During the coming days, Europe will determine which will be the four remaining teams that will participate in the 2018 FIFA World Cup next year. Italy, Sweden, Ireland, Denmark, Croatia, Greece, Switzerland and Northern Ireland will all battle for a World Cup berth in the coming days.
We are definitively going to see some epic battles. Italy will square off against Sweden, Ireland will play against Denmark, Croatia will battle against Greece, and Switzerland will meet with Northern Ireland. All eight teams have quality, talented and experienced players, but a few names stand above the rest. These players need are ticketed to play a huge role in their respective countries.
Without further ado, here are 4 players to watch during the 2018 UEFA World Cup playoff round.
Xherdan Shaqiri – Switzerland
Switzerland enjoyed one of the most successful, yet unluckiest campaigns in the UEFA World Cup Qualifiers. They won their first nine matches but had to decide their fate in the final contest of the group stage against Portugal. And they lost 0-2, so they will be forced to battle for a World Cup in the playoffs despite ending the Group Stage with 27 points.
The contest against Northern Ireland has the Swiss squad as favorites, but they can’t get complacent. They will need solid performances from both the attackers and the defenders, but one that needs to stand out is Xherdan Shaqiri. The Stoke City playmaker is used to play in the English Premier League, and Northern Ireland should use a similar playing style. His creativity will be extremely useful if the Swiss side wants to come out on top.
Christian Eriksen – Denmark
Denmark have built a decent squad, but it’s not a secret the team lives and dies with Christian Eriksen. The Danish side will only go as far as the Tottenham star can carry them. Therefore, it’s easy to think he will be the most important player on the playoff tie against the Republic of Ireland.
The former Ajax star and current Spurs midfielder is the engine that keeps the team going in midfield. He tends to drop deeper on the pitch to start the attacking plays, but also finds himself near the box to capitalize plays. After all, Eriksen was one of the top scorers for Denmark during the Qualifying run with eight goals in 10 matches. He will be key for Denmark, but his recent form suggests he will be at the top of his game to take on Ireland during the coming days. If that’s the case, then Denmark have a decent chance to reach the World Cup.
Ciro Immobile – Italy
Italy have a hard challenge ahead of themselves since they will take on Sweden in one of the closest ties in the UEFA World Cup Playoff Round. There is no question Italy start the tie as favorites, but they can’t get complacent. They need to be at the top of their games on both ends of the pitch, but most notably on the attack. They need to capitalize on their chances to build a decent lead in the first leg. And that’s where Ciro Immobile comes in.
The Lazio star has been one of the most productive strikers in Europe this season. The former Sevilla and Torino star has 18 goals and seven assists during the present campaign and is entering his prime years since he’s only 27. Even though Italy have decent attacking options on their squad – like Stephan El Shaarawy, Lorenzo Insigne, and Andrea Belotti – there is no question Immobile is the team’s biggest threat. He is going to play a huge role in the team’s chances of reaching the World Cup, and it will be interesting if he can translate his club form to the NT when they need him the most.