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Contenders and pretenders: Ranking the 32 teams competing in the World Cup

Action Images / Jason Cairnduff Livepic

With the dust settled and only two weeks remaining until the World Cup draw, theScore rates the 32 nations who've qualified for the spectacle next summer.

32. Saudi Arabia

Making its fifth World Cup appearance, Saudi Arabia is just here for the ride. Former Argentina coach Edgardo Bauza can't expect much from this group, which narrowly edged Australia for a direct qualification spot. Its only notable win this year came at the expense of Japan, which had already booked a ticket to Russia by that point.

31. Panama

This is Panama's first World Cup, and it can be argued the Central American nation is only here because of a lucky "phantom" goal in the last round of CONCACAF qualifying. Its people certainly deserve this moment after several tantalising brushes with qualification, but without big-tournament experience, Los Canaleros would be lucky to take a point in the group stage.

30. Australia

Football is still fighting for relevance in Australia, and its national team is barely doing enough. It's some achievement to reach four consecutive World Cups, but the fact the Socceroos still rely heavily on a 37-year-old Tim Cahill is a concern.

29. Korea Republic

Exiting the tournament at the group stage in six of its past eight tournament appearances, Korea's likely to follow the same route in Russia. Apart from Heung-Min Son, it's a country starved of game-breaking talent.

28. Russia

Had Russia not qualified automatically as the host nation, it's a toss-up whether it would have made it to the dance altogether. Russia offered nothing at Euro 2016, finishing as the second-worst side at the tournament, and only managed to beat non-World Cup opposition in warmup exhibition matches this year. With the error-prone Igor Akinfeev in goal, Russia's prone to haemorrhaging goals.

27. Japan

The 2018 World Cup provides Japan's star players with a chance to make up for a disastrous showing in Brazil. Dropped for their country's recent batch of friendlies - both losses to Brazil and Belgium - Keisuke Honda, Shinji Okazaki, and Shinji Kagawa have to prove they're still the driving forces behind the Blue Samurai.

26. Costa Rica

Costa Rica produced one of the shocks of the 2014 World Cup, ousting Italy to reach the knockout stages. Another fairytale run is unlikely. Costa Ricans can rest assured Real Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navas will keep matches tidy, but goals on the other end of the pitch may be difficult to come by.

25. Iran

There's no doubt that Iran is the best team to emerge from the Asian Football Confederation. Under the leadership of manager Carlos Queiroz, Iran has lost just once over the past two years. Queiroz's defence-first football created a rock-solid foundation, with his team often eking out 1-0 victories.

24. Tunisia

The highest-ranked African nation at 28th, Tunisia is enjoying a renaissance. After missing the past two World Cups, The Eagles of Carthage went unbeaten throughout the 2018 qualifying campaign to book a ticket to Russia.

23. Serbia

Eight years after its last World Cup outing, Serbia secured a ticket to the showcase event with the help of new faces and old. Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, 22, and Nemanja Matic, 29, are the driving forces of a revamped midfield, while 30-somethings Aleksandar Kolarov and Branislav Ivanovic remain linchpins in defence.

22. Sweden

At this point, everyone knows how and why Sweden is at the World Cup. Snuffing out Italy with an efficient and robust back four, Janne Andersson's side showed that Sweden is capable without Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Don't expect enterprising football from the Swedes, though.

21. Switzerland

Switzerland is possibly one of the most overrated teams to make the World Cup. Although it recorded a flashy nine wins in qualifying, the Swiss looked woefully inept up front and unconvincing at the back versus Northern Ireland. With the profligate Haris Seferovic in the squad, finishing will always be a problem.

20. Peru

Qualifying probably meant more to Peruvians than any of the 31 other nations here. The country's government declared a national holiday after Peru dispatched New Zealand to end a three-decade wait for a World Cup spot. With Paolo Guerrero back, fleet-footed full-back Luis Advincula rampaging up the pitch, and Christian Cueva creating plays, Peru could be a surprise package.

19. Morocco

The only manager to win the African Cup of Nations with different countries, Herve Renard led Morocco to its first World Cup since 1998. Foreign-born players with Moroccan heritage, including Galatasaray's Younes Belhanda, Southampton's Sofiane Boufal, and Juventus' Mehdi Benatia, have also contributed to the country's renaissance.

18. Egypt

Anything is possible with Mohamed Salah. There's no doubt the Liverpool winger will go down in history as one of Egypt's best-ever players, and a solid World Cup showing will only cement his position. Runner-up at the last African Cup of Nations, the Pharaohs can also count on Arsenal's Mohamed Elneny in midfield and West Brom's Ahmed Hegazi in defence. This is a balanced squad.

17. Denmark

As long as Christian Eriksen is firing, Denmark has hope. The inventive Tottenham midfielder showed against the Republic of Ireland that he can win a match on his own. But Denmark isn't a one-man team. With Celta Vigo's Pione Sisto attacking from the left, Thomas Delaney holding the midfield, and up-and-comer Andreas Christensen marshalling the defence, the Danes could make the knockout stages.

16. Senegal

Senegal is one of the most underrated sides in the tournament, boasting internationals who play their club football across the top-five European leagues. There are stars in virtually every position: Napoli's Kalidou Koulibaly in defence, Everton's Idrissa Gueye in midfield, and Sadio Mane in attack. Not to mention Keita Balde and M'Baye Niang, who could complete a dynamic front three.

15. England

Expectations around England should be tempered. Gareth Southgate has put together a foundation for future success, with Harry Kane and Dele Alli central to the project. Although the Three Lions tend to bore audiences, they're nothing to scoff at. A pair of 0-0 draws with Germany and Brazil should inspire confidence that England's on to something.

14. Nigeria

By far the best team in Pot 4 of the World Cup draw, Nigeria is enjoying an upswing after missing the 2017 African Cup of Nations. The Super Eagles survived African qualifying's group of death to reach Russia, beating out Zambia, reigning AFCON champion Cameroon, and Algeria. Nigeria also has a trio of players in Kelechi Iheanacho, Alex Iwobi, and Henry Onyekuru with significant breakout potential.

13. Iceland

The smallest nation to ever qualify for a World Cup at 300,000 people, Iceland hasn't lost its charm. Its fantastic run to the Euro 2016 quarter-final was built on team spirit, and the goodwill will surely carry over to Russia. Iceland's strength is in its unity, not any star power. Manager Heimir Hallgrimsson went to great lengths to foster these relationships, explaining his tactics to supporters at local pubs.

12. Colombia

Despite winning just two of its final nine CONMEBOL qualifiers, Colombia is still a team to be feared. With Radamel Falcao healthy and Duvan Zapata showing promise at Sampdoria, Los Cafeteros' scoring woes should be solved by next summer. And there's plenty of international experience across the pitch. James Rodriguez is getting necessary minutes at Bayern Munich, and Juan Cuadrado remains an option for Juventus.

11. Mexico

Unable to get past the Round of 16 in each of the past seven World Cups, Mexico appears to have a team to get it over the hump. The emergence of Hirving Lozano couldn't have come at a better time, as the PSV winger continues to impress at both club and international level. With Andres Guardado and Hector Herrera in midfield and plenty of youngsters filtering through, Mexico has a nice mix of young and old.

10. Poland

Poland's strong showing in World Cup qualifying earned it a place in Pot 1. Although that caused a stir, it's not all that surprising given that Poland's golden generation is coming to the fore. Robert Lewandowski is the obvious goal threat, but he's not the only one. Creative midfielder Piotr Zielinski and defensive-minded Grzegorz Krychowiak can overrun the opposition as a fire-and-ice tandem.

9. Croatia

Despite turbulence at board level and charges of corruption against football officials, Croatia is primed for a successful run in Russia. Many of its starters are starters at club level, and its midfield is stacked with talent. Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic are the key cogs, Ivan Perisic is the game-breaker on the left wing, and Mario Mandzukic and Nikola Kalinic are the reference points.

8. Uruguay

Uruguay is hoping for one last hurrah from its core players. As Edinson Cavani, Luis Suarez, and Diego Godin all enter their 30s, the 2018 World Cup has come toward the end of their prime. This isn't as strong of a team as the edition that finished fourth at the 2010 World Cup, but it still boasts some of the best goal-scorers in the game.

7. Portugal

Cristiano Ronaldo isn't the be-all-and-end-all of Portugal's hopes anymore. The next generation is ready to help the 32-year-old in his quest for a historic Euro-World Cup combination. Considered Ronaldo's heir, Andre Silva is the No. 9 that Portugal's been missing for time. Nelson Semedo is looking like a natural fit at Barcelona, and Goncalo Guedes is coming of age at Valencia.

6. Belgium

Eternally the hipster's favourite at any World Cup, Belgium is ready to shed its tag as a colossal underachiever. Expect Kevin De Bruyne to be one of the most compelling players in Russia, especially off the back of a transformative season under Pep Guardiola. A combination of Dries Mertens, Romelu Lukaku, and Eden Hazard in attack is salivating. Neutrals will hope manager Roberto Martinez can get something out of this team before it's too late.

5. Argentina

Argentina barely made it to the World Cup, averting disaster on the last day of qualifying. That doesn't mean it's any less of a team. Argentina should always be considered among the favourites at any World Cup, and Lionel Messi's determination to win one will never be stronger. The onus is on manager Jorge Sampaoli to find the right balance. If Argentina scores as it should, the two-time World Cup winner will have a chance at glory.

4. Spain

After years of glowing praise, Spain is flying into Russia under the radar. Julen Lopetegui has changed enough without disturbing the harmony of a world-class squad. Isco, Thiago, and Alvaro Morata - all starters at big European clubs - are ready to take over this team.

3. France

France has made arguably the most exhaustive transformation this decade, going from full-blown mutiny to a team spoilt for choice. The pressure is on Didier Deschamps to pick his best squad, which he's sometimes failed to do. Genuine stars will cover every vital area of the pitch. With a spine consisting of Laurent Koscielny, N'Golo Kante, and Antoine Griezmann, France is going to be tough to beat.

2. Brazil

For Brazil, the 2018 World Cup is all about redemption. Tite has come in and revitalised a national team that fell to its knees three years ago, losing 7-1 in the semi-finals to Germany. Brazil still owns two of the game's best full-backs in Dani Alves and Marcelo, and of course, there's Neymar. His 2014 World Cup was also ruined by a back injury. He'll be looking to make up for lost time.

1. Germany

The golden standard over the last few years, Germany is simply the best team in the world. Few national teams have ever been as well-placed to defend a World Cup title quite like Die Mannschaft, who've managed to regenerate and usher in more talent since 2014. Leroy Sane's growth at Manchester City is encouraging, and Timo Werner looks like the solution to Germany's striker shortage. If Manuel Neuer can return to full fitness and stay injury-free, the four-time World Cup winner won't have a single weakness.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)

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