England and Liverpool icon Michael Owen once aptly stated: “There's nothing quite like a World Cup.” Truer words were never said. The World Cup is the culmination and the beginning of cycles that every football fan and many the world over come to experience. Joy, hardship, devastation, amazement, the World Cup is the pinnacle showcase of such emotions and for one month the world stops to bask in the action.

Group A will see hosts Russia come up against three diverse opponents, both in terms of quality and World Cup experience. Russia themselves have been perennially underwhelming ever since the dissolution of the USSR, with much of the questions against their typically reliable defence coming to fruition following recent friendly results.

goalkeeper Igor Akinfeyev gives an autograph before a training session in Novogorsk

Russia will face off against a Uruguay side pushing to put themselves in good stead for the knockout stages and an unknown quantity in a tenacious Saudi Arabian side. Additionally Egypt, a team where an entire nation of over 95 million people are investing their heart and soul in their talisman Mohamed Salah, may not even see their star man lead them at the tournament depending on the severity of his Champions League injury. Here’s hoping he recovers in time.

1. Definitive Underdogs

The opening game of the tournament presents an unwanted record; this will be the first opening match in history contested by the two worst ranked teams of the tournament as Russia (65th) and Saudi Arabia (67th) are set to go head-to-head to kick off the action. Russia, as the host nation, did not experience the rigors of qualifying, hence their current placing may not be the fairest reflection of their squad’s quality.

2. The Green Falcons soar

USA 1994, Saudi Arabia enter the tournament facing a tough group including Belgium, Morocco and the Netherlands. They came out flying, impressing all who witnessed their exploits, eventually reaching the Round of 16. Not only did they perform exceptionally, but they scored one of the greatest World Cup goals in history, as winger Saaed Al-Owairian dribbled effortlessly through the Belgian defense to score the game’s solitary goal.

3. Age is just a number

Every four years the World Cup showcases some of the best and brightest young talents available. Yet, this year’s edition will provide the opportunity for Egyptian Goalkeeper and Captain, Essam El-Hadary, to become the oldest participant at a World Cup at 45 years old. By doing so, El-Hadary will overtake the current record set four years ago by Faryd Mondragon of Colombia in Brazil.

Oscar Tabarez trainer coach from Uruguay

4. Commitment to the cause

Oscar Tabarez has been in charge of the Uruguayan national team since 2006 and is therefore the longest reigning manager of any of the managers at the 2018 World Cup. Tabarez immediately underlined his intentions following his arrival with not only the national squad, but the youth teams, introducing a document known as “El Proseco” that has acted as a guideline for Uruguayan football since taking on the role.

5. Homegrown Talent

Russia and Saudi Arabia’s 28-man preliminary squads present a surprising amount of players picked from their domestic competitions. Both squads contain an equal amount of players (3 each) plying their trade outside of the national top flight. The only other side to best them in players chosen from a country’s domestic league is England, where all 23 of the squad play in the Premier League.

6. Home advantage?

In twenty World Cups, six hosts have been able to claim the much sought after titular trophy. Russia (since the separation of the Soviet Union) have never moved past the group stages in all their appearances.

7. The Originators

It may surprise many to know that the inaugural edition of the biggest event on the planet was held in Uruguay, a tournament only contested by a meagre 13 teams, of which the hosts came to be eventual winners! They followed up this triumph with another World Cup success in 1950.

8. Unfamiliar territory

Interestingly, none of Group A’s participating teams have ever faced each other at a World Cup before. Although, Uruguay faced the Soviet Union in the 1962 and 1970 iterations of the tournament.

Egyptian fans cheer for their national team

9. Domestic dominance, World Cup minnows

Group A’s African representatives Egypt hold seven African Cup of Nations titles, dominating especially between 2006 and 2010 where they won three iterations of the tournament. Despite their clear success on their own continent, Egypt have failed to ever win a match at the World Cup and have not appeared at the competition since 1990.

10. Five Star service

Russia hold the World Cup record of the most goals scored by an individual in a match. The honor was earned by Oleg Salenko, who smashed in five goals against Cameroon at the 1994 World Cup in the USA. Salenko finished the tournament with six goals in total, having his ally equaled by Bulgarian legend Hristo Stoichkov. On top of that, Russia earned the gong of being the only team with a Golden Boot winner to be eliminated in the group stages.