Steve Foster
Well-known member
BELGIUM (seeded)
How do they play?
Style & formation: Belgium's powerful side try to dominate possession and their opposition, pinning them deep inside their own half. Full-backs offer width; wide players stretch play further while a staggered central midfield trio allow for intricate passing
Manchester United's Marouane Fellaini and Manchester City's Vincent Kompany are two of 12 (CHECK) Premier League players in the Belgium squad
A feature of their usual 4-2-3-1 system is the frequent positional interchanging between the three attacking midfielders.
Strengths: Their, er, strength for one thing; Belgium are a physically imposing side and seldom outmuscled.
They also have an abundance of versatile attacking players and, crucially, a tight-knit team spirit instilled by coach Marc Wilmots.
Weaknesses: Despite all their possession, Belgium can have trouble breaking the opposition down. Wilmots' men play a high line trying to squeeze the pitch leaving them susceptible to the counter-attack. While the wide players like to drift infield and do not routinely help out with defensive duties - which can leave the full-backs exposed.
Key player
Chelsea's Eden Hazard, 23 is vital to Belgium's hopes. Given licence to roam, Hazard plays across the final attacking third trying to open up the opposition with his intricate play. His clever runs can leave space for the likes of De Bruyne, Mirallas and Mertens
One to watch
The unsung hero of this talented Belgian side is defensive midfielder Axel Witsel . The 25-year-old was an ever-present in qualifying and led the team in passes made. His shielding work gives the rest of the team faith to attack.
The boss
A celebrated player, and then a less successful politician, Marc Wilmots became national coach in June 2012 after three years as an assistant. His managerial CV was restricted to undistinguished spells at Schalke and Belgian side St Truiden, but he did guide Belgium from 54th to a best-ever fifth in the Fifa rankings.
How they qualified
In emphatic fashion, registering a national record seven successive qualifying wins during an unbeaten campaign.
World Cup record
Belgium qualified for six straight World Cups from 1982 to 2002, reaching the knockout phase five times and coming fourth in 1986.
Fifa ranking: 11
Squad
Possible starting XI
Goalkeepers: Thibaut Courtois (Atletico Madrid, on loan from Chelsea), Simon Mignolet (Liverpool), Sammy Bossut (Zulte Waregem).
Defenders: Toby Alderweireld (Atletico Madrid), Laurent Ciman (Standard Liege), Nicolas Lombaerts (Zenit St Petersburg), Vincent Kompany (Manchester City), Daniel Van Buyten (Bayern Munich), Anthony Vanden Borre (Anderlecht), Thomas Vermaelen (Arsenal), Jan Vertonghen (Tottenham).
Midfielders: Nacer Chadli, Mousa Dembele (both Tottenham), Steven Defour (Porto), Kevin De Bruyne (Wolfsburg), Marouane Fellaini, Adnan Januzaj (both Manchester United), Eden Hazard (Chelsea), Kevin Mirallas (Everton), Divock Origi (Lille), Axel Witsel (Zenit St Petersburg).
Forwards: Romelu Lukaku (Everton, on loan from Chelsea), Dries Mertens (Napoli).
Standby: Sebastien Pocognoli (Hannover), Radia Nainggolan (Roma), Thorgan Hazard (Zulte Waregem, on loan from Chelsea), Guillaume Gillet (Anderlecht), Michy Batshuayi, Jelle Van Damme (both Standard Liege).
ALGERIA
Prospects
Write off Algeria at your peril. No longer World Cup whipping boys, the Desert Foxes are boosted by a stronger professional league, improving standards at grassroots level and an influx of emigre players, those with Algerian parents or ancestry.
Zinedine Zidane, Karim Benzema and Samir Nasri have all previously slipped through Algeria's net. The Greens will be hoping they have turned off that particular tap that has been flowing in France's direction for many a year, and with it enhanced their own standing in world football.
World Cup stars of yesteryear Diego Maradona and Rivaldo, as well as Javier Zanetti, have been queuing up to sing the virtues of the Greens' class of 2014 - the only Arab nation present in Brazil. Maradona predicts Algeria "will cause a surprise", while Rivaldo says "the possibilities of reaching the second round are abundant".
Key player
France-born Sofiane Feghouli, 24, is an attacking midfielder or winger for Valencia who was described by Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger a year ago as "exceptional" and "a physical beast". He was named in a preliminary French senior squad for a friendly with Uruguay in 2008, aged 18.
One to watch
Retiring skipper Madjid Bougherra, formerly of Rangers, brings his decade-long international career to an end after the World Cup. He pre-dates any of his team-mates in Brazil by over two years, providing dogged defensive determination to Algeria's backline, as England found out in their goalless draw at the World Cup four years ago.
The boss
Bosnian Vahid Halilhodzic, 61, took charge in July 2011 and the disciplinarian has cast aside several established players in favour of a new generation, many of whom represented France at youth level. Brazil will be his World Cup bow as a coach, having been sacked by Ivory Coast three months before the 2010 finals.
How they qualified
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World Cup 2014 team profile: Algeria
Algeria were the last African qualifiers, beating Cup of Nations finalists Burkina Faso 1-0 in the second leg of their play-off to advance on away goals after a 3-2 first-leg defeat. They won all but one game in the previous group stage.
World Cup record
In 1982, Algeria became the first African nation to win two matches in the same finals, but they failed to qualify from the group on goal difference after Germany and Austria contrived a result that allowed them both to progress.
Algeria have not won a game in their subsequent two finals (1986 and 2010).
Fifa ranking: 22
Squad
Goalkeepers: Rais Mbolhi (CSKA Sofia), Cedric Si Mohamed (CS Constantine), Mohamed Lamine Zemmamouche (USM Alger).
Defenders: Essaid Belkalem (Watford, on loan from Granada), Madjid Bougherra (Lekhwya Club), Liassine Cadamuro (Mallorca), Faouzi Ghoualm (Napoli), Rafik Halliche (Academica Coimbra), Aissa Mandi (Stade Reims), Carl Medjani (Valenciennes), Djamel Mesbah (Livorno), Mehdi Mostefa (AC Ajaccio).
Midfielders: Nabil Bentaleb (Tottenham), Yasine Brahimi (Granada), Medhi Lacen (Getafe), Saphir Taider (Inter Milan), Hassan Yebda (Udinese).
Forwards: Abdelmoumene Djabou (Club Africain), Sofiane Feghouli (Valencia), Nabil Ghilas (Porto), Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City), Islam Slimani (Sporting Lisbon, Portugal), Hilal Soudani (Dinamo Zagreb)
How do they play?
Style & formation: Belgium's powerful side try to dominate possession and their opposition, pinning them deep inside their own half. Full-backs offer width; wide players stretch play further while a staggered central midfield trio allow for intricate passing
Manchester United's Marouane Fellaini and Manchester City's Vincent Kompany are two of 12 (CHECK) Premier League players in the Belgium squad
A feature of their usual 4-2-3-1 system is the frequent positional interchanging between the three attacking midfielders.
Strengths: Their, er, strength for one thing; Belgium are a physically imposing side and seldom outmuscled.
They also have an abundance of versatile attacking players and, crucially, a tight-knit team spirit instilled by coach Marc Wilmots.
Weaknesses: Despite all their possession, Belgium can have trouble breaking the opposition down. Wilmots' men play a high line trying to squeeze the pitch leaving them susceptible to the counter-attack. While the wide players like to drift infield and do not routinely help out with defensive duties - which can leave the full-backs exposed.
Key player
Chelsea's Eden Hazard, 23 is vital to Belgium's hopes. Given licence to roam, Hazard plays across the final attacking third trying to open up the opposition with his intricate play. His clever runs can leave space for the likes of De Bruyne, Mirallas and Mertens
One to watch
The unsung hero of this talented Belgian side is defensive midfielder Axel Witsel . The 25-year-old was an ever-present in qualifying and led the team in passes made. His shielding work gives the rest of the team faith to attack.
The boss
A celebrated player, and then a less successful politician, Marc Wilmots became national coach in June 2012 after three years as an assistant. His managerial CV was restricted to undistinguished spells at Schalke and Belgian side St Truiden, but he did guide Belgium from 54th to a best-ever fifth in the Fifa rankings.
How they qualified
In emphatic fashion, registering a national record seven successive qualifying wins during an unbeaten campaign.
World Cup record
Belgium qualified for six straight World Cups from 1982 to 2002, reaching the knockout phase five times and coming fourth in 1986.
Fifa ranking: 11
Squad
Possible starting XI
Goalkeepers: Thibaut Courtois (Atletico Madrid, on loan from Chelsea), Simon Mignolet (Liverpool), Sammy Bossut (Zulte Waregem).
Defenders: Toby Alderweireld (Atletico Madrid), Laurent Ciman (Standard Liege), Nicolas Lombaerts (Zenit St Petersburg), Vincent Kompany (Manchester City), Daniel Van Buyten (Bayern Munich), Anthony Vanden Borre (Anderlecht), Thomas Vermaelen (Arsenal), Jan Vertonghen (Tottenham).
Midfielders: Nacer Chadli, Mousa Dembele (both Tottenham), Steven Defour (Porto), Kevin De Bruyne (Wolfsburg), Marouane Fellaini, Adnan Januzaj (both Manchester United), Eden Hazard (Chelsea), Kevin Mirallas (Everton), Divock Origi (Lille), Axel Witsel (Zenit St Petersburg).
Forwards: Romelu Lukaku (Everton, on loan from Chelsea), Dries Mertens (Napoli).
Standby: Sebastien Pocognoli (Hannover), Radia Nainggolan (Roma), Thorgan Hazard (Zulte Waregem, on loan from Chelsea), Guillaume Gillet (Anderlecht), Michy Batshuayi, Jelle Van Damme (both Standard Liege).
ALGERIA
Prospects
Write off Algeria at your peril. No longer World Cup whipping boys, the Desert Foxes are boosted by a stronger professional league, improving standards at grassroots level and an influx of emigre players, those with Algerian parents or ancestry.
Zinedine Zidane, Karim Benzema and Samir Nasri have all previously slipped through Algeria's net. The Greens will be hoping they have turned off that particular tap that has been flowing in France's direction for many a year, and with it enhanced their own standing in world football.
World Cup stars of yesteryear Diego Maradona and Rivaldo, as well as Javier Zanetti, have been queuing up to sing the virtues of the Greens' class of 2014 - the only Arab nation present in Brazil. Maradona predicts Algeria "will cause a surprise", while Rivaldo says "the possibilities of reaching the second round are abundant".
Key player
France-born Sofiane Feghouli, 24, is an attacking midfielder or winger for Valencia who was described by Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger a year ago as "exceptional" and "a physical beast". He was named in a preliminary French senior squad for a friendly with Uruguay in 2008, aged 18.
One to watch
Retiring skipper Madjid Bougherra, formerly of Rangers, brings his decade-long international career to an end after the World Cup. He pre-dates any of his team-mates in Brazil by over two years, providing dogged defensive determination to Algeria's backline, as England found out in their goalless draw at the World Cup four years ago.
The boss
Bosnian Vahid Halilhodzic, 61, took charge in July 2011 and the disciplinarian has cast aside several established players in favour of a new generation, many of whom represented France at youth level. Brazil will be his World Cup bow as a coach, having been sacked by Ivory Coast three months before the 2010 finals.
How they qualified
Play media
Jump media playerMedia player helpOut of media player. Press enter to return or tab to continue.
World Cup 2014 team profile: Algeria
Algeria were the last African qualifiers, beating Cup of Nations finalists Burkina Faso 1-0 in the second leg of their play-off to advance on away goals after a 3-2 first-leg defeat. They won all but one game in the previous group stage.
World Cup record
In 1982, Algeria became the first African nation to win two matches in the same finals, but they failed to qualify from the group on goal difference after Germany and Austria contrived a result that allowed them both to progress.
Algeria have not won a game in their subsequent two finals (1986 and 2010).
Fifa ranking: 22
Squad
Goalkeepers: Rais Mbolhi (CSKA Sofia), Cedric Si Mohamed (CS Constantine), Mohamed Lamine Zemmamouche (USM Alger).
Defenders: Essaid Belkalem (Watford, on loan from Granada), Madjid Bougherra (Lekhwya Club), Liassine Cadamuro (Mallorca), Faouzi Ghoualm (Napoli), Rafik Halliche (Academica Coimbra), Aissa Mandi (Stade Reims), Carl Medjani (Valenciennes), Djamel Mesbah (Livorno), Mehdi Mostefa (AC Ajaccio).
Midfielders: Nabil Bentaleb (Tottenham), Yasine Brahimi (Granada), Medhi Lacen (Getafe), Saphir Taider (Inter Milan), Hassan Yebda (Udinese).
Forwards: Abdelmoumene Djabou (Club Africain), Sofiane Feghouli (Valencia), Nabil Ghilas (Porto), Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City), Islam Slimani (Sporting Lisbon, Portugal), Hilal Soudani (Dinamo Zagreb)
