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SportsPulse: USA TODAY Sports' Martin Rogers discusses Russia's first time as a World Cup host, the underdogs of the tournament and if a South American country can their its World Cup in Europe since 1958. USA TODAY Sports

The 2018 World Cup kicks off Thursday when host nation Russia plays Saudi Arabia at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.

Here is how USA TODAY Sports experts, as well as guest prognosticators, see this summer's tournament playing out:

Martin Rogers (@RogersJourno), USA TODAY Sports

Round of 16 teams: Russia, Uruguay, Spain, Portugal, France, Denmark, Argentina, Nigeria, Brazil, Costa Rica, Germany, Sweden, Belgium, England, Japan, Colombia
Semifinals: France vs. Brazil, Spain vs. Germany
Final: Spain over France
Golden Boot (top goal-scorer): Antoine Griezmann, France
Golden Ball (best player): David Silva, Spain
Golden Glove (best goalkeeper): David de Gea, Spain
Young Player Award (best player born on or after Jan. 1, 1997): Gabriel Jesus, Brazil

World Cup power rankings: Rating all 32 teams, from hopeless to hopefuls

2018 World Cup: Five sleeper teams to watch

Jim Reineking (@jimreineking), USA TODAY Sports

Round of 16 teams: Uruguay, Egypt, Spain, Portugal, France, Denmark, Croatia, Argentina, Brazil, Switzerland, Germany, Mexico, Belgium, England, Colombia, Poland
Semifinals: France vs. Brazil, Germany vs. Spain
Final: France over Germany
Golden Boot: Thomas Muller, Germany
Golden Ball: Antoine Griezmann, France
Golden Glove: David de Gea, Spain
Young Player Award: Kylian Mbappe, France

Adam Woodard (@AdamWoodard), USA TODAY Sports

Round of 16 teams: Uruguay, Egypt, Portugal, Spain, France, Peru, Croatia, Argentina, Brazil, Switzerland, Mexico, Germany, England, Belgium, Colombia, Poland
Semifinals: Brazil vs. Argentina, Germany vs. Portugal
Final: Brazil over Germany
Golden Boot: Neymar, Brazil
Golden Ball: Neymar, Brazil
Golden Glove: Manuel Neuer, Germany
Young Player Award: Gabriel Jesus, Brazil

Jesse Yomtov (@JesseYomtov), USA TODAY Sports

Round of 16 teams: Uruguay, Egypt, Spain, Portugal, France, Australia, Argentina, Iceland, Brazil, Switzerland, Germany, Mexico, Belgium, England, Colombia, Poland
Semifinals: France vs. Brazil, Argentina vs. Germany
Final: France over Argentina
Golden Boot: Antoine Griezmann, France
Golden Ball: Antoine Griezmann, France
Golden Glove: Hugo Lloris, France
Young Player Award: Gabriel Jesus, Brazil

Charles Ventura (@ventura_charles), USA TODAY

Round of 16 teams: Uruguay, Egypt, Spain, Portugal, France, Denmark, Argentina, Croatia, Brazil, Switzerland, Germany, Mexico, Belgium, England, Colombia, Senegal
Semifinals: Brazil vs. Uruguay, Spain vs. Germany
Final: Spain over Brazil
Golden Boot: Neymar, Brazil
Golden Ball: Isco, Spain
Golden Glove: David de Gea, Spain
Young Player Award: Rodrigo Bentancur, Uruguay

Charlie Davies (@CharlieDavies9), former U.S. national team player

Round of 16 teams: Uruguay, Egypt, Spain, Portugal, France, Peru, Argentina, Croatia, Brazil, Switzerland, Germany, Mexico, Belgium, England, Colombia, Poland
Semifinals:  Brazil vs. France, Germany vs. Argentina
Final: Brazil over Germany

2018 World Cup: Top 50 players

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USA TODAY Sports has assembled its list of the top
USA TODAY Sports has assembled its list of the top 50 players for this year's World Cup, factoring in impact, form and potential for success.  Dmitry Serebryakov, AP
50. Leroy Sane, Germany
50. Leroy Sane, Germany  PATRIK STOLLARZ, AFP/Getty Images
49. Igor Akinfeev, Russia
49. Igor Akinfeev, Russia  Alexander Zemlianichenko, AP
48. Mats Hummels, Germany
48. Mats Hummels, Germany  PATRIK STOLLARZ, AFP/Getty Images
47. Mario Mandzukic, Croatia
47. Mario Mandzukic, Croatia  Darko Bandic, AP
46. Bernardo Silva, Portugal
46. Bernardo Silva, Portugal  FABRICE COFFRINI, AFP/Getty Images
45. Joshua Kimmich, Germany
45. Joshua Kimmich, Germany  ROBERT MICHAEL, AFP/Getty Images
44. Son Heung-Min, South Korea
44. Son Heung-Min, South Korea  Peter Morrison, AP
43. Romelu Lukaku, Belgium
43. Romelu Lukaku, Belgium  Yorgos Karahalis, AP
42 Sadio Mane, Senegal
42 Sadio Mane, Senegal  Francois Mori, AP
41. Keylor Navas, Costa Rica
41. Keylor Navas, Costa Rica  Moises Castillo, AP
40. James Rodriguez, Colombia
40. James Rodriguez, Colombia  Michel Euler, AP
39. Radamel Falcao, Colombia
39. Radamel Falcao, Colombia  YOAN VALAT, EPA-EFE
38. Sergio Busquets, Spain
38. Sergio Busquets, Spain  LLUIS GENE, AFP/Getty Images
37. Gerard Pique, Spain
37. Gerard Pique, Spain  SRDJAN SUKI, EPA-EFE
36. Mesut Ozil, Germany
36. Mesut Ozil, Germany  ODD ANDERSEN, AFP/Getty Images
35. Thibaut Courtois, Belgium
35. Thibaut Courtois, Belgium  JUAN MABROMATA, AFP/Getty Images
34. Ivan Rakitic, Croatia
34. Ivan Rakitic, Croatia  Tony Gutierrez, AP
33. Gonzalo Higuain, Argentina
33. Gonzalo Higuain, Argentina  GABRIEL BOUYS, AFP/Getty Images
32. Dele Alli, England
32. Dele Alli, England  EMMANUEL DUNAND, AFP/Getty Images
31. Isco, Spain
31. Isco, Spain  MARISCAL, EPA-EFE
30. Emil Forsberg, Sweden
30. Emil Forsberg, Sweden  JONATHAN NACKSTRAND, AFP/Getty Images
29. Timo Werner, Germany
29. Timo Werner, Germany  Martin Meissner, AP
28. David Silva, Spain
28. David Silva, Spain  David Ramos, Getty Images
27. Gabriel Jesus, Brazil
27. Gabriel Jesus, Brazil  Markus Schreiber, AP
26. Edinson Cavani, Uruguay
26. Edinson Cavani, Uruguay  Matilde Campodonico, AP
25. Philippe Coutinho, Brazil
25. Philippe Coutinho, Brazil  KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV, AFP/Getty Images
24. Dries Mertens, Belgium
24. Dries Mertens, Belgium  Francois Walschaerts, AP
23. Christian Eriksen, Denmark
23. Christian Eriksen, Denmark  Peter Morrison, AP
22. Marcelo, Brazil
22. Marcelo, Brazil  PATRIK STOLLARZ, AFP/Getty Images
21. David De Gea, Spain
21. David De Gea, Spain  GABRIEL BOUYS, AFP/Getty Images
20. Paul Pogba, France
20. Paul Pogba, France  FRANCK FIFE, AFP/Getty Images
19. Sergio Ramos, Spain
19. Sergio Ramos, Spain  BORIS HORVAT, AFP/Getty Images
18. Marc-Andre Ter Stegen, Germany
18. Marc-Andre Ter Stegen, Germany  RONALD WITTEK, EPA-EFE
17. Andres Iniesta, Spain
17. Andres Iniesta, Spain  RONALD WITTEK, EPA-EFE
16. Eden Hazard, Belgium
16. Eden Hazard, Belgium  Amel Emric, AP
15. Sergio Aguero, Argentina
15. Sergio Aguero, Argentina  OLI SCARFF, AFP/Getty Images
14. Robert Lewandowski, Poland
14. Robert Lewandowski, Poland  JANEK SKARZYNSKI, AFP/Getty Images
13. Kylian Mbappe, France
13. Kylian Mbappe, France  Michel Euler, AP
12. Harry Kane, England
12. Harry Kane, England  Frank Augstein, AP
11. Luis Suarez, Uruguay
11. Luis Suarez, Uruguay  AFP/Getty Images
10. Antoine Griezmann, France
10. Antoine Griezmann, France  KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV, AFP/Getty Images
9. N’Golo Kante, France
9. N’Golo Kante, France  YOAN VALAT, EPA-EFE
8. Paulo Dybala, Argentina
8. Paulo Dybala, Argentina  MARCO BERTORELLO, AFP/Getty Images
7. Toni Kroos, Germany
7. Toni Kroos, Germany  ROBERT MICHAEL, AFP/Getty Images
6. Luka Modric, Croatia
6. Luka Modric, Croatia  Srdjan Stevanovic, Getty Images
5. Neymar, Brazil
5. Neymar, Brazil  Andre Penner, AP
4. Kevin De Bruyne, Belgium
4. Kevin De Bruyne, Belgium  Geert Vanden Wijngaert, AP
3. Mohamed Salah, Egypt
3. Mohamed Salah, Egypt  Nariman El-Mofty, AP
2. Lionel Messi, Argentina
2. Lionel Messi, Argentina  Ivan Sekretarev, AP
1. Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal
1. Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal  FABRICE COFFRINI, AFP/Getty Images

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