaments.
"We've
been good at writing teams off and then getting beat. We've got to be
prepared for every game," said Southgate, and England could in theory
find themselves on a collision course with Germany and Spain later on if
they do not win the group.
England begin against Tunisia in
Volgograd -- in a stadium built on one of the main sites of the Battle
of Stalingrad, one of the bloodiest episodes of the Second World War --
on Monday, June 18.
Japan will face a tough task to finish in the
top two of Group H that features Robert Lewandowski's Poland, Sadio
Mane's Senegal and Colombia.
The tournament that spans 11 cities
and 12 stadiums kicks off when host nation Russia take on Saudi Arabia
on June 14 in Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium, which will also host the final
on July 15.
- Putin address -
The ceremony was staged inside the State Kremlin Palace, where Communist Party Congresses were held during the Soviet era.
President Putin said Russia had a "strong affection" for football.
"Our country is looking forward to the championship and intends to hold it at the highest level," Putin said.
The
build-up to the tournament has been somewhat overshadowed by the
controversy that surrounded the awarding of the tournament to Russia,
and by fears of terrorism and hooliganism, as well as of Putin's
relations with the West.
The draw also came just as Russia is
dealing with allegations of widespread doping in other sports, including
when it hosted the 2014 Winter Olympics.
But Infantino denied that doping was a problem in football.
"If
you would have a serious doping issue in football this would be known
by now, whether in Russia or any other country of the world," he said at
a press conference held with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly
Mutko, also in charge of the World Cup organising committee.
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