The action gets underway when the hosts take on Saudi Arabia on Thursday, but which lesser-known players could make a big impact during the tournament? Here’s a look at some of the best players set to compete in Russia who you have probably never heard of.
Smolov is Russia’s main striker and probably their best hope of making it out of Group A. The 28-year-old has scored 12 goals in 32 appearances for his country and has an excellent record for his club Krasnodar. Since joining them from Dynamo Moscow in 2014, he has netted 52 goals in 73 league appearances. He was linked with West Ham during the January transfer window.