World Cup Group C Preview
AUSTRALIA
Best XI:
GK: Mat Ryan, 26, Brighton (England)
LB: Aziz Behich, 27, Bursaspor (Turkey)
LCB: Trent Sainsbury, 26, Grasshopper (Switzerland)
RCB: Mark Milligan, 32, Al Ahli (Saudi Arabia)
RB: Josh Risdon, 25, Western Sydney (Australia)
LCM: Aaron Mooy, 27, Huddersfield (England)
RCM: Massimo Luongo, 25, Queen's Park Rangers (England)
CAM: Tom Rogic, 25, Celtic (Scotland)
LW: Robbie Kruse, 29, VfL Bochum (Germany)
ST: Tomi Juric, 26, FC Luzern (Switzerland)
RW: Mathew Leckie, 27, Hertha Berlin (Germany)
Analysis: Australia has more players in top leagues than usual, especially with Mile Jedinak and Tim Cahill on their bench. However, it's safe to say this squad is lacking any difference-makers. When a team is led by Mat Ryan and Aaron Mooy, you're not going to be betting favorites in many matches. In a group featuring a juggernaut in France, a talented Denmark squad and an unpredictable Peru team, it's hard to see Australia finishing anything other than dead-last.
DENMARK
Best XI:
GK: Kasper Schmeichel, 31, Leicester City (England)
LCB: Andreas Christensen, 22, Chelsea (England)
CB: Simon Kjaer, 29, Sevilla (Spain)
RCB: Jannik Vestergaard, 25, Monchengladbach (Germany)
LDM: Lasse Schone, 32, Ajax (Holland)
RDM: Tom Delaney, 26, Werder Bremen (Germany)
LAM: Pione Sisto, 23, Celta Vigo (Spain)
CAM: Martin Braithwaite, 28, Middlesbrough (England)
RAM: Christian Eriksen, 26, Tottenham (England)
LS: Yussuf Poulsen, 24, RB Leipzig (Germany)
RS: Nicolai Jorgensen, 27, Feyenoord (Holland)
Analysis: I don't know if Denmark plans on running a three-back formation, but this would put their best players on the field. Christian Eriksen is by far the most talented player on Team Denmark, with Kasper Schmeichel, Andreas Christensen and Jannik Vestergaard in the second tier. As an attacking mid, Eriksen needs production around him to truly succeed, and that supporting cast will be the difference in earning the second spot in this group and missing out on advancing altogether.
FRANCE
Best XI:
GK: Hugo Lloris, 31, Tottenham (England)
LB: Benjamin Mendy, 23, Manchester City (England)
LCB: Raphael Varane, 25, Real Madrid (Spain)
RCB: Samuel Umtiti, 24, Barcelona (Spain)
RB: Djibril Sidibe, 25, Monaco (France)
LDM: Blaise Matuidi, 31, Juventus (Italy)
RDM: N'Golo Kante, 27, Chelsea (England)
CM: Paul Pogba, 25, Manchester United (England)
LW: Thomas Lemar, 22, Monaco (France)
ST: Antoine Griezmann, 27, Atletico Madrid (Spain)
RW: Kylian Mbappe, 19, Paris SG (France)
Analysis: This lineup is absolutely stacked, and they still have Ousmane Dembele, Nabil Fekir, and Corentin Tolisso as options on the bench. Lucas Hernandez could easily win the Left Back spot over Ben Mendy, and Benjamin Pavard could see time at Right Back. The question is not how talented they players are, it's how they work together as a unit. France will have no problem winning Group C, but answering the aforementioned question is the difference between falling short of expectations again and becoming a World Cup favorite.
PERU
Best XI:
GK: Pedro Gallese, 28, Veracruz (Mexico)
LB: Miguel Trauco, 25, Flamengo (Brazil)
LCB: Alberto Rodriguez, 34, Junior FC (Colombia)
RCB: Renato Tapia, 22, Feyenoord (Holland)
RB: Luis Advincula, 28, Lobos BUAP (Mexico)
LM: Christian Cueva, 26, Sao Paulo (Brazil)
CM: Pedro Aquino, 23, Lobos BUAP (Mexico)
RM: Paolo Hurtado, 27, Guimaraes (Portugal)
LW: Andre Carrillo, 27, Benfica (Portugal)
ST: Raul Ruidiaz, 27, Monarcas Morelia (Mexico)
RW: Jefferson Farfan, 33, Lokomotiv (Russia)
Analysis: Peru qualified for the first time in 36 years, and Peruvian fans are losing their minds this summer. Jefferson Farfan and Andre Carrillo can make a play or two on the wings, but unless this team finds some magic or gets really lucky, it's hard to see them advancing past the group stage.
