World Cup Edition: 2018 Participant Club Profiles - Group D

Continue preparations to welcome the 2018 World Cup show, they present the chance to get to know each contestant from every group in the world's top soccer competition.

Here are the 2018 World Cup contestants from Group D.

Argentina

Coach: Jorge Sampaoli

Star player: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)

The best achievement: champion 1978, 1986

FIFA Ranking: 5

One of the favorite teams to win Group D, big pressure is clearly pinned on Argentina to at least match their achievements in the 2014 edition, leading to the final.

However, the Tango team should be worried, considering their performance in the qualifying round is not so convincing. Jorge Sampaoli foster children had almost failed to qualify for the World Cup after they had to go through the play-offs against Ecuador, which ultimately they successfully toppled with a score of 3-1.

However, with the presence of names like Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Sergio Aguero (Man City), Paulo Dybala (Juventus), and others, Argentina is still a strong seed in this competition. Moreover, they only four failed to qualify for the World Cup since 1930, and from all their party, Team Tango only three times stuck in the group phase.

Their records in the last three editions were quite positive, with them breaking through the quarterfinals of the 2006 and 2010 editions, before becoming finalists in the 2014 edition.

Iceland

Coach: Heimir Hallgrimsson

Star player: Gylfi Sigurdsson (Everton)

Best achievement: first appearance

FIFA Ranking: 22

It must be admitted that this one team is the team that most people make the most amazed. Iceland became one of two 'virgin' teams at this World Cup, along with Panama. However, their story has attracted the world's attention since their impressive action in Euro 2016 ago.

How not, like the 2018 World Cup,
Euro 2016 is the country's first participation. However, unexpectedly they were able to advance to the quarterfinals after beating England (1-2), before being stopped by France with a score of 2-5.

Now, with almost the same squad composition, Heimir Hallgrimsson coach will again maximize their underdog status. Gylfi Sigurdsson (Everton) will still be a star as well as a team attack motor, while four other stars like Alfred Finbogasson (Augsburg), Johann Berg Gudmunsson (Burnley), Birkir Bjarnason (Aston Villa) and captain Aron Gunnarsson (Cardiff City) able to cover the lack of star status in the team.

Croatia

Coach: Zlatko Dalic

Star player: Luka Modric (Real Madrid)

World Cup best: ranked third in 1998

FIFA Ranking: 18

The team that always contains extraordinary talents in every competition, once again Croatia will again be championed as a black horse in the World Cup competition. First time following the World Cup in the 1998 edition, Vatreni has only one absence in four subsequent editions, when they failed to qualify for the 2014 finals in South Africa.

Remarkably, their best achievement occurred in the 1998 edition, when they first participated. At that time, they successfully advanced to the semifinals, before losing to the champion, France (1-2). However, they were able to secure the third position after conquering the Netherlands 2-1. In fact, Croatia had thrashed a strong team, Germany, with a score of 3-0 in the quarterfinals.

Unfortunately, since then, Vatreni's journey should always end up in the group phase, with them occupying the third position in their last three participations. However, now with a myriad of world stars in their squad like Ivan Perisic (Inter Milan), Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona), Mario Mandzukic (Juventus) and of course Luka Modric (Real Madrid), and many more, there seems to be no reason for Croatia to fail to get away from group phase.

Nigeria

Coach: Gernot Rohr

Star player: Victor Moses (Chelsea)

Best achievement: second half 1994, 1998, 2014

FIFA Ranking: 47

Winning the Africa Cup of 2013 edition, the Super Eagles could not be championed to qualify for the final round of the World Cup as their performance dampens their impact on not qualifying for the African Nations Cup 2015 and 2017. However, it is Gernot Rohr's coach who successfully returned Nigeria to a positive trend and topped Group B of the African zone to qualify for Russia.

The 2018 World Cup will be the 5th Super Eagles' participation. They never advanced further than the last 16, including in the 2014 edition when they lost to France (0-2).

Nevertheless, the compositions of teams filled with many European league stars are obviously an advantage. Nigeria is an African country with the largest number of European Premier League team stars with at least seven players a regular club player respectively.

In addition to two Premier League stars, Victor Moses (Chelsea), Alex Iwobi (Arsenal) and Wilfrred Ndidi (Leicester City), they still have Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City), Ahmed Musa (CSKA Moscow), Simeon Nwankwo (Crotone), and Chidozie Awaziem (Nantes).

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