With England and Belgium in Group G it means some of the biggest football stars on the planet will be showing off their considerable talents. Here are five players you should keep your eye out for starting June 19.
Kevin de Bruyne
An in-form Kevin de Bruyne will be a massive factor if Belgium is to live up to the high expectations they face heading into Russia.
The Manchester City playmaker is blessed with exceptional talent and was a key player for Pep Guardiola during the Citizens record breaking title winning success in the English Premier League.
The classy midfielder has a phenomenal record when it comes to providing goals for his City teammates with 44 assists in 101 games. This season the 26-year-old topped the league with 16 assists and won the inaugural EPL playmaker award.
De Bruyne can also find the net if need be with his eight goals during the 2017-18 campaign coming against league rivals Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur. Belgium fans will be hoping he can repeat the feat in big matches at the 2018 World Cup.
Harry Kane
Even if England aren’t firing, the team can always rely on ‘Big Daddy Kane’ - as he is affectionally known to Spurs fans - to find the back of the net.
England’s captain doesnt just do the business for Spurs. While playing for the Three Lions he has scored 13 goals in 24 games and fans of Old Blighty will be hoping he can deliver at his first World Cup.
But it's Kane’s scoring record over the past three seasons with Spurs that is the most impressive and it has resulted in many asking if the 24-year-old is the best striker in the world. With 108 goals in 153 appearances for Tottenham, his scoring stats in the EPL certainly put him in the frame.
Kane’s 30 league goals saw him finish second in the scoring charts, just two behind Liverpool’s Mo Salah, to narrowly miss out on a hattrick of golden boots after winning it the previous two seasons.
Eden Hazard
Eden Hazard’s speed, trickery and dazzling skills will be a major attacking weapon for Belgium and the 2018 World Cup favourites will be relying on the winger’s wizardry heading into Russia.
Now 27, the winger is one of the Red Devils most experienced players at international level with 82 caps. He was also part of Belgium’s run to the quarter finals at the 2014 Brazil World Cup.
Hazard is a two-time EPL winner with Chelsea and it wasn’t that long ago he won the 2014/15 player of the season award. Capable of producing a world class performance when playing at his peak, he heads to Russia in form after netting 12 goals during the 2017-18 campaign.
Raheem Sterling
The much-maligned Raheem Sterling heads to Russia with the obligatory off field drama that comes with each English team at almost every World Cup.
The Manchester City forward was criticized by sections of the press for a tattoo of a gun on his leg and there were calls for him to be dropped. But English coach Gareth Southgate has stuck by his man, who after scoring 18 goals and producing 11 assists for City this season is probably a wise choice.
Sterling will be England’s number 10 at Russia and if the 23-year-old shoots and scores goals for Old Blighty everything will be forgiven.
Dele Alli
Harry Kane and Raheem Sterling have the weight of a nation on their shoulders in terms of goals, but how Dele Alli combines with the duo will be key to England’s chances at the World Cup.
The Spurs central midfielder will probably play in a deeper role for England at Russia compared to where he plays for Tottenham which last term yielded 10 assists and nine goals.
After making his debut for England three years ago, the tall and elegant midfielder has 24 caps for his country. If he can produce just some of the magic Tottenham fans have witnessed in the past three seasons, England fans could be excused for dreaming of World Cup glory.
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