World Cup 2018: A look into the teams in Group F

Germany

Appearances: 18
Best finish: Champions: 1954, 1974, 1990, 2014
Manager: Joachim Loew
Star player: Toni Kroos

Despite coasting through qualification with 10 wins out of 10 and 43 goals scored, doubts have emerged over the reigning world champions’ credentials.

The holders have failed to win any of their matches since the qualifying rounds were completed. Draws against England, France and Spain were followed by a 1-0 defeat to Brazil, bringing the Germans’ impressive 22-game unbeaten run to an end.

Loew’s men were heavily fancied to retain their title, something that has not been done since Brazil in 1962, but recent results and injuries have left a big question mark over the side. The one benefit they have from these setbacks is they will not be in anyway complacent when the matches begin.

Joachim Loew has been in charge of the team since 2006 — it is something of a rarity for a coach to oversee matters for such a long time — and has the enviable advantage of knowing this squad inside out.

Loew is not afraid to promote youngsters and one of his toughest challenges could be whom he would leave out, rather than find the talent to take the field.

Germany reached the final of Euro 2008 under his stewardship, then went on to take third place at the 2010 World Cup and make it to the semi-finals at Euro 2012. Loew then guided his men to the 2014 World Cup title in style, including the famous 7-1 win over Brazil in the semis.

They only made the semis at Euro 2016 followed, but then claimed the Confederations Cup last year in Russia.

Loew is not afraid to promote youngsters and one of his toughest challenges could be whom he would leave out, rather than find the talent to take the field.

However, one of his biggest concerns is the absence on captain and No. 1 goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who faces a race against time to be fit. He has been out of action since suffering a hairline metatarsal fracture in his left foot last September. Marc-Andre ter Stegen had shown himself to be a competent understudy in Neuer’s absence.

Defender Jerome Boateng is another injury concern, with the Bayern man picking up a thigh knock against Real Madrid in the Champions League. His club teammates Niklas Suele and Joshua Kimmich should step in if Boateng does not make it.

Real Madrid’s Toni Kroos should be pulling the strings in midfield behind Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil, and the goal-getters Thomas Mueller, Marco Reus and Timo Werner. Mario Goetze is another option up front

Mexico

Appearances: 16
Best finish: Quarter-finals: 1970, 1986
Manager: Juan Carlos Osorio
Star player: Javier Hernandez

Mexico have fielded so many different line-ups in recent games it is fair to say even manager Juan Carlos Osorio does not know who will start in their opening game against Germany.

Amazingly, the coach has deployed a different line-up in every one of his 44 matches in charge, leading some players to query his tinkering ways. “It’s time to stop with the experiments,” goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa said. “We have to focus on how we play as a team.”

Mexico topped the Concacaf qualifying table with six wins from 10 games, but recent humiliations to Chile (7-0), Germany (4-1) and a 1-0 loss to Jamaica still rankle.

Some may find it surprising that Mexico have failed to progress past the round of 16 in the World Cup in the past six editions of the tournament and their best achievement is twice making it to the quarter-finals in 1970 and 1986 — both times when they were hosting the event.

Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez, now of West Ham United and formerly of Manchester United and Real Madrid, is the poster boy up front for Mexico, but Benfica’s Raul Jimenez is impressing this season, and Oribe Peralta is a third option.

Goalkeeper Ochoa is a veteran of the team with 92 caps in a 13-year international career, however, the 32-year-old Standard Liege stopper is facing stiff competition for the gloves from Jesus Corona and Alfredo Talavera, both of whom are, bizarrely, older than Ochoa.

At the back, Hector Moreno is as solid as they come and should be one of the first names on the teamsheet for Osorio. Who plays alongside him is up for debate, with Nestor Araujo and Carlos Salcedo struggling with injury. Young apprentices Oswaldo Alanis, Hugo Ayala and Edson Alvarez may have to make a big step up.

PSV’s Hirving Lozano leads a strong midfield cast, with Carlos Vela and Jesus Corona fighting it out for the nod on the right.

Andres Guardado and Hector Herrera should form the central partnership.

Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez, now of West Ham United and formerly of Manchester United and Real Madrid, is the poster boy up front for Mexico, but Benfica’s Raul Jimenez is impressing this season, and Oribe Peralta is a third option.

Giovani Dos Santos, Marco Fabian and Rodolfo Pizarro could also come into the reckoning behind the main strikers.

Sweden

Appearances: 12
Best finish: Runners-up: 1958
Manager: Janne Andersson
Star player: Marcus Berg

With headline-grabber and self-styled superstar Zlatan Ibrahimovic out of the reckoning, Sweden have plodded along quite happily under the radar since they stunned Italy in their qualification play-off to book their place in Russia.

Ibrahimovic, the former Juventus, Barcelona, Inter Milan, AC Milan, Paris St-Germain and Manchester United sensation is now plying his trade with Los Angeles in the MLS, having retired from the international game after scoring a record 62 goals in 116 games, leaving a huge void to be filled for manager Janne Andersson.

But the Swedes have become more of a cohesive side, using teamwork rather than flashes of individual brilliance to excel, as they showed in an efficient two-legged victory over Italy in which they did not concede a goal.

Andersson has been in the job for two years and achieved his first primary goal by securing a berth in Russia.

Captain Andreas Granqvist ran the show in the play-off against Italy, and he will be calling the shots alongside Manchester United’s Victor Lindelof.

Giant goalkeeper Robin Olsen should get the nod between the sticks, and the Swedes should have a solid back four in front of him.

Captain Andreas Granqvist ran the show in the play-off against Italy, and he will be calling the shots alongside Manchester United’s Victor Lindelof.

Celtic’s Mikael Lustig and Swansea City’s Martin Olsson should also get plenty of playing time.

RB Leipzig winger Emil Forsberg has been the team’s flair player in Ibrahimovic’s absence but has little big-tournament experience, having only broken into the national side three years ago at the age of 23. He will have Sebastian Larsson to keep him right, the Hull City midfielder has more than a decade of experience for Sweden and should earn his 100th cap in Russia.

The big question is where will the goals come from and Marcus Berg leads the forward line — the Al Ain star scored eight goals in qualifying. He is the top scorer in the Arabian Gulf League, and his side recently won the UAE league title for a record 13th time. Toulouse’s Ola Toivonen will give Berg able back-up, playing just off the big frontman.

South Korea

Appearances: 10
Best finish: Fourth place: 2002
Manager: Shin Tae-yong
Star player: Son Heung-min

South Korea were berated back home after a poor 2014 campaign saw them return from Brazil with a solitary point from three matches against Russia, Algeria and Belgium.

Unfortunately for them, things look even tougher this time around with champions Germany, Mexico and Sweden in their way.

Their presence at a ninth consecutive World Cup was in doubt during qualifying as a series of poor results, including defeats to China and Qatar, saw manager Uli Stielike replaced by Shin Tae-yong. There were not many signs of progress and they only qualified thanks to two goalless draws against Iran and Uzbekistan.

As if they were not under enough pressure, South Korea have only twice advanced from their group at a World Cup, something the demanding fans back home do not consider good enough. When they co-hosted the event with Japan in 2002 they reached the semi-finals, and in 2010 in South Africa they went out in the round of 16.

The recent warm-up games have seen a change in focus, with Shin looking to build his team around Tottenham Hotspur striker Son Heung-min. Son is by far the team’s biggest name and midfielders Kwon Chang-hoon and Lee Jae-sung will be the men tasked with providing him with the chances to score.

The recent warm-up games have seen a change in focus, with Shin looking to build his team around Spurs striker Son Heung-min. Midfielders Kwon Chang-hoon and Lee Jae-sung will be the men tasked with providing him with the chances to score.

While Son is a guaranteed starter up front, Kim Seung-gyu is the No. 1 in goals but some impressive showings by Cho Hyun-woo have thrust him into contention.

A regular cast of Lee Yongk, Kim Min-woo and Kim Jin-su and Jang Hyun-soo do not have much competition for spots at the back but they are often undone by a lack of height lapses in defensive lapses.

Ki Sung-yeung, the captain, will be overseeing matters from central midfield, and either Han Kook-young or Park Joo-ho should line up alongside the Swansea player, with Lee Chang-min another candidate for a starting spot.

The 25-year old Son has 20 goals in 63 games for South Korea, and many think that return should be better, especially given his prolific form for Spurs. The problem is where and how to play him. He has been deployed on the left, as part of a pairing and as a lone striker. If, as expected, he plays alongside another frontman, one of Lee Keun-ho, Kim Shin-wook and Hwang Hee-chan should be his strike partner.