A simplified look at Group G from a historical perspective and the current situation Note: Country's best player Information taken from Wikipedia page. Match Report from several on-line articles Belgium History World Cup Appearances: 12 times 1930: Group stage 1934: First round (Straight knockout format) 1938: First round (Straight knockout format) 1950: Did not enter 1954: Group stage 1958: Did not qualify 1962: Did not qualify 1966: Did not qualify 1970: Group stage 1974: Did not qualify 1978: Did not qualify 1982: Second round 1986: Fourth 1990: Second round 1994: Second round 1998: Group stage 2002: Second round 2006: Did not qualify 2010: Did not qualify 2014: Quarter-finals Best World Cup Match: Belgium 3-1 Uruguay (1990) 'Captain Jan Ceulemans finished off an impressive night of offensive ingenuity with a goal while his team was down one man on Sunday, helping Belgium to a 3-1 victory over Uruguay and into the second round of the World Cup.' The Los Angeles Times 'Scifo had his second strong game in a row to put Belgium among the top contenders for the championship. The Belgians have four points in Group E--they also beat South Korea, 2-0.' The Los Angeles Times Best player: Paul Van Himst 'He was nicknamed Polle Gazon due to the large number of fouls committed on him. Van Himst won the Belgian championship 8 times, all of them with Anderlecht, a club for which he started playing his first professional season in 1959–60. With Anderlecht, he scored 233 goals in 457 matches (16 seasons). He then played for RWDM (another Brussels club) in 1975–76 and for Eendracht Aalst (then in the second division) in the following season. Between 1960 and 1974, "Polle Gazon" scored 30 goals (in 81 matches) for the Belgian national team. This performance made him Belgium's second topscorer—along with Bernard Voorhoof—and the 10th most capped player for his country. He was part of Belgium's team which qualified for the 1970 World Cup. Van Himst then helped Belgium reach third place at the Euro 1972. He also holds the record of Golden Shoe, awarded to him four times. In November 2003, to celebrate UEFA's Jubilee, he was named the Golden Player of Belgium by the Belgian Football Association as their most outstanding player of the past 50 years.' Present World Cup Qualification: Group winners Performance at Continental Championship: Quarter-finals Most Notable Match in Qualification: Belgium 4-0 Bosnia and Herzegovina (Home) Most important player: Kevin De Bruyne England History World Cup Winners: Once (1966) World Cup Appearances: 14 times 1930: Did not enter 1934: Did not enter 1938: Did not enter 1950: Group stage 1954: Quarter-finals 1958: Group stage 1962: Quarter-finals 1966: Winners 1970: Quarter-finals 1974: Did not qualify 1978: Did not qualify 1982: Quarter-finals 1986: Quarter-finals 1990: Fourth 1994: Did not qualify 1998: Second round 2002: Quarter-finals 2006: Quarter-finals 2010: Second round 2014: Group stage Best World Cup Match: England 2-1 Portugal (1966) 'England moved majestically towards the peak, so far unconquered in their history, of winning the World Cup. Last night they earned the right to meet West Germany on Saturday in the final. No finer semi-final match than that in which Portugal were defeated 2-1 could have been anticipated. No finer sporting team have had to bow to England, at their best, in this competition.' The Guardian 'How the audience of 90,000 were held in the spell of this fine Portuguese attacking side, and of the great performance England put up against them to win. This was football at its best, magnificent in every department, a triumph too, in these troublesome times, for true sportsmanship. England's defence had the greatest testing it has faced in this competition. I doubt whether West Germany can match the skill and perspicacity which Eusebio, Simoes, Augusto and Torres showed last night. It was perhaps possible only for a player of top world class, which Bobby Charlton certainly retains, to take advantage to the full of the gaps and to score both England's goals.' The Guardian Best player: Bobby Charlton 'Regarded as one of the greatest midfielders of all time, and an essential member of the England team who won the World Cup in 1966, the year he also won the Ballon d'Or. He played almost all of his club football at Manchester United, where he became renowned for his attacking instincts and passing abilities from midfield and his ferocious long-range shot. He was also well known for his fitness and stamina. He was cautioned only twice in his career; once against Argentina in the 1966 World Cup, and once in a league match against Chelsea. Charlton made his debut for the Manchester United first-team in 1956. After helping United to win the Football League in 1965, he won a World Cup medal with England in 1966 and another Football League title with United the following year. In 1968, he captained the Manchester United team that won the European Cup, scoring two goals in the final to help his team be the first English side to win the competition. He is United's second all-time leading goal scorer (249), being surpassed by Wayne Rooney, and held the distinction of being England's all-time top goal scorer (49) from May 1968 to September 2015, when again Wayne Rooney surpassed his record. Charlton held the record for most appearances for Manchester United (758), before being surpassed by Ryan Giggs in the 2008 UEFA Champions League Final. He was selected for four World Cups (1958, 1962, 1966 and 1970), and helped England to win the competition in 1966. At the time of his retirement from the England team in 1970, he was the nation's most capped player, having turned out 106 times at the highest level. This record has since been held by Bobby Moore and Peter Shilton. Present World Cup Qualification: Group winners Performance at Continental Championship: Second round Most Notable Match in Qualification: England 3-0 Scotland (Home) Most important player: Harry Kane Tunisia History African Cup Winners: Once (2004) World Cup Appearances: 4 times National team formed in 1957 1958: Did not enter 1962: Did not qualify 1966: Did not enter 1970: Did not qualify 1974: Did not qualify 1978: Group stage 1982: Did not qualify 1986: Did not qualify 1990: Did not qualify 1994: Did not qualify 1998: Group stage 2002: Group stage 2006: Group stage 2010: Did not qualify 2014: Did not qualify Best World Cup Match: Tunisia 0-1 Poland (1978) 'And once again Tunisia proved predictions wrong: they were much fresher than Poland in the second half, got the initiative, and dominated to the end. But unlucky... twice the goalposts denied Tunisia from scoring. Then a Polish defender managed to clear the ball practically from the goal line. Poland was clearly outplayed, but managed to preserve her fragile lead. Tunisia did not score and lost.' Football Journey 'Much later it was said that 'African football was discovered' in 1978 – a stupid and laughable view, concocted years after the championship. A minority of specialists predicted African explosion for years – finally, it happened. Tunisia was not just enthusiastic team, surviving mostly because others were too slow to take them seriously, like the case of North Korea in 1966. The team was competent, well versed in modern football, showed tactical discipline, no fear, and considerable confidence. Unlike most African and Asian teams appearing at World Cup finals so far, Tunisia was very fit and up to the physical demands of modern football. And their play brought results – the first African win in history; the tie against the reigning world champions. Obviously the coach knew his job too. The team was young enough to last and develop further. Naimi played very well, but previously suspect Tarak Dhiab proved to be really excellent player – a modern midfielder equal to the best in Europe.' Football Journey Best player: Tarak Dhiab 'Tarak Dhiab was chosen The Tunisian footballer of the 20th century. Dhiab assumed the midfield role with superb passing skills and an excellent scoring record from midfield. He formed a sound understanding with winger Témime Lahzami both at Espérance and on the Tunisian national team. Dhiab was awarded the African Footballer of the Year title in 1977 and played a pivotal role in helping Tunisia qualifying for the 1978 FIFA World Cup. At the World Cup, Tunisia won a group stage match 3–1 against Mexico, becoming the first national team from Africa to win a match at the World Cup. Dhiab was mentioned as Tunisia's "World Cup legend" by the BBC and as one of Tunisia's greatest World Cup players by the CBC. He is widely regarded as one of Tunisia's all-time greats, and arguably the greatest midfield playmaker the country has produced. Though he never played in a major European league, many believe he was able to hold his own among international playmakers in this period.' Present World Cup Qualification: Group winners Performance at Continental Championship: Quarter-finals Most Notable Match in Qualification: Tunisia 2-2 DR Congo (Away) Most important player: Aymen Abdennour Panama History National team formed in 1938 World Cup 1950: Did not enter 1954: Did not enter 1958: Did not enter 1962: Did not enter 1966: Did not enter 1970: Did not enter 1974: Did not enter 1978: Did not qualify 1982: Did not qualify 1986: Did not qualify 1990: Did not qualify 1994: Did not qualify 1998: Did not qualify 2002: Did not qualify 2006: Did not qualify 2010: Did not qualify 2014: Did not qualify Best player: Julio Dely Valdés 'Dely Valdés began his professional career in 1987 in Argentina with Deportivo Paraguayo of Argentina, where he scored 28 goals. He then moved to Club Nacional de Football in Uruguay, where he scored more than 100 goals and won the Uruguayan Championship in 1992. In Europe, he played for Cagliari in Serie A and Paris Saint-Germain alongside Brazilian players like Raí and Leonardo in the French Premiére Division. Nicknamed Panagol, he then played in Spain's Primera División with Real Oviedo for three seasons and with Málaga for another three,where he became the most prolific goal scorer in Málaga's history in Primera División, before returning to Nacional. Dely Valdés made his debut for Panama in a May 1991 and earned a total of 44 caps, scoring 18 goals. He represented his country in 27 FIFA World Cup qualification matches and was a member of the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup team, who finished second in the tournament, losing the final against USA in the penalty shootout.' Present World Cup Qualification: Third in CONCACAF Performance at Continental Championship: Quarter-finals Most Notable Match in Qualification: Panama 2-1 Costa Rica (Home) Most important player: Gabriel Gómez
Funny how the most important player for Tunisia is a guy who hasn’t been invited to play in the national team for over a year and who is not in the squad selected for the WC lol
You are right I guess I should update, he had an excellent season during his time with Monaco though it was a few years ago. Now probably Khazri their most important player since Msakni got injured.