In what has so far been a disappointing and frustrating—but not altogether surprising—season (this is Chelsea, after all), we have the benefit of being able to look forward to a summer graced by the World Cup. No matter what happens on a domestic level, it is always a fillip to see your heroes do it on the international stage—something that, let’s not forget, has not always been the case for those plying their trade at The Bridge. So which Blue has the best chance of making the biggest impact in Russia, winning the golden boot, or lifting the trophy?
With representatives in six of the top seven favourites to win the World Cup, there is a good chance that at least one current member of the squad will be on the pitch at Luzhniki Stadium on the 15th July. Perhaps the Belgian duo of Hazard and Courtois would be many people’s picks to taste success, mainly due to the high number of stars the Belgian’s have in the EPL, but most bookies only have Martinez’s team slightly ahead of England, whom they share Group G with. Just over the border in France, Kanté is likely to be the only starter for Les Bleus, with Giroud likely to be used from the bench, which will limit his chances of securing the half dozen or so goals needed to win the golden boot. That said, with group games against Australia, Peru and Denmark (where they will be up against Andreas Christensen, of course), they haven’t found themselves in the most testing of groups, and it is in these games where strikers can make hay.
Chelsea’s Spanish trio of Morata, Pedro and Azpilicueta have also been handed a decent draw—on paper, at least. While no pushovers, Morocco and Iran won’t offer the sternest of tests for a team hoping to at least make the last four, giving Álvaro a decent outside chance of being the top goal scorer.
If you want a World Cup winner, it’s always useful to have a German on your side. And, bizarrely, Antonio Rüdiger might find a starting place in the tournament favourite’s back four easier to come by than in Conte’s eleven.
Luiz and Willian are both likely to be in the starting eleven for Brazil, who (if you look purely at statistics, as more and more people who spout opinions on the beautiful game tend to do) are the most likely team to win. That would be their first victory, and finals appearance, since 2002.
Chelsea boast just two England players who have a chance of being on the plane to Russia, with Cahill far from being guaranteed a starter and Ross Barkley needing to get fit and take any chance he is given to impress Southgate enough to even make the twenty-four.
That leaves Victor Moses, who’s country of Nigeria (which is not the power they once threatened to be) will be hard-pushed to emerge from of a tricky group containing Argentina, Croatia and Iceland.
So, whatever happens in the remaining three months or so, there is always what promises to be a fascinating competition to look forward to. The chances are that at least one of our stars will shine, and it is also the perfect opportunity for a spot of window shopping, be it for recruitment on the pitch or for the dugout.
