This group is tough to call as all teams are pretty evenly matched.
Poland and Colombia look to be the best on paper but both Senegalese and Japanese footballers have shown glimmers of genius as they’ve progressed through the ranks at this World Cup and tournaments of previous years.
Senegal has beaten France and Sweden (both past champions) in a World Cup setting while Japan topped its Asian group ahead of Australia and Saudi Arabia. Japan is football mad and just a hop, skip and jump from Russia so expect a lot of supporters to make the trip.
The Polish captain, Robert Lewandowski, has already topped the charts in European qualifying with 16 goals in 10 games and Colombia’s James Rodriguez is set to repeat his phenomenal performance from the last World Cup. The heat is on!
3rd place
1974, 1982
Quarter-finals
2002
Quarter-finals
2014
Last 16
2002, 2010