2018 FIFA World Cup Group B

Group B of the 2018 FIFA World Cup took place from 15 to 25 June 2018. The group consisted of Portugal, Spain, Morocco, and Iran. The top two teams advanced to the round of 16.

Teams
 Draw position Team Pot Confederation Method ofqualification Date ofqualification Finalsappearance Lastappearance Previous bestperformance FIFA Rankings October 2017 June 2018 B1    1  UEFA  UEFA Group B winners  10 October 2017  7th  2014  Third place (1966)  3  B2    2  UEFA  UEFA Group G winners  6 October 2017  15th  2014  Winners (2010)  8  B3    4  CAF  CAF Third Round Group C winners  11 November 2017  5th  1998  Round of 16 (1986)  48  B4    3  AFC  AFC Third Round Group A winners  12 June 2017  5th  2014  Group stage (1978, 1998, 2006, 2014)  34 

Notes

Standings

In the round of 16:
 The winners of Group B will advance to play the runners-up of Group A.
 The runners-up of Group B will advance to play the winners of Group A.

Matches
All times listed are local time.

Morocco vs Iran
The two teams have never met before.

 GK 12Munir MohamediCB 2 Achraf HakimiCB 5 Medhi Benatia (c)CB 6 Romain SaïssRM 14Mbark BoussoufaCM 7 Hakim ZiyechCM 8 Karim El Ahmadi  LM 18Amine Harit   RF 16Nordin Amrabat   CF 9 Ayoub El Kaabi   LF 10Younès BelhandaSubstitutions:MF 21Sofyan Amrabat   FW 20Aziz Bouhaddouz   DF 4 Manuel da Costa   Manager: Hervé Renard300px GK 1 Alireza BeiranvandCB 23Ramin RezaeianCB 4 Rouzbeh CheshmiCB 8 Morteza PouraliganjiRM 10Karim Ansarifard  CM 9 Omid Ebrahimi   CM 3 Ehsan HajsafiLM 7 Masoud Shojaei (c)    RF 18Alireza Jahanbakhsh    CF 20Sardar AzmounLF 11Vahid AmiriSubstitutions:FW 17Mehdi Taremi   DF 19Majid Hosseini   FW 14Saman Ghoddos   Manager: Carlos Queiroz

Man of the Match:
Amine Harit (Morocco)

Assistant referees:
Bahattin Duran (Turkey)
Tarik Ongun (Turkey)
Fourth official:
Sergei Karasev (Russia)
Fifth official:
Anton Averianov (Russia)
Video assistant referee:
Felix Zwayer (Germany)
Assistant video assistant referees:
Bastian Dankert (Germany)
Mark Borsch (Germany)
Jair Marrufo (United States)

Portugal vs Spain
The two teams have played each other 35 times before, including one game in the 2010 FIFA World Cup round of 16, won by Spain 1–0.

 GK 1 Rui PatrícioRB 21CédricCB 3 PepeCB 6 José FonteLB 5 Raphaël GuerreiroCM 14William CarvalhoCM 8 João MoutinhoRW 11Bernardo Silva   AM 17Gonçalo Guedes   LW 16Bruno Fernandes    CF 7 Cristiano Ronaldo (c)Substitutions:MF 10João Mário   FW 20Ricardo Quaresma   FW 9 André Silva   Manager:Fernando Santos300px GK 1 David de GeaRB 4 NachoCB 3 Gerard PiquéCB 15Sergio Ramos (c)LB 18Jordi AlbaCM 5 Sergio Busquets  CM 8 KokeRW 21David Silva   AM 22IscoLW 6 Andrés Iniesta   CF 19Diego Costa   Substitutions:MF 10Thiago   FW 17Iago Aspas   FW 11Lucas Vázquez   Manager:Fernando Hierro

Man of the Match:
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)

Assistant referees:
Elenito Di Liberatore (Italy)
Mauro Tonolini (Italy)
Fourth official:
Ryuji Sato (Japan)
Fifth official:
Toru Sagara (Japan)
Video assistant referee:
Massimiliano Irrati (Italy)
Assistant video assistant referees:
Paolo Valeri (Italy)
Carlos Astroza (Chile)
Daniele Orsato (Italy)

Portugal vs Morocco
The two teams have once played each other in a group stage game in the 1986 FIFA World Cup, won by Morocco 3-1.

 GK 1 Rui PatrícioRB 21CédricCB 3 PepeCB 6 José FonteLB 5 Raphaël GuerreiroRM 11Bernardo Silva   CM 14William CarvalhoCM 8 João Moutinho   LM 10João Mário   CF 17Gonçalo GuedesCF 7 Cristiano Ronaldo (c)Substitutions:FW 18Gelson Martins   MF 16Bruno Fernandes   MF 23Adrien Silva    Manager:Fernando Santos300px GK 12Munir MohamediRB 17Nabil DirarCB 5 Medhi Benatia (c)  CB 4 Manuel da CostaLB 2 Achraf HakimiCM 8 Karim El Ahmadi   CM 14Mbark BoussoufaRW 16Nordin AmrabatAM 10Younès Belhanda   LW 7 Hakim ZiyechCF 13Khalid Boutaïb   Substitutions:FW 9 Ayoub El Kaabi   MF 23Mehdi Carcela   MF 11Fayçal Fajr   Manager: Hervé Renard

Man of the Match:
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)

Assistant referees:
Joe Fletcher (Canada)
Frank Anderson (United States)
Fourth official:
Sergei Karasev (Russia)
Fifth official:
Anton Averianov (Russia)
Video assistant referee:
Felix Zwayer (Germany)
Assistant video assistant referees:
Jair Marrufo (United States)
Simon Lount (New Zealand)
Bastian Dankert (Germany)

Iran vs Spain
The two teams have never played each other before.

 GK 1 Alireza BeiranvandRB 23Ramin RezaeianCB 19Majid HosseiniCB 8 Morteza PouraliganjiLB 3 Ehsan Hajsafi (c)   CM 9 Omid Ebrahimi  CM 6 Saeid EzatolahiRW 10Karim Ansarifard   AM 17Mehdi TaremiLW 11Vahid Amiri    CF 20Sardar AzmounSubstitutions:DF 5 Milad Mohammadi   FW 18Alireza Jahanbakhsh   FW 14Saman Ghoddos   Manager: Carlos Queiroz300px GK 1 David de GeaRB 2 Dani CarvajalCB 3 Gerard PiquéCB 15Sergio Ramos (c)LB 18Jordi AlbaCM 5 Sergio BusquetsCM 6 Andrés Iniesta   RW 21David SilvaAM 22IscoLW 11Lucas Vázquez   CF 19Diego Costa   Substitutions:MF 8 Koke   MF 20Marco Asensio   FW 9 Rodrigo   Manager:Fernando Hierro

Man of the Match:
Diego Costa (Spain)

Assistant referees:
Nicolás Tarán (Uruguay)
Mauricio Espinosa (Uruguay)
Fourth official:
Julio Bascuñán (Chile)
Fifth official:
Christian Schiemann (Chile)
Video assistant referee:
Mauro Vigliano (Argentina)
Assistant video assistant referees:
Wilton Sampaio (Brazil)
Alexander Guzmán (Colombia)
Massimiliano Irrati (Italy)

Iran vs Portugal
The two teams have played each other two times, most recently in a group stage game in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, won by Portugal 2-0. 

 GK 1 Alireza BeiranvandRB 23Ramin RezaeianCB 19Majid HosseiniCB 8 Morteza PouraliganjiLB 3 Ehsan Hajsafi (c)    DM 6 Saeid Ezatolahi   CM 18Alireza Jahanbakhsh   CM 9 Omid EbrahimiRW 17Mehdi TaremiLW 11Vahid AmiriCF 20Sardar Azmoun  Substitutions:DF 5 Milad Mohammadi   FW 14Saman Ghoddos   FW 10Karim Ansarifard   Manager: Carlos Queiroz300px GK 1 Rui PatrícioRB 21Cédric  CB 3 PepeCB 6 José FonteLB 5 Raphaël Guerreiro  RM 20Ricardo Quaresma    CM 14William CarvalhoCM 23Adrien SilvaLM 10João Mário   CF 9 André Silva   CF 7 Cristiano Ronaldo (c)  Substitutions:MF 11Bernardo Silva   MF 8 João Moutinho   FW 17Gonçalo Guedes   Manager:Fernando Santos

Man of the Match:
Ricardo Quaresma (Portugal)

Assistant referees:
Eduardo Cardozo (Paraguay)
Juan Zorrilla (Paraguay)
Fourth official:
Mehdi Abid Charef (Algeria)
Fifth official:
Anouar Hmila (Tunisia)
Video assistant referee:
Massimiliano Irrati (Italy)
Assistant video assistant referees:
Gery Vargas (Bolivia)
Hernán Maidana (Argentina)
Paolo Valeri (Italy)

Spain vs Morocco
Despite their locations, the two teams have played each other only in two opportunities, both were games for the 1962 FIFA World Cup qualification, and both were won by Spain. 

 GK 1 David de GeaRB 2 Dani CarvajalCB 3 Gerard PiquéCB 15Sergio Ramos (c)LB 18Jordi AlbaCM 5 Sergio BusquetsCM 10Thiago   RW 21David Silva   AM 22IscoLW 6 Andrés IniestaCF 19Diego Costa   Substitutions:FW 17Iago Aspas   MF 20Marco Asensio   FW 9 Rodrigo   Manager:Fernando Hierro300px GK 12Munir Mohamedi  RB 17Nabil DirarCB 4 Manuel da Costa  CB 6 Romain SaïssLB 2 Achraf Hakimi  CM 8 Karim El Ahmadi  CM 14Mbark Boussoufa (c)  RW 16Nordin Amrabat  AM 10Younès Belhanda   LW 7 Hakim Ziyech   CF 13Khalid Boutaïb   Substitutions:MF 11Fayçal Fajr   FW 19Youssef En-Nesyri   FW 20Aziz Bouhaddouz   Manager: Hervé Renard

Man of the Match:
Isco (Spain)

Assistant referees:
Abdukhamidullo Rasulov (Uzbekistan)
Jakhongir Saidov (Uzbekistan)
Fourth official:
Mohammed Abdulla Hassan Mohamed (United Arab Emirates)
Fifth official:
Mohamed Al Hammadi (United Arab Emirates)
Video assistant referee:
Felix Zwayer (Germany)
Assistant video assistant referees:
Bastian Dankert (Germany)
Mark Borsch (Germany)
Danny Makkelie (Netherlands)

References

Other websites
 2018 FIFA World Cup Group B , FIFA.com

Category:2018 FIFA World Cup