Russia World Cup 2018:A Group-by-group Analysis

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（譯者單位：復(fù)旦大學(xué)）

The draw for the 2018 football World Cup has taken place at the Kremlin. 2018年世界杯分組抽簽儀式已在克里姆林宮落下帷幕。

The 32 teams that qualified for the biggest event in the sporting world now know who they will be facing in this year’s tournament that takes place in Russia from June 14.

最盛大的體育賽事——世界杯足球賽將于今年6月14日在俄羅斯舉行，32支參賽球隊(duì)的分組現(xiàn)已公布。

Egypt and Liverpool’s Mohammed Salah will make his World Cup debut.Neighbours Spain and Portugal find themselves in the same group.

Iceland will become the smallest nation to play in the World Cup.

In the last two World Cups, the reigning champions have been knocked out at the group stage.

Will Germany be able to cross that hurdle? Or retain the title?

Here, we break down the eight groups and see how the 32 teams stack up against their opponents.

利物浦隊(duì)的埃及球星穆罕默德·薩拉赫將首次在世界杯亮相。毗鄰而居的西班牙和葡萄牙兩國(guó)則將同組競(jìng)技。

冰島將成為本屆世界杯國(guó)土面積最小的參賽國(guó)。

前兩屆世界杯，衛(wèi)冕冠軍均在小組賽環(huán)節(jié)出局。

德國(guó)隊(duì)這次能否破除魔咒或衛(wèi)冕成功？

本文將為您逐一分析八組參賽隊(duì)伍，看看32支球隊(duì)的勝算如何。

GROUP A: Russia. Saudi Arabia,Egypt, Uruguay

Russia can’t afford to be knocked out early, and this group could be worse for them.

Egypt pose the main danger to the hosts and Uruguay. It may be their fi rst World Cup since 1990, but star player Mo Salah was irresistible in qualifying.

Saudi Arabia have the honour of playing in the opening game against Russia, but Asian confederation teams are traditionally the weakest.

A組：俄羅斯、沙特阿拉伯、埃及、烏拉圭

俄羅斯隊(duì)承受不起過(guò)早的出局，如今的分組對(duì)其表現(xiàn)可能不太妙。

埃及隊(duì)是東道主和烏拉圭隊(duì)的頭號(hào)勁敵。雖然這是埃及隊(duì)自1990年以來(lái)首次入圍世界杯，但明星選手穆罕默德·薩拉赫在預(yù)選賽中所向披靡。

沙特隊(duì)有幸與俄羅斯隊(duì)在揭幕戰(zhàn)中對(duì)陣，但亞足聯(lián)球隊(duì)的實(shí)力向來(lái)最為薄弱。

GROUP B: Portugal, Spain, Morocco, Iran

An intriguing looking match between Portugal and Spain beckons because of the quirk of 2010 winners Spain, ranked 8 in the world, being nudged out of the top seeds by hosts Russia.

But despite Morocco’s ability, don’t be fooled into thinking this is the pick of the groups. In fact, Portugal and Spain should both expect to progress.

B組：葡萄牙、西班牙、摩洛哥、伊朗

葡萄牙與西班牙的對(duì)決看起來(lái)會(huì)很有意思，因?yàn)榕琶澜绲诎恕s獲2010年世界杯冠軍的西班牙隊(duì)時(shí)運(yùn)不濟(jì)，被東道主俄羅斯隊(duì)擠出種子隊(duì)行列。

盡管摩洛哥有一定實(shí)力，但千萬(wàn)別以為它就是本組的出線首選。事實(shí)上，葡萄牙和西班牙都有希望晉級(jí)。

GROUP C: France, Australia, Peru,Denmark

C組：法國(guó)、澳大利亞、秘魯、丹麥

France are the clear favourites to win the group comfortably, but Denmark’s late surge into form makes them a real threat. Australia should never be underestimated after another epic qualification campaign.

法國(guó)隊(duì)顯然能在小組賽中輕松獲勝，但奮力搭上末班車(chē)的丹麥隊(duì)卻構(gòu)成了不小的威脅。澳大利亞隊(duì)在世界杯預(yù)選賽附加賽最后一場(chǎng)的不俗表現(xiàn)，亦令其不容小覷。

Peru, playing in their fi rst World Cup for 36 years, would be much more of a threat if the tournament was played in Brazil.

若世界杯在巴西舉辦，那么36年來(lái)首次入圍世界杯決賽圈的秘魯隊(duì)會(huì)構(gòu)成更大威脅。

GROUP D: Argentina, Iceland, Croatia, Nigeria

As if the Iceland fairy tale hadn’t brought enough joy, their first ever World Cup will be against Argentina in Moscow.

They will receive global support, but shouldn’t be expected to succeed. The smallest ever nation to qualify has already performed miracles.

With resurgent Nigeria—who have had to face Argentina in FIVE World Cups—and gifted Croatia completing the quartet, this is undoubtedly a strong group.

D組：阿根廷、冰島、克羅地亞、尼日利亞

仿佛冰島神話(huà)帶來(lái)的樂(lè)趣還不夠多，冰島隊(duì)歷史上首場(chǎng)世界杯比賽將是在莫斯科與阿根廷隊(duì)同臺(tái)競(jìng)技。

冰島隊(duì)會(huì)獲得全世界的支持，但勝算寥寥。這個(gè)有史以來(lái)世界杯決賽圈最小的參賽國(guó)已經(jīng)創(chuàng)造奇跡了。

加上東山再起的尼日利亞隊(duì)、天賦異稟的克羅地亞隊(duì)，這一小組無(wú)疑將上演強(qiáng)強(qiáng)對(duì)決。尼日利亞隊(duì)曾在五屆世界杯中不得不對(duì)戰(zhàn)阿根廷隊(duì)。

GROUP E: Brazil, Switzerland, Costa Rica, Serbia

After their 2014 humiliation, Brazil’s recovery has been impressive enough for many people to make them favourites for the tournament.

It could amount to a scrap between three underrated teams for a place in the knockout stages.

Serbia were the team to avoid of Pot 4. And don’t forget Costa Rica werequarter-f i nalists our yer g.

E組：巴西、瑞士、哥斯達(dá)黎加、塞爾維亞

2014年恥敗過(guò)后，東山再起的巴西隊(duì)令人印象深刻，是很多人眼中的本屆奪冠熱門(mén)。

另外三支球隊(duì)往往被人低估，他們?yōu)榱硪粋€(gè)小組出線名額全力以赴。

在第四檔的球隊(duì)中，塞爾維亞隊(duì)是誰(shuí)都不愿意碰上的。另外別忘了，哥斯達(dá)黎加隊(duì)四年前曾打入四分之一決賽。

GROUP F: Germany, Mexico, Sweden, Korea Republic

Germany hardly got a mention in the immediate post-draw analysis, but that’s just the way they like it. Low-key—and usually there at the fi nish.

The trophy holders should be expected to reach the knockout stages without too much trouble.

Mexico and Sweden can be talked up, neither are easy opponents, but it could be an opportunity for Korea to finally perform like they did in 2002 outside of their own country.

F組：德國(guó)、墨西哥、瑞典、韓國(guó)

抽簽結(jié)束后的即時(shí)分析中，德國(guó)隊(duì)幾乎沒(méi)有被提到過(guò)。但這正是德國(guó)人喜歡的方式——平時(shí)低調(diào)，最終往往一鳴驚人。

衛(wèi)冕冠軍要小組出線應(yīng)該不成問(wèn)題。

對(duì)墨西哥隊(duì)和瑞典隊(duì)無(wú)需吝惜贊美，兩者皆非等閑之輩。而韓國(guó)隊(duì)也許終于有機(jī)會(huì)在本國(guó)之外再現(xiàn)2002年的雄風(fēng)。

GROUP G: Belgium, Panama, Tunisia, England

June 18 in Sochi will be an historic and wonderful day for Panama—their first ever World Cup game, against a talented Belgium team.

The two European teams will be expected to qualify from this one.

But in 1978 Tunisia became the fi rst African team to ever win a World Cup match, and can certainly win points in this group.

G組：比利時(shí)、巴拿馬、突尼斯、英格蘭

對(duì)巴拿馬隊(duì)來(lái)說(shuō)，6月18日的索契小組賽將是極具歷史意義的非凡經(jīng)歷——這是他們的世界杯首秀，將對(duì)陣人才濟(jì)濟(jì)的比利時(shí)隊(duì)。

兩支歐洲球隊(duì)估計(jì)會(huì)從這一組脫穎而出。

但在1978年，突尼斯隊(duì)成為了史上第一支贏得世界杯比賽的非洲隊(duì)伍。在這一小組中，他們當(dāng)然不會(huì)一分不得。

GROUP H: Poland, Senegal, Colombia, Japan

H組：波蘭、塞內(nèi)加爾、哥倫比亞、日本

The last and arguably the most open of all eight groups. Senegal’s exploits in 2002 are unforgettable, and their team is strong again.

這是8個(gè)小組中的最后一組，也可能是實(shí)力最弱的一組。塞內(nèi)加爾隊(duì)在2002年的戰(zhàn)績(jī)令人難忘，如今又再顯雄風(fēng)。

〔〕〔〕

Poland earned a top seeding with a ranking of six in the world, but despite their considerable talent Colombia often struggle away from South America.

波蘭隊(duì)世界排名第六，因此躋身種子隊(duì)伍之列。哥倫比亞隊(duì)雖然極具天賦，卻常常需要苦戰(zhàn)才能從南美洲出線。

It could be an entertaining, close group in what was an intriguing draw. ■

在引人入勝的抽簽中，這一組可能是既有趣好玩又勢(shì)均力敵的一組了。 □