Group B preview: Spain, Portugal to battle for top spot
Spain, Portugal, Morocco and Iran will compete in Group B at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Here’s what to expect from each side.
Group B promises to be one of the most entertaining in the tournament. It pits two classic rivals against one another in what seems, on paper at least, a scrap to top the group. However, while Spain and Portugal are clear favorites to advance, Morocco and Iran, two strong defensive sides who cruised through their qualifying campaigns, have the potential to cause some upsets.
With the two teams who advance set to face one of the two teams who make it out of Group A (Russia, Egypt, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia), a deep run in the tournament seems plausible. Can Spain bounce back from their disappointment in Brazil? Will Portugal be able to maintain their Euro 2016 form? Or will one of Morocco or Iran shock the favorites? Here’s what to expect from Group B.
Spain
Spain are looking to retake their crown after a nightmare title defense in Brazil four years ago. La Roja were dumped out in the group stages, suffering a humiliating 5-1 defeat to the Netherlands before another defeat to Chile sealed their fate.
Since the Brazil debacle, Spain have witnessed plenty of change. Veterans such as Xavi, Xabi Alonso, David Villa and coach Vicente Del Bosque have departed the national team and have all been replaced with younger players eager to impress in Russia this summer.
New manager Julen Lopetegui has adapted the slow possession game that brought his predecessor so much success, preaching a much faster, more direct game that saw them dominate their qualifying group.
Key player: Diego Costa
Spain are brilliant with the ball and hard working without it, and look to have long since expelled the ghosts of Brazil. However, they have some weaknesses, perhaps the biggest of which is their lack of a clear goalscorer up front.
Lopetegui doesn’t lack talent in the striker department, bringing four of Europe’s most in-form forwards to Russia, but it remains to be seen who he’ll start up top. Diego Costa has been inconsistent for the national side, but he gives the team a physical dimension they lack.
Although Rodrigo and Iago Aspas are good, in-form options, one feels Spain would be a different beast if they can get Costa firing. Not only is a lethal finisher, but his ability to hold up the ball and link with Spain’s super-talented midfield could prove crucial in the later rounds.
Biggest question: Can they continue to put politics to one side?
The regional divides in Spain have rarely been more apparent than they have been over the past year, following the Catalan independence referendum held last October. The national team have been able to put aside club loyalties and political differences in the past, but it will still be interesting to see how any lingering tension might impact the squad.
Portugal
Fernando Santos deserves huge credit for leading Portugal to their first ever major international trophy at Euro 2016 two years ago. Since then, however, things have been anything but straightforward.
The team had to beat Switzerland in the last game of qualifying to avoid the playoffs, and their performances in friendlies since then, including a loss to the Netherlands and a draw with Tunisia, are reflective of an aging, slightly unbalanced squad.
While there’s no denying Portugal have regressed since Euro 2016, they’re still the same gritty, resilient side that won the competition. Another major trophy in Russia looks well beyond them, but they should prove stubborn opponents.
Key player: Cristiano Ronaldo
Though much of the squad is aging, Portugal are still in possession of one the game’s greatest players. Cristiano Ronaldo cemented his legacy at Real Madrid this season, securing a record fifth Champions League medal in May.
After Portugal’s Euro heroics, he’ll retire a national hero, but given his ambition, Ronaldo, who has scored only three goals in 13 appearances at World Cup finals, will feel he still has plenty to prove on the big stage.
Portugal will need Ronaldo to be at his very best if they’re to shock the world and win the tournament. It’s a big ask for the 33-year-old, but given his habit of scoring in the biggest moments, no one would put it past him.
Biggest question: How much does an aging squad have left?
Portugal’s win over France in the Euro 2016 final was an obvious high point for the current generation, but the core of the team has declined since then. The question is how much they have left in the tank, and whether it will be enough for another surprise run.
Santos’s men are faced with a tricky group, but they should have enough to get past Morocco and Iran. If the defense holds firm, as it did in France, they could prove a very difficult opponent in the knockout rounds.
Morocco
African qualifying produced a few surprises, with African Cup of Nations winners Cameroon the most notable side to miss out. Morocco, however, made it to Russia with little drama, topping their qualifying group, which included Ivory Coast, without losing a game.
The Atlas Lions haven’t qualified for a World Cup since 1998, but boast a strong squad, full of players from Europe’s top five leagues and with strong contingents from the Netherlands and Turkey.
Spain are heavy favorites to top the group, but Morocco, who will be hopeful of getting off to a strong start as they face group minnows Iran in their opening match, could fight with Portugal for second.
Key player: Medhi Benatia
Medhi Benatia is the star attraction in a defense that didn’t concede a single goal in the final round of African qualifying. Along with Real Madrid’s Achraf Hakimi, Benatia will need to be in top form if Morocco wish to advance from the group.
While the defense is the strong suit, Morocco flashed their attacking quality with big wins over Gabon and Mali in qualifying. Galatasaray’s Younes Belhanda and Malatyaspor’s Khalid Boutaib, who has seven goals in 15 caps for the national side, will lead the way going forward.
Biggest question: Will their lack of experience hurt them?
Herve Renard’s team have the talent to cause an upset this summer, especially with the questions about Portugal’s aging squad, but their lack of experience — if not in age then certainly at major tournaments — could prove their downfall.
Iran
Iran dominated their qualifying group, conceding only three goals while scoring 26, to advance to their fifth World Cup. This is the first time, however, they’ve qualified for back-to-back tournaments, testament to the talent in Carlos Queiroz’s squad.
They’re attempting to reach the knockout stages for the first time after a last-place finish in Brazil, where they scored only once in three matches against Argentina, Nigeria and Bosnia and Herzogovina. They’ve been drawn in an ever harder group this time around.
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Key player: Sardar Azmoun
Queiroz is a defensive manager first and foremost, and Iran will need to be difficult to break down against the likes of Spain and Portugal, but in 23-year-old striker Sardar Azmoun they have a potential breakout star.
He’s scored 23 goals in 32 appearances for the national side, seven of which came in the qualifiers on the way to Russia. Iran seriously lacked a killer forward in Brazil, scoring just a single goal. Azmoun, who plays his club soccer in Russia for Rubin Kazan, will be essential.
Biggest question: Can they overcome a history of under achievement?
Iran possess a wealth of talent many of their continental neighbors dream of, but they’ve only ever won a single game at the World Cup. Having established themselves as one of Asia’s best sides, that record needs to change.
They didn’t exactly get lucky with the draw, but with all the pressure on Spain and Portugal to advance, and Morocco adopting the dark horse tag, Queiroz’s side can play with the freedom of low expectations. A win against one of the big boys would throw Group B wide open.