Group A | Group B | Group C | Group D | Group E | Group F | Group G | Group H
Teams: ITALY (5), PARAGUAY (30), SLOVAKIA (34), NEW ZEALAND (78)
The defending champions Italy are hot favourites to win Group F. Paraguay will fight with Slovakia to gain the other spot. New Zealand are not really expected to do much, and winning even a point shall be quite an achievement.
Previous World Cups: 1934 (hosts) – Winners, 1938 – Winners, 1950 – R1, 1954 – R1, 1962 – R1, 1966 – R1, 1970 – Runners’ up, 1974 – R1, 1978 – SF (4th), 1982 – Winners, 1986 – PQF, 1990 (hosts) – SF (3rd), 1994 – Runners’ up, 1998 – QF, 2002 – PQF, 2006 – Winners.
2010 – qualified on Oct-10, 2009; 16th team to qualify.
Head Coach: Marcello LIPPI (ITA – age 62)
01. Gianluigi BUFFON (G – age 32) Juventus (ITA) (98) (02) (06)
02. Christian MAGGIO (D – age 28) Napoli (ITA)
03. Domenico CRISCITO (D – age 23) Genoa (ITA)
04. Giorgio CHIELLINI (D – age 25) Juventus (ITA)
05. Fabio CANNAVARO (D – age 36) Juventus (ITA) (C) (98) (02) (06)
06. Daniele DE ROSSI (M – age 26) Roma (ITA) (06)
07. Simone PEPE (M – age 26) Udinese (ITA)
08. Gennaro GATTUSO (M – age 32) AC Milan (ITA) (02) (06)
09. Vincenzo IAQUINTA (F – age 30) Juventus (ITA) (06)
10. Antonio DI NATALE (F – age 32) Udinese (ITA)
11. Alberto GILARDINO (F – age 27) Fiorentina (ITA) (06)
12. Federico MARCHETTI (G – age 27) Cagliari (ITA)
13. Salvatore BOCCHETTI (D – age 23) Genoa (ITA)
14. Morgan DE SANCTIS (G – age 33) Napoli (ITA)
15. Claudio MARCHISIO (M – age 24) Juventus (ITA)
16. Mauro CAMORANESI (M – age 33) Juventus (ITA) (06)
17. Angelo PALOMBO (M – age 28) Sampdoria (ITA)
18. Fabio QUAGLIARELLA (F – age 27) Napoli (ITA)
19. Gianluca ZAMBROTTA (M – age 33) AC Milan (ITA) (02) (06)
20. Giampaolo PAZZINI (F – age 25) Sampdoria (ITA)
21. Andrea PIRLO (M – age 31) AC Milan (ITA) (06)
22. Riccardo MONTOLIVO (M – age 25) Fiorentina (ITA)
23. Leonardo BONUCCI (D – age 23) Bari (ITA)
Defending champions Italy start as one of the favourites to win the Cup, though it is always difficult to defend a title. They have a balanced team, with plenty of experienced players along with several new talents to make their supporters extremely hopeful.
In goal Gianluigi Buffon of Juventus is there for his 4th Cup to provide a superb last line of defence for Italy – probably the best in the world. Both his deputies are however lagely inexperienced in the international arena.
The defence is led by captain Fabio Cannavaro of Juventus, also playing in his 4th successive Cup. Age has failed to diminish the incredible talent of this man. Alongside him in central defence is his young club-mate Giorgio Chiellini, on whom Lippi places great hope. Gianluca Zambrotta of Milan is another experienced defender, though apart from these players, there seem to be a lack of established stars in defence – something most unusual for an Italian World Cup squad.
Any shortcoming in defence is adequately made up by the hugely talented Italian midfield, arguably the best in the world. Andrea Pirlo of Milan, the free-kick expert, is an influential midfielder, along with such players like Daniele de Rossi of Roma, Gennaro Gattuso of Milan and Mauro Camoranesi of Juventus. They are covered by such talented young players like Simone Pepe of Udinese, Ricardo Montovlio of Fiorentina and Angelo Palombo of Sampdoria.
The attack is also very powerful on paper, with forwards like Alberto Gilardino of Fiorentina, Vincenzo Iaquinta of Juventus, Fabio Quagliarella of Napoli and Antonio di Natale of Udinese. Young Giampaolo Pazzini of Sampdoria is another promising striker.
8th World Cup Finals (1st as SERBIA).
Previous World Cups: 1930 – R1, 1950 – R1, 1958 – R1, 1986 – PQF, 1998 – PQF, 2002 – PQF, 2006 – R1.
2010 – qualified on Sep-09, 2009; 11th team to qualify.
Head Coach: Gerardo MARTINO (ARG – age 47)
01. Justo VILLAR (G – age 33) Real Valladolid (ESP) (C) (02) (06)
02. Dario VERON (D – age 30) Pumas UNAM (MEX)
03. Claudio MOREL (D – age 32) Boca Juniors (ARG)
04. Denis CANIZA (D – age 35) Leon (MEX) (98) (02) (06)
05. Julio Cesar CACERES(D – age 30) Atletico Mineiro (BRA) (02) (06)
06. Carlos BONET (D – age 32) Olimpia (PAR) (02) (06)
07. Oscar CARDOZO (F – age 27) Benfica (POR)
08. Edgar BARRETO (M – age 25) Atalanta (ITA) (06)
09. Roque SANTA CRUZ(F – age 28) Manchester City (ENG) (02) (06)
10. Edgar BENITEZ (F – age 22) Pachuca (MEX)
11. Jonathan SANTANA (M – age 28) Wolfsburg (GER)
12. Diego BARRETO (G – age 28) Cerro Porteno (PAR)
13. Enrique VERA (M – age 31) LDU Quito (ECU)
14. Paulo DA SILVA (D – age 30) Sunderland (ENG) (06)
15. Victor CACERES(M – age 25) Libertad (PAR)
16. Cristian RIVEROS (M – age 27) Cruz Azul (MEX) (06)
17. Aureliano TORRES (D – age 28) San Lorenzo (ARG)
18. Nelson VALDEZ(F – age 26) Borussia Dortmund (GER) (06)
19. Lucas BARRIOS (F – age 25) Borussia Dortmund (GER)
20. Nestor ORTIGOZA (M – age 25) Argentinos Juniors (ARG)
21. Antolin ALCARAZ (D – age 27) Brugge (BEL)
22. Aldo BOBADILLA (G – age 34) Independiente Medellin (COL) (06)
23. Rodolfo GAMARRA (F – age 21) Libertad (PAR)
Paraguay will be playing in their 8th Cup finals, and their fourth in succession. They have a balanced squad with lots of experienced players.
Captain Justo Villar of Real Valladolid is an outstanding keeper, one of the best in South America. His deputy Aldo Bobadilla of Medellin is also a superb keeper.
In defence there is Denis Caniza of Leon, playing in his 4th Cup. Two other defenders shall be playing their 3rd Cups – Julio Cesar Caceres of Mineiro and Carlos Bonet of Olimpia. Claudio Morel of Boca Juniors and Paolo da Silva of Sunderland are also there, while Aurelio Torres of San Lorenzo is another versatile defender.
The midfield revolves around Edgar Barreto of Atalanta and Cristian Riveros of Cruz Azul. Jonathan Santana of Wolfsburg provides the finesse. Victor Caceres of Libertad and Enrique Vera of LDU Quito are other midfielders in the fray.
The main striker for Paraguay is of course Roque Santa Cruz of Manchester City. If fit, he can be a lethal striker and a real menace in the opposition box. Oscar Cardozo of Benfica and Nelson Valdez of Dortmund are expected to support him up front.
2010 – qualified on Oct-14, 2009; 21st team to qualify.
Head Coach: Vladimir WEISS (SVK – age 45)
01. Jan MUCHA (G – age 27) Legia Warsaw (POL)
02. Peter PEKARIK (D – age 23) Wolfsburg (GER)
03. Martin SKRTEL (D – age 25) Liverpool (ENG)
04. Marek CECH (D – age 27) West Bromwich Albion (ENG)
05. Radoslav ZABAVNIK (D – age 29) Mainz (GER)
06. Zdeno STRBA (M – age 34) Skoda Xanthi (GRE)
07. Vladimir WEISS (M – age 20) Bolton Wanderers (ENG)
08. Jan KOZAK (M – age 30) Timisoara (ROM)
09. Stanislav SESTAK (F – age 27) Bochum (GER)
10. Marek SAPARA (M – age 27) Ankaragucu (TUR)
11. Robert VITTEK (F – age 28) Ankaragucu (TUR)
12. Dusan PERNIS (G – age 25) Dundee United (SCO)
13. Filip HOLOSKO (F – age 26) Besiktas (TUR)
14. Martin JAKUBKO (F – age 30) Saturn Moscow (RUS)
15. Miroslav STOCH (M – age 20) Twente (NED)
16. Jan DURICA (D – age 28) Hannover (GER)
17. Marek HAMSIK (M – age 22) Napoli (ITA) (C)
18. Erik JENDRISEK (F – age 23) Kaiserslautern (GER)
19. Juraj KUCKA (M – age 23) Sparta Prague (CZE)
20. Kamil KOPUNEK (M – age 26) Spartak Trnava (SVK)
21. Kornel SALATA (D – age 25) Slovan Bratislava (SVK)
22. Martin PETRAS (D – age 30) Cesena (ITA)
23. Dusan KUCIAK (G – age 25) Vaslui (ROM)
Slovakia surprised many pundits by winning their European qualifying group ahead of teams like Slovenia, Czach Republic and Poland. They are now preparing to surprise few others in their World Cup group!
In goal Slovakia has Jan Mucha of Legia Warsaw, a highly competent keeper. In front of him the strong Slovak defence is led by Liverpool’s gangling Martin Skrtel and Marek Cech of WBA. Other important players in the defence are Germany based Peter Pekarik of Wolfsburg, Jan Durica of Hannover and Radoslav Zabavnik of Mainz, along with Italy based veteran Martin Petras of Cesena.
The midfield will surely miss Miroslav Karhan of Mainz, who is their most capped player ever, and led the team during qualification. In his absence the brilliant young Napoli playmaker Marek Hamsik has been named captain – at 22, he’ll probably be the youngest captain in the World Cup this year. Marek Sapara of Ankaragucu and Jan Kozak of Timisoara are other influential players in the Slovak midfield. Young Vladimir Weiss of Bolton, the son of the Slovak coach, and Miroslav Stoch of Twente are two other players with great potential.
The Slovak attack is likely to be led by Stanislav Sestak of Bochum, who scored 6 goals in qualification, in six games! Robert Vittek of Ankaragucu is another splendid striker. Filip Holosko of Besiktas and the experienced Martin Jakubko of Saturn are also in the squad.
2010 – qualified on Nov-14, 2009 – 24th team to qualify.
Head Coach: Ricki HERBERT (NZL – age 49)
01. Mark PASTON (G – age 33) Wellington Phoenix (NZL)
02. Ben SIGMUND (D – age 29) Wellington Phoenix (NZL)
03. Tony LOCHHEAD (D – age 28) Wellington Phoenix (NZL)
04. Winston REID (D – age 21) Midtjylland (DEN)
05. Ivan VICELICH (D – age 33) Auckland City (NZL)
06. Ryan NESLEN (D – age 32) Blackburn Rovers (ENG) (Captain)
07. Simon ELLIOTT (M – age 36) San Jose Earthquakes (USA)
08. Tim BROWN (M – age 29) Wellington Phoenix (NZL)
09. Shane SMELTZ (F – age 28) Gold Coast United (AUS)
10. Chris KILLEN (F – age 28) Middlesbrough (ENG)
11. Leo BERTOS (M – age 28) Wellington Phoenix (NZL)
12. Glen MOSS (G – age 27) Melbourne Victory (AUS)
13. Andy BARRON (M – age 29) Team Wellington (NZL)
14. Rory FALLON (F – age 28) Plymouth Argyle (ENG)
15. Michael McGLINCHEY (M – age 23) Motherwell (SCO)
16. Aaron CLAPHAM (M – age 23) Canterbury United (NZL)
17. David MULLIGAN (M – age 28) Wellington Phoenix (NZL)
18. Andrew BOYENS (D – age 26) New York Red Bulls (USA)
19. Tommy SMITH (D – age 20) Ipswich Town (ENG)
20. Chris WOOD (F – age 18) West Bromwich Albion (ENG)
21. Jeremy CHRISTIE (M – age 27) Tampa Bay (USA)
22. Jeremy BROCKIE (M – age 22) Newcastle Jets (AUS)
23. James BANNATYNE (G – age 34) Team Wellington (NZL)
Not many experts expect New Zealand to earn even a point in the forthcoming World Cup. However, they qualified finally at the expense of Bahrain – a strong upcoming Asian side, and possess a few hardened professionals to trouble the more fancied teams they play.
In Mark Paston of Phoenix, New Zealand have a reliable keeper. His deputy Glenn Moss of Melbourne is also a competent keeper.
The defence is led by the seasoned Blackburn captain Ryan Nelsen, who also captains the New Zealand side. Alongside him, Ivan Vicelich of Auckland, Tony Lochhead of Phoenix and Andy Boyens of New York form a solid defence. Talented young Tommy Smith of Ipswich has been included in the squad, and it would be interesting to see if he gets to play.
Simon Elliott of San Jose has been the centre of the New Zealand midfield for years. Tim Brown and Leo Bertos of Phoenix are also influential players, while Jeremy Christie of Tampa is controls play from the centre.
Shane Smeltz of Gold Coast is New Zealand’s main striker, alongside Chris Killen of Middlesbrough. Also in the squad is the exciting young WBA striker Chris Wood, only 18, who might make a mark if given the opportunity. Rory Fallon of Plymouth is another striker in the squad.
Teams: ITALY (5), PARAGUAY (30), SLOVAKIA (34), NEW ZEALAND (78)
The defending champions Italy are hot favourites to win Group F. Paraguay will fight with Slovakia to gain the other spot. New Zealand are not really expected to do much, and winning even a point shall be quite an achievement.
Previous World Cups: 1934 (hosts) – Winners, 1938 – Winners, 1950 – R1, 1954 – R1, 1962 – R1, 1966 – R1, 1970 – Runners’ up, 1974 – R1, 1978 – SF (4th), 1982 – Winners, 1986 – PQF, 1990 (hosts) – SF (3rd), 1994 – Runners’ up, 1998 – QF, 2002 – PQF, 2006 – Winners.
2010 – qualified on Oct-10, 2009; 16th team to qualify.
Head Coach: Marcello LIPPI (ITA – age 62)
01. Gianluigi BUFFON (G – age 32) Juventus (ITA) (98) (02) (06)
02. Christian MAGGIO (D – age 28) Napoli (ITA)
03. Domenico CRISCITO (D – age 23) Genoa (ITA)
04. Giorgio CHIELLINI (D – age 25) Juventus (ITA)
05. Fabio CANNAVARO (D – age 36) Juventus (ITA) (C) (98) (02) (06)
06. Daniele DE ROSSI (M – age 26) Roma (ITA) (06)
07. Simone PEPE (M – age 26) Udinese (ITA)
08. Gennaro GATTUSO (M – age 32) AC Milan (ITA) (02) (06)
09. Vincenzo IAQUINTA (F – age 30) Juventus (ITA) (06)
10. Antonio DI NATALE (F – age 32) Udinese (ITA)
11. Alberto GILARDINO (F – age 27) Fiorentina (ITA) (06)
12. Federico MARCHETTI (G – age 27) Cagliari (ITA)
13. Salvatore BOCCHETTI (D – age 23) Genoa (ITA)
14. Morgan DE SANCTIS (G – age 33) Napoli (ITA)
15. Claudio MARCHISIO (M – age 24) Juventus (ITA)
16. Mauro CAMORANESI (M – age 33) Juventus (ITA) (06)
17. Angelo PALOMBO (M – age 28) Sampdoria (ITA)
18. Fabio QUAGLIARELLA (F – age 27) Napoli (ITA)
19. Gianluca ZAMBROTTA (M – age 33) AC Milan (ITA) (02) (06)
20. Giampaolo PAZZINI (F – age 25) Sampdoria (ITA)
21. Andrea PIRLO (M – age 31) AC Milan (ITA) (06)
22. Riccardo MONTOLIVO (M – age 25) Fiorentina (ITA)
23. Leonardo BONUCCI (D – age 23) Bari (ITA)
Defending champions Italy start as one of the favourites to win the Cup, though it is always difficult to defend a title. They have a balanced team, with plenty of experienced players along with several new talents to make their supporters extremely hopeful.
In goal Gianluigi Buffon of Juventus is there for his 4th Cup to provide a superb last line of defence for Italy – probably the best in the world. Both his deputies are however lagely inexperienced in the international arena.
The defence is led by captain Fabio Cannavaro of Juventus, also playing in his 4th successive Cup. Age has failed to diminish the incredible talent of this man. Alongside him in central defence is his young club-mate Giorgio Chiellini, on whom Lippi places great hope. Gianluca Zambrotta of Milan is another experienced defender, though apart from these players, there seem to be a lack of established stars in defence – something most unusual for an Italian World Cup squad.
Any shortcoming in defence is adequately made up by the hugely talented Italian midfield, arguably the best in the world. Andrea Pirlo of Milan, the free-kick expert, is an influential midfielder, along with such players like Daniele de Rossi of Roma, Gennaro Gattuso of Milan and Mauro Camoranesi of Juventus. They are covered by such talented young players like Simone Pepe of Udinese, Ricardo Montovlio of Fiorentina and Angelo Palombo of Sampdoria.
The attack is also very powerful on paper, with forwards like Alberto Gilardino of Fiorentina, Vincenzo Iaquinta of Juventus, Fabio Quagliarella of Napoli and Antonio di Natale of Udinese. Young Giampaolo Pazzini of Sampdoria is another promising striker.
8th World Cup Finals (1st as SERBIA).
Previous World Cups: 1930 – R1, 1950 – R1, 1958 – R1, 1986 – PQF, 1998 – PQF, 2002 – PQF, 2006 – R1.
2010 – qualified on Sep-09, 2009; 11th team to qualify.
Head Coach: Gerardo MARTINO (ARG – age 47)
01. Justo VILLAR (G – age 33) Real Valladolid (ESP) (C) (02) (06)
02. Dario VERON (D – age 30) Pumas UNAM (MEX)
03. Claudio MOREL (D – age 32) Boca Juniors (ARG)
04. Denis CANIZA (D – age 35) Leon (MEX) (98) (02) (06)
05. Julio Cesar CACERES(D – age 30) Atletico Mineiro (BRA) (02) (06)
06. Carlos BONET (D – age 32) Olimpia (PAR) (02) (06)
07. Oscar CARDOZO (F – age 27) Benfica (POR)
08. Edgar BARRETO (M – age 25) Atalanta (ITA) (06)
09. Roque SANTA CRUZ(F – age 28) Manchester City (ENG) (02) (06)
10. Edgar BENITEZ (F – age 22) Pachuca (MEX)
11. Jonathan SANTANA (M – age 28) Wolfsburg (GER)
12. Diego BARRETO (G – age 28) Cerro Porteno (PAR)
13. Enrique VERA (M – age 31) LDU Quito (ECU)
14. Paulo DA SILVA (D – age 30) Sunderland (ENG) (06)
15. Victor CACERES(M – age 25) Libertad (PAR)
16. Cristian RIVEROS (M – age 27) Cruz Azul (MEX) (06)
17. Aureliano TORRES (D – age 28) San Lorenzo (ARG)
18. Nelson VALDEZ(F – age 26) Borussia Dortmund (GER) (06)
19. Lucas BARRIOS (F – age 25) Borussia Dortmund (GER)
20. Nestor ORTIGOZA (M – age 25) Argentinos Juniors (ARG)
21. Antolin ALCARAZ (D – age 27) Brugge (BEL)
22. Aldo BOBADILLA (G – age 34) Independiente Medellin (COL) (06)
23. Rodolfo GAMARRA (F – age 21) Libertad (PAR)
Paraguay will be playing in their 8th Cup finals, and their fourth in succession. They have a balanced squad with lots of experienced players.
Captain Justo Villar of Real Valladolid is an outstanding keeper, one of the best in South America. His deputy Aldo Bobadilla of Medellin is also a superb keeper.
In defence there is Denis Caniza of Leon, playing in his 4th Cup. Two other defenders shall be playing their 3rd Cups – Julio Cesar Caceres of Mineiro and Carlos Bonet of Olimpia. Claudio Morel of Boca Juniors and Paolo da Silva of Sunderland are also there, while Aurelio Torres of San Lorenzo is another versatile defender.
The midfield revolves around Edgar Barreto of Atalanta and Cristian Riveros of Cruz Azul. Jonathan Santana of Wolfsburg provides the finesse. Victor Caceres of Libertad and Enrique Vera of LDU Quito are other midfielders in the fray.
The main striker for Paraguay is of course Roque Santa Cruz of Manchester City. If fit, he can be a lethal striker and a real menace in the opposition box. Oscar Cardozo of Benfica and Nelson Valdez of Dortmund are expected to support him up front.
Group A | Group B | Group C | Group D | Group E | Group F | Group G | Group H The Netherlands are the clear favourites too win Group E. Denmark and Cameroon are expected to fight for second place, while Japan are the potential chopping blocks. Previous World Cups: 1934 – R1, 1938 – R1, 1974 – Runners’ up, 1978 – Runners’ up, 1990 – PQF, 1994 – QF, 1998 – SF (4th), 2006 – PQF. 2010 – qualified on Jun-06, 2009; 5th team to qualify. Head Coach: Bert VAN MARWIJK (NED – age 58) 01. Maarten STEKELENBURG (G – age 27) Ajax Amsterdam (NED) (06) 02. Gregory VAN DER WIEL (D – age 22) Ajax Amsterdam (NED) 05. Giovanni VAN BRONCKHORST (D – age 35) Feyenoord (NED) (C) (98) (06) 13. Andre OOIJER (D – age 35) PSV Eindhoven (NED) (98) (06) 14. Demy DE ZEEUW (M – age 27) Ajax Amsterdam (NED) 19. Ryan BABEL(F – age 23) Liverpool (ENG) (06) The Netherlands were the first European team to qualify for these finals. They were absolutely splendid in qualification, and their current form make them a probable contender for the title. In the absence of Edwin van der Saar of Manchester United, the experienced Maarten Stekelenburg of Ajax will be their keeper in South Africa. His deputies shall be the largely untried Michel Vorm of Utrecht and Sander Boschker of Twente. The defence looks solid and experienced, with captain Giovanni van Bronckhorst of Feyenoord the kingpin. Alongside him are players like Khalied Boulahrouz of Stuttgart, Andre Ooijer of PSV, John Heitinga of Everton and Joris Mathijsen of Hamburg, making the Dutch defence potentially one of the best in the finals. The midfield is as formidable as the defence, led by the in-form Wesley Sneijder of Inter and Mark van Bommel of Bayern. Nigel de Jong of Manchester City plays the central holding role, while Rafael van der Vaart of Real Madrid can weave magical passes to all corners of the field. Young talents like Ibrahim Afellay of PSV, Stijn Schaars of Alkmaar and Demy de Zeeuw of Ajax are also waiting to ply their wares. The attack has wide players like Arjen Robben of Bayern, Dirk Kuyt and Ryan Babel of Liverpool to provide service for classy strikers like Robin van Persie of Arsenal and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar of Milan. Eljero Elia of Hamburg is also a talented striker. All in all, the Duch team seems to possess a truly talented bunch of footballers quite capable of reproducing their golden form of the 70s. 6th World Cup Finals (1st as SERBIA). Previous World Cups: 1982 – R1, 1990 – QF, 1994 – R1, 1998 – R1, 2002 – R1. 2010 – qualified on Nov-14, 2009; 25th team to qualify. Head Coach: Paul LE GUEN (FRA – age 46) 02. Benoit ASSOU-EKOTTO (D – age 26) Tottenham Hotspur (ENG) 04. Rigobert SONG (D – age 33) Trabzonspor (TUR) (94) (98) (02) 05. Sebastien BASSONG (D – age 23) Tottenham Hotspur (ENG) 09. Samuel ETO’O (F – age 29) Inter Milan (ITA) (C) (98) (02) 23. Vincent ABOUBAKAR (F – age 18) Cotonsport Garoua (CMR) Cameroon will be playing in their 6th World Cup and will be hoping to repeat, if not better, their best performance of reaching the quarter finals in 1990 in this first finals in Africa. They have several world class players, it is now only a question of peaking in tandem and playing as a team. Cameroon have always had great goalkeepers, and this time Idriss Carlos Kameni of Espanyol will try to exhibit his sublime skills to the world. His deputy Souleymanou Hamidou of Kayserispor is also a splendid keeper. The former captain Rigobert Song of Trabzonspor will be playing in his 4th Cup and will lead the defence. Alongside him are the Tottenham pair of Sebastien Bassong and Benoit Assou-Ekotto and the experienced Geremi Njitap of Ankaragucu. Stephane Mbia of Marseilles is another solid defender. Young Alexandre Song of Arsenal is expected to be the midfield general, alongside such talents like Jean Makoum of Lyon and Landry N’Guemo of Celtic. Eyong Enoh of Ajax is another talented young midfielder. The attack is led by the captain Samuel Eto’o of Inter, arguably the best striker in Africa today. Supporting him shall be Achille Emana of Real Betis and Pierre Webo of Mallorca. Mohammadou Idrissou of Freiburg is another striker in form for his club. Previous World Cups: 1986 – PQF, 1998 – QF, 2002 – PQF. 2010 – qualified on Oct-10, 2009; 15th team to qualify. Head Coach: Morten OLSEN (DEN – age 60) 01. Thomas SORENSEN (G – age 34) Stoke City (ENG) (02) 02. Christian POULSEN (M – age 30) Juventus (ITA) (02) 03. Simon KJAER (D – age 21) Palermo (ITA) 04. Daniel AGGER (D – age 25) Liverpool (ENG) 05. William KVIST (D – age 25) Copenhagen (DEN) 06. Lars JACOBSEN (D – age 30) Blackburn Rovers (ENG) 07. Daniel JENSEN (M – age 31) Werder Bremen (GER) 08. Jesper GRONKJAER (M – age 32) Copenhagen (DEN) (02) 09. Jon Dahl TOMASSON (F – age 33) Feyenoord (NED) (C) (02) 10. Martin JORGENSEN (M – age 34) Aarhus (DEN) (98) (02) 11. Nicklas BENDTNER (F – age 22) Arsenal (ENG) 12. Thomas KAHLENBERG (M – age 27) Wolfsburg (GER) 13. Peter KROLDRUP (D – age 30) Fiorentina (ITA) 14. Jakob POULSEN (M – age 26) Aarhus (DEN) 15. Simon POULSEN (D – age 25) Alkmaar Z (NED) 16. Stefan ANDERSEN (G – age 28) Brondby (DEN) 17. Mikkel BECKMANN (M – age 26) Randers (DEN) 18. Soren LARSEN (F – age 28) Duisburg (GER) 19. Dennis ROMMEDAHL (M – age 31) Ajax Amsterdam (NED) (02) 20. Thomas ENEVOLDSEN (M – age 22) Groningen (NED) 21. Christian ERIKSEN (M – age 18) Ajax Amsterdam (NED) 22. Jesper CHRISTIANSEN (G – age 32) Copenhagen (DEN) 23. Patrick MTILIGA (D – age 29) Malaga (ESP) Denmark were the surprise team of the European qualifying zone in the ease with which they eventually qualified from a tough group. They have competent footballers in all departments and are likely to provide stiff opposition to any team they play. Stoke City’s Thomas Sorensen is a wonderful goalkeeper who on his day can be as good as anyone. He has capable deputies in Jesper Christiansen of Copenhagen and Stefan Andersen of Brondby. Daniel Agger of Liverpool plays a central role in the Danish defence, alongside such splendid defenders like Lars Jacobsen of Blackburn, Per Kroldrup of Fiorentina and Simon Kjaer of Palermo. Defensive midfielder Christian Poulsen of Juventus also helps in the solidity of the defense. Martin Jorgensen of Aarhus, Daniel Jensen of Bremen and Thomas Kahlenberg of Wolfsburg form the backbone of the Danish midfield. The highly experienced Dennis Rommedahl of Ajax and Jesper Gronkjaer of Copenhagen provide the width with their adept wing-play. The attack contains the experienced captain Jon Dahl Tomasson, one of the best Danish strikers in years. Young Nicklas Bendtner of Arsenal has also developed into a superb striker. But the most influential striker for Denmark in South Africa could well be Soren Larsen of Duisberg, who has been in lethal form recently. Previous World Cups: 1998 – R1, 2002 (hosts) – PQF, 2006 – R1. 2010 – qualified on Jun-06, 2009 –2nd team to qualify. Head Coach: Takeshi OKADA (JPN – age 53) 01. Seigo NARAZAKI (G – age 34) Nagoya Grampus (JPN) (98) (02) (06) 02. Yuki ABE (M – age 28) Urawa Red Diamonds (JPN) 03. Yuichi KOMANO (D – age 28) Jubilo Iwata (JPN) (06) 04. Marcus Tulio TANAKA (D – age 29) Nagoya Grampus (JPN) 05. Yuto NAGATOMO (D – age 23) Tokyo (JPN) 06. Atsuto UCHIDA (D – age 22) Kashima Antlers (JPN) 07. Yasuhito ENDO (M – age 30) Gamba Osaka (JPN) (06) 08. Daisuke MATSUI (M – age 29) Grenoble (FRA) 09. Shinji OKAZAKI(F – age 24) Shimizu S-Pulse (JPN) 10. Shunsuke NAKAMURA (M – age 32) Yokohama Marinos (JPN) (06) 11. Keiji TAMADA (F – age 30) Nagoya Grampus (JPN) (06) 12. Kisho YANO (F – age 26) Albirex Niigata (JPN) 13. Daiki IWAMASA (D – age 28) Kashima Antlers (JPN) 14. Kengo NAKAMURA (M – age 29) Kawasaki Frontale (JPN) 15. Yasuyuki KONNO (D – age 27) Tokyo (JPN) 16. Yoshito OKUBO (F – age 28) Vissel Kobe (JPN) 17. Makoto HASEBE (M – age 26) Wolfsburg (GER) (C) 18. Keisuke HONDA (M – age 24) CSKA Moscow (RUS) 19. Takayuki MORIMOTO (F – age 22) Catania (ITA) 20. Junichi INAMOTO (M – age 30) Kawasaki Frontale (JPN) (02) (06) 21. Eiji KAWASHIMA (G – age 27) Kawasaki Frontale (JPN) 22. Yuji NAKAZAWA (D – age 32) Yokohama Marinos (JPN) (06) 23. Yoshikatsu KAWAGUCHI(G – age 34) Jubilo Iwata (JPN) (98) (02) (06) Even their strongest supporters aren’t expecting Japan to progress beyond the group stage. However, they do possess some fine footballers to cause problems for any team, as they have demonstrated in their warm-up matches. In Seigo Narazaki of Nagoya and Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi of Iwata, Japan have two experienced goalkeepers who have both appeared in their three previous Cup finals. Kawaguchi played in all Japan’s matches in 1998 and 2006, while Narazaki played in all four matches in 2002, and is also expected to be the first choice this time. The Japanese defence is fast, fit and well organised. With players like Yuichi Komano of Iwata, Marcus Tulio Tanaka of Nagoya and the veteran Yuji Nakazawa of Yokohama, they also have the experience to combat most attacks. The midfield is Japan’s strength, with the experienced and skilled Shunsuke Nakamura of Yokohama very much the kingpin, along with Junichi Inamoto and Kengo Nakamura of Kawasaki. Yashuhito Endo of Osaka and the young captain Makoto Hasebe of Wolfsburg are other men to watch. Another young midfielder Keisuke Honda of CSKA Moscow is also highly rated. Yuki Abe of Urawa is also in the running for a place in the team. In attack lies Japan’s weakness, perhaps. They lack a super striker who can really trouble opposition defence regularly. Yet, players like the experienced Keiji Tamada of Nagoya, Yoshito Okubo of Kobe and the young Shinji Okazaki of Shimizu will try and rise to the occasion. The young and talented Catania striker Takayuki Morimoto may also be a revelation. Group A | Group B | Group C | Group D | Group E | Group F | Group G | Group H Teams: GERMANY (6), SERBIA (15), AUSTRALIA (20), GHANA (32) Germany are favourites to win this group, and Serbia are expected to accompany them in the next round. But both Australia and Ghana are strong teams quite capable of upsetting the top two, makin this group potentially the most competitive group in this year’s World Cup. Previous World Cups: 1934 – SF (3rd), 1938 – R1, 1954 – Winners, 1958 – SF (4th), 1962 – QF, 1966 – Runners’ up, 1970 – SF (3rd), 1974 (hosts) – Winners, 1978 – PQF, 1982 – Runners’ up, 1986 – Runners’ up, 1990 – Winners, 1994 – QF, 1998 – QF, 2002 – Runners’ up, 2006 – SF (3rd). 2010 – qualified on Oct-10, 2009; 12th team to qualify. Head Coach: Joachim LOW (GER – age 50) 07. Bastian SCHWEINSTEIGER (M – age 25) Bayern Munich (GER) (06) 11. Miroslav KLOSE (F – age 32) Bayern Munich (GER) (02) (06) 16. Philipp LAMM (D – age 26) Bayern Munich (GER) (C) (06) The loss of Michael Ballack and a few other players through injury may cost Germany plenty during the forthcoming World Cup, but still they are expected to do well, as German teams invariably do in major competitions. For starters, they are clear favourites to win Group D. In goal Germany seem to have a real weakness with the lack of true international class keepers, forcing Joachim Low to recall the Bayern veteran Hans-Joerg Butt. The other keepers in the squad are both competent, though inexperienced. The defence have a few experienced players, led by captain Philipp Lamm of Bayern, one of the best full backs in the world. In Arne Friedrich of Hertha, Per Mertesacker of Bremen and Marcell Jansen of Hamburg, they have players with previous World Cup experience. Alongside these, they also have a crop of young talents like Serdar Tasci of Stuttgart, Jerome Boateng and Dennis Aogo of Hamburg and Holger Badstuber of Bayern. In midfield, without the leadership of Ballack, Germany look a bit thin, but they still boast of such players as Bastian Schweinsteiger of Bayern and Piotr Trochowski of Hamburg, both of whom possess the ability to turn a game on their own. Miroslav Klose of Bayern, playing in his third Cup, leads the German attack, alongside the brilliant Lukas Podolski of Cologne. Brazilian Cacau Barreto of Stuttgart is another who can make a mark in these finals. Mario Gomez of Bayern is a splendid cover for the frontline strikers. But apart from players, the traditional German strengths of organisation and discipline are also going to play a major part in the team’s performance, as also their never-say-die attitude. 11th World Cup Finals (1st as SERBIA). Previous World Cups: (1930 to 2002 as YUGOSLAVIA, 2006 as SERBIA & MONTENEGRO) 1930 – SF (4th), 1950 – R1, 1954 – QF, 1958 – QF, 1962 – SF (4th), 1974 – PQF, 1982 – R1, 1990 – QF, 1994 (hosts) – PQF, 1998 – PQF, 2006 – R1. 2010 – qualified on Oct-10, 2009; 14th team to qualify. Head Coach: Radomir ANTIC (SRB – age 61) 01. Vladimir STOJKOVIC (G – age 26) Wigan Athletic (ENG) (06) 02. Antonio RUKAVINA (D – age 26) 1860 Munich (GER) 03. Aleksandar KOLAROV (D – age 24) Lazio Roma (ITA) 04. Gojko KACAR (M – age 23) Hertha Berlin (GER) 05. Nemanja VIDIC (D – age 28) Manchester United (ENG) (06) 06. Branislav IVANOVIC (D – age 26) Chelsea (ENG) 07. Zoran TOSIC (M – age 23) Cologne (GER) 08. Danko LAZOVIC (F – age 27) Zenit St. Petersburg (RUS) 09. Marko PANTELIC (F – age 31) Ajax Amsterdam (NED) 10. Dejan STANKOVIC (M – age 31) Inter Milan (ITA) (C) (98) (06) 11. Nenad MILIJAS (M – age 27) Wolverhampton Wanderers (ENG) 12. Bojan ISAILOVIC (G – age 30) Zaglebie Lubin (POL) 13. Aleksandar LUKOVIC (D – age 27) Udinese (ITA) 15. Nocola ZIGIC (F – age 29) Valencia (ESP) (06) 16. Ivan OBRADOVIC (D – age 21) Real Zaragoza (ESP) 17. Milos KRASIC (M – age 25) CSKA Moscow (RUS) 18. Milos NINKOVIC (M – age 25) Dynamo Kyiv (UKR) 19. Radosav PETROVIC (M – age 21) Partizan Belgrade (SRB) 20. Neven SUBOTIC (D – age 21) Borussia Dortmund (GER) 21. Dragan MRDA (F – age 26) Vojvodina (SRB) 22. Zdravko KUZMANOVIC (M – age 22) Stuttgart (GER) 23. Andelko DURICIC (G – age 29) Uniao Leiria (POR) Serbia have the ability and the skill to emerge as one of the dark horses of the competition. Their performance in the qualifiers have left experts with no doubt that they are at least capable of troubling any team on their day. In Vladimir Stojkovic of Wigan, Serbia have an excellent keeper, in front of a well organised defence. Nemanja Vidic of Manchester United leads the defence – having established himself as a truly accomplished international class defender. Alongside him Branislav Ivanovic of Chelsea is another splendid defender. Others to watch in the Serbian defence are Aleksandar Lukovic of Udinese, Antonio Rukavina of Munich and Neven Subotic of Dortmund. The midfield dynamo is the veteran captain Dejan Stankovic of Inter Milan. He will be ably assisted by the likes of Milan Jovanovic of Liege, Milos Krasic of CSKA Moscow, Nenad Milijas of Wolves and Zoran Tosic of Cologne. Gojko Kacar of Hertha Berlin is another talented midfielder. The attack relies heavily on Marko Pantelic of Ajax and Nikola Zigic of Valencia, with Danko Lazovic of Zenit also laying his claims for a place in the first eleven. Serbian supporters are looking forward to some Balkan magic from their squad, and the team could well provide it. 2010 – qualified on Jun-06, 2009; 3rd team to qualify. Head Coach: Pim VERBEEK (NED – age 54) 02. Lucas NEILL (D – age 32) Galatasaray (TUR) (C) (06) Australia were placed in the Asian Zone this time, and they qualified quite easily. They have come to the finals with an experienced squad, with 14 of their players from the 2002 squad that did so well. There are quiet expectations that Australia will do even better this time. The splendid Mark Schwarzer of Fulham is a veritable tower of strength in the Oz goal, with Adam Federici of Reading and Brad Jones of Middlesbrough as capable deputies. The defence is also full of players with plenty of big-match experience. Captain Lucas Neill of Galatasaray, Craig Moore of Kavala, Michael Beauchamp of Al Jazira, Luke Wilkshire of Dynamo Moscow, Scott Chipperfield of Basel and Mark Milligan of JEF United are all from the 2002 squad. David Carney of Twente is another talented defender. The midfield powerhouse is Tim Cahill of Everton, who is now fully fit. Marco Bresciano of Palermo, Jason Culina of Gold Coast and Brett Emerton and Vince Grella of Blackburn are also experienced campaigners. Duisberg’s Dario Vidosic is an exciting prospect, while Richard Garcia of Hull is another skilful player. Harry Kewell of Galatasaray is expected to lead the Oz attack, alongside Josh kennedy of Nagoya. Brett Holman of Alkmaar is also a superb striker. 2010 – qualified on Sep-06, 2009 –8th team to qualify. Head Coach: Milovan RAJEVAC (SRB – age 56) 01. Daniel ADJEI (G – age 20) Liberty (GHA) 02. Hans SARPEI (D – age 34) Bayer Leverkusen (GER) (06) 03. Asamoah GYAN (F – age 24) Rennes (FRA) (06) 04. John PAINTSIL (D – age 29) Fulham (ENG) (06) 05. John MENSAH (D – age 27) Sunderland (ENG) (06) 06. Anthony ANNAN (M – age 23) Rosenborg (NOR) 07. Samuel INKOOM (D – age 20) Basel (SUI) 08. Jonathan MENSAH (D – age 19) Free State Stars (RSA) 09. Derek BOATENG (M – age 27) Getafe (ESP) (06) 10. Stephen APPIAH (M – age 29) Bologna (ITA) (C) (06) 11. Sulley MUNTARI (M – age 25) Inter Milan (ITA) (06) 12. Prince TAGOE (F – age 23) Hoffenheim (GER) 13. Andre AYEW (M – age 20) Arles-Avignon (FRA) 14. Matthew AMOAH (F – age 29) NAC Breda (NED) (06) 15. Isaac VORSAH (D – age 22) Hoffenheim (GER) 16. Stephen AHORLU (G – age 21) Heart of Lions (GHA) 17. Abdul Rahim AYEW (D – age 22) Zamalek (EGY) 18. Dominic ADIYIAH (F – age 20) AC Milan (ITA) 19. Lee ADDY (D – age 24) Bechem Chelsea (GHA) 20. Qunicy OWUSU-ABEYIE (M – age 24) Al Sadd (QAT) 21. Kwadwo ASAMOAH (M – age 21) Udinese (ITA) 22. Richard KINGSON (G – age 32) Wigan Athletic (ENG) (06) 23. Kevin-Prince BOATENG (M – age 23) Portsmouth (ENG) Ghana was the first African team to qualify (apart from the hosts, of course). However, their talismanic midfielder Michael Essien of Chelsea is injured, and will miss the Cup. In spite of that heavy blow, Ghana supporters are expecting their team to do well, as there is no dearth of talent in the squad. Richard Kingson of Wigan is expected to keep goal for Ghana – he is a competent and experienced keeper. In front of him, the defence is also quite strong, full of players with top level European experience. Players like John Paintsil of Fulham, John Mensah of Sunderland and Hans Sarpei of Leverkusen will give the defense solidity, while youngsters like Samuel Inkoom of Basel, Isaac Vorsah of Hoffenheim and Abdul Rahim Ayew are also very talented. The captain Stephen Appiah of Bologna is now Ghana’s midfield general, in the absence of Essien. He has the talent and the experience to carry his team. Sulley Muntari of Inter is also going to be an important cog in the wheel, while Derek Boateng og Getafe, Anthony Annan of Rosenborg, Kwadwo Asamoah of Udinese are also skilled midfielders. Also vying for places are Kevin-Prince Boateng of Portsmouth and the highly rated Andre Ayew of Arles-Avignon, the son of the legendary Abedi Pele. The attack revolves round Asamoah Gyan of Rennes and Matthew Amoah of Breda. Prince Tagoe of Hoffenheim is also rated highly, while young Dominic Adiyiah of Milan is an exciting talent on whom experts in Italy have great hopes. All these factors, as well as a Cup in their home continent make Ghana a formidable opposition for any team. Group E
Teams: NETHERLANDS (4), CAMEROOM (19), DENMARK (35), JAPAN (45)Group D