World Cup preview: 14 Barcelona players included in national team squads

Uruguay's Luis Suarez celebrates after scoring during the international friendly football match between Uruguay and Uzbekistan at the Centenario stadium in Montevideo, on June 7, 2018. (Photo by Miguel Rojo / AFP) (Photo credit should read MIGUEL ROJO/AFP/Getty Images)
Uruguay's Luis Suarez celebrates after scoring during the international friendly football match between Uruguay and Uzbekistan at the Centenario stadium in Montevideo, on June 7, 2018. (Photo by Miguel Rojo / AFP) (Photo credit should read MIGUEL ROJO/AFP/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
5 of 5
Next
Colombia’s players (fromL) midfielder Wilmar Barrios, midfielder Juan Fernando Quintero, defender Cristian Zapata and defender Yerry Mina listen to midfielder Juan Cuadrado during a training session at the Milanello training centre on June 5, 2018 in Carnago, near Milan, northern Italy, as part of their preparations for the FIFA World Cup 2018 in Russia. – Football players of the Colombia national team will stay in Milanello for trainings until June 12, 2018. (Photo by MIGUEL MEDINA / AFP) (Photo credit should read MIGUEL MEDINA/AFP/Getty Images)
Colombia’s players (fromL) midfielder Wilmar Barrios, midfielder Juan Fernando Quintero, defender Cristian Zapata and defender Yerry Mina listen to midfielder Juan Cuadrado during a training session at the Milanello training centre on June 5, 2018 in Carnago, near Milan, northern Italy, as part of their preparations for the FIFA World Cup 2018 in Russia. – Football players of the Colombia national team will stay in Milanello for trainings until June 12, 2018. (Photo by MIGUEL MEDINA / AFP) (Photo credit should read MIGUEL MEDINA/AFP/Getty Images) /

Group H

This is the most open group out of them all because each side has a realistic chance of finishing top. Colombia are deserved favourites, but they can’t afford to underestimate any opponent. Yerry Mina could be partnering Tottenham’s Davinson Sanchez at the heart of La Tricolor‘s defence.

His spell with Barcelona hasn’t been the best so far due to difficulties adjusting to the style. The loss to Levante was the best example of this. However, he has a lot of potential and is a lot more comfortable in the national team set-up. Colombia are an exciting side with a heavy creative reliance on James Rodriguez. Radamel Falcao will be aiming to make an impact in his first World Cup after cruelly missing out on 2014 due to injury.

Next: Arsenal reignite interest in Rafinha

Rodriguez used the last World Cup as a platform to showcase his talent as they reached the quarter-finals. They could very easily do the same again, but Brazil or Germany are likely to be waiting for them at that stage.

Senegal, Poland and Japan are the other teams in the group. Poland are the team most likely to finish in second, with Piotr Zielinski and Robert Lewandowski being key to that. However, Senegal have talent throughout such as Sadio Mane, Keita Balde and Kalidou Koulibaly. Japan have a number of exciting attacking options as well such as Shinji Kagawa, Shinji Okazaki and Takashi Inui.