A midfield workhorse, a set piece specialist and a rising star. FFTA takes a closer look at some of the players that the Socceroos will come up against in Russia.
FRANCE
FIFA Ranking: 9th
How They Qualified
Les Blues won seven of their 10 qualifying matches to book their place in Russia, despite being drawn in a difficult group which included the Netherlands and Sweden. A goalless draw at home to Luxembourg in October was a little embarrassing for the 1998 World Cup champions, however Didier Deschamps’ side were already a couple of points clear at that stage.
A 4-0 victory over the Dutch in August highlighted France’s devastating forward line, following goals from Antoine Griezmann, Kylian Mbappé and a brace from Monaco’s Thomas Lemar. Premier League stars Paul Pogba, Alexandre Lacazette and Anthony Martial should also be present in Russia. The Euro 2016 hosts have incredible strength in depth which will inevitably mean high expectations back home, however that has acted as a burden for them in previous tournaments.

Greatest World Cup Moment
Their 1998 triumph on home soil, which culminated with a 3-0 victory over Brazil in the final. Zinedine Zidane’s first-half double put the hosts in control before Emmanuel Petit added a third in stoppage time.
Key Player: N’Golo Kante
It’s no coincidence that the last two sides to win the Premier League title have both been built around the diminutive midfielder. Both Leicester City in 2016 and Chelsea a year later relied heavily on Kante’s phenomenal workrate and constant interceptions.With an abundance of attacking talent at his disposal, Deschamps will need someone to balance his star-studded side. Kante fits the bill perfectly.
DENMARK
FIFA Ranking: 12th
How They Qualified
After failing to qualify for the 2014 tournament in Brazil, the Danes made it to Russia via the play-offs, following a 5-1 aggregative victory over the Republic of Ireland. Led by their Norwegian coach Age Hareide, the Scandinavians finished second to Poland in Group E, despite beating their main rivals 4-0 in Copenhagen.
Ultimately, a home defeat to Montenegro in October as well as two draws against Romania cost De Rød-Hvide the top spot and an automatic qualification place. Even so, this was a campaign where Denmark’s talisman, Tottenham’s Christian Eriksen, stepped up to the mark with 11 goals across the campaign. Werder Bremen midfielder Thomas Delaney also played a key part, starting 10 of Denmark’s 12 qualifiers, while Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel provided a safe pair of hands between the sticks.

Greatest World Cup Moment
A run to the quarter-finals in 1998. It remains Denmark’s most successful World Cup to date, as their team - which included Michael Laudrup and Peter Schmeichel - were eventually defeated 3-2 by Brazil in the last eight.
Key Player: Christian Eriksen
The set piece specialist doubled his overall goal tally for the national team in an incredibly prolific qualifying campaign. His hat-trick against Ireland in Dublin secured Demark’s place at the finals and the 25-year-old will be keen to make a name for himself at his maiden World Cup in Russia.
PERU
FIFA Ranking: 12th
How They Qualified
La Blanquirroja were the dark horses in the South American qualifying group, as they reached their first World Cup since 1982. Peru finished above Chile and Paraguay before edging past New Zealand 2-0 on aggregate in a play-off.
Led by former Boca Juniors manager Ricardo Gareca, Peru scored an impressive 27 goals in 18 matches (only Brazil and Uruguay netted more). At times their free-flowing football came at a cost, though, as they conceded 26 times throughout the campaign. Even so, their disciplined performances against the All Whites showed us that Peru can keep things tight at the back when push comes to shove.

Greatest World Cup Moment
Qualifying for the knockout stages of the 1970 tournament in Mexico before losing 4-2 to Pele’s Brazil in the quarter-finals. Peru finished second in their group to West Germany, following victories over Bulgaria and Morocco.
Key Player: Edison Flores
The agile playmaker scored five times in qualifying, including a winner against Uruguay and the opening goals in crucial games against Bolivia and Ecuador. The 23-year-old, who is currently plying his trade at Danish club Aalborg BK, can operate on either flank or behind the striker. At 5 ft 7, Flores’ agility and creativity will be key for Peru.
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