Russia 2018: Group C guide as France battle Australia, Peru, Denmark
GROUP C FRANCE FIFA RANKING: 7 WORLD CUP HISTORY 14/17 FINALS / QUALIFYING CAMPAIGNS FIRST FWC: 1930 LAST FWC: 2014 BEST ACHIEVEMENT: Champion 1998 FIRST STAGE 14 APPEARANCES SEMIFINALS 5 APPEARANCES FINAL 2 APPEARANCES TITLES 1 CHAMPIONSHIPS THE COACH DIDIER DESCHAMPS A FIFA World Cup winner as a player, having captained France to glory […]
GROUP C
FRANCE
FIFA RANKING: 7
WORLD CUP HISTORY
14/17 FINALS / QUALIFYING CAMPAIGNS
FIRST FWC: 1930 LAST FWC: 2014
BEST ACHIEVEMENT: Champion 1998
FIRST STAGE
14 APPEARANCES
SEMIFINALS
5 APPEARANCES
FINAL
2 APPEARANCES
TITLES
1 CHAMPIONSHIPS
THE COACH
DIDIER DESCHAMPS
A FIFA World Cup winner as a player, having captained France to glory in 1998, Deschamps has coached Les Bleus since 2012. The former Monaco, Juventus and Marseille boss guided his team to top spot in Group A, where they finished ahead of Sweden and the Netherlands.
THE GOAL
SWE – FRA (2-1) 9 JUN 2017
While it may have ultimately been in vain, Olivier Giroud’s volley against Sweden was a thing of beauty: a swirling, fierce strike that no goalkeeper in the world could have stopped.
THE STAR
ANTOINE GRIEZMANN
The France forward will be out to make his mark on another major competition, having been top scorer and player of the tournament at UEFA EURO 2016. Griezmann provided four goals and four assists for Les Bleus in the Russia 2018 qualifiers.
AUSTRALIA
FIFA RANKING: 36
WORLD CUP HISTORY
4/14 FINALS / QUALIFYING CAMPAIGNS
FIRST FWC: 1974 LAST FWC: 2014
BEST ACHIEVEMENT: Round of 16 2006
FIRST STAGE
4 APPEARANCES
SEMIFINALS
0 APPEARANCES
FINAL
0 APPEARANCES
TITLES
0 CHAMPIONSHIPS
THE COACH
BERT VAN MARWIJK
Bert van Marwijk was appointed Australia coach in January, having assumed the reins from Ange Postecoglou who resigned after the Socceroos qualified in November 2017. The 65-year-old Van Marwijk has significant experience, most notably leading his native Netherlands to the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final. He also helped Saudi Arabia reach Russia 2018 ending their 12-year World Cup drought.
THE GOAL
AUS – SYR (2-1) 10 OCT 2017
A textbook Tim Cahill header sent Australia past Syria in the Asian play-off, with the Socceroos’ Mr Reliable rising highest in the depths of extra-time to keep their Russian dreams alive.
THE STAR
TIM CAHILL
The evergreen Australian forward is seemingly getting better with age, having netted 11 goals on the road to Russia, including several trademark headers.
Scorer of one of the most spectacular goals of Brazil 2014, Cahill could become one of the few players to score at four World Cups.
PERU
FIFA RANKING: 11
WORLD CUP HISTORY
4/17 FINALS / QUALIFYING CAMPAIGNS
FIRST FWC: 1930 LAST FWC: 1982
BEST ACHIEVEMENT: Quarter-finals 1970, 1978
FIRST STAGE
4 APPEARANCES
SEMIFINALS
0 APPEARANCES
FINAL
0 APPEARANCES
TITLES
0 CHAMPIONSHIPS
THE COACH
RICARDO GARECA
A former Argentina international, Gareca was appointed Peru coach in 2015 after stints with various clubs throughout South America. Nicknamed El Tigre, he has made history by leading La Blanquirroja to their first FIFA World Cup in 36 years.
THE GOAL
ECU – PER (1-2) 5 SEP 2017
At the business end of South American qualifying, Edison Flores held his nerve to steer Peru towards a vital three points in Quito courtesy of his fierce long-range effort.
THE STAR
JEFFERSON FARFAN
Although he is now 33, Farfan proved himself to be as important as ever to the Peruvian cause during Russia 2018 qualifying.
The experienced forward contributed vital goals, most notably in the win over Paraguay and the play-off victory over New Zealand and is now looking forward to his first World Cup.
DENMARK
FIFA RANKING: 12
WORLD CUP HISTORY
4/15 FINALS / QUALIFYING CAMPAIGNS
FIRST FWC: 1986 LAST FWC: 2010
BEST ACHIEVEMENT: Quarter-finals 1998
FIRST STAGE
4 APPEARANCES
SEMIFINALS
0 APPEARANCES
FINAL
0 APPEARANCES
TITLES
0 CHAMPIONSHIPS
THE COACH
AGE HAREIDE
Hareide succeeded Denmark’s longest-serving coach in Morten Olsen after the Scandinavian country’s failure to qualify for UEFA EURO 2016.
A former Norway international defender and coach, his decades of top-level experience helped the Danes reach Russia 2018 via a qualification play-off victory over Republic of Ireland.
THE GOAL
IRL – DEN (1-5) 14 NOV 2017
As his devastating hat-trick guided Denmark past European play-off opponents Republic of Ireland, Christian Eriksen’s first was the pick of the bunch, arrowing an unstoppable strike off the underside
of the bar.
THE STAR
CHRISTIAN ERIKSEN
Denmark’s play-off hero was in inspired form throughout his team’s qualifying campaign.
Only Robert Lewandowski and Cristiano Ronaldo could better the midfielder’s remarkable goal haul of 11 in Europe’s Russia 2018 preliminaries.