The 2017 Fifa Confederations Cup takes place in Russia from 17th June to 2nd July 2017.

Played in the World Cup host country a year before football’s premier event, Fifa’s “Festival of Champions” has become a serious test of the host country’s World Cup readiness  and a major sporting event in its own right, bringing together regional champions from all corners of the globe.

In 2017, the participating teams will be African champs Cameroon, Asian champs Australia, European champs Portugal, Oceanian champs New Zealand, South American champs Chile, Concacaf champs Mexico, 2014 World Cup winners Germany, and 2018 hosts Russia.

The draw for the tournament took place on 22 March 2017, splitting the eight teams into two groups and setting up some classic clashes.

Here are snapshot profiles of the contenders for the title of 2017 Fifa Confederations Cup champions, including each team’s recent record and star players.

GROUP A

Russia

Russia qualified for the tournament on 2nd December 2010 when they were choosen to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

This is their first time to participate at the tournament and they will be taking the chance to show off their new venues .

There is nothing much to talk about in terms of their prowess after their early exit during last year Euro Championship where they were eliminated in group stages of the tournament.

Igor Akinfeec,Alexander Kokorin annd Artyom Dzyuba will be players to watch and  they are there to try and make a mark at home soil.

Known as the Sbornaya they are currently ranked position 63 in the world.Their preparations to the tournament has not been good after a poor start on Friday when they were held 1-1 by Chile in a friendly.

It was coach Stanislac Cherchesov fifth match having been appointed in August to try and fix things and now many will be keen to watch the team’s style of play.

Mexico

They qualified as winners of CONCACAF Gold Cup when they beat USA on 10th October 2015.During that match they laboured hard to get a 3-2 win at Rose Bowl Stadium,the venue that hosted 1994 World Cup final.

Coached by Jua Carlos Osorio the Mexicans will be depending on key striker Javier Hernandez in the hunt for goals.

Hernandez not only is he capable of pulling the strings in the middle of the park, but he is also a goal scorer.His ability to score from distance, often with blistering shots, make him a man to keep an eye on.He has the talent to make a big mark on the game.

New Zealand

As part of the Ocenia Football Confederation,undoubtedly the weakest of Fifa’s regional bodies,New Zealand doesn’t get to constistently play aganist top-class opposation.It is something that could hamper their efforts in the Confederations Cup.

After they joined the Asian Football Confederation,ten years ago,New  Zealand became the region’s soccer powerhouse.Indeed they won the Ocenia Nations Cup with ease but they had to square it off with a South American nation inorder to get the spot.

Antony Hudson still remains their coach and he beleives on West Ham defender Winston Reid as his key man in the team.However, Chris Wood will be the man to lead the hunt for goals assisted by Bill Tuiloma.

Portugal

Cristiano Ronaldo will be in action with a huge exprerience at the club level.He will bring in his flava to this tournament for Portugal and his followers understands his nation’s undoubted football-playing prowess.

They qualified to the tournament as winners of Euro 2016 which they did in a dramatic fashion.Eder who scored an extra time stunner to defeat hosts France in the finals will be unavailable.

Coach Fernando Santos dropped him from the side that is currently ranked at position 8 in the world.

Santos coached men willl likely thrive on solid defence and efective counterattacking to try and capture the trophy.

Group B

Cameroon

The Indomitable Lions will be in this tourmament after 14 years having qualified as the Kings of Africa on 5th February 2017 when they beat Egypt in Africa Cup of Nations final in Gabon.

Their squad will be missing a couple of English based players but they are likely to defy their doubters once more under coach Hugo Broos.

Though the team lost to Colombia 4-0 four days ago,they are likely to shine considering that their key players who did for them a great job at Afcon are still around.

Christian Basogog,Benjamin Moukandjo and Vicent Aboubakar will be the men to watch in Russia and the whole of Africa will be looking at them to deliver the trophy.

Chile

They are currently ranked at postion 4 in the current Fifa rankings and their chances of winning the trophy are very high compared to the other teams.

They qualified to the tournament on 4th July 2015 as winners of South American (CONMEBOL) Cup after beating Argentina in a penalty shoutout.

Infront they will depend on two key players for an upset in this years tourney.Alexis Sanchez and Autro Vidal who are the two best players known in recent years in the team as having ability to score from distance,often blistering shots and they will be the men to keep an eye on.
Germany

They qualified as winners of Fifa World Cup 2014 after a dramatic victory aganist Argentina in the finals with Marip Gotze scoring an extra time decider.

Coached by Joachim Loew who took over in 2006 they will be here to mount their World Cup title defence campign.Their playing unit has undertook a lot of changes and only three players,Matthias Ginter,Julian Draxtler and Shkodran Mustafi who are here as part of last World Cup winning team.

However, it will be a great opportunity for new talents to emerge in this years tournament with the likes of Amin Younes and Sandro Wagner making their debut.

Australia

They made to their first Confederations Cup as an AFC member after they won the Asian Cup that was held in their own soil.

Tim Cahill is the player to watch in the team.It is remembered that he played a key role when they defeated Korea Republic in 2015 Asian Cup.

That success will be a motivator to the team to do their best though their recent form has been patchy.