World Cup Diary-part 8-June 4th, 2018 (T minus 10 days)

A New addition for the duration of the World Cup.

Diary:

Team News:

-Jordan Pickford will be the England goalkeeper starter in the World Cup as indicated by Manager Gareth Southgate. (Source BBC Football online)

-Cristiano Ronaldo has joined the Portuguese squad. (Source AS.com)

-Germany Manager Joachim Low’s 23-man World Cup squad. (Source BBC Football Online)

Full squad:

Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Barcelona), Kevin Trapp (Paris St-Germain)

Defenders: Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich), Matthias Ginter (Borussia Monchengladbach), Jonas Hector (Cologne), Mats Hummels (Bayern Munich), Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), Marvin Plattenhardt (Hertha Berlin), Antonio Rudiger (Chelsea), Niklas Sule (Bayern Munich)

Midfielders: Julian Brandt (Bayer Leverkusen), Julian Draxler (Paris St-Germain), Leon Goretska (Schalke), Ilkay Gundogan (Manchester City), Sami Khedira (Juventus), Toni Kroos (Real Madrid), Mesut Ozil (Arsenal), Sebastian Rudy (Bayern Munich)

Strikers: Mario Gomez (Stuttgart), Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich), Marco Reus (Borussia Dortmund), Timo Werner (RB Leipzig)

-The German players who missed the cut are Leroy Sane, Bernd Leno, Jonathan Tah and Nils Petersen. (Source BBC Football Online)

-Joachim Low stated that despite Leroy Sane’s excellent season, “at the sides of the attack we are well occupied with Thomas Muller and Maroc Reus…and Julian Draxler had a good Confederatitons Cup…I had to choose between Julian Brandt and Sane. That was not easy.”  He was satisfied with Sane but had to drop a winger to keep a balanced squad in all positions.  (Source vi.nl Online)

-A picture surfaced over the weekend showing Real Madrid players: Marcelo, Luka Modric and Mateo Kovacic in front of the Liverpool crest at Anfield and apparently mocking it. However, it was later revealed that they were laughing because a fourth Real Madrid player, Casemiro was approaching them. This was ahead of Brazil and Craotia friendly at Anfield. (Source Calciomercato Online)

- France Manager Didier Deschamps’ 23-man World Cup squad. (Source L’Equipe online)

Full squad:

Goalkeepers: Hugo Lloris (Tottenham Hotspur/ENG), Steve Mandanda (Marseille), Alphonse Areola (Paris Saint-Germain)

Defenders: Lucas Hernandez (Atletico Madrid/ESP), Presnel Kimpembe (Paris Saint-Germain), Benjamin Mendy (Manchester City/ENG), Benjamin Pavard (Stuttgart/GER), Adil Rami (Marseille), Djibril Sidibe (Monaco), Samuel Umtiti (Barcelona/ESP), Raphael Varane (Real Madrid/ESP)

Midfielders: N’Golo Kante (Chelsea/ENG), Blaise Matuidi (Juventus/ITA), Steven N’Zonzi (Sevilla/ESP), Paul Pogba (Manchester United/ENG), Corentin Tolisso (Bayern Munich/GER)

Forwards: Ousmane Dembele (Barcelona/ESP), Nabil Fekir (Lyon), Olivier Giroud (Chelsea/ENG), Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid/ESP), Thomas Lemar (Monaco), Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain), Florian Thauvin (Marseille)

- Egypt Manager Hector Cuper’s 23-man World Cup squad. Despite his injury Mohamed Salah is part of the Final squad. (Source BBC Football online)

Full squad:

Goalkeepers: Essam El Hadary (Al Taawoun), Mohamed El-Shennawy (Al Ahly), Sherif Ekramy (Al Ahly).

Defenders: Ahmed Fathi, Saad Samir, Ayman Ashraf (all Al Ahly), Mahmoud Hamdy (Zamalek), Mohamed Abdel-Shafy (Al Fateh), Ahmed Hegazi (West Brom), Ali Gabr (Zamalek), Ahmed Elmohamady (Aston Villa), Omar Gaber (Los Angeles FC).

Midfielders: Tarek Hamed, (Zamalek), Shikabala (Zamalek), Abdallah Said (Al Ahli), Sam Morsy (Wigan Athletic), Mohamed Elneny (Arsenal), Mahmoud Kahraba (Al Ittihad), Ramadan Sobhi (Stoke City), Mahmoud Hassan (Kasimpasa), Amr Warda (Atromitos Athens).

Forwards: Marwan Mohsen (Al Ahly), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool).

- Belgium Manager Roberto Martinez’s 23-man World Cup squad. Despite his injury Vincent Kompany is part of the Final squad. (Source BBC Football online)

Full squad:

Goalkeepers: Koen Casteels (Wolfsburg), Thibaut Courtois (Chelsea), Simon Mignolet (Liverpool).

Defenders: Toby Alderweireld (Tottenham Hotspur), Dedryck Boyata (Celtic), Vincent Kompany (Manchester City), Thomas Meunier (Paris St-Germain), Thomas Vermaelen (Barcelona), Jan Vertonghen (Tottenham Hotspur).

Midfielders: Yannick Carrasco (Dalian Yifang), Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City), Mousa Dembele (Tottenham Hotspur), Leander Dendoncker (Anderlecht), Marouane Fellaini (Manchester United), Eden Hazard (Chelsea), Thorgan Hazard (Borussia Monchengladbach), Adnan Januzaj (Real Sociedad), Dries Mertens (Napoli), Youri Tielemans (Monaco), Axel Witsel (Tianjin Quanjian).

Forwards: Michy Batshuayi (Chelsea), Nacer Chadli (West Brom), Romelu Lukaku (Manchester United).

- Belgium Manager Roberto Martinez stated that cutting Christian benteke was his “toughest decision”.. (Source BBC Football online)

- Peru Manager Ricardo Garecas’ 23-man World Cup squad. . (Source BBC Football online)

Full squad:

Goalkeepers: Pedro Gallese (Veracruz), Carlos Caceda (Deportivo Municipal), Jose Carvallo (UTC).

Defenders: Aldo Corzo (Universitario), Luis Advincula (Lobos Buap), Christian Ramos (Veracruz), Miguel Araujo (Alianza Lima), Alberto Rodriguez (Atletico Junior), Anderson Santamaria (Puebla), Miguel Trauco (Flamengo), Nilson Loyola (Melgar).

Midfielders: Renato Tapia (Feyenoord), Pedro Aquino (Lobos Buap), Yoshimar Yotun (Orlando City), Paolo Hurtado (Vitoria Guimaraes), Christian Cueva (Sao Paulo), Edison Flores (Aalborg), Andy Polo (Portland Timbers), Wilder Cartagena (Veracruz).

Forwards: Andre Carrillo (Watford), Raul Ruidiaz (Morelia), Jefferson Farfan (Lokomotiv Moscow), Paolo Guerrero (Flamengo).

- Mexico Manager Juan Carlos Osorio’s 23-man World Cup squad. . (Source BBC Football online)

Full squad:

Goalkeepers: Guillermo Ochoa (Standard Liege), Alfredo Talavera (Toluca), Jesus Corona (Cruz Azul).

Defenders: Carlos Salcedo (Eintracht Frankfurt), Diego Reyes (Porto), Hector Moreno (Real Sociedad), Hugo Ayala (Tigres), Edson Alvarez (America), Jesus Gallardo (Monterrey), Miguel Layun (Sevilla).

Midfielders: Rafael Marquez (Atlas), Hector Herrera (Porto), Jonathan Dos Santos (LA Galaxy), Giovani Dos Santos (LA Galaxy), Andres Guardado (Real Betis), Marco Fabian (Eintracht Frankfurt).

Forwards: Javier Hernandez (West Ham), Raul Jimenez (Benfica), Oribe Peralta (America), Jesus Manuel Corona (Porto), Carlos Vela (Los Angeles FC), Javier Aquino (Tigres), Hirving Lozano (PSV Eindhoven).

Substitute: Erick Gutierrez (Pachuca).

- Poland Manager Adam Nawalka 23-man World Cup squad.  (Source Goal.com online)

Full squad:

Goalkeepers: Bartosz Bialkowski (Ipswich), Lukasz Fabianski (Swansea City), Wojciech Szczesny (Juventus);

Defenders: Jan Bednarek (Southampton), Bartosz Bereszynski (Sampdoria), Thiago Cionek (SPAL), Kamil Glik (Monaco), Artur Jedrzejczyk (Legia Warsaw), Michal Pazdan (Legia Warsaw), Lukasz Piszczek (Borussia Dortmund);

Midfielders: Jakub Blaszczykowski (Wolfsburg), Jacek Goralski (Ludogorets), Kamil Grosicki (Hull City), Grzegorz Krychowiak (West Brom), Rafal Kurzawa (Gornik Zabrze), Karol Linetty (Sampdoria), Slawomir Peszko (Lechia Gdansk), Maciej Rybus (Lokomotiv Moscow), Piotr Zielinski (Napoli);

Forwards: Dawid Kownacki (Sampdoria), Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich), Arkadiusz Milik (Napoli), Lukasz Teodorczyk (Anderlecht).

-Poland’s Kamil Glik has a shoulder injury but has nevertheless made the final Polish squad. Marcin Kaminski has been placed on reserve in case Glik has to replaced.  (Source France Football online)

- Saudi Arabia Manager Juan Antonio Pizzi’s 23-man World Cup squad.  (Source Footnews.be online)

Full squad:

Goalkeepers: Mohammed Al Owais (Al Ahli), Yasser Al Mosailem (Al Ahli), Abdullah Al Mayouf (Al Hilal).

Defenders: Mansoor Al Harbi (Al Ahli), Yasser Al Shahrani (Al Hilal) Mohammed Al Breik (Al Hilal), Motaz Hawsawi (Al Ahli), Osama Hawsawi (Al Hilal), Omar Hawsawi (Al Nassr), Ali Al Bulaihi (Al Hilal).

Midfielders: Abdullah Al Khaibari (Al Shabab), Abdulmalek Al Khaibri (Al Hilal), Abdullah Otayf (Al Hilal), Taiseer Al Jassim (Al Ahli), Houssain Al Mogahwi (Al Ahli), Salman Al Faraj, Mohamed Kanno (both Al Hilal), Hattan Bahebri (Al Shabab), Salem Al Dawsari (Al Hilal), Yahya Al Shehri (Al Nassr), Fahad Al Muwallad (Al Ittihad).

Forwards: Mohammad Al Sahlawi (Al Nassr), Muhannad Assiri (Al Ahli).

- Switzerland Manager Vladimir Petkovic’s 23-man World Cup squad.  (Source France Football online)

Full squad:

Goalkeepers (3) : Yann Sommer (Borussia Mönchengladbach/GER), Yvon Mvogo (RB Leipzig/GER), Roman Bürki (Borussia Dortmund/GER).

Defenders (8) : Stephan Lichtsteiner (Juventus/ITA), François Moubaldje (TFC/FRA), Nico Elvedi (Borussia Mönchengladbach/GER), Manuel Akanji (Borussia Dortmund/GER), Michael Lang (FC Bâle/GER), Ricardo Rodriguez (AC Milan/ITA), Johan Djourou (Antalyaspor/TUR), Fabian Schär (Deportivo La Corogne/SP).

Milieux (8) : Remo Freuler (Atalanta Bergame/ITA), Granit Xhaka (Arsenal/ENG), Valon Behrami (Udinese/ITA), Steven Zuber (Hoffenheim/GER), Blerim Dzemaili (Bologne/ITA), Gelson Fernandes (Eintracht Francfort/GER), Denis Zakaria (Borussia Mönchengladbach, GER), Xherdan Shaqiri (Stoke City/ENG).

Attaquants (4) : Breel Embolo (Schalke 04/GER), Haris Seferovic (Benfica/POR), Mario Gavranovic (Dinamo Zagreb/CRO), Josip Drmic (Borussia Mönchengladbach/GER)

- Iran Manager Carlos Queiroz’s 23-man World Cup squad.  (Source France Football online)

Full squad:

Goalkeepers : Alireza Beiranvand (Persepolis), Rashid Mazaheri (Zob Ahan), Amir Abedzadeh (Maritimo/POR)
Defenders : Majid Hosseini (Esteghlal), Milad Mohammadi (Akhmat Grozny/RUS), Mohammad Khanzadeh (Padideh), Morteza Pouraliganji (Alsaad/QAT), Pejman Montazeri (Esteghlal), Ramin Rezaeian (Ostende/BEL), Roozbeh Cheshmi (Esteghlal)
Midfielders: Ehsan Haji Safi (Olympiacos/GRE), Karim Ansarifard (Olympiacos/GRE), Masoud Shojaei (AEK Athens/GRE), Mehdi Torabi (Saipa), Omid Ebrahimi (Esteghlal), Saeid Ezatolahi (Amkar Perm/RUS)
Strikers : Alireza Jahanbakhsh (AZ Alkmaar/HOL), Ashkan Dejaghar (Nottingham Forest/ENG), Mehdi Taremi (Al-Gharafa/QAT), Reza Ghoochannejhad (Heerenveen/HOL), Saman Ghoddos (Ostersunds/SWE), Sardar Azmoun (Rubin Kazan/RUS), Vahid Amiri (Persepolis)

-Colombia Manager Jose Pekerman’s 23-man World Cup squad.  (Source France Football online)

Full squad:

Goalkeepers: José Fernando Cuadrado (Once Caldas), David Ospina (Arsenal/ENG), Camilo Vargas (Deportivo Cali).

Defenders: Yerry Mina (Barcelone/SP), Santiago Arias (PSV/HOL), Davinson Sanchez (Tottenham/ENG), Frank Fabra (Boca/ARG), Johan Mojica (Gérone/SP), Oscar Murillo (Pachuca/MEX), Cristian Zapata (AC Milan/ITA).

Milieux: James Rodriguez (Bayern/GER), Juan Fernando Quintero (River/ARG), Abel Aguilar (Cali), Wilmar Barrios (Boca/ARG), Juan Cuadrado (Juventus/ITA), Jefferson Lerma (Levante/SP), Carlos Sanchez (Espanyol/SP) Mateus Uribe (America/MEX).

Attaquants: Falcao (Monaco/FRA), Carlos Bacca (Villarreal/SP), Luis Muriel (Séville/SP), Miguel Borja (Palmeiras/BRA), José Izquierdo (Brighton/ENG).

-Croatia Manager Zlatko Dalic’s 23-man World Cup squad.  (Source France Football online)

Full squad:

Gardiens : Danijel Subasic (Monaco/FRA), Lovre Kalinic (La Gantoise/BEL), Dominik Livakovic (Dinamo Zagreb/CRO).

Défenseurs : Vedran Corluka (Lokomotiv Moscou/RUS), Domagoj Vida (Besiktas/TUR), Ivan Strinic (Sampdoria/ITA), Dejan Lovren (Liverpool/ENG), Sime Vrsaljko (Atlético/SP), Josip Pivaric (Dynamo Kiev/UKR), Tin Jedvaj (Bayer Leverkusen/GER), Duje Caleta-Car (Salzbourg/AUT).

Milieux : Luka Modric (Real Madrid/SP), Ivan Rakitic (FC Barcelone/SP), Mateo Kovacic (Real Madrid/SP), Milan Badelj (Fiorentina/ITA), Marcelo Brozovic (Inter/ITA), Filip Bradaric (Rijeka/CRO).

Attaquants : Mario Mandzukic (Juventus/ITA), Ivan Perisic (Inter/ITA), Nikola Kalinic (AC Milan/ITA), Andrej Kramaric (Hoffenheim/GER), Marko Pjaca (Schalke/GER), Ante Rebic (Eintracht Francfort/GER).

Monday, June 4, 2018:

Preparatory matches:

Morocco 2-Slovakia 1 (Ayoub Kaabi 64, Younes Belhanda 74 / Jan Gregus 59)

Venue: Geneva- Stade de Genève, Swizterland

Attendance: 7,000

Referee: Lionel Tschudi (Switzerland)

Morocco: 1-Bono, 6-Romain Saïss (18-Amine Harit 46), 5-Medhi Benatia, 3-Hamza Mendyl (4-Manuel da Costa 46), 2-Achraf Hakimi, 10-Younès Belhanda, 14-Mbark Boussoufa (11-Faycal Fajr 76), 8-Karim El Ahmadi (15-Youssef Aït Bennasser 83), 13-Khalid Boutaïb (9-Ayoub El Kaabi 60), 7-Hakim Ziyech (23-Mehdi Carcela-González 75), 16-Nordin Amrabat

Coach: Herve Renard (France)

Booked: Moubarak Boussoufa 41, Faycal Fajr 81

Other Substitutes: 17-Nabil Dirar, 20-Aziz Bouhaddouz, 24-Oualid El Hajjam, 21-Sofyan Amrabat, 22-Ahmed Tagnaouti, Munir, 19-Youssef En-Nesyri, 12-Mohamedi

Team Captain: Medhi Benatia

Official Kit Supplier/Designer: Adidas

Uniform Colors: Red Shirts, Green Shorts, Red Socks

Slovakia: 23-Michal Sulla, 14-Milan Skriniar, 7-Lubomir Satka, 15-Tomas Hubocan (5-Martin Valjent 79), 4-Boris Sekulic, 13-Patrik Hrosovsky (22-Stanislav Lobotka 58), 17-Marek Hamsik (6-Jan Gregus 46), 19-Juraj Kucka (10-Albert Rusnák 46), 21-Michal Duris (24-Erik Pacinda 46), 20- Robert Mak (11-Adam Nemec 46), 8-Ondrej Duda.

Coach: Jan Kozak

Booked: Milan Skriniar 43

Other Substitutes: 1-Martin Dubravka, 2-Peter Pekarik, 16-Robert Mazán, 9-Jaroslav Mihálik, 12-Marek Rodak, 18-Erik Sabo

Team Captain:

Official Kit Supplier/Designer: Nike

Uniform Colors: White Shirts, White Shorts, White Socks

Serbia 0-Chile 1 (Guillermo Maripan 88)

Venue: Graz, Merkur Arena (Liebenauer Stadion) (Li, Austria

Attendance:

Referee: Alexander Harkam (Austria).

Serbia: 1-Vladimir Stojkovic; 2-Antonio Rukavina, 3-Dusko Tosic, 4-Luca Milivojevic (21-Nemanja Matic 46), 7-Andrija Zivkovic (10-Dusan Tadic 65'),  11-Aleksandar Kolarov (14-Milan Rodic 80), 15-Nikola Milenkovic, 16-Marko Grujic; 18-Nemanja Radonjic (17-Filip Kostic 64); 22-Adem Ljajic (20-Sergej Milinkovic-Savic 46), 9-Aleksandar Mitrovic (19-Luka Jovic 84)

Coach: Mladen Krstajic

Booked: Antonio Rukavina 41, Dusko Tosic 54

Other Substitutes: 5-Uros Spajic, 8-Aleksandar Prijovic, 12-Predrag Rajkovic, 13-Milos Veljkovic, 23-Marko Dmitrovic

Team Captain: Aleksandar Kolarov

Official Kit Supplier/Designer: Puma

Uniform Colors: White Shirts, White Shorts, White Socks

Chile: 12-Gabriel Arias; 5-Paulo Díaz (24-José Bizama 72), 6-Guillermo Maripán, 3-Enzo Roco, 2-Miiko Albornoz (26-Sebastián Vegas 72); 13-Erick Pulgar (27-Jimmy Martínez 85), 21-Lorenzo Reyes, 10-Diego Valdés, 7-Junior Fernandes (16-Igor Lichnovsky 90+2); 11-Felipe Mora (22-Angelo Henríquez 64), 18- Ángelo Sagal (14-Martín Rodríguez 85)

Coach: Reinaldo Rueda

Booked: Lorenzo Reyes 88

Other Substitutes:1-Crisopher Toselli, 4-Francisco Sierralta, 8-Pablo Galdames, 15-Angelo Araos, 19-Victor Davila, 20-Benjamin Kuscevic, 23-Gonzalo Collao, 25-Cristian Cuevas

Team captain:

Official Kit Supplier/Designer: Nike

Uniform Colors: Red Shirts, Blue Shorts, Blue Socks

 

Note: In bold, teams participating in the World Cup