Supporters from every country that qualified share their hopes and expectations for Russia 2018
Russia
Moscow can … surprise you every day. It's an ideal city for sports fans as it has 11 professional football teams and four in the Russian Premier League. Expectations are fairly low for the hosts. Fans don't consider Stanislav Cherchesov a good coach-and-four and we are worried about Russia's inexperienced defence.
Russia will … qualify from the group. But only if Cherchesov observes a style to get the best from a talented squad and understands how to defend without the retired Berezutski friends. If Russia can avoid Spain in the first knockout match, there is a chance we can go even further.
Keep an eye out for … Alexey Miranchuk, an intelligent player who can create the moments that matter. Striker Fyodor Smolov could have a decent tournament too. He wants to leave Krasnodar and move abroad, so he needs good performances the summer months. Ilya Sokolov
Egypt
The general mood is … o ne of exhilaration. Egypt haven't been at a World Cup since 1990, so we seem to have forgotten how to celebrate qualification. The streets are draped in red, white and black, and everyone has now become a football analyst. We should just be happy we are at the party.
Egypt is … n ot Liverpool. Mo Salah reached the final of one major tournament this year, but no one severely expects him to reach another. We simply want to see our team play arousing football as representatives of Africa. I would be content if we can get out of the group.
Look out for … Ahmed Hegazi and Ramadan Sobhi. Relegated with West Brom and Stoke this season, they will be keen to redeem themselves on the international stage. Legendary 45 -year-old goalkeeper Essam El Hadari will hopefully fulfil his dream of captaining Egypt in a World Cup. Ahmed Aly
Uruguay
The country's emotional state is … euphoric and anxious. Great things are expected. Business around Montevideo have decorated their offices in light blue colours and there are Football world cup sweepstakes taking place everywhere.
Uruguay has … A good chance. There's a healthy mixture of experienced professionals and promising young talents. Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani carry most of the weight of expectation but we have a very united team and the country has a lot of faith in them.
When I was younger … I promised myself that if I ever had a daughter, I would name her Celeste in honour of the national squad. Last year Micaela Celeste was born. Natalia Tassino
Saudi Arabia
Allowing us to watch football was … a bout women ultimately achieving one of their demands. Next up we'll be allowed to drive. It's so amazing to eventually find all this empowerment for girls in Saudi Arabia.
The country is … v ery aroused about taking part in the World Cup again. Twelve years is a long time to wait for another chance.
The Saudi player I'm most excited by is … all of them. We don't have any starring players and go into the tournament with a group mentality. This unity will be the key if we are to go through.
Saudi Arabia should be targeting … the heroics of USA 94. Reaching the second round in our first World Cup was incredible. The three group-stage exits that followed were so disappointing in comparison. Sarah Algashgari
Iran
The World Cup … means a lot to us. We have a large population with a strong sense of identity and history, but as a footballing nation we are still comparatively inexperienced. Young Iranians feel oppressed and isolated at home, while also constantly misunderstood and stereotyped around the world. Cheering on” Team Melli” is an opportunity to express ourselves.
We will … go past the working group for the first time. The superb talents of Sardar Azmoun, Alireza Jahanbakhsh, Saman Ghoddos and Masoud Shojaei should devote us a chance. It's hard to look beyond the 2-1 win over USA at France 98 as my favourite Football world cup memory. There aren't that many to choose from. Payam Kalantar
Morocco
The last hour we qualified … I was 10 years old. Back in 1998 we were so close to progressing to the last 16, but Brazil somehow lost to Norway.
I imagination our chances … against Portugal and Iran but Spain will be on their own planet. Attaining it out of different groups would be a huge success, but not much of a surprise.
Our key player will be … Hakim Ziyech, an attacking midfielder who plays for Ajax. Salim Choudart
Portugal
The mood is … uncertain. The exhilaration of winning Euro 2016 is still there, devoting us hope, but the fact that we just aren't very good still doesn't sit are you all right with many.
The minimum expectation is … quarter-finals. Getting out of different groups with Spain should be a given but I expect the team to buckle against Argentina or France, the most likely foes in the quarter-finals.
Our creative force in the national team should be … Bernardo Silva. Portugal have lacked a proper attacking playmaker since Deco retired. Ronaldo should play a massive portion too, unless he's fatigued after another long season. Joao Melo
Spain
Brazil 2014 was … very disappointing. We've only just recovered but, if “were starting” well the summer months, the faith is La Roja will soon be back.
It's difficult to say … where Spain will end up in the World Cup. There are many wonderful squads and they all want their hands on the trophy. If players such as David Silva, Andres Iniesta and Isco start on the front foot, we won't be too far away. Javier Perez
Australia
Australia will … never again reach the heights of the performance in 2006, “when hes” spectacular in Germany. The purpose the summer months is to get through different groups. If the team give their all we shouldn't be too far away. France are the only team that appear unbeatable.
The beating heart of our midfield is … Aaron Mooy. His tactical and physical approach shouldn't be underestimated. He is one of the main reasons Huddersfield remain a Premier League side. His craftsmanship in midfield won't run unnoticed. James Gough
Denmark
Qualifying was … a relief as it is never insured. Our goal is to do better than last period. South Africa in 2010 was a real disappointment but we can definitely attain the knockout stages the summer months. Then we will probably be destroyed by Argentina.
The man with the X-factor is … Christian Eriksen. He's been on fire for our national squad during qualification and inspires younger players such as Pione Sisto, Thomas Delaney and Andreas Christensen. Our squad is based around these youngsters. Emil Christensen
France
The only thing that can stop us is … overconfidence. We have huge talents but a lack of cohesion. The national squad has not evolved as much as we should have since Euro 2016. Didier Deschamps did a very average task with our young players. There's no real back up for Olivier Giroud; our full-backs are not so good; and we rely on individual talents to win us games. I'm not sure if that's enough to win the World Cup.
I would be happy to reach … the semi-finals. Spain, Germany, Belgium and even Brazil appear more organised than us.
The player who arouses me most is … Kylian Mbappe. He already has so much experience and can do a lot of damage with Ousmane Dembele up front. Antoine Griezmann will be his usual menace. Thomas Kamdem
Peru
The country is … feverish with anticipation. We're ecstatic about our first Football world cup appearance since 1982. The results are almost inconsequential. I only hope we avoid any embarrassments.
Peruvians … Don't follow regulations easily. We work hard and never give up. We're eternally optimistic.
Our national side is … a scrappy squad. There are no outstanding players, but Ricardo Gareca has moulded them into a tight, disciplined division. We go into the tournament hoping for outcomes against Australia and Denmark. France will prove too talented.
Our strikers are … near the end of their careers. Paolo Guerrero and Jefferson Farfan can be a potent strike force-out if they click. Farfan has had a great season in Russia, while Guerrero needs to prove that he still has it after his recent suspension. At the back we rely a lot on centre-back Alberto” el mudo” Rodriguez. Miguel Payet
Argentina
The mood is … cautiously optimistic, but I don't think anyone is very reassured by how Argentina have been playing lately.
My favourite thing about Argentinian football is … the fans. When I go to see La Albiceleste play, there are always a huge number of enthusiastic and friendly supporters.
The most negative thing about the national team is … the high turnover of players and managers. Jose Pekerman was given far too little time. He would have developed a consistent and matured style of play eventually.
I've never cheered so aloud as when … Argentina knocked England out on penalties in 1998- although beating the Netherlands in the 2014 semi-finals came close.
If we don't win the tournament … I hope we bow out gracefully after some memorable performances. Maria
Croatia
My first Football world cup memory … is also my favourite one. Our brave squad that illuminated up France 98 will always be the benchmark for any Croatia team. That was a big thing for an eight-year-old boy. Will we ever finish third again?
We should aim for … the semi-finals. There is talent all over the squad, with Luka Modric, Ivan Rakitic, Dejan Lovren and Mario Mandzukic the big stars. If they bide fit, another Football world cup adventure is very much on. Luka Ivezic
Iceland
If we can get a result against Argentina … “youve never” know what will happen! We are typically optimistic. Iceland doesn't do national pessimism.
Keeping an eye on … Albert Gudmundsson. The winger hasn't featured much for PSV this season, but he's our only real alternative to Gylfi Sigurdsson. Tryggvi Kristjansson
Nigeria
The mood is … the usual clash of overblown optimism and deep pessimism. Some always choose to believe we are due an adventurous tournament, while others expect us to crash and burn. I dread it was possible to the latter.
I'd be surprised … if we make the second round. We appear unlikely to match Argentina and Croatia for quality, while Iceland's resolve seem to be surpass our own.
Our key player is … Wilfred Ndidi. He is an efficient, unfussy footballer. If fully fit, he might earn himself a big move the summer months. Kia
Brazil
The streets of Brazil are … full of green, blue and yellow. Schools are letting students go to classes in their football kits, and classes are cancelled when Brazil are playing.
This Football world cup … means a lot to us. After all the recent political unrest, corruption and economic uncertainty, the Selecao is not just a team but a symbol of hope.
The greatest thing about this squad is … we do not depend on only one player. We have Neymar, Coutinho, Firminho, Marcelo, Fernandinho and Thiago Silva. We have a better squad than the 1982 one, which was considered the best in our history.
Brazilians are … expecting a reaction from the disastrous defeat to Germany four years ago. Every minute of this tournament is likely to be watched. If there's a ball rolled, we'll be watching. Pedro Henrique Heinzen
Costa Rica
The mood is … cautious. The national team is not in its best sort and the toughness of the group also increases the uneasiness among the more skeptical fans. We want to be competitive. I hope we make it to the second round. Get though such a difficult group will lift our players and we could go even further if confidence grows. Commitment and dedication is a must.
The players carrying the hopes of a nations are … Bryan Ruiz, Joel Campbell and Oscar Duarte. If they play well, Costa Rica will have a chance against Switzerland and Serbia.
We've come a long way since … missing out on the knockout stages of the 2002 World Cup on aim difference. I never though I'd see Costa Rica in a Football world cup quarter-final, so the efforts of four years ago will be hard to match. Daniel Villalta
Serbia
The Serbia squad is … t he most talented in years. Coach Mladen Krstajic has made a positive impression. We haven't reached a Football world cup since South Africa in 2010 and this squad is seen as far more promising than the one eight years ago.
We should … reach the knockout stages. We can get past Switzerland and Costa Rica, and go through with Brazil. That would likely assure us face Germany in the second round. The journey will end there.
What arouses me most about the team is … the midfield. Luka Milivojevic and Nemanja Matic are already proven high-quality holding midfielders. Sergej Milinkovic-Savic has been one of the most dynamic young goalscoring midfielders in Europe, and Dusan Tadic was unplayable at times during World Cup qualification. Oskar
Switzerland
My favourite player is … Xherdan Shaqiri. He grabbed a hat-trick at the last World Cup against Honduras and scored the goal of Euro 2016. Youngsters such as Manuel Akanji, Steven Zuber and Breel Embolo are continuing to show their promise as well. Nischal Schwager-Patel
Germany
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