Overview

With three of their six planned pre-World Cup friendlies cancelled, IR Iran’s preparations have been less than ideal. But with an abundance of talent across the squad, Queiroz will still be confident of a strong showing in Russia.

Drawn in the so-called “Group of Death” alongside the last two European champions; Spain and Portugal as well as Morocco, many believe Team Melli have their work cut out for them.

However, a defence that conceded just five goals in their 18 qualifiers’ games and an attack line boasting some of the continent’s finest forwards could cause upsets if the Portuguese coach gets his tactics right.

Overview

Japan’s preparation for Russia 2018 has not been the most straightforward of Asia's representatives, with coach Vahid Halilhodzic departing the helm just two months before the competition to be replaced with technical director Akira Nishino.

The former Gamba Osaka boss attempted a new three-man defence in his first match in charge, a 2-0 defeat at home to Ghana on May 30, as well as offering a reprieve to big names Shinji Kagawa, Keisuke Honda, and Shinji Okazaki, whose places were in doubt under Halilhodzic.

For football fans around the globe, a team’s kit often serves as an everlasting visual representation of certain memories. Nowhere is this truer than in the FIFA World Cup, where the four-year gap means kits usually change from one edition of the competition to the next.

Some kits have been immortalised due to their unique designs, while others remain forever associated with the team’s success. 

Here are five unforgettable kits from the Continent’s representatives in this year’s World Cup. View them below and then pick your favourite .

IR Iran are joined by 2010 FIFA World Cup winners Spain, 2016 European champions Portugal, as well as Morocco, who did not concede a single goal in six CAF qualifying group games. The Iranians will need to draw on past successes for inspiration, and we look back at their finest World Cup moments so far:

Usami was named among the 23-man squad that will represent the Samurai Blue when they take on Colombia, Senegal and Poland in the country’s sixth straight qualification for the Finals, and his selection prompted an outpouring of emotion.

"My wife was in tears,” said the 26-year-old former Gamba Osaka and Bayern Munich midfielder, who made his debut for Japan in 2015. “It's the first time ever that my wife cried over football or what I achieved in my career. 

“(The World Cup) is a place I've been wanting to get to ever since I watched the 2002 World Cup. I wouldn't be lying if I said the reason I can stay motivated about football is because of the World Cup.”

With Sadio Mane, James Rodriguez and Robert Lewandowski bearing down on the Japanese goal, the Blue Samurai must be at their defensive best in Russia when they take on Senegal, Colombia and Poland in Group H.

So it is perhaps little surprise that the first person Akira Nishino visited after taking over from  Vahid Halilhodzic two months ago was Yoshida, flying to England to sound out the rugged Southampton centre-back.

Head coach Shin Tae-yong and his 23 players will settle down in Leogang, in the state of Salzburg, and play two more tune-up matches there before hopping over to Saint Petersburg on June 12.

Drawn in Group F, the 61st-ranked Korea Republic are scheduled to play World No 23 Sweden at Nizhny Novgorod Stadium, Nizhny Novgorod on June 18, followed by the 15th-ranked Mexico at Rostov Arena, Rostov-on-Don, on June 23.

The Taeguk Warriors' final Group F opponents will be Germany, the defending champions and World No 1, at Kazan Arena in Kazan on June 27.