– World Cup 2018 power rankings: The Top-10 teams expected to shine in Russia

THE World Cup gets underway in Moscow on June 14 with international football’s best and brightest converging on Russia for the finals.

After a qualifying campaign which featured 209 member associations and took, for some, three years to complete, that number has been whittled down to 32 – including the hosts – for the first tournament held in Europe since Germany 2006.

Of those who have made it, 20 were present at the 2014 finals in Brazil, including the holders, Germany, while two, Panama and Iceland, will be making their World Cup debuts – the latter becoming the smallest country to reach the finals.

Perennial powerhouse Italy are absent – the four-time champions who failed to qualify for the first time since 1958 – as are back-to-back Copa America winners Chile and United States.

Still, that leaves a whole heap of talent, including 2010 winners Spain, Euro 2016 winners Portugal, five-time champs Brazil, Belgium, England, Uruguay, Argentina and, for the first time, four Arabic nations: Egypt, Morocco, Saudi Arabia and Tunisia.

1 – GERMANY
The reigning world champions, Die Mannschaft have, quite simply, only become stronger since their success four years ago.

No-one can match the depth that Jogi Low has at his disposal; witness how a second-string squad finished as Confederations Cup winners last summer (in Russia), while the Under-21s won the European Championships too.

Timo Werner’s emergence as a clinical striker and Leroy Sane’s progression adds real electric pace – something Spain lack – to the guile of Toni Kroos and Mesut Ozil; Joshua Kimmich continues to emerge as one of the world’s best full-backs also. The only question mark is over Manuel Neuer’s fitness, although Marc-Andre ter Stegen is a more than capable deputy.

2 – SPAIN
Captain Sergio Ramos leads a core of winners from 2010 – Gerard Pique, Sergio Busquets, Andres Iniesta, David Silva – that remain integral under coach Julen Lopetegui, alongside a number of younger stars with whom he had great success at youth levels.

Dreadful in Brazil four years ago, the likes of Marco Asensio, Isco and David de Gea have helped to revitalise a side that had stagnated under Vicente del Bosque and they qualified at a canter, unbeaten, and thrashed Italy in Madrid on their way.

Lopetegui is playing hardball with Alvaro Morata, as he looks to get the Chelsea striker firing and focused. The £67 million striker’s finals place is in jeopardy. Diego Costa is an alternative, and it is at centre-forward where the biggest question lies.

An opening clash with Portugal means there’s no room for a slow start, they are plenty good enough to be winners. But they aren’t our No.1.

3 – BRAZIL
Having languished sixth in South American qualifying when Tite arrived, they went on to win 10 of 12 – drawing the other two – scoring 30 times, conceding just three and rampaging to the top spot. Playing 4-3-3 with Neymar, Gabriel Jesus and Coutinho as the preferred front trio, they were mightily impressive.

The five-time winners’ squad is likely to be very different from four years ago, and Tite will remain loyal to those who have been pivotal in getting them to Russia – such as unheralded midfielder Renato Augusto. One of the most interesting aspects is in goal, where Roma’s Allison continues to fend off Manchester City’s Ederson.

Alas, there is no question that Neymar is crucial to their hopes; without him, they simply don’t have the same threat. Hopefully, he’ll be back to full fitness.

4 – ARGENTINA
World Cup finalists in 2014, only to lose to Germany in extra-time; they were subsequently beaten in the final of both the 2015 Copa America and 2016 Copa America Centenario on penalties.

Under Jorge Sampaoli they’ll hope to smother and dominate their group stage opponents, playing on the front foot from the off. They still have a star-studded attack, they still have familiar deficiencies in defence that will need papering over…and crucially, they still have Messi. That, if nothing else, ensures they are contenders.

5 – FRANCE
Didier Deschamps’ side looked well placed to win the European Championships two years ago, but, were either: a) not intelligent enough to break down Portugal in the final, or b) the width of a post away from success.

Whichever way you look at it, Les Bleus were good enough to win, but fell at the final hurdle. Heading to Russia, they’ve been given a big helping hand with their group, as they should be far too good for Australia, Peru and, while Denmark will offer a test, they should see them off also.

The emergence of Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele gives Deschamps tremendous options in attack to supplement Antoine Griezmann, and they have depth in all areas.

6 – PORTUGAL
The reigning European champions, the Seleccao, shocked a continent with their victory in France – particularly on the back of an early exit in 2014 and after a drawing all three of their group matches in France.

But, by hook or by crook, Cristiano Ronaldo and co. navigated their way to glory (winning just one match in 90 minutes) and experienced coach Fernando Santos has supplemented his experienced core with the likes of Bernardo Silva and Andre Silva who has a remarkable international record.

7 – URUGUAY
Oscar Tabarez is into his 12th year as Uruguay coach and there is much to be said for not only his being there still, but the consistency of his selections.

That has played a key role in their continued success under the 71-year-old, with a side that knows one another in depth now set for one final hurrah on the international stage. Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani are a fearsome partnership up front still, while the Atletico Madrid centre-half pairing of Diego Godin and Jose Maria Gimenez is rock solid.

La Celeste have been handed a kind draw, paired with by far the weakest of the top seeds – hosts Russia – and are a good bet to win Group A. Semi-finalists in 2010 and Copa America winners the following year, many of those players are still around; a solid outside bet for the last four.

8 – BELGIUM
Belgium’s Golden Generation will hope to make it third time lucky in Russia. Under Marc Wilmots the Red Devils succumbed to Argentina in the 2014 quarter-finals and then were dumped on their backsides by Wales at Euro 2016.

With Wilmots gone and Roberto Martinez now at the helm, more emphasis has been placed on their key attacking players, Eden Hazard and Kevin de Bruyne, while the ex-Everton boss has shown willingness to flit between a back three and back four, largely depending on the form and fitness of Vincent Kompany.

9 – ENGLAND
As is always the case, England had few worries on the road to Russia, easing through qualification with a relative degree of, well, ease, even after Sam Allardyce’s exit after just one game.

Gareth Southgate has troubles in goal, and lacks a Rio Ferdinand/John Terry figure to pin his hopes on in defence, while the central midfield options are limited. The Three Lions will be reliant on Harry Kane for goals, but boast the talents of Marcus Rashford, Dele Alli and Raheem Sterling in support.

10 – COLOMBIA
Arguably the most entertaining side in 2014, a Colombia side led by tournament top-scorer James Rodriguez reached the quarter-finals before falling 2-1 against Brazil.

James experienced a couple of down-years post-Brazil, but has rediscovered his mojo on loan at Bayern Munich this term. Jose Pekerman continues to preach an attractive, attacking style and his side’s bid will also be aided by the rise of two outstanding young defenders: Spurs’ Davinson Sanchez and Barcelona’s Yerry Mina.