All 32 teams at the 2018 World Cup have named their 23-man squads - and you can see the names of all 736 players here. Some, like England and Brazil, named their final line-ups in good time, while others waited until the June 4 deadline. Those who do not make the cut are placed on standby in case they are needed to replace any injured players. Replacements can be made at any point until 24 hours before each team's first World Cup game. Here is what we know so far about each squad so far, while you can find more detail about each side below:<doc-sep>When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. Ronaldo was leading the European champions through Humberto Delgado Airport in Lisbon as they prepared to catch their flight to Russia when he was approached by a young fan wearing a Portugal shirt. The Real Madrid superstar stopped walking and embraced the youngster before posing for pictures. The boy’s mother said Ronaldo left her son 'crying with happiness' after Ronaldo gave the boy an autograph before heading to the departure lounge. “He loves the national team so he is now very happy,” the boy’s mum told reporters.<doc-sep>The Teams IRAN THE SQUAD Beiranvand, Torabi, Hajsafi, Cheshmi, Mohammadi, Ezatolahi, Shojaei (c), Pouraliganji, Ebrahimi, Ansarifard, Amiri, Mazaheri, Khanzadeh, Ghoddos, Montazeri, Ghoochannejhad, Taremi, Jahanbakhsh, Hosseini, Azmoun, Dejagah, Abedzadeh, Rezaeian (Manager: Carlos Quieroz) PLAYER TO WATCH Iran’s talisman at the 2018 World Cup, much like in Brazil 2014, will be Heerenveen attacker Reza Ghoochannejhad, a former Dutch youth international who has plied most of his professional trade in the leagues of the Netherlands and Belgium. A creative force up front, he’s the man most likely to break defences, with 17 goals from 43 international caps. Ghoochannejhad is coming off a relatively quiet 2017-18 season, only scoring 10 goals in 36 games, compared to 22 in 39 the season prior. Still, he’ll have to be the main channel of attack should Iran have any chance of advancing. UNDER THE RADAR You might be familiar with the name Ashkan Dejagah from his time at Fulham, but it’s been a relatively quiet couple of years from the former German youth international. Dejagah has only made 5 first team appearances since the start of the 2016-17 season, mainly due to injuries, mostly to his hamstring. On his day, Dejagah is a powerful runner down the wing and possesses great dribbling and crossing skill. The question will be if he’s anywhere close to match fit, but if he’s good to go, he can provide Iran with a great secondary option, most likely off the bench. KEY MAN OUT Iran will be taking a relatively inexperienced defence to the World Cup, with only three named defenders possessing over 20 international caps. One man with experience who won’t be in Russia is Persepolis central defender Jalal Hosseini, who has represented his country 116 times. Besides a short stint in Qatar with Al Ahli, Hosseini has spent his entire pro career in Iran, amassing almost 500 appearances while maintaining a high level of durability. He could’ve been a good foil for some of the youth that Iran has taken to the cup. ANALYSIS/PREDICTIONS I don’t expect Iran to break their streak of never advancing past the group stage in the World Cup, but they definitely have the players to cause a headache or two, especially if the likes of Dejagah and Ghoochannejhad can work their combinations. Question marks linger over their defence and whether they’ll be able to handle at all the high powered attacks of Spain and Portugal. CHELSEA CONNECTIONS None QUALIFYING FORM Iran actually went undefeated during the final round of AFC qualifying, topping their group with 22 points, a group that included South Korea, Syria, Uzbekistan, China and 2022 hosts Qatar. As much as I’ve ragged on the defence here, they were sterling during qualifying, only conceding 2 goals in their 10 games in the third round. Their notable results include a 1-0 win over South Korea at home, while travelling to earn a 0-0 draw in Seoul. Played: 10. Won: 6. Drawn: 4. Lost: 0. Goals For: 10. Goals Against: 2. Points: 22. MOROCCO THE SQUAD Bounou, Hakimi, Mendyl, Da Costa, Benatia (c), Saiss, Ziyech, El Hamadi, El Kaabi, Belhanda, Fajr, Mohamedi, Boutaïb, Boussoufa, Bennasser, N. Amrabat, Dirar, Harit, En-Nesyri, Bouhaddouz, S. Amrabat, Tagnaouti, Carcela. (Manager: Hervé Renard) PLAYER TO WATCH Medhi Benatia is the key to this Moroccan squad given his experience in Europe’s top leagues, namely with Juventus, Bayern Munich and Roma. A strong leader with decent, if not express, pace and elite positioning skills, he’s established himself as one of the premier defenders in European football, despite a relative lack of game time during his stints at Juve and Bayern due to the vast defensive stocks of both clubs. A respectable ball player, Benatia’s athleticism and skill will be key in shutting down opposition raids. UNDER THE RADAR Dutch-born midfielder Hakim Ziyech has established himself as an important member of the Ajax midfield during his two seasons at the club and will be looking to do the same for Morocco in Russia. A goal-scoring creative midfielder, he scored 9 goals in the Eredivisie last term in 34 appearances and was rewarded with a spot in the Atlas Lions midfield. Tall for a number 10, the 25-year-old brings youth and flair, and with 8 international goals already in 17 appearances, looks like a long term option for Morocco. KEY MAN OUT If there is a strength in the Morocco side, it’s definitely in their midfield, with a number of creative influences including the Amrabat brothers, Mbark Boussoufa and Hakim Ziyech. Therefore, Southampton midfielder Sofiane Boufal can consider himself unlucky to not be included in the 23 man squad. A lack of goal scoring output can be pointed to, as Boufal has only managed three league goals in his two years on the south coast, with Ziyech preferred in his role. ANALYSIS/PREDICTIONS Morocco definitely have talent across the park, including a strong foundation at the back with Benatia and creative midfield generals in Boussoufa and Ziyech. The weakness lies in the relative lack of experience and productivity in the strike force, with the four listed attackers (El Kaabi, Boutaib, Bouhaddouz and En-Nesyri) only having 55 international caps combined. Morocco will need to rely on midfield dominance in order to advance from this tough group, but that may be a struggle against Spain and Portugal, who will try and starve them of any meaningful possession. CHELSEA CONNECTIONS Mbark Boussoufa - 2001-2004 - Youth Player (h/t user theRamster_again! in the comments) QUALIFYING FORM Morocco breezed through the final round of CAF qualifying, winning Group C ahead of Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon and Mali. Morocco did not concede a goal in their 6 games, scoring 11 themselves. They did have three 0-0 draws but thumped Mali 6-0 and travelled well, defeating Côte d’Ivoire 2-0 on their turf. Played: 6. Won: 3. Drawn: 3. Lost: 0. Goals For: 11. Goals Conceded: 0. Points: 12. PORTUGAL THE SQUAD Rui Patricio, Bruno Alves, Pepe, Manuel Fernandes, Raphael Guerreiro, Jose Fonte, Cristiano Ronaldo (c), Joao Moutinho, Andre Silva, Joao Mario, Bernardo Silva, Anthony Lopes, Ruben Dias, William Carvalho, Ricardo Pereira, Bruno Fernandes, Goncalo Guedes, Gelson Martins, Mario Rui, Quaresma, Cedric, Beto, Adrien Silva (Manager: Fernando Santos) PLAYER TO WATCH Obviously Cristiano Ronaldo. Coming off another otherworldly season for Real Madrid, despite a 5 match ban for shoving a referee, he still managed to score 44 goals in 44 games as Real Madrid won their third straight Champions League title. There isn’t much more to say about Cristiano Ronaldo that hasn’t already been said. He will be the focus of opposition game plans, but it likely won’t matter. UNDER THE RADAR The fact that William Carvalho is still at Sporting CP is somewhat surprising considering the constant transfer speculation that has linked him with a move away for the past 2-3 years, most notably to Arsenal. However, Carvalho has stayed and established himself as one of Portugal’s premier options in the centre of midfield. Powerful and robust, he’s the man charged with protection Portugal’s defence, a job he is well equipped to accomplish given his large size at 1.90m and his constantly whirring engine. Adept on the ball as well, he isn’t much of a goal scorer but is a pivotal part to Portugal’s success. KEY MAN OUT Portugal, such is their talent level, can afford to leave some top quality players at home, including the likes of Andre Gomes, Ruben Neves and Renato Sanches, even though the latter struggled at club level this past season. However, it’s hard to look past the exclusion of Nani, who was cut from the provisional 35-man squad and won’t be on the plane to Russia. Despite a quiet season on loan at Lazio from Valencia, Nani still possesses immeasurable international experience with 112 caps and 24 goals. His flair and trickery on the wing was however surplus to requirements as Portugal decided to go with the likes of Gelson Martins and Bernardo Silva instead. ANALYSIS/PREDICTIONS Portugal, the defending Champions of Europe, have the best player in the group, that much is inarguable, but are they the best team in the group?<doc-sep>
There are three consistent premier players in Russia who will not just have to shoulder the burden of their expectant nation, but embrace and thrive on that pressure. Neymar with Brazil is one, Lionel Messi and Argentina the other, but Ballon d’Or favourite Cristiano Ronaldo arguably bares the heaviest load. Fernando Santos’ side didn’t have the best start to qualifying after losing 2-0 in Basel in September 2016, but they then won nine on the bounce, including a pivotal final fixture against Switzerland in Lisbon, by the same scoreline, to snatch automatic qualification. People will label them a one-man team. ‘What happens if Ronaldo gets injured?’, they’ll say. Well, a) that won’t happen, Ronaldo is a tank. And b) more importantly, that’s also not true. There are pockets of talent across the rest of the squad, with Santos having a wealth of exciting young players at his disposal, including emerging stars like AC Milan forward Andre Silva, Gelson Martins at Sporting and Valencia’s loanee from Paris Saint-Germain, Goncalo Guedes. He also has seasoned old heads like Ronaldo, Pepe, Jose Fonte, Joao Moutinho and Ricardo Quaresma to help guide the new generation and balance out the squad. Let’s also not forget that Portugal played the majority of the Euro 2016 final without their talisman, after he was forced off 25 minutes into the game with a knee injury. His side were without him for over 95 minutes as the game went to extra time – scenes of him animatedly hopping on the touchline alongside Santos truly memorable. Two important things stand out. This is a side that now know how to play tournament football; success in France proved that. They’re also battle-hardened, proving their worth as an elite nation after years of threatening to be just a flash in the pan. At Euro 2016 they were solid yet unspectacular, progressing to the knockouts by the skin of their teeth following three draws. The only team they beat by more than one goal was Wales in the semi-final. Far from using this as a stick to beat Portugal with, it proves their resilience. Able to go deep in the latter rounds, they are one of only a handful of sides to take with them the experience of success. In previous major finals, they’ve impressed but ultimately fallen short. They crumbled as heavy favourites against Greece in Euro 2004 and wilted in a semi-final penalty shootout against Spain eight years later. In 2006 a stacked team fell to France in the World Cup semis. For the sake of Ronaldo and his Ballon d’Or bid, Portugal will need to draw on their 2016 success. KEY PLAYER Cristiano Ronaldo The iconic Real Madrid star was said to be suffering a slump this season. Yeah, right. Despite the criticism he has fought back emphatically to show his enduring, indomitable class, leading Los Blancos to a fourth Champions League final triumph in five years and scoring 42 goals in 40 games. COACH Fernando Santos A hulk of a man who wouldn’t look out of place as a villain in a James Bond film, Santos will hope to direct another cinematic spectacular for Portugal, two years on from their epic European Championship victory. CAPTAIN Cristiano Ronaldo Say what you will about a man who is often accused of letting his ego overshadow his undoubted talent, but Ronaldo is all about the collective. His driven attitude and ferocious will are apt qualities in a leader. YOUNG STAR Goncalo Guedes The 21-year-old enjoyed a superb season on loan at the resurgent Valencia, announcing himself as a star in the first half of the season offering raw explosive power and bursts of speed. A great profile to make an impact from the bench.