World Cup 2010 draw – here is your team guide
Here is the complete guide before today draw of World Cup 2010.
Pot 1: The Seeds
ARGENTINA
Coach: Diego Maradona. Star man: Lionel Messi. Previous best: Winners 1978, 1986. World ranking: 8
Quite how Maradona contrived to nearly not qualify with so many class acts to choose from was almost as remarkable as the goals he scored in 1986 and El Diego’s quixotic and confused regime is likely to prove the biggest barrier to Argentina’s hopes to showing they are a better side than they appeared over the past 18 months. Messi will have to be the talisman.
BRAZIL
Coach: Dunga. Star man: Kaka. Previous best: Winners 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002. World ranking: 2
Favourites and rightly so after their Confederations Cup showing last summer, easy progress through the tortuous South American qualification ordeal and the proven ability to win outside their own continent. Dunga’s style is not so easy on the eye as previous Samba boys have been but the mixture of grit and brilliance seems to be working. Will take all the beating.
ENGLAND
Coach: Fabio Capello. Star man: Wayne Rooney. Previous best: Winners 1966. World ranking: 9
Capello has transformed the mood around and inside the Three Lions but this is the acid test, with 43 years of hurt still burning away. Qualification was a breeze but the Italian knows that will count for nothing in South Africa although the first winter World Cup of recent times will help. Rooney has a score to settle and must do so for England to cast aside the anchor of history.
GERMANY
Coach: Joachim Loew. Star man: Michael Ballack. Previous best: Winners 1954, 1974, 1990. World ranking: 6
Only an idiot would write off Europe’s greatest tournament side and performances in 2006 and Euro 2008 show they are still a dangerous force. Ballack is more than the captain but quasi-coach as well. Klose, Podolski and Schweinsteiger are proven performers and Mesut Ozil, star of the European under-21 championships last summer, leads the new generation at Der Mannschaft.
HOLLAND
Coach: Bert Van Marwijk. Star man: Wesley Sneijder. Previous best: Runners-up 1974, 1978. World ranking: 3
The Oranje romped through qualifying with a 100 per cent record, albeit in the weakest of the European groups, and Van Marwijk appears to have built solidly on the foundations left by Marco Van Basten after Euro 2008. Fantastic coming forward, with a wealth of attacking options but the Dutch remain vulnerable at the other end, their long-time Achilles heel.
ITALY
Coach: Marcello Lippi. Star man: Andrea Pirlo. Previous best: Winners 1934, 1938, 1982, 2006. World ranking: 4
Lippi returned to replace Roberto Donadoni after the Euro 2008 flop but his Azzurri are no longer fired by the burning sense of injustice that took them all the way to glory in Germany. The quality players are getting older and the new faces lack the quality of their predecessors. Will be as hard to beat as ever but hard to make a case for them retaining their crown, even with Buffon in goal.
SPAIN
Coach: Vicente Del Bosque. Star man: Fernando Torres. Previous best: Fourth place 1950. World ranking: 1
Europe’s strongest force and even better since old racist Luis Aragones left the helm. Del Bosque has fantasy in every attacking department, with Xavi, Iniesta, Fabregas, Silva and Senna contesting for midfield slots and the brilliance of Torres and Villa up front. Winning Euro 2008 ended the years of under achievement but Spain have never shown on the biggest stage of all.
SOUTH AFRICA
Coach: Carlos Alberto Parreira. Star man: Kagisho Dikcagoi. Previous best: 1st round 1998, 2002. World ranking: 86
The hopes of the Rainbow Nation may rest in Bafana Bafana but there are few signs of faith among the players expected to qualify for the knock-out phase for the first time. Parreira’s second coming as coach in October, replacing fellow Brazilian Joel Santana, came after eight defeats in nine games following a last four performance at the Confederations Cup. Home fervour can only go so far.
Pot 2: North and Central America, Asia, Oceania
AUSTRALIA
Coach: Pim Verbeek. Star man: Tim Cahill. Previous best: 2nd round 2006. World ranking: 21
The decision to jump ship from Oceania has paid off big-time and the Socceroos leaped into the Finals without a second glance, conceding just once in their eight final stage group games. Verbeek has inherited a solid squad, seasoned with European experience, from Guus Hiddink, whose side justifiably still feel they were robbed against Italy in Germany. Physically impressive and built to cause trouble.
HONDURAS
Coach: Reinaldo Rueda. Star man: Wilson Palacios. Previous best: 1st round 1982. World ranking: 38
Qualification started a party that lasted for days and saw the military junta jumping on the coat-tails of Spurs midfielder Palacios and his team-mates. Honduras had to play 18 games to earn their spot, with Carlos Pavon, who has scored 56 goals in a 16-year international career, claiming seven of them. Despite the enthusiasm and ability of Palacios, another first round exit is likely.
JAPAN
Coach: Takeshi Okada. Star man: Marcus Tulio Tanaka. Previous best: 2nd round 2002. World ranking: 43
Qualified comfortably, although behind Australia, and Okada has talked bullishly of a side good enough to reach the last four, even if the 3-0 thrashing by Holland in September made that look wishful thinking. Japan have been solid defensively in qualifying, masking a lack of real goal threat but playing with the big boys may make them look lightweight and technically deficient.
MEXICO
Coach: Javier Aguirre. Star man: Cuauhtemoc Blanco. Previous best: Quarter-finals 1970, 1986. World ranking: 15
Have never reached the last eight away from home soil but Aguirre turned around a campaign that was heading for the rocks under Sven Goran Eriksson and raised expectations that South Africa might be a different story. Blanco, at 36, and best known for his trick of jumping with over a tackle with the ball between his feet, remains the talisman of Mexican football. The side lacks a real strike leader.
NEW ZEALAND
Coach: Ricki Herbert. Star man: Ryan Nelsen. Previous best: 1st round 1982. World ranking: 77
The All Whites took some attention away from the oval ball code when they survived a penalty scare to beat Bahrain in the play-offs and grab only their second seat at the big table. Nelsen is one of just a handful of 1982 squad member Herbert’s side who make their living outside of Oceania. Hard to think they will do more than make up the numbers and the side everyone wanted to face.
NORTH KOREA
Coach: Kim Jong-Hun. Star man: Hong Yong-Jo. Previous best: Quarter-finals 1966. World ranking: 84
English fans took the mystery men from north of the 38th parallel to their hearts in 1966 but this North Korean side are, given the modern media age, even more of an unknown quantity. Just a handful of Kim’s squad play outside the pariah state and the edged out Saudi Arabia on goal difference despite scoring just seven in the eight final group games. Lowest-ranked qualifiers.
UNITED STATES
Coach: Bob Bradley. Star man: Landon Donovan. Previous best: Third place 1930. World ranking: 14
For England the USA raises the ghosts of Belo Horizonte in 1950 but the MLS and a surfeit of European and World Cup experience means Bradley’s side are more than a collection of college kids and a serious outfit who are always as fit as fiddles and able to cause harm. Flair is not always there but the USA are now the powerhouse of CONCACAF and tough, if not always intimidating, opponents.
SOUTH KOREA
Coach: Huh Jung-Moo. Star man: Park Ji-Sung. Previous best: Fourth 2002. World ranking: 52
The Taegeuk Warriors captured hearts and minds on home soil in 2002 and could have progressed from the group in Germany. Qualified with ease for the seventh successive tournament, this time alongside their neighbours and bitter political rivals, before showing their threat with a friendly win over the Aussies in September. United’s Park is just one of the players who have picked up nous in Europe.
Pot 3: Africa, South America
ALGERIA
Coach: Rabah Saadane. Star man: Rafik Saifi. Previous best: 1st round 1982, 1986. World ranking: 28
Made it the hard way, losing their berth with virtually the last kick by Egypt in Cairo before edging the play-off in Sudan but a record of just 16 goals from 12 group games shows why the Desert Foxes are unlikely to cause too many problems for their opponents in the summer. Saifi, probably their biggest goal threat, is 34, while the limitations of Hull’s Kamil Ghilas have been exposed this season.
CAMEROON
Coach: Paul Le Guen. Star man: Samuel Eto’o. Previous best: Quarter-finals 1990. World ranking: 11
The Indomitable Lions are back for their sixth World Cup in the last eight tournaments but former Lyons and Rangers boss Le Guen has reinvented a side that stared at a spell in the wilderness in the middle of the decade, even if qualification was not sealed until the final game. Sebastian Bassong, Geremi, Alex Song and Andre Bikey are all well known but Eto’o is the King of the pride.
CHILE
Coach: Marcelo Bielsa. Star man: Matias Fernandez. Previous best: Third place 1962. World ranking: 17
Bielsa was famously at the helm of the Argentine side eliminated by England and Sweden in 2002 but his meticulous attention to detail have found more favour in his adopted home, where he is renowned for his innovative coaching and scrupulous integrity, bringing an end to the defensive mindset Chile had customarily taken on the road. Doing so under World Cup pressure is a bigger ask.
GHANA
Coach: Milovan Rajevac. Star man: Michael Essien. Previous best: 2nd round 2006. World ranking: 37
The Black Stars have benefited from the experience most of the squad have gained across the major European leagues and will not be fearful of any opponents, especially after making the knock-out stage on their tournament debut in Germany. Essien sums up the power and athleticism of Serbian coach Rajevac’s side, who have dangerous options up front on Matthew Amoah and Asamoah Gyan.
IVORY COAST
Coach: Vahid Halihodzic. Star man: Didier Drogba. Previous best: 1st round 2006. World ranking: 16
Desperately unlucky to be drawn against Holland and Argentina in 2006 but gave both a massive scare and this time round The Elephants must be genuine contenders to reach the latter stages. Drogba is a monster while the Toure brothers, Didier Zokora and Salomon Kalou are all familiar faces. Strong, physical and with self-belief flowing over and the one side all the others wanted to avoid.
NIGERIA
Coach: Shaibu Amodo. Star man: Obafemi Martins. Previous best: 2nd round 1994, 1998. World ranking: 22
The Super Eagles looked set to have their World Cup wins clipped before a dramatic win in Kenya taking place as Tunisia crashed and burned in Mozambique opened the door to South Africa. Coach Amodo was sacked after steering his country to 2002 and must fear the same again with influential voices calling for a European appointment. Whoever leads them must sort out an awful back line, despite the presence of Joseph Yobo.
PARAGUAY
Coach: Gerardo Martino. Star man: Roque Santa Cruz. Previous best: 2nd round 1986, 1998, 2002. World ranking: 30
Argentinian Martino has formed a strong bond with his players, who qualified with two games to spare and would have topped the South American table had they won their final game. A better side than the one that bowed out of England’s group in 2006 and wins over both Argentina and Brazil showed that. Martino has a settled team and will expect to make a mark this time round.
URUGUAY
Coach: Oscar Tabarez. Star man: Diego Forlan. Previous best: Winners 1930, 1950. World ranking: 19
Folded under the pressure of the chance to eliminate Argentina but just good enough to see off an ordinary Costa Rica side and reach their 10th World Cup Finals. Only won six of their 18 games in qualifying and seem to lack genuine conviction and consistency across the side, even if Forlan and Sebastien Abreu offer a real goal threat, with 12 between them in the campaign.
Pot 4: Europe
DENMARK
Coach: Morten Olsen. Star man: Soren Larsen. Previous best: Quarter-finals 1998. World ranking: 26
The Danes emerged as the most consistent side in the most congested qualification group, sealing their place by beating neighbours Sweden and consigning Portugal to a play-off. Olsen’s side do not have the quality of the 1992 European Championship winning side in which he starred but the same determined mentality. Success will be making the last eight.
FRANCE
Coach: Raymond Domenech. Star man: Franck Ribery. Previous best: Winners 1998. World ranking: 7
The Hand of Henry ensured Domenech, lucky to survive Euro 2008, stayed in his job but but unless the stars are aligned for the horoscope-reader in South Africa this surely is his last chance. Qualification via the back door route was hardly a glowing endorsement and the French appear to be between generations, with Henry and Co still to be displaced by the emerging Benzema and Gouffran.
GREECE
Coach: Otto Rehhagel. Star man: Theofanis Gekas. Previous best: 1st round 1994. World ranking: 12
Squeezed through their play-off with Ukraine to make only their second World Cup Finals but wily veteran Rehhagel knows their opponents this time will not be as naive as they were during that astonishing run to Euro 2004 glory. One point from the group games will better the shocker of three defeats, conceding 10 and without scoring, from USA 94. Not a guarantee by any means.
PORTUGAL
Coach: Carlos Queiroz. Star man: Cristiano Ronaldo. Previous best: Third place. 1966 World ranking: 5
Quite how Queiroz almost failed to take one of the most abundantly talented sides in world football to South Africa was on a par with Diego Maradona’s scrapes with Argentina but his side edged over the finishing line, even in the absence of Ronaldo, against Bosnia. Like everybody else, they start with a blank sheet of paper. Don’t you just know who they will end up knocking out on penalties?
SERBIA
Coach: Raddy Antic. Star man: Milan Jovanovic. Previous best: Fourth place (as Yugoslavia) 1930, 1962. World ranking: 20
Forcing France into the play-offs was a major triumph for former Luton midfielder Antic, especially as this was the first time Serbia had featured as a single nation. The key was the home form, with 13 of their 22 points won in Belgrade although they managed to lose in Lithuania. Flattered to deceive as they finished bottom of the “Group of Death“ after three defeats in 2006. Will do better this time.
SLOVAKIA
Coach: Vladimir Weiss. Star man: Robert Vittek. Previous best: Never qualified. World ranking: 34
Kept their nerve to come out of the five-way battle for top spot in Northern Ireland’s group and deserve to make their bow on the world stage for their dogged determination, demonstrated by the vital win over their next-door neighbours in Prague. Surviving an ordeal by snow in Poland to qualify sparked scenes of national joy and expectations have been more than met already. Not a side to fear.
SLOVENIA
Coach: Matjas Kek. Star man: Milivoje Novakovic. Previous best: 1st round 2002. World ranking: 33
Shocked Mother Russia by taming the Great Bear in the play-offs, dealing a massive blow to Guus Hiddink’s reputation in the process but arguably deserved to earn the chance to pick up their first points in the World Cup proper after three defeats in 2002. Cologne striker Novakovic’s five goals in qualifying make him the biggest threat of a technical but occasionally lightweight side.
SWITZERLAND
Coach: Ottmar Hitzfeld. Star man: Blaise N’Kufo. Previous best: Quarter-finals 1934, 1938, 1954. World ranking: 18
Set a World Cup record in Germany when they became the first team to be eliminated without conceding a goal. Hitzfeld’s reign looked in trouble with an early home defeat by Luxembourg but that was the only loss and two wins over Greece proved the decisive games. Not a side to set the pulses racing but better than the team that stank the place out in Euro 2004.
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