The World Cup - A Group To Guide F

Argentina - Bosnia-Hercegovina - Iran - Nigeria

Argentina

The Manager: Alejandro Sabella

• Star Player: Lionel Messi
  
• Position: Foward
• Age: 26
• Team: FC Barcelona
• Why? Four time ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi is the main focal point. Messi have scored 20 goals in 21 games under the appointment of Alejandro Sabella. But only managed to score one goal in latest two World Cups he’s played. He has played second fiddle to Ronaldo this season, even though injury has prevented him from being at his very best. Saying this, Messi's goalscoring record on South American soil is second to none and could be exactly what Argentina need to lift the World Cup.

• One to Watch: Angel di Maria
  
• Position: Winger
• Age: 26
• Team: Real Madrid
• Why? Angel Di Maria is an explosive dynamic player who normally plays in the wing, though Ancelotti has experimented this season playing him as a central midfielder with great success. Man of the match in the Copa del Rey final and Champions League final. Can really shine if Messi gets out marked.

• Wildcard: Sergio Romero
• Position: Goalkeeper
• Age: 27
• Team: Monaco (Loan)
• Why? Argentina’s weakest position on the pitch, Sergio Romero only played 3 league games for AS Monaco since joining on loan, so he’ll certainly need a tune-up before being thrust into the number one role. Unfortunately, a rusty Romero may be Sabella’s best option between the posts.

Goalkeepers: Sergio Romero (Sampdoria), Mariano Andujar (Catania), Agustin Orion (Boca Juniors).

Defenders: Pablo Zabaleta (Manchester City), Federico Fernandez (Napoli), Ezequiel Garay (Benfica), Marcos Rojo (Sporting Lisbon), Hugo Campagnaro (Inter Milan), Martin Demichelis (Manchester City), Jose Basanta (Monterrey).

Midfielders: Javier Mascherano (Barcelona), Fernando Gago (Boca Juniors), Lucas Biglia (Lazio), Ricardo Alvarez (Inter Milan), Augusto Fernandez (Celta Vigo), Angel Di Maria (Real Madrid), Maxi Rodriguez (Newell's Old Boys), Enzo Perez (Benfica).

Forwards: Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Gonzalo Higuain (Napoli), Sergio Aguero (Manchester City), Rodrigo Palacio (Inter Milan), Ezequiel Lavezzi (Paris St-Germain).

Fun Fact: Tevez had already booked a family trip to Disney World when the provisional Argentina squad was announced.

Bosnia-Hercegovina

• Star Player: Edin Dzeko
  
• Position: Striker
• Age: 28
• Team: Manchester City
• Why? Known as The Bosnian Diamond, his nation's leading scorer with 33 goals, Dzeko is minimally over a goal every two games. It’s not just his goals that are valuable though, his hold-up play is world class as he looks to bring player’s like of Pjanić, Lulić and Ibišević into play.

• One to Watch: Miralem Pjanić 
  
• Position: Attacking Midfielder
• Age: 24
• Team: AS Roma
• Why? Although lacking pace, Pjanić is a formidable play-maker. Having had an immense season in Italy with Roma, he has turned into one of the most wanted men in Europe. Expect him to be one step ahead of his opponents as he tries to slip Dzeko in behind the defence. Perhaps a naturally successor to Totti, he is perhaps the most important cog in this young Bosnian side.

• Wildcard: Ermin Bičakčić
• Position: Centre-Back
• Age: 24
• Team: TSG Hoffenheim
• Why? Having just been relegated from the Bundesliga with Eintracht Braunschweig, Bičakčić was quickly snapped up by Hoffenheim. A sturdy centre-half but perhaps lacks real experience against top-class opposition on a big stage. It will be interesting to see how well he performs with the experienced, but declining Emir Spahić.

Goalkeepers: Asmir Begovic (Stoke City), Asmir Avdukic (Borac Banja Luka), Jasmin Fejzic (VFR Aalen).

Defenders: Emir Spahic (Bayer Leverkusen), Toni Sunjic (Zorya Lugansk), Sead Kolasinac (Schalke), Ognjen Vranjes (Elazigspor), Ermin Bicakcic (Eintracht Braunschweig), Muhamed Besic (Ferencvaros), Mensur Mujdza (Freiburg).

Midfielders: Miralem Pjanic (Roma), Izet Hajrovic (Galatasaray), Haris Medunjanin (Gaziantepspor), Senad Lulic (Lazio), Anel Hadzic (Sturm), Tino Susic (Hajduk), Sejad Salihovic (Hoffenheim), Zvjezdan Misimovic (Guizhour Renhe), Senijad Ibricic (Erciyesspor), Avdija Vrsaljevic (Hajduk).

Strikers: Vedad Ibisevic (VfB Stuttgart), Edin Dzeko (Manchester City), Edin Visca (Istanbul BB).

Fun Fact: Bosnia-Hercegovina will participate at The World Cup for the first time as a independent country.

Iran

The Manager: Carlos Queiroz

• Star Player: Javad Nekounam
• Position: Central Midfielder
• Age: 33
• Team: Al-Kuwait
• Why? Even though he moved to Kuwait few months ago and plays his football there, the veteran central midfielder is Iran’s most experienced and perhaps most important player. The 33 year old spent most of his career in La Liga with Osasuna and brings a lot to the side by controlling the midfield and distributing the ball alongside Teymourian. He is also a pretty good goal scorer with 6 goals in qualifying.

• One to Watch: Ashkan Dejagah
  
• Position: Winger / Attacking Midfielder
• Age: 27
• Team: Fulham
• Why? The fast paced, tricky winger is very crucial in Iran’s attacking plans in Brazil. He struggled with injuries for big portions of the season but had a strong finish to the season with Fulham, despite their relegation. Iran will be depending on his accurate crosses, set pieces and penetrating runs in order to feed their lone striker. He also has a very good shot from range.

• Wildcard: Alireza Jahanbakhsh
• Position: Winger
• Age: 20
• Team: N.E.C
• Why? After moving to N.E.C in Holland, he made himself into a fan favourite after just one season, especially after turning out to be a super sub on a few occasions. It is expected for him to be used as an impact sub in the World Cup for Iran as well as he is able to lighten things up with his trickery, decent passing.

Goalkeepers: Daniel Davari (Eintracht Braunschweig), Alireza Haghighi (Sporting Covilha, on loan from Rubin Kazan), Rahman Ahmadi (Sepahan).

Defenders: Hossein Mahini (Persepolis), Steven Beitashour (Vancouver Whitecaps), Pejman Montazeri (Umm Salal), Jalal Hosseini (Persepolis), Amir-Hossein Sadeghi (Esteghlal), Ahmad Alenemeh (Naft), Hashem Beikzadeh (Esteghlal), Mehrdad Pouladi (Persepolis).

Midfielders: Javad Nekounam (Kuwait SC), Andranik Teymourian (Esteghlal), Reza Haghighi (Persepolis), Ghasem Haddadifar (Zob Ahan), Bakhtiar Rahmani (Foolad), Ehsan Hajsafi (Sepahan).

Forwards: Ashkan Dejagah (Fulham), Masoud Shojaei (Las Palmas), Alireza Jahanbakhsh (NEC Nijmegen), Reza Ghoochannejhad (Charlton), Karim Ansarifard (Tractor Saz, on loan from Persepolis), Khosro Heydari (Esteghlal).

Fun Fact: Dejagah has 50 caps for German national youth teams, winning the Euro U21 Championship in 2009 in the process.

Nigeria

The Manager: Stephen Keshi

• Star Player: John Obi Mikel
  
• Position: Central Midfielder
• Age: 27
• Team: Chelsea FC
• Why? The poster boy for Nigeria. Mikel plays a much more attacking role for his country than he does for his club. With Chelsea gaining the addition of Nemanja Matic, Mikel has found his chances hard to come by. He will love the chance to go and lead his country in Brazil though. A quiet fighter, Mikel will have clubs sniffing around him this summer and will be one of many of this Nigerian team using this tournament as a shop window.

• One to Watch: Vincent Enyeama
• Position: Goalkeeper
• Age: 31
• Team: Lille
• Why? Enyeama had a phenomenal season with Lille in Ligue 1, coming within 115 minutes of breaking Gaëtan Huard's record of 1176 minutes without conceding a goal. Unfortunately, Enyeama was eventually beaten by a deflected strike. Still though, in a group where perhaps Nigeria are underdogs, they are blessed to have such a talented man between the sticks who the team can trust.

• Wildcard: Victor Moses
  
• Position: Winger
• Age: 23
• Team: Chelsea
• Why? Having had a somewhat invisible loan season with Liverpool, Victor Moses will be looking to put himself in the shop window in Brazil. He seems to be out of favour at Chelsea, just like Mikel, and  is widely expected to move clubs this summer. Being in the global shop window of The World Cup could be incentive enough to inspire Moses to help cause an upset or two.

Goalkeepers: Vincent Enyeama (Lille), Austin Ejide (Hapoel Be'er Sheva), Chigozie Agbim (Gombe United).

Defenders: Efe Ambrose (Celtic), Godfrey Oboabona (Rizespor), Azubuike Egwuekwe (Warri Wolves), Kenneth Omeruo (Middlesbrough), Juwon Oshaniwa (Ashdod), Joseph Yobo (Norwich, on loan from Fenerbahce), Kunle Odunlami (Sunshine Stars).

Midfielders: John Mikel Obi (Chelsea), Ramon Azeez (Almeria), Ogenyi Onazi (Lazio), Reuben Gabriel (Waasland-Beveren), Michael Babatunde (Volyn Lutsk), Ejike Uzoenyi (Enugu Rangers).

Forwards: Ahmed Musa (CSKA Moscow), Shola Ameobi (Newcastle), Emmanuel Emenike (Fenerbahce), Michael Uchebo (Cercle Brugge), Peter Odemwingie (Stoke), Victor Moses (Liverpool, on loan from Chelsea), Uche Nwofor (Heerenveen).

Fun Fact: President Goodluck Jonathan declared that after a poor 2010 World Cup performance, there would be a ban for the national team. Three days later the ban was lifted after FIFA threatened to expel them from world football.