FIFA World Cup 2018: Form report of top contenders

Unlike predicting the expected lineups of Premier League or any other regular league clubs, when it comes to international sides, one can never be sure. We don’t get to see these teams play week in and week out, and all inferences have to be drawn from the occasional qualifier or friendly.

The best part about the teams heading to Russia are that each of the favourites for the crown comes with squads that overflow with familiar football stars from European leagues. (overflow, because some of them didn't make it.)

We pick and analyse the pre-World Cup form of seven major contenders, although the chances of a minnow winning it are higher than Leicester City winning the league. And, we all know how that turned out!

Germany

Let's start with the reigning world champions. Germany seemed to be in fine form after they qualified with a perfect 10 out of 10 wins in the qualifying stages. Then came the draw to Spain and loss to Brazil in the two friendlies in March, which left fans confused.

To make matters worse, Germany lost to Austria on June 2. A game against Saudi Arabia on June 8 will be their last friendly before the tournament starts.

Joachim Loew had such a huge pool to choose from. Remember, how he won the Confederations Cup last year with what was practically a B team?

Manuel Neuer has returned too. The sweeper keeper has been out since September and has made a comeback.

Timo Werner seems to be the man to watch out for. The 22-year has scored 7 goals in his 12 games for Germany and 42 goals in 77 appearances for Red Bull Leipzig in the last two years.

Loew usually plays a 4-2-3-1 formation, but in some qualifying games he played three centre backs. Leon Goretzka and Sami Khedira could battle it out for that centre midfield spot, now that Emre Can missed out.

Germany find themselves in a slightly tricky group, alongside Mexico, Sweden and South Korea. Considering the last two Cups had reigning champions crash out of the group stage, Germany will want to break that jinx.

Argentina

Runners-up Argentina huffed and puffed its way to the final in 2014, and things don't look any different this. The Albiceleste have an ageing squad that looks like it won't go far in the tournament.

They beat Haiti 4-0 in a recent friendly, with Lionel Messi (who else?) waltzing his way to another hat-trick. Israel will play Argentina in a friendly on the night of June 3.

The team were given a humiliating hiding by a rejuvenated Spain side, when it lost 6-1. Messi didn't play that game though, which underlined the team's reliance on their main man.

Sergio Aguero has returned from a knee injury and scored against Haiti, coming off the bench. Goalkeeper Sergio Romero, though, has been ruled out, and second-choice Chelsea shot-stopper Willy Caballero will take his place.

Argentina had a disappointing set of qualifiers, and relied on Messi’s hat-trick against Ecuador to drag them through.

Coach Jorge Sampoali said he might go with a bizarre 2-3-3-2, allowing Mascherano to play in a defensive midfield role, while both Aguero and Higuain will start.

Argentina have strong opponents in Croatia and Nigeria for Group D, while little Iceland is capable of pulling off some surprises.

Brazil

The samba boys will be looking to come back strong, with their last World Cup game being the 7-1 drubbing at home.

Though they began their qualifiers on a rough note, they ended up topping the CONMEBOL group. Coach Tite took over in 2016 and has led them to 13 wins, three draws and just one loss in a friendly.

He seems to prefer a 4-1-4-1 formation, and with Neymar making his much-awaited return from injury, Tite’s go-to man will shoulder the responsibility of leading the attack once again.

AS Roma’s Alisson should be first-choice keeper, but Ederson has had an impressive season too, with Manchester City. Old boys Dani Alves, Marcelo and Thiago Silva should hold fort once again.

Casemiro and Fernandinho have looked good in central midfield. It’s an impressive squad with a wealth of experience. They’ve been winning all their games (beat Russia and Germany in the friendlies) and they have a game against Croatia on Sunday.

Brazil’s group consists of Switzerland, Serbia and Costa Rica. They should make it out easily.

France

This is one team that has got everybody talking. Plenty of options for coach Didier Deschamps in every position. He has a young side that is brimming with confidence and can give defenders nightmares with the pace they possess.

The 1998 World Cup winner plays a four man defence ahead of Hugo Lloris, and despite the absence of Laurent Koscielny, who is injured, Samuel Umtiti and Raphael Varane should start. Left-back Benjamin Mendy's return will be key to France's defence unit.

Attackers Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele and Antoine Greizmann are likely to be the starters, considering how they have combined well in the games leading up to the Cup. France had topped the qualifying group.

In the friendlies after the qualification, France had beaten Russia in March and Ireland recently, but sensationally blew a 2-0 lead over Colombia to lose 3-2. They then beat Italy 3-1 on June 1, a performance that included a stunning curler from Dembele.

Italy hasn’t qualified for the Cup, neither has USA, which will play the other friendly against France before the latter enters the tournament in a group that has Australia, Peru and Denmark.

Spain

Brazil 2014 was proof that anything can happen in cup competitions. England and Italy exited the World Cup from the same group, while reigning champions Spain failed to progress as well.

Keeping the ball is what Spain has always done best, and the host of midfield geniuses at hand have continue to ensure smooth progression from attack to defence.

Besides, Julen Lopetegui’s side has the probably the strongest defence in the Cup, for a team that never sits back and defends. There were doubts whether Dani Carvajal would join the team in time, after the injury he picked up in the Champions League final. He has been cleared to take part.

Spain had finished first in the qualifying group that edged out Italy. With a plethora of options on the bench, Spain look formidable once again, though the attack department looks a bit shaky. Lopetegui has retained most of players since Vincent del Bosque left, and a few young faces like Marco Asensio could breathe life into their campaign.

The team had drawn with Germany 1-1 in March, before crushing Argentina 6-1. Friendlies against Switzerland and Tunisia are coming up.

Morocco and Iran should not give the team too much trouble in the group stage of the event, though Portugal has the potential to cause some damage. Spain’s defence will relish the Cristiano Ronaldo challenge.

Belgium

Roberto Martinez's team has a ton of stars on all three fronts, and it looks like this could be their year. The last World Cup was the first time Belgium assembled the team that was a result of their golden generation, and there was uncertainty about the on-field chemistry.

The team didn’t go far, but this time they look much more menacing. Defence is a bit of a worry, especially the fullback/wingback positions, but there are enough players up front to make up for it.

It seems like Martinez will go with a three-man defence of Vincent Kompany and the Tottenham pair of Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen. Kevin De Bruyne should help the deadly attacking trio of Eden Hazard, Romelu Lukaku and Dries Mertens.

The side had broken many records in the qualifying stage, scoring 43 goals and getting 28 points from their 10 games.

They beat Saudi 4-0 in their only friendly after the qualification, and drew 0-0 with a Ronaldo-less Portugal. They will face Egypt and Costa Rica before the real deal begins, giving the team enough of time to get their act together. They will after all face England in the group stage, though Tunisia and Panama will be walkovers.

England

That brings us to our final contender, a country that has never failed to disappoint its fans for over two decades. Instead of losing on penalties or in the quarterfinal, England lost in group stage last time.

It takes some courage to call them contenders, but coach Gareth Southgate has a young and exciting side. There are no big stars this time, barring Harry Kane, but they play well as a unit.

The team topped their qualifying group and haven't lost a qualifying game since 2009 (39 games), though that has not been carried over into actual tournaments. England was eliminated by Iceland in the Euro 2016.

The team had beaten Netherlands 1-0 and drew with Italy 1-1 in the March friendlies, before downing Nigeria 2-1 on June 1. They will play one more against Costa Rica.

Sharing a group with Belgium, against whom they will play their final fixture of the round-robin stage, should reveal whether this new side has really reaped the benefits of the incredible success the country tasted at the youth levels in 2017.