ThisDrinkingLife and The World Cup: Iran
Although Iran only scored one goal and got the one point in the last World Cup, a truly awful nil nil against Nigeria, their performance against Messi and Argentina was one of the games of the early rounds. Against all odds Iran gave it up to their imperial football overlords and with a bit more luck on the day could have came away with a win rather than the desperately unlucky 1-0 defeat they got in the end. They certainly had nothing to be ashamed of in the last World Cup as they showed ion that one game what Iran football was all about…….passion and heart.
So for this World Cup can we expect more of the same? They might, but probably not. They got Spain and, European Champions, Portugal, with Morocco propping up the group. The only silver lining is that they get to play Morocco first, knowing a win is vital if they have any chance of making the second round. Playing Spain in the second game will be simply all about damage limitation, but if they get the result in the first game then they could try for a point that might be good enough for them in the last game against Portugal, provided they do some sort of defensive number on Ronnie. Perhaps Carlos Queiroz might have some useful tips for this game to pass onto his players? He certainly did a great job in the last world cup, assembling a very well drilled team. I would like them to do well, but I cant see it unfortunately.
Please check out a very insightful talk with Sina, on the state of the Iranian national football team.
Keep up to date with all things associated with Iranian football on Sina’s Twitter account, Iran Football @IranFooty, “following Iranian footballing talents around the world”
They have got a new coach Mladen Krstajić, after dispensing with Slavoljub Muslin who got them into the damn thing. So sure enough it takes time for the new coach to get his ideas across as that can be seen with their intermittent form in the friendlies. I dont know what the Serbian FA want, the manager did very well to get such a rubbish team into the World Cup, and if they are playing so poorly then surely the senior players should get a kick up the backside rather than sack the coach? 
In a group with Brazil, they wont win it. but they have a chance against Switzerland and Costa Rica for sure and could sneak into the second round without too much hassle. If so then its Germany up next, but remember they did beat them the last time they were in the World Cup, 1-0 in 2012, a result that at the time few expected, so maybe perhaps lightning could strike again? I doubt it though! 
Their first game against Sweden really is where they need some sort of result to have any chance of progressing, as Mexico in the next game might be reeling from a loss to Germany at the start and in no mood to lose two games on the bounce. Maybe they will be lucky in playing Germany last, as the Germans might be already through by then and go easy on them. Clutching at straws there, but I dont see much that Korea can do in this group. I think if they get a point it will surprise me!
Keisuke Honda is the main man with the team, a World Class player that gets Japan motoring but I think its time that the other players stepped up a little and gave the 30 year old some help. He can’t do it all on his own. 
To be fair its not only about Rodríguez, they also have a good squad too. David Ospina is decent enough in goals, Juan Cuadrado is a real work horse in midfield, and Radamel Falcao up front is the type of striker that defenders hate to play against, in your face, strong, and has the ability to smash them in from all angles, albeit he can be lazy enough in games too. But he missed the last World Cup through injury so I am sure he will want to get going this time round. 
Pekerman is coach, a very defensive orientated and tactically inept manager. I do worry if they need a tactical substitution he might make a balls of it, like he did in 2006 when Argentina had Germany on the ropes, but let them back in the game and ended getting knocked out. I haven’t forgiven him for that (I am an Argentina fan) but lets see!
They qualified from an arguably easy enough group that contained Libya, DR Congo and Guinea, avoiding the big teams of Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Cameroon or Egypt for example. Ok they went through the campaign unbeaten but it really is hard to say what kind of team Tunisia are. They also didn’t do much in the last African Cup of Nations in 2017, going to out Burkina Faso in the last eight. 
That game in Italy was really a defining moment for the team. They defended stoically for 90 minutes in the San Siro, onslaught after onslaught from the desperate Italians, but in the end they did it. What a result that sent shock waves around the World. The Azzuri wont be going to a World Cup, the first time since 1958. Wow, just wow!
At the moment their squad dont have any star players that stand out, and they are struggling badly for form. But they weren’t expected to get out of their qualifying group ahead of the Dutch, they definitely weren’t expected to knock Italy out, and they are not expected to get up to much this time round either. Team spirit can get you far in world football. The Swedes, I wonder would it be wise to disregard them again!!
Keylor Navas and Joel Campbell made names for themselves in the last World Cup and are back again for another adventure. Otherwise they dont really have any other stand out players in the squad. But is that any different to last time round? I certainly didn’t expect them to get up to much in 2014 and they ended up causing shock after shock, so who knows what gems lie in their squad this time round. 
These days Real Madrid star, Luka Modrić is the player every one looks out for, but if you scan through their squad you can see they have many players who ply their trade in the top leagues of Europe. Their midfield is particularly strong, with Modrić as mentioned, but also Ivan Rakitić of Barca, and Marcelo Brozović from Inter and with Mario Mandžukić still banging the goals in for club and country, they can beat anybody on their day. 
In a tough group, it is perhaps good luck that they play Nigeria first. Nigeria can be slow to come out of the blocks, not scoring in their last three World Cup starts. Hit Nigeria at the start, can leave Croatia looking for three points against Iceland to qualify, something they are well capable of achieving. I think they might not get top of the group, so it is looking that they probably will play France in the second round. A game I also wouldn’t fancy them coming through. But if they do manage to beat Argentina and come top, their route is a little easier, they might get Denmark in the last 16, which is manageable which would set up a mouth watering tie with Germany in the last eight. That’s a game I’d love to see. Two efficient and complete teams head to head, one mistake and you are out. Croatia have a chance to go far in this World Cup, but they need to top the group. Touch and go at the moment, I cant call it for now!