Top 5 favourites to win the World Cup 2018
We understand it's too early to predict the victors for the buzzworthy FIFA World Cup 2018, which is to be held in Russia, and that there are always dark horses galloping in the tournament, but there are few teams which do come to the fore whenever you conjure up the image of the much-coveted, gold-plated World Cup trophy.
This article has not only taken into account the most probable lineups for each team but also the way they have fared in the competition in the years gone by.
So without further ado, let's take a look at the top 5 contenders for the FIFA World Cup 2018.
#5 Argentina
Many believe that the only chink in Lionel Messi's glittering armor is the absence of the World Cup trophy. The 30-year-old has won well-nigh everything at the club-level with FC Barcelona, but the absence of an international trophy continues to prey on his mind.
The last time La Albiceleste managed to get their mitts on the World Cup trophy was a long way back in 1986 due to Diego Maradona's commendable performances. They did come close to winning the trophy in the last World Cup but were routed by Germany in the final.
Jorge Sampaoli has chosen a workable squad for the upcoming World Cup which can pose a serious threat to other participating teams. On the front, they have Sergio Aguero, Gonzalo Higuain, Paulo Dybala and the talismanic Lionel Messi. In midfield, Argentina possesses Angel Di Maria, Ever Banega and Lucas Biglia. The team also has a well-grounded defense which includes the likes of Nicolas Otamendi, Marcos Rojo and Javier Mascherano with Willy Caballero manning the posts.
As such, Argentina will leave no stone unturned to call a halt to their 32-year World Cup drought.