As statistics go, Azmoun is as good as one could hope for in Asian football. The 23-year-old forward has 22 goals in 30 appearances for Iran. He has not scored as often at Russian side Rubin Kazan, but he will be a focal point in Iran's attack.

Brazil may have found their next great football star. Jesus, 21, scored 17 goals and recorded 5 assists for Manchester City this past season, and will in all likelihood be leading the line for Tite's Brazil side this summer.

Uruguay has produced multiple star attackers and defenders in recent years, but Betancur, 21, could be one of their few in midfield. He made 27 appearances for Juventus this past season, including five in the Champions League.

Lo Celso, 22, is the new kid on the block in an Argentina midfield that includes veterans Lucas Biglia and Ever Banega. But the young midfielder is poised to make an impact after scoring six goals and recording seven assists in 48 appearances for Paris Saint-Germain this past season.

He is just 21 years old and 1.69 meters tall (5 foot 7), but Zivkovic has the pace and skill to be an impact player for Serbia. The Benfica forward scored three times and recorded seven assists in 30 appearances this past season.

Hwang, 22, was one of the reasons Austrian side Red Bull Salzburg made the semifinals of the Europa League. Now he is hoping to make a similar impact with South Korea, who are hoping to return to the knockout stages of the World Cup after missing out in 2014.

Golovin (left) is the hometown hero Russian football fans should get behind at the World Cup. A native of the Kemerovo region, the 21-year-old is already a regular in CSKA Moscow's team, and Russian coach Stanislav Cherchesov will need him to play a key role this summer.

At Euro 2016 in France, Rashford was just a teenager along for the ride. Now he is an integral young piece of Gareth Southgate's England squad. He seems on the verge of a breakout after two full seasons under his belt, and it could come in Russia.

Lozano, 22, tore it up in the Dutch first division last season, scoring 17 goals and recording 11 assists for PSV Eindhoven. He now has to translate that production to the Mexican national team, who face a tough group against Germany, Sweden and South Korea.

Mbappe, 19, is a superstar in the making. He scored 21 goals and recorded 16 assists for Paris Saint-Germain last season, helping his side win a French treble. He now has the opportunity to be an impact player at his first World Cup as France chase their first World Cup since 1998.

Asensio, 22, is one of the few Spanish youngsters who has become a regular at Real Madrid. After leading Spain to the U21 European Championship final last year, he will likely play a big role for Julen Lopetegui's team.

He's clinical, he's fast and he's unlike many German forwards who put on the national team shirt. Werner, 22, took a minor step back this season after his breakout in 2016-17, but he will likely be the forward Joachim Löw counts on in Russia.

The first football World Cup took place in Uruguay in 1930. Most teams came from North, Central and South America; only four European teams showed up, making the long journey by steamship. The host country won against its archrival, Argentina, in the final by 4-2. Aczel's illustration shows the teams' captains, Jose Nasazzi (Uruguay, at left) and Manuel Ferreira, lead their teams onto the field.

The first World Cup after World War II took place in Switzerland. In the preliminary, Germany lost against top team Hungary and its star, Ferenc Puskas, 3-8. But the final was a different story as Germany beat Hungary 3-2, becoming world champions for the very first time. Pictured above are Fritz Walter (left) and trainer Sepp Herberger on the shoulders of enthusiastic fans.

England, largely seen as the birthplace of football, has only been World Cup champion once — in 1966, when the tournament took place on British soil. In the final, England won against Germany 4-2. Controversy still surrounds the famous "Wembley goal" that England scored in the 101st minute in extra time. Pictured above is Bobby Moore holding up the cherished cup.

This year, Brazil was world champion for the third time. Pele, one of the 20th century's iconic football stars, led his team to victory over Italy 4-1, after the Brazilians had scored 19 sensational goals in only six games. West Germany came in third after beating Uruguay 1-0. 1970 was also the first year that the tournament could be watched on TV in color.

The first World Cup to take place in Germany saw some premieres. Germany's top star Franz Beckenbauer played against the equally venerated Johan Cruyff of the Netherlands, and West Germany played against East Germany. It was also the first tournament to feature the new cup. In the final, Germany won against the Netherlands 2-1, with "bomber of the nation" Gerd Müller scoring the decisive goal.

This year's outing in Mexico is still remembered for the show put on by Argentine superstar Diego Maradona. Thanks to his ingenuity and finesse, Argentina was champion for the second time. Maradona scored breathtaking, but also controversial, goals, including one where he shot the ball into the goal by hand, and the "goal of the century," which saw him dribble past five English players.

Germany celebrated its third World Cup win in Italy following a 1-0 victory against Argentina. What may be best remembered, however, is when Dutch player Frank Rijkaard (right) spit on Germany's Rudi Völler as they faced off in the in the round of 16. Both players had to leave the field after a scuffle.

This year's World Cup was celebrated throughout host country Germany as its "Sommermärchen," or "summer fairy tale." In the final, Italy won against France in a penalty shootout. The game's worst moment occurred when French captain Zinedine Zidane knocked down Italian player ​Marco Materazzi with a head-butt. The ensuing dismissal ended his extraordinary career.

In South Africa, Spain dominated its rivals with its tiki-taka style, constantly passing the ball. In the final, Spain beat the Netherlands 1-0, celebrating the biggest success in its soccer history. The winning goal was scored by Andres Iniesta (front row, No. 6) during overtime. Germany came in third, after defeating Uruguay 3-2.

The hero of the last tournament, which took place in Brazil, was Argentina's star Lionel Messi. Thanks to him, Argentina reached the final to face off against Germany — which had decisively defeated the host nation 7-1 in the semifinals.

Around 75,000 fans filled the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro for the final between Germany and Argentina. Germany won 1-0 in overtime — and for the very first time, a European team succeeded in taking home the trophy on South American soil.

This year's host country is Russia, a controversial choice in the wake of the FIFA corruption scandal and accusations of doping. Russia will face off against Saudi Arabia on opening day in Moscow on June 14. The final will take place just over a month later, on July 15, in the same place — Luzhniki Stadium.

World Cup 1930-2018, an illustrated history, is published by Edel Books. The book chronicles the unforgettable moments of the 88-year history of the tournament, with witty comics and humorous texts. The cover features many stars of the 2018 edition, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Manuel Neuer, Lionel Messi and Neymar.

German Aczel, the Argentine artist behind the book, began his career in his hometown Buenos Aires, where he worked for the sports magazine El Grafico. He moved to Germany at age 26, and now lives in Munich. Currently, he works for British soccer magazine FourFourTwo.