FIFA WORLD CUP 2018

SERBIA FIFA World Cup™ finals history Serbia played their first official international match as an independent nation on 16 August 2006, beating Czech Republic 3-1 away. Before then, they had been part of two countries that now no longer participate: Yugoslavia and Serbia and Montenegro. Serbia's inaugural independent FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign was for South Africa 2010, and they surprisingly booked their ticket to the tournament after emerging from a group with France, Austria, Lithuania, Romania and Faroe Islands. However, once there, the  Beli Orlovi  (White Eagles) were unable to make it past the group stage. Serbia failed to reach Brazil 2014, but will return to the global finals at Russia 2018 after winning qualifying Group D. They were defeated just once on the road to Russia, in their penultimate game in Austria, and saw off the challenge of the Republic of Ireland and Wales to finish top of the standings. The team Much like their predeces...

RUSSIA FIFA World Cup™ finals history As the Soviet Union,  Sbornaya  reached the FIFA World Cup quarter-finals at Sweden 1958, Chile 1962 and Mexico 1970. The Eastern Europeans went one better at England 1966, when, inspired by goalkeeper Lev Yashin and forward Igor Chislenko, they topped their group and edged a formidable Hungary, before losing 2-1 to both West Germany in the semis and Portugal in the play-off for third place. The side have been eliminated at the first hurdle in their three World Cup appearances competing as Russia (1994, 2002 and 2014). They made their mark in the States though, with a crushing 6-1 defeat of Cameroon in which Oleg Salenko scored five goals en route to ending the tournament as joint-leading marksman. After Korea/Japan, they failed to reach the finals until seeing off Portugal to top their Brazil 2014 qualifying group. Despite their impressive qualification, they headed home early from the tournament itself with two draws to the...

PORTUGAL FIFA World Cup™ finals history Portugal missed out on the first seven FIFA World Cup competitions before making a very impressive tournament debut at England 1966, where a golden generation headed by Eusebio finished in third place.  A   Seleção das Quinas  have appeared in five more world finals since then, with varying degrees of success. Knocked out in the group phase at Mexico 1986, Korea/Japan 2002 and Brazil 2014, they advanced to the Round of 16 at South Africa 2010, before falling to eventual champions Spain, and reached the last four at Germany 2006, losing in the semis to France and missing out on third place against the hosts. The team National icon Cristiano Ronaldo is the man around whom the Portugal team is built. The hero of his country’s Brazil 2014 play-off defeat of Sweden, the insatiable goalscorer is the very obvious linchpin of a side that is solid at the back, thanks to the presence of the vastly experienced Pepe. A team buil...

POLAND FIFA World Cup™ finals history Poland have participated at seven FIFA World Cups in total (1938, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1986, 2002, 2006). In 1972 they won gold at the Men’s Olympic Football Tournament in Munich and defeated Brazil in the Play-off for Third Place at the World Cup in Germany two years later. The eastern Europeans earned the bronze medal once more with victory over France at Spain 1982. However, after the 1986 tournament it was another 16 years before they participated at a World Cup again, but they failed to advance beyond the group stage at Korea/Japan 2002. Poland did not fare any better at Germany 2006, where a shock 2-0 opening defeat against Ecuador was followed up with a 1-0 reverse against the hosts in their second outing, ending their hopes of progression to the knockout rounds.  Bialo-czerwoni  (the White and Reds) did not qualify for South Africa 2010 or Brazil 2014. The team Poland boast great quality throughout their squad, the major...

ICELAND Oualification history In the space of four short years Iceland went from last place in their group in the qualifiers for South Africa 2010 to the play-offs for Brazil 2014, where defeat to Croatia denied them a maiden FIFA World Cup™ appearance. On the back of that massive improvement in performance, the talented Icelanders maintained their staggering upward trajectory to become the smallest ever nation to qualify for a World Cup, winning Russia 2018 qualifying Group I. They ended up top of a very tough pool, seeing off the challenge of Croatia, Ukraine and Turkey, to pip Trinidad and Tobago in 2006 as the smallest country by population to reach the global showpiece. The team Following the retirement of gifted veterans such as the former Barcelona man Eidur Gudjohnsen, the exciting new generation that fared so well in the qualifiers for Brazil 2014 will spearhead Iceland’s push for a berth in Russia. The goalscoring nous and talent of the likes of Gylfi Sigurdsson...

GERMANY F IFA World Cup™ finals history After winning their long-awaited fourth title at the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil, Germany are tied with Italy as the second most successful footballing nation on the planet, with only five-time champions Brazil ahead of them. Germany’s first win came at Switzerland 1954, where they achieved the ‘Miracle of Bern’ despite going into the Final as underdogs. A second triumph followed on home soil in 1974 and they lifted the trophy for a third time at Italy 1990. Germany have reached the World Cup Final eight times, finishing as runners-up on four occasions (1966, 1982, 1986 and 2002) and taking the bronze medal at the 1934, 1970, 2006 and 2010 editions. No other country has played more games at the tournament than the 106 Germany have contested, and they will add to that at Russia 2018 having qualified as Group C winners with a game to spare. Their place was secured on 5 October 2017 with a 3-1 win in Northern Ireland. The team The reign...

FRANCE FIFA World Cup™ finals history France supplied the first ever goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history in Lucien Laurent, who broke the deadlock against Mexico in the Opening Match at Uruguay 1930. However,  Les Bleus  were unable to get out of their group on that occasion and indeed would have to wait until 1958 to progress as far as the semi-finals – a feat they then repeated in 1982 and 1986. It was at the 1998 tournament, which they hosted, that France finally tasted world glory with Zinedine Zidane's brace inspiring a 3-0 Final victory over Brazil. The talismanic midfielder led his country to the deciding game once again in 2006, but went from hero to villain when he was sent off prior to the penalty shoot-out loss to Italy. Following a total washout in 2010, the French restored some pride with a promising quarter-final showing at Brazil 2014. The team The fiasco both on and off the pitch in 2010 helped pave the way for a talented new crop headed by ...

ENGLAND FIFA World Cup™ finals history England have appeared at 14 FIFA World Cups, including eight of the last nine. They were below-par at Brazil 2014, exiting at the group stage for the first time since 1958. The Three Lions have been World Cup winners once, as hosts in 1966. Geoff Hurst’s hat-trick, the only in a World Cup Final, fired them to a 4-2 extra-time victory over West Germany. Sir Bobby Robson came closest to matching Sir Alf Ramsey’s achievement, guiding England to Italy 1990’s semi-finals, only to be knocked out on penalties by West Germany. In reaching Russia 2018, by defeating Slovenia at Wembley in their penultimate Group F match, they sealed their spot at their sixth consecutive World Cup - matching their previous record set between 1950 and 1970. The team The retirement of the experienced trio of Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and, more recently, Wayne Rooney has paved the way for an exciting crop of young players to emerge. The likes of Dele All, Alex...

DENMARK FIFA World Cup™ finals history Denmark have made it to the finals on four occasions, though it took until 1986 for them to take their debut bow on the world stage. Their next trip, 12 years later, turned out to be their most successful, battling to the quarter-finals only to lose 3-2 against eventual finalists Brazil. The Danes narrowly missed out on the European qualifying play-offs last time out, where a 90th-minute Italy equaliser effectively denied them a best-runners-up spot. A 5-1 defeat of Republic of Ireland in their European play-off secured their place in Russia, having finished as runners-up behind Poland in Group E. The team Built around the creative talents of playmaker Christian Eriksen, the Danish side features a blend of veterans and youngsters being integrated into the side. Michael Krohn-Dehli, one of the surprise packages of South Africa 2010, features in midfield with the likes of Simon Kjaer behind him and Nicklas Bendtner in front. The na...

CROATIA F IFA World Cup™ finals history  Croatia reached the semi-finals at their maiden FIFA World Cup in 1998, recording victories over Romania and Germany, among others, en route to the last four, where they were defeated 2-1 by hosts and eventual champions France. They even managed to beat the Netherlands to the bronze medal, winning 2-1 in the Play-off for Third Place. However, Croatia have not been able to repeat such feats at subsequent tournaments, and failed to progress beyond the group stage at Korea/Japan 2002, Germany 2006 and Brazil 2014, while they did not even qualify for South Africa 2010. A 4-1 win over Greece in their European play-off ensured they didn't miss out this time, a route they needed to take four years ago in which they beat the side they finished behind in Group I this time around - Iceland. The team Croatia may not have enjoyed much success recently, but they are still capable of competing with the world’s biggest teams. The side has no shorta...

BELGIUM FIFA World Cup™ finals history Belgium were ever-present at football's top table between 1982 and 2002, but this was followed by a 12-year spell in the wilderness. They marked their return to the elite at the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil by advancing to the quarter-finals, where their run was halted by eventual runners-up Argentina. This was the Belgians' second most successful campaign, having made it to the semi-finals at Mexico 1986, and they have progressed beyond the first round on five occasions in total. A founding member of FIFA, they featured in the tournament's first three editions. They became the second European side, after hosts Russia, to secure their place at the 2018 edition, after defeating Greece 2-1 in September to take an unassailable lead atop European qualifying Group H. The team With individual talents such as Thibaut Courtois, Vincent Kompany, Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne and Christian Benteke, the days of Belgium relying largely on...

PANAMA Qu alification history Active in qualifying since the road to the 1978 FIFA World Cup Argentina™, Panama have never featured at the showpiece event. However, they have twice reached the fourth and final round of CONCACAF qualification, a six-team group stage known as the Hexagonal. While they were never close to getting to Germany 2006 as they finished bottom of the pile, only an extraordinary home defeat by USA in their last fixture ahead of Brazil 2014 denied them a place in the intercontinental play-off. Panama qualified for their first World Cup with a dramatic 2-1 win over Costa Rica on the final matchday of CONCACAF qualifying for Russia 2018. The team Panama possess an experienced squad whose near miss last time out should fill them with the belief that they are capable of booking a berth at Russia 2018. With over 70 international goals between them, Blas Perez and Luis Tejada spearhead a pacy side that have what it takes to trouble the regi...

MEXICO FIFA World Cup™ history Mexico are FIFA World Cup finals regulars. They took part in the inaugural edition in Uruguay in 1930 and have featured at the tournament a further 14 times since. Their best performances came as hosts in 1970 and 1986, when they reached the quarter-finals. After missing Italia 1990, they have appeared at the last six editions of the showpiece, but their run was halted in the Round of 16 on each occasion. The team With the same coach and core group of players that impressed at Brazil 2014, where they were minutes away from beating the Netherlands to progress to the quarter-finals, Mexico were heavily fancied to book a ticket to Russia 2018. However, one of their challenges en route was to add younger players to the set-up and integrate them into the side's dynamic, attacking style of play, which is based on quick, short passing. As part of this transition, veteran Rafael Marquez handed the mantle over to Javier Hernandez and Andres Guard...

COSTA RICA FIFA World Cup™ finals history Costa Rica have become familiar faces at the World Cup in recent times. Since making their debut at Italy 1990, where they surprised everyone by reaching the last 16,  Los Ticos have graced three more World Cups. Their best ever performance came in the last of them, at Brazil 2014, where they underlined their new-found status as CONCACAF heavyweights by reaching the quarter-finals and taking the mighty Netherlands to a penalty shoot-out. They won their way to Russia 2018 with a match to spare after earning a last-gasp 1-1 draw at home against Honduras.  The team Following their exploits in Brazil 2014, the Costa Ricans are clear favourites to win a place at Russia 2018. Skippered by Bryan Ruiz, a creative midfielder who has spent several seasons in European football,  Los   Ticos  are a tactically astute side that plays a high-tempo game and has the ability to switch systems in response to match situations. ...

PERU FIFA World Cup™ history Peru participated at three FIFA World Cups between Mexico 1970 and Spain 1982, but have since been unable to match the heights of those golden years, leaving their fans disappointed after failing to qualify for subsequent finals. Their only other tournament appearance came at Uruguay 1930, but their best achievements were a sensational run to the quarter-finals in 1970 and reaching the Second Round at Argentina 1978. Peru ended their 36-year drought by finishing fifth in South American qualifying and subsequently defeating New Zealand 2-0 on aggregate in the intercontinental play-off. The team Peru are currently going through a phase of re-building after winning the bronze medal at the 2011 Copa America in Argentina but failing to qualify for Brazil 2014. The squad has a mixture of youth and experience, with evergreen veterans such as Claudio Pizarro, Paolo Guerrero, Jefferson Farfan and Juan Vargas complementing the younger generation, including...

URUGUAY FIFA World Cup™ finals history Uruguay have a proud history at FIFA's flagship event. Victorious at the inaugural World Cup in 1930, a tournament they hosted,  La Celeste  collected their second world title 20 years later in Brazil, a triumph sealed by  El Maracanazo , their momentous defeat of the hosts in the final game of the competition. They remained in the elite until Mexico 1970, since when they have missed out on qualification on four occasions (Argentina 1978, Spain 1982, USA 1994 and France 1998). Present at 12 world finals in all, Uruguay enjoyed a long-awaited return to prominence at South Africa 2010, where they took fourth place. Uruguay finished second in the CONMEBOL standings for Russia 2018 qualifying after reaching the finals on the final matchday with a 4-2 win over Bolivia.  The team La   Celeste  are going through something of a transitional phase, as the veterans of the South Africa 2010 and Brazil 2014 campaigns begin...

COLOMBIA FIFA World Cup™ finals history Colombia’s maiden FIFA World Cup™ appearance was at Chile 1962, but it was not until the 1990s that they truly made their mark on the international stage. A golden generation spearheaded by Carlos Valderrama qualified for three consecutive finals: Italy 1990, USA 1994 and France 1998, although they only progressed beyond the group stage at the former. It was another 16 years before Colombia graced the tournament again, going further than ever before by reaching the quarter-finals at Brazil 2014. Colombia finished fourth in the CONMEBOL standings for Russia 2018 qualifying after reaching the tournament on the final matchday with a 1-1 draw in Peru. The team James Rodriguez is the figurehead of a side filled with young, talented players who ply their trade in some of the world’s biggest leagues. Under the guidance of coach Jose Pekerman, Colombia have become a compact and balanced outfit that attack as a team but are also solid at t...

Argentina wlcome to argentina profile. this profile is  argentina  all news update. like as gol,player,wining everything . FIFA World Cup™ finals history Argentina have participated at 16 FIFA World Cups so far, putting them third on the competition’s all-time appearance list.  La   Albiceleste  have featured at every tournament since Mexico 1970 and graced the inaugural edition at Uruguay 1930, where they finished as runners-up. That was the first of the five Finals Argentina have reached; they were crowned champions as hosts in 1978 and at Mexico 1986, and took the silver medal at Italy 1990 and Brazil 2014, as well as going as far as the Second Round at Spain 1982. Argentina finished third in the CONMEBOL standings for Russia 2018 qualifying, reaching the finals on the final matchday with a 3-1 win in Ecuador. The team After losing the Copa America Centenario final in 2016, a new era of rebuilding began for Argentina. Lionel M...

BRAZIL                                                                    BRAZIL wlcome to brazil profile. this profile is  brazil all newss update. like as gol,player,wining everything. FIFA World Cup™ finals history; Brazil have sparkled at FIFA World Cups over the years and aside from being the only nation to have participated at all 20 tournaments to date - with Russia 2018 representing their 21st appearance - they are also the only country to have won the title five times, doing so at Sweden 1958, Chile 1962, Mexico 1970, USA 1994 and Korea/Japan 2002. Their reputation is further underlined by finishing as runners-up on two occasions (in 1950 and 1998), winning bronze twice (in 1938 and 1978) and their two fourth-placed finishes (in 1974 and 2014). The legendary Pele heads a long list of Brazilian pl...