The South American giants will be strong favourites to progress to the knockout stages, however Croatia, Nigeria and Iceland will provide strong competition in Russia.

Argentina

La Albiceleste still possess an impressive array of attacking talent which helped them reach the final in Brazil four years ago.

Even so, Messi, Sergio Aguero, Angel Di Maria and Gonzalo Higuain are all in their 30s and this tournament may represent their last chance of international glory.

Head Coach: Jorge Sampaoli

Drafted in at the 11th hour, Sampaoli, 58, salvaged a difficult qualifying campaign, which saw managers Gerardo Martino and Edgardo Bauza depart in the space of nine months.

Sampaoli is no stranger to international management, after winning the 2015 Copa America trophy with Chile, defeating Argentina on penalties in the final.

Key Player: Lionel Messi

The team are still heavily reliant on the Barcelona superstar, now 30, ahead of his fourth World Cup.

Argentina wouldn’t have made it to Russia if it wasn’t for Messi’s hat-trick against Ecuador in the final round of qualifying and, despite their wealth of attacking talent, La Albiceleste looked lost without their talisman.

How They Qualified:

A four-game winless run, including a chastening 3-0 defeat to bitter rivals Brazil, halfway through the qualifying campaign left Argentina on the back foot.

Then, a 2-0 defeat in Bolivia resulted in Bauza’s dismissal, as the South American giants fell out of the automatic qualification places with four games remaining.

The next three qualifiers (against Uruguay, Venezuela and Peru) all ended in draws, before Messi’s final-round heroics saved them.

FFT Prediction: Quarter-Finals

With Messi in the side anything is possible. However, it’s clear Argentina are not the best team at this year’s competition.

Croatia

This talented group of players have been tipped as dark horses at previous tournaments, however Croatia haven’t made it past the World Cup group stages since 1998.

Many fans have become detached from the national team, due to accusations of corruption within the Croatian Football Federation.

Even so, if the likes of Luka Modric, Ivan Rakitic, Mario Mandzukic and Ivan Perisic can find a way to gel, the Vatreni have the potential to go far in Russia.

Head Coach: Zlatko Dalic

The 51-year-old was thrown in at the deep end when he replaced Ante Cacic just three days before a crucial World Cup qualifier against Ukraine. Thankfully for Dalic, the Vatreni won 2-0 to secure a two-legged play-off with Greece.

Dalic has previously managed UAE’s Al Ain, who he led to the AFC Champions League final.

Key Player: Luka Modric

Real Madrid’s midfield lynchpin, 32, has been deployed in a more advanced role for the national side, as he offers a creative spark to unlock tight defences.

The question is: Can Croatia find a way to utilise the creative qualities of Modric and Barcelona’s Ivan Racktic? - especially when there is no recognised holding midfielder in the squad.

How They Qualified

Defeats in Iceland and Turkey cost Croatia automatic promotion in a closely-contested qualifying group.

Still, a victory away to Ukraine, in Dalic’s first game, earned the Vatreni a two-legged play-off with Greece, which they won 4-1 on aggregate.

FFT Prediction: Last 16 – If it all comes together, Croatia could be a serious threat in Russia. Even so, it’s difficult to see them beating France in the last 16 – if the Vatreni finish second in the group.

Nigeria

This may not be the strongest Nigerian side in World Cup history, which has seen the Super Eagles qualify for six of the last seven tournaments.

Even so, the African side possess an exciting crop of blossoming talent, including Arsenal’s Alex Iwobi and Leicester City’s Kelechi Iheanacho, who will line-up alongside the more experienced Victor Moses of Chelsea and captain John Obi Mikel.

Head Coach: Gernot Rohr

After managing Gabon, Niger and Burkina Faso, the 64-year-old will finally get the chance to manage at a World Cup.

His managerial highlight came 22 years ago, when Rohr led Bordeaux to the 1996 UEFA Cup final.

Key Player: John Obi Mikel

The Nigerian skipper isn’t the sort of player who will get bums off seats, however his experience and discipline in the midfield engine room will be key.

Now 32, and with 83 international caps behind him, Mikel will be expected to lead a young group of players with aspirations of reaching the knockout stages.

How They Qualified

You could make a strong case that Nigeria are Africa’s best representatives at this year’s tournament, after they strolled through a tough qualifying group which included Cameroon, Algeria and Zambia.

The Super Eagles lost just one of their six qualifying games (3-0 against Algeria) but they’d already won the group by that point.

FFT Prediction: Third in the group – The Super Eagles are bound to give the tournament a good go, but their defensive frailties will probably cost them in the end.

Iceland

Don’t be fooled by thinking the smallest nation to ever qualify for a World Cup are simply there to make up the numbers.

Iceland have shown that organisation, hard work and an unbreakable team spirit can go a long way. A Euro 2016 quarter-final was proof of that.

Head Coach: Heimir Hallgrimsson 

The infamous part-time dentist was Lars Lagerback’s assistant when Iceland stunned England at the European Championships two years ago.

Now Hallgrimsson is the main man in charge, and he’s kept Iceland’s momentum going by topping a competitive qualifying group.

Key Player: Gylfi Sigurdsson

Renowned as a set piece specialist and one of the Premier League’s top playmakers, Sigurdsson is often asked to play a slightly different role for his national side.

Despite a difficult debut season with Everton, the 28-year-old still provides the heartbeat for Iceland, when he is usually deployed as a central midfielder in a compact 4-4-2 formation.

How They Qualified

Iceland won seven out of 10 qualifiers to finish top of their group, ahead of Croatia and Ukraine.  

Against Finland in the second match of the campaign, the Scandinavians showed exactly why they should never be written off, when two stoppage-time goals gave them a pivotal 3-2 win in Reykjavik.

Another last-minute winner, from Bristol City defender Hordur Magnusson, saw Iceland snatch a vital 1-0 victory over Croatia, who they’ll face again in Russia.

FFT Prediction: Fourth in the group

This will probably be a step too far for Hallgrimsson’s men. Still, they’ve proved that they’re more than capable of causing an upset.