Moscow: The 2010 World Cup winners Spain were placed in the same group as Cristiano Ronaldo’s European champions Portugal in an exciting draw for the 2018 tournament in Russia on Friday.

Neymar’s Brazil meanwhile will have to negotiate a group including Switzerland, Costa Rica and Serbia as they seek a sixth title.

Holders Germany will face Mexico, Sweden and South Korea as they try to retain the title for the first time since Brazil in 1962.

Lionel Messi and his Argentina team which struggled to qualify will play European debutants Iceland as well as a talented Croatia team and Nigeria. In a star-studded ceremony in the Kremlin, England were placed with Kevin de Bruyne’s Belgium, surprise packages Panama and Tunisia.

Russia-S.Arabia opener

Host nation Russia will face Saudi Arabia in the tournament-opening match on June 14 in the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.

Russia’s other opponents in Group A are Uruguay, led by Barcelona’s Luis Suarez, and Egypt, spearheaded by Liverpool striker Mohamed Salah.

France and their potent strikeforce featuring Antoine Griezmann and teenage sensation Kylian Mbappe will play Australia, Peru and Denmark in Group C. Spain’s other opponents in a tough-looking Group B are Morocco and Iran.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a speech at the draw ceremony that Russia had a “strong affection” for football.

In the hours before the draw, FIFA President Gianni Infantino denied that doping was a problem even as Russia are at serious risk of being barred from the 2018 Winter Olympics for doping.

‘Not carried away’

Meanwhile, England manager Gareth Southgate refused to get carried away with what appeared to be a hugely favourable draw on Friday for his team at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

The draw in Moscow saw England chosen to face Belgium, Panama and Tunisia in Group G.

It meant England, who have not won a major men’s international trophy since lifting the 1966 World Cup on home soil, avoided global giants Argentina, Brazil and Germany after Argentina great Diego Maradona picked them out of Pot 2 at the Kremlin’s State Palace.

England will face Tunisia in their opening game in Volgograd on June 18, a repeat of their first game in the 1998 World Cup in France, when goals from Alan Shearer and Paul Scholes secured a 2-0 win in Marseille.

They will then travel to Nizhni Novgorod on June 24 to take on Panama, making their first appearance in a World Cup finals, with their concluding group fixture against well-regarded Belgium in Kaliningrad on June 28.

With the top two teams in each pool going through to the second round, Belgium and England will be huge favourites to make it out of Group G.

Agence France-Presse