Ahead of this summer's competition in Russia, bwfc.co.uk gets in the mood by reviewing all former editions of the biggest tournament in football and the World Cup Wanderers who were in action!
Ahead of the opening game of the 2018 World Cup taking place tomorrow, Germany 2006 is the latest edition of the tournament to get the World Cup Wanderers treatment!
EUZEBIUSZ SMOLAREK
Poland
Appearances: 3
Goals: 0
Stage reached: Group-stages
Future Wanderers loanee Euzebiusz Smolarek was an ever-present for Poland at the 2006 World Cup, starting all three of their matches as they suffered a group-stage exit.
Utilised on the wing for the Poles' opening game, the forward was unable to prevent his nation from suffering an opening 2-0 defeat to Ecuador.
Smolarek was switched to striker for Poland's next game against hosts Germany as Oliver Neuville's late winner saw them lose 1-0 to confirm their exit from the competition with a game left to play.
Poland finished their tournament in a more positive fashion as Bartosz Bosacki's brace helped clinch a 2-1 win over Costa Rica.
CHRISTIAN WILHELMSSON
Sweden
Appearances: 4
Goals: 0
Stage reached: Round-of-16
JOHAN ELMANDER
Sweden
Appearances: 2
Goals: 0
Stage reached: Round-of-16
Christian Wilhelmsson featured in all four of Sweden's matches while Johan Elmander was limited to two substitute appearances at the 2006 World Cup.
The former started both of Sweden's opening two games against Trinidad and Tobago and Paraguay while Elmander came on as a late subsitute in the latter as they opened the tournament with a 0-0 draw before Fredrik Ljungberg's late winner clinched a 1-0 win.
Facing England in their final group game, both players came on as substitutes as Sweden twice came from behind to claim a late 2-2 draw as goals from Marcus Allback and Henrik Larsson cancelled out Joe Cole and Steven Gerrard efforts.
Facing hosts Germany in the second round, Wilhelmsson was again used as a substitue as Lukas Podolski's early brace saw Sweden lose 2-0 to exit the tournament.
JARED BORGETTI
Mexico
Appearances: 2
Goals: 0
Stage reached: Round-of-16
Jared Borgetti started Mexico's opening game of the 2006 World Cup as they beat Iran 3-1 thanks to two late goals, before sitting out their 0-0 draw with Angola and 2-1 defeat to Portgual.
Returning for their second round clash with Argentina after the Mexicans scraped through to the knock-out stages, the striker was unable to extend their stay in the competition as Rafael Marquez's early opener was cancelled out by Hernan Crespo before Maxi Rodriguez struck a spectacular extra-time winner.
ANDRANIK TEYMOURIAN
Iran
Appearances: 3
Goals: 0
Stage reached: Group-stages
Andranik Teymourian didn't miss a minute of Iran's 2006 World Cup campaign as they suffered a group-stage exit.
Opening the tournament with a 3-1 loss to Mexico, goals from Deco and Cristiano Ronaldo saw them then lose 2-0 to Portugal to seal their fate with a game remaining.
Trailing to Angola in their last game, Sohrab Bakhtiarizadeh's late equaliser saw them exit the tournament with a solitary point to their name.
IVAN KLASNIC
Croatia
Appearances: 3
Goals: 0
Stage reached: Group-stages
Ivan Klasnic was featured in all three of Croatia's matches at the 2006 World Cup as they were unfortunate to be knocked out at the group-stages.
The striker started both of their opening two games as Kaka's solitary strike saw them lose 1-0 to reigning champions Brazil before they fought out a 0-0 draw with Japan.
Croatia went into their final group game needing to beat Australia to progress in the tournament in a match made famous by referee Graham Poll booking Josip Simunic on three occasions before sending him off.
Darijo Srna and Niko Kovac twice gave the Croatians the lead, however they were pegged back both times by a Craig Moore penalty and Harry Kewell strike late on.
Klasnic, who had started the match on the bench, was brought on as a late substitute in an attempt to win the game but Croatia were unable to find an elusive winner as the 2-2 draw saw their tournament come to an end.
HIDETOSHI NAKATA
Japan
Appearances: 3
Goals: 0
Stage reached: Group-stages
Hidetoshi Nakata surprised many by retiring from football altogether following Japan's exit from the 2006 World Cup at the age of just 29.
An ever-present for his country in Germany having spent the previous season on loan with Wanderers, the midfielder didn't miss a minute as his country suffered a group-stage exit.
Japan took their lead in their opening game against Australia through Shunsuke Nakamura, however, three goals in the final ten minutes from substitutes Tim Cahill x2 and John Aloisi saw them suffer a 3-1 defeat.
Drawing 0-0 with Croatia in their next game, Nakata's World Cup and career came to an end with a heavy 4-1 defeat against reigning champions Brazil as a Ronaldo brace and further strikes from Juninho and Gilbeto saw Japan exit the competition off the back of a 4-1 loss.
BLERIM DZEMAILI
Switzerland
Appearances: 0
Goals: 0
Stage reached: Round-of-16
Having only made a couple of substitute appearances for his country prior to the tournament, Blerim Dzemaili was an unused squad member in Germany as Switzerland reached the knock-out stages before exiting the comptition without even losing a game.
Opening with a 0-0 draw against France, goals from Alexander Frei and Tranquillo Barnetta saw them beat Togo 2-0 in their second match.
Needing a positive result in their final group game against South Korea to extend their stay in the tournament, goals from Philippe Senderos clinched a 2-0 win to set up a second round clash with Ukraine.
Fighting out a 0-0 draw, Switzerland missed all three of their penalties as a 3-0 shoot-out defeat ended their stay in the competition.
RADHI JAIDI
Tunisia
Appearances: 3
Goals: 1
Stage reached: Group-stages
An ever-present for Tunisia in Germany, Radhi Jaidi started the tournament in spectacular fashion as his last-minute goal earned his nation a 2-2 draw in their opening game with Saudi Arabia.
Taking the lead in their next game against Spain, second half goals from Raul and a Fernando Torres brace saw them suffer a 3-1 defeat to leave their hopes of progression hanging by a thread.
Needing to beat Ukraine in their last match to reach the knock-out stages, Andriy Shevchenko scored the only goal of the game from the penalty spot as their tournament came to an end.