Cameroon- Team Profile World Cup 2010

Appearances at finals:
1982 - First round
1990 - Quarter-finals
1994 - First round
1998 - First round
2002 - First round

Overall record at finals: Played 17, Won 4, Drawn 7, Lost 6.

Best performance: Quarter-finals in 1990.

Most apearances at finals: Roger Milla (1982), (1990), (1994) - 10.

Most goals at finals: Roger Milla (1990, 1994) - 5.

World Cup high: Reaching the quarter-finals in 1990. Cameroon began the finals with a memorable 1-0 win over reigning champions Argentina, courtesy of a François Omam-Biyik goal, winning the group ahead of Romania and USSR. Two extra-time goals from Roger Milla saw them move past Colombia in the second round before the 'Indomitable Lions' suffered extra-time heartbreak of their own as they went down 3-2 to England despite another impressive showing.

World Cup low: Getting thrashed 6-1 at the hands of Russia at the 1994 finals. Oleg Salenko scored a record five goals in the match to condemn Cameroon to bottom spot in the group, with a 2-2 draw with Sweden all they had to show for their appearance at the finals.

World Cup legend: Roger Milla. Rigobert Song may be set to overtake his Cameroon finals appearance record, but Milla is a player who epitomised the spirit of World Cup football, representing the 'Indomitable Lions' at three finals. Incredibly, he was Cameroon's top scorer at the 1990 finals without starting a single game. As a super-sub, Milla netted two crucial braces in 2-1 wins against Romania and Colombia in the second round. He is both the oldest player to have played and to have scored at the World Cup, a record achieved at 42 years and 39 days when he made his final international appearance against Russia in the 1994 World Cup.

The story so far: Cameroon competed in their first World Cup finals in 1982, becoming the fourth African country to do so after Morocco, Zaire and Tunisia. In their first ever finals match, they earned an impressive 1-1 draw with eventual champions Italy. They finished the group stage unbeaten after draws with Poland and Peru but were eliminated on goals scored behind the Italians.

In 1990, they stole headlines around the globe with perhaps the most memorable display by an African team at the World Cup. After shocking the world by beating reigning champions Argentina 1-0, Cameroon also picked up a win over Romania before losing to USSR, and they became the first African side to win their group at a finals. Colombia were beaten in the second round before Cameroon threw away a 2-1 lead over England, losing 3-2 after almost causing another major shock.

The 1994 tournament was one to forget as Cameroon crashed out after losing 3-0 to Brazil and 6-1 to Russia, ending up bottom of their group. The only highlight was Roger Milla's record-breaking appearance and goal against the Russians. In 1998, the 'Indomitable Lions' finished bottom of their group again with a 3-0 defeat to Italy sandwiched in between draws with Austria and Chile. And in 2002, after qualifying for a fourth straight finals, Cameroon narrowly missed out on a place in the second round, drawing with Ireland and beating Saudi Arabia before losing 2-0 to eventual finalists Germany in a game they needed to draw to progress.

After disappointingly missing out on the 2006 finals, Samuel Eto'o and co now have a chance to move out of the shadow of the 1990 side and write a new chapter in Cameroon's World Cup history.

Qualification: Cameroon looked as though they would ease their way to South Africa after cruising through their opening African qualification group. Samuel Eto'o scored six goals in six games as boss Otto Pfister recorded five wins and just one draw - away to Tanzania - on their way to the third qualifying round.

But they failed to maintain their form and it appeared their World Cup dream was over after a 1-0 away defeat to Togo and a home draw with Morocco in their opening two games, which saw Pfister sacked and former Lyon boss Paul Le Guen appointed. Cameroon experienced a revival in fortunes with Le Guen at the helm as, helped greatly by the scoring exploits of Samuel Eto'o, they recorded four successive victories, including the 2-0 away win away to Morocco that secured their qualification at the expense of second-placed Gabon and booked their place at the finals for the sixth time, breaking the African record.

Qualifying record (second round): P6, W5, D1, L0, F 14, A2, Pts16.

Qualifying record (third round): P6, W4, D1, L1, F9, A2, Pts13.

Most appearances: Rigobert Song, Jean Makoun, Idriss Kameni (12). Top goalscorer: Samuel Eto'o (9). [via]

Japan- Team Profile World Cup 2010

Appearances at finals:
1998 - First round
2002 - Second round
2006 - First round

Overall record at finals: Played 10, Won 2, Drawn 2, Lost 6.

Best performance: Second round in 2002.

Most appearances at finals: Hidetoshi Nakata (1998, 2002, 2006) - 10.

Most goals at finals: Junichi Inamoto (2002) - 2.

World Cup high: Junichi Inamoto's goal to fire Japan to a 1-0 victory over Russia in front of over 60,000 fans in their home tournament in 2002.

World Cup low: Crashing out at the hands of Turkey in the second round in 2002 while rivals and co-hosts South Korea went on to make the semi-finals.

World Cup legend: Hidetoshi Nakata played in every match for Japan at their first three World Cups and the iconic midfielder helped bring Japanese football onto the world stage.

The story so far: Japanese football underwent a renaissance in the early 90s with the launch of the professional J-League, and the national team came within one minute of qualifying for USA 1994. Despite that disappointment, Japanese football improved markedly on the back of the new league and Japan has competed in every World Cup finals since as a true powerhouse of the Asian confederation.

Wedged between first round exits in 1998 and 2006 came Japan's best result, a second round appearance on home soil as part of the 2002 tournament joint-hosted with South Korea.

Qualification: After coach Ivica Osim suffered a stroke in late 2007, the Japanese FA handed the reins to Takeshi Okada, the man who guided the team through France 1998. A more mature Okada led Japan to a fairly straightforward qualification, although he came in for criticism at times from an increasingly demanding Japanese media for the team's lack of goals. Being grouped with Australia in the final stage helped Japan, given the other three teams struggled to pick up points.

Qualifying record (final group stage): P8, W4, D3, L1, F11, A6, Pts15.

Most appearances: Marcus Tulio Tanaka (8).

Top goalscorer: Keiji Tamada, Marcus Tulio Tanaka, Shunsuke Nakamura (2). [via]

Denmark- Team Profile World Cup 2010

Appearances at finals:
1986 - Second round
1998 - Quarter-finals
2002 - Second round

Overall record at finals: Played 13, Won 7, Drawn 2, Lost 4.

Best performance: The quarter-finals in 1998.

Most appearances at finals: Michael Laudrup (1986, 1998) - 8.

Most goals at finals: Preben Elkjaer-Larsen (1986), Jon Dahl Tomasson (2002) - 4.

World Cup high: Beating defending world and European champions France 2-0 in 2002 to complete an inspired run that saw them top their group.

World Cup low: Spain's Emilio Butragueño scoring four goals in their first appearance at the finals in 1986, where they lost in the knockout stages 5-1.

World Cup legend: Michael Laudrup. Named Denmark's best ever player in 2006, the midfielder had his best moment at the Euros in 1992, but retired on a high after helping the side to the quarter-finals in 1998.

The story so far: It took a long time for one of FIFA's founding members to make their mark on a World Cup, which they eventually managed in 1986. A 5-1 humiliation by Spain after making it into the knockout stages gave them a platform to win the European Championship in 1992, but a talented squad was not seen again in a World Cup until 1998, where they said goodbye to Peter Schmeichel and the legendary Laudrup brothers - Michael and Brian.

That squad reached the quarter-finals, where they lost 3-2 to Brazil. England then knocked them out in 2002 and, despite having a rich history in the European game, 2010 will mark only their fourth World Cup appearance.

Qualification: Losing only once, in the final game to Hungary - when qualification was already assured - progress was unexpectedly easy in a seemingly tough group. Beating local rivals Sweden 1-0 both home and away made things a lot easier, but the wheels were put into motion with a stunning last-gasp comeback to beat Portugal 3-2 in September.

Given solidity from the fine performances of Christian Poulsen in midfield and the pairing of Simon Kjaer and Daniel Agger in defence also proved invaluable in the latter stages.

Qualifying record: P10, W6, D3, L1, F16, A5, Pts21.

Most appearances: Christian Poulsen, Dennis Rommedahl (10).

Top goalscorer: Soren Larsen (5). [via]

Netherland- Team Profile World Cup 2010

Appearances at finals:

1934 - First round
1938 - First round
1974 - Runners-up
1978 - Runners-up
1990 - Second round
1994 - Quarter-finals
1998 - Fourth place
2006 - Second round

Overall record at finals: Played 36, Won 16, Drawn 10, Lost 10. Best performance: Runners-up in 1974 and 1978. Most appearances at finals: Johnny Rep (1974, 1978), Ruud Krol (1974, 1978), Wim Jansen (1974, 1978) - 14. Most goals at finals: Johnny Rep (1974, 1978) - 7. World Cup high: Bringing 'total football' to the World Cup in 1974 when, in beating both Brazil and Argentina in the second group stage, they made it to the final despite it being a first appearance in the tournament for 36 years. World Cup low: The ugly incident involving Netherland's Frank Rijkaard and Germany's Rudi Völler, resulting in both players being sent off and Rijkaard spitting in Voller's hair. World Cup legend: Johan Cruyff, who, despite only playing in the 1974 finals, was central to the country's brand of 'brilliant orange', which catapulted the Dutch from obscurity to World Cup entertainers in the 70s. The story so far: Netherlands' World Cup history is surprisingly sparse considering their modern reputation. After taking part in the first two tournaments, they failed to qualify again until the 70s, when they lost in two consecutive finals.

Even after that, the Dutch missed out on the finals in 1982 and 1986 and, later, in 2002. They have always promised much yet there is still the feeling that the Dutch have generally under-achieved in world football.

Qualification: Netherlands found their route to the finals in faultless fashion, becoming the first European side to qualify for South Africa in June 2009. They were handed an easy group with just four other nations, none of which had qualified for any finals tournament since 2000. The Dutch had a 100% record in Group Nine, but were not exactly prolific in scoring 17 goals in 8 games. Qualification was virtually assured by back-to-back 3-0 and 4-0 home wins over Scotland and Macedonia in the first qualifiers of 2009. Qualifying record: P8, W8, D0, L0, F17, A2, Pts24. Most appearances: Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, Andre Ooijer, Dirk Kuyt, Joris Mathijsen, Giovanni Van Bronckhorst (8).Top goalscorers: Dirk Kuyt, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (3). [via]

England - Team Profile World Cup 2010

Appearances at finals:
2006 - Second round

Overall record at finals: Played 4, Won 2, Drawn 0, Lost 2.

Best performance: Second round in 2006.

Most appearances at finals: Richard Kingson (2006), John Paintsil (2006) - 4.

Most goals at finals: Stephen Appiah (2006), Sulley Muntari (2006), Haminu Dramani (2006), Asamoah Gyan (2006) - 1.

World Cup high: Making the second round at the 2006 finals, having finished behind eventual winners Italy in the group stage, before losing to reigning champions Brazil in the last 16.

World Cup low: Failing to qualify for the finals prior to 2006 despite being the second most successful team in African Nations Cup history, qualifying for five successive Olympic Games and enjoying considerable success at world youth level.

World Cup legend: Michael Essien excelled in midfield at the 2006 finals but the words Ghana and 'legend' are inextricably linked to a player who never played in a World Cup. Striker Abedi Pele is widely regarded as one of the greatest African players of all time, scoring 33 goals in 73 appearances for the 'Black Stars' and captaining the side on numerous occasions during his 16-year international career. He could never inspire his team to the finals, however.

The story so far: It may surprise some that Ghana's second consecutive appearance at the finals is only their second ever. They are the most successful team in African Nations Cup history, along with Egypt, with four titles and have excelled at youth level.

Ghana's qualification record does not even boast any near misses, with a fourth-place finish behind Nigeria, Libya and Sudan in qualification for the 2002 finals (which would have seen them miss out on an African Nations Cup place had they not been hosting the tournament) and third place behind Morocco and Sierra Leone for the 1998 finals. And the Black Stars were defeated by Algeria, Liberia, Libya, Guinea, Zaire and Nigeria in qualification for the 1994, 1990, 1986, 1978, 1974 and 1970 finals respectively. The failure in 1994 was the biggest surprise as the 'Black Stars' had narrowly lost the 1992 African Nations Cup final and could boast an impressive strikeforce of Abedi Pele and Tony Yeboah.

But in 2006 they made a first World Cup finals appearance and impressed by emerging runners-up from a tough group and advancing to the second round at their first attempt. After an opening defeat to eventual winners Italy, the 'Black Stars' defeated Czech Republic (2-0) and USA (2-1) before reigning champions Brazil knocked them out at the last 16 stage - the 3-0 scoreline a reflection of Ghana's defensive naiveity in a match in which they had often troubled Brazil in attack.

Qualification: Aside from the hosts, Ghana were the first African team to secure their passage to the 2010 finals when they qualified after winning their first four games of the final round of qualification. But it was certainly not all plain sailing for the 'Black Stars' as they had just scraped through the first group stage, edging out Gabon and Libya for top spot on goal difference, having lost away to both sides, when all three were tied at the end of the group.

In the final round, though, Ghana began to dominate, securing consecutive victories over Mali, Benin and Sudan (twice) without conceding a goal to book their place at the 2010 finals.

Qualifying record (second round): P6, W4, D0, L2, F11, A5, Pts12.

Qualifying record (third round): P6, W4, D1, L1, F9, A3, Pts13.

Most appearances: Richard Kingson (12).

Top goalscorers: Matthew Amoah (5). [via]

Serbia - Team Profile World Cup 2010

Appearances at finals:
(As Yugoslavia)
1930 - Semi-finals
1950 - Fourth place
1954 - Quarter-finals
1958 - Quarter-finals
1962 - Fourth place
1974 - Second round
1982 - First round
1990 - Quarter-finals
1998 - Second round

(As Serbia & Montenegro)
2006 - First round

Overall record at finals: Played 40, Won 16, Drawn 8, Lost 16.

Best performance: (As Yugoslavia) Fourth place in 1962.

Most appearances at finals: Dragan Stojkovic (1990, 1998) - 9 (for Yugoslavia).

Most goals at finals: Ivan Bek (1930), Kosta Tomasevic (1950), Todor Veselinovic (1958) - 3 (for Yugoslavia).

World Cup high: The fourth-place finish in 1962, after reaching the semi-finals and losing to Czechoslovakia.

World Cup low: Failing to get out of the group stage for only the second time, as Serbia & Montenegro, at the 2006 finals.

World Cup legend: Serbian Ivan Bek was top scorer for Yugoslavia as they reached the semi-finals of the first World Cup in 1930.

The story so far: Serbia is recognised by FIFA and UEFA as the direct descendant of the Yugoslavia national team, but this will be their first finals as an independent nation. Historically, some of Yugoslavia's star players were drawn from other now-independent states such as Bosnia and Croatia.

Throughout the earlier years, Yugoslavia were regular qualifiers and would reach the last eight of the competition, but they now have to rebuild with a smaller pool of players to call on as Serbia.

Qualification: Serbia were very much the second favourites to qualify from their group, with former winners and 2006 runners-up France drawn against them. They lost 2-1 in France early in qualifying, but that was Serbia's only defeat until they lost in Lithuania after securing qualification.

The crucial games came in September when France could only draw at home to Romania then, four days later, Serbia drew 1-1 at home to France as Thierry Henry levelled Nenad Milijas' penalty kick. Serbia sealed their place a month later by thrashing Romania 5-0 at the Stadion Crvena Zvezda.

Qualifying record: - P10, W7, D1, L2, F22, A8, Pts22.

Most appearances: Milos Krasic (10).

Top goalscorer: Milan Jovanovic (6). [via]

Australia - Team Profile World Cup 2010

Appearances at finals:
1974 - First round
2006 - Second round

Overall record at finals: Played 7, Won 1, Drawn 2, Lost 4.

Best performance: Second round in 2006.

Most appearances at finals: Lucas Neill (2006), Craig Moore (2006), Vince Grella (2006), Mark Viduka (2006), Luke Wilkshire (2006), Jason Culina (2006), Tim Cahill (2006), John Aloisi (2006), Mark Bresciano (2006), Scott Chipperfield (2006) - 4.

Most goals at finals: Tim Cahill (2006) - 2.

World Cup high: The dramatic comeback as three goals in the final eight minutes saw Australia come from behind to secure a famous win over Japan in Kaiserslautern in 2006.

World Cup low: The exit from the 1974 World Cup with no goals and only one point from three games.

World Cup legend: Johnny Warren, member of the 1974 squad and FIFA Centennial Order of Merit holder, was famous as a tireless advocate for Australian football until his death in 2004.

The story so far: Australia's two World Cup finals appearances came 32 years apart but are connected by the location of the tournaments - West Germany in 1974 and Germany in 2006. Australia's first finals appearance ended mostly in disappointment as the team failed to register their first goal or win, leaving the class of 2006 to set all the records as they reached the second round.

The Socceroos' controversial exit at the hands of eventual champions Italy in 2006 was considered harsh, and who knows how far Guus Hiddink's magic could have taken them? Qualification is now a minimum expectation in Australia since the team switched to the Asian confederation.

Qualification: Australia's disastrous Asian Cup in 2007 was the warning shot required to approach their first qualification campaign in their new confederation with the right mindset.

The experienced Socceroos line-up achieved a level of consistency and solidity under the guidance of Dutch coach Pim Verbeek that saw them cruise to South Africa on the back of a stellar defensive record. Australia's European-based stars dominated most Asian opponents, but the question is now whether they can evolve their style to compete with better and more diverse nations at the finals.

Qualifying record (final group stage): P8, W6, D2, L0, F12, A1, Pts20.

Most appearances: Mark Schwarzer (8).

Top goalscorer: Tim Cahill (3). [via]

Germany - Team Profile World Cup 2010

Appearances at finals:
(As East Germany)
1974 - Second round

(As West Germany)
1954 - Winners
1958 - Fourth place
1962 - Quarter-finals
1966 - Runners-up
1970 - Third place
1974 - Winners
1978 - Second round
1982 - Runners-up
1986 - Runners-up
1990 - Winners

(As Germany)
1934 - Third place
1938 - First round
1994 - Quarter-finals
1998 - Quarter-finals
2002 - Runners-up
2006 - Third place

Overall record at finals: Played 58, Won 37, Drawn 9, Lost 12.

Best performance: Winning the tournament in 1954, 1974 and 1990.

Most appearances at finals: Lothar Matthäus (1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998) - 25.

Most goals at finals: Gerd Müller (1970, 1974) - 14.

World Cup high: Winning the World Cup on home turf in 1974 with a 2-1 win in the final to beat Johan Cruyff's Netherlands, who were famed for their 'total football' and widely acknowledged as one of the greatest sides in history.

World Cup low: Losing in the 1966 final to England after a contentious goal from Geoff Hurst that may or may not have crossed the line at Wembley, depending on your geographical location. It was the opinion of Azerbaijani linesman Tofik Bakhramov that counted, though.

World Cup legend: Franz Beckenbauer was perhaps the finest sweeper in football history. Der Kaiser captained Germany to glory in 1974, managed the team that won the 1990 tournament and, for good measure, helped bring the World Cup to German soil as the key figure in the 2006 bid team.

The story so far: 'Never write off the Germans' is the old refrain - and with good reason. Reaching seven finals in their history, five times as West Germany before the reunification of the country, the Germans have reached the quarter-finals in every tournament since 1982 and are the very model of consistency.

Their first triumph came in the 1954 World Cup in Sweden courtesy of a shock victory over the 'Magical Magyars' of Hungary, despite going 2-0 down to the team of Ferenc Puskas. The odds were upset once again in 1974 when Johan Cruyff's Netherlands went a goal up in the final only to lose 2-1 as West Germany triumphed on home turf. A hat-trick of titles was complete when Andreas Brehme struck with five minutes remaining to defeat Argentina in the final of Italia 90 and confirm Germany as a nation with outstanding World Cup pedigree.

Qualification: Germany enjoyed an unbeaten qualifying campaign under Joachim Loew as they held off the challenge of Guus Hiddink's Russia to secure top spot in Group Four. After starting their campaign in ominous fashion with a 6-0 hammering of Liechtenstein, the key to Germany's qualification was their two victories over Russia, the second of which was a 1-0 win in Moscow in October that guaranteed their participation in the finals in South Africa.

Qualifying record: P10, W8, D2, L0, F26, A5, Pts26.

Most appearances: Philipp Lahm, Mario Gomez (10).

Top goalscorer: Miroslav Klose (7). [via]

Slovenia - Team Profile World Cup 2010

Appearances at finals:
(As Yugoslavia)
1930 - Semi-finals
1950 - Fourth place
1954 - Quarter-finals
1958 - Quarter-finals
1962 - Fourth place
1974 - Second round
1982 - First round
1990 - Quarter-finals

(As Slovenia)
2002 - First round

Overall record at finals: Played 36, Won 14, Drawn 7, Lost 15.

Best performance: (As Yugoslavia) Fourth place in 1962.

Most appearances at finals: Branko Oblak (1974) - 5 (for Yugoslavia).

Most goals at finals: Branko Oblak (1974, for Yugoslavia), Sebastjan Cimirotic (2002, for Slovenia), Milenko Acimovic (2002, for Slovenia) - 1.

World Cup high: Slovenian Branko Oblak's goal for Yugoslavia at the 1974 World Cup - the seventh of the match in a 9-0 thrashing of Zaire.

World Cup low: Failing to pick up any points at the 2002 tournament, their first World Cup appearance as Slovenia.

World Cup legend: Branko 'Brane' Oblak and team-mate Danilo Popivoda became the first Slovenians to play in a World Cup when they represented Yugoslavia at the 1974 tournament in Germany. Oblak, a midfielder, was the more impressive of the duo and was named in the squad of the tournament despite the country failing to get a point in the second group stage. Oblak's performances earned him a move to Schalke the year after the World Cup and he later played for Bayern Munich.

The story so far: Although Slovenia had significant experience in World Cups as part of Yugoslavia, they contributed few players compared to other former Yugoslav states like Serbia, Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Nonetheless, despite a population of just two million and less than two decades as an independent football nation, Slovenia have already made a reasonable impact on world football. Their first international tournament was Euro 2000, where they recorded two draws and a defeat, and they followed that up by beating Romania in a play-off to qualify for the 2002 World Cup, where they lost to Spain, Paraguay and South Africa.

They failed to reach the 2006 tournament, finishing six points behind Norway in their qualification group, but recorded a famous 1-0 victory over Italy during that campaign. They then appeared to have gone backwards in their efforts to reach Euro 2008, finishing second-bottom of Group G, behind Romania, Netherlands, Bulgaria, Belarus and Albania.

Nonetheless, after his appointment in January 2007, coach Matjaz Kek has managed to turn around their fortunes and guided the side to South Africa in dramatic fashion.

Qualification: Drawn against Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Northern Ireland and San Marino, Slovenia were handed one of the less challenging qualifying groups but were still considered outsiders to reach South Africa.

They made a positive start, though, drawing in Poland before beating Slovakia and Northern Ireland at home, but they then appeared to have let things slip as they took one point from two games with Czech Republic and then lost in Northern Ireland. However, they were reignited after a 5-0 win over San Marino, beating Poland 3-0 at home and Slovakia 2-0 away before rounding off the group with a 3-0 win over San Marino. With both Czech Republic and Poland having failed to perform to expected standards, Slovenia finished a comfortable second in the group, two points behind Slovakia, to book their place in the play-offs.

Considered outsiders in their group, they were given no chance at all as they faced Guus Hiddink's Russia over two legs for a place in South Africa. For most of the first leg in Moscow, they seemed to be following the script, too, as Diniyar Bilyaletdinov scored twice in what could easily have been a Russian rout. But, in the dying minutes, Robert Koren's shot was turned into substitute Nejc Pecnik's path and Slovenia had a vital away goal. In the second leg, Zlatko Dedic grabbed the only goal of the game against ten-man Russia and, against all the odds, they reached their third major international tournament.

Qualifying record: P10, W6, D2, L2, F18, A4, Pts20.

Most appearances: Andraz Kirm (12).

Top goalscorer: Milivoje Novakovic (5). [via]

Algeria - Team Profile World Cup 2010

Appearances at finals:
1982 - First round 1986 - First round

Overall record at finals: Played 6, Won 2, Drawn 1, Lost 3. Best performance: First round in 1982 and 1986. Most appearances at finals: Faouzi Mansouri (1982, 1986), Mahmoud Guendouz (1982, 1986), Rabah Madjer (1982, 1986) - 6. Most goals at finals: Salah Assad (1982) - 2. World Cup high: Beating European champions West Germany at Espana 82 in Gijon. Goals from Lahkdar Belloumi and Rabah Madjer provided one of the greatest shocks in the tournament's history.World Cup low: The exit from the '82 tournament, which remains one of the greatest scandals of the modern game. In the final group games, West Germany and Austria cooked up a footballing Anschluss that took both teams through via a 1-0 German win. Algeria, despite beating Chile, exited in rage. Many German fans of a certain age still admit their embarassment about the affair. World Cup legend: Midfielder Lakhdar Belloumi scored the winner against West Germany in 1982 and was singled out as a playmaker by Pele for his showings in 1982. He is also notorious for the ban he received for his involvement in a brawl that erupted during a 1990 qualifier with Egypt. An Egyptian doctor was injured by a broken bottle and Belloumi was accused. Only in 2009 was he cleared of the affair. The story so far: Algeria looked capable of becoming the first African team to make the knockout stages in 1982 before the Austro-German scandal. The quality of their play had surprised many and the manner of their exit saw sympathy extended across the world. The scandal forced FIFA to play final group games simultaneously, though that was scant consolation to Les Fennecs (The Desert Foxes), who had beaten Chile 3-2 in their final game. Four years later, they qualified for Mexico but found a tough group in their way. A draw with Northern Ireland in the first game saw Djamel Zidane (no relation) score their only goal of the finals. A narrow 1-0 defeat to Brazil gave cause for encouragement but Spain destroyed them 3-0 in Monterrey. The brawl with Egypt in qualifying for 1990 came as a result of non-qualification for that tournament. It was to signal another 20 years in the World Cup wilderness. Qualification: The exile was finally ended but it arrived via several twists and turns. The first qualifying group saw Senegal and Gambia held off before the final round drew them with sworn rivals Egypt. A 3-1 win against the Pharoahs put Algeria in the driving seat but the final match against the African champions in Cairo saw Egypt secure the 2-0 victory they needed to secure a supplementary play-off. Sudan provided the neutral venue for another meeting between the two teams and Algeria shocked many observers by qualifying after a 1-0 win. Centre-back Anthar Yahia finished like a forward in crashing home a volley before half-time. The expected ructions did not take place and, from there, Algeria looked the better side in Khartoum and thus became deserved visitors to South Africa. Qualifying record: P13, W8, D2, L3, F17, A8.

Most appearances: Karim Ziani, Lounes Gaouaoui (12).

Top goalscorers: Antar Yahia, Karim Ziani (3). [via]

United States - Team Profile World Cup 2010

Appearances at finals
1930: Third place
1950: First round
1990: First round
1994: Second round
1998: First round
2002: Quarter-finals
2006: First round

Overall record at finals: Played 25, Won 6, Drawn 3, Lost 16.

Best performance: Finishing third at their first World Cup in 1930. The Americans opened the tournament with a 3-0 win over Belgium and added another 3-0 win over Paraguay before losing to Argentina 6-1 in the semi-finals.

Most appearances at finals: Cobi Jones (1994, 1998, 2002), Earnie Stewart (1994, 1998, 2002) - 11.

Most goals at finals: Bert Patenaude (1930) - 4.

World Cup high: Beating England 1-0 in the first round of the 1950 World Cup in Brazil. USA went into the match on a seven-game losing streak and it is said that readers in England assumed the score was 10-1 and had been misprinted. The match has been labelled the 'Miracle on Grass'.

World Cup low: Having failed to qualify for a World Cup for 40 years after the 1950 event, USA made their return in 1990 and were promptly thrashed 5-1 by Czechoslovakia. They lost their other two group games by one-goal margins to Italy and Austria.

World Cup legend: Bert Patenaude scored four goals in three games at the 1930 tournament, including the first ever World Cup hat-trick in a 3-0 victory over Paraguay. Despite only winning four full caps, he scored six goals for his country.

The story so far: Despite a 40-year absence after 1950, USA has become a regular fixture at World Cups since 1990 and South Africa will mark their sixth consecutive tournament.

Their best result came in the first World Cup as they finished third, losing 6-1 in the semi-finals to runners-up Argentina. It's still the best showing for any team outside the European and South African confederations. However, they were unable to repeat the feat in 1934, exiting after a 7-1 defeat against hosts Italy in the first round.

After missing the 1938 World Cup, USA returned in 1950 when the competition resumed following World War II and were drawn against England, who bookies had rated as the 3-1 tournament favourites. USA, meanwhile, were rated as 500-1 outsiders and had lost seven games in a row by a combined score of 45-2.

In one of the biggest shocks in football history, USA won 1-0 thanks to a 37th-minute goal from Joe Gaetjens, although both sides failed to escape the group stage.

In their next tournament, in 1990, there would be no miracles. USA lost all their matches, first going down 5-1 to Czechoslovakia, 1-0 to Italy and 2-1 to Austria.

There was hope for the sport in America, however, as they earned the right to hold the 1994 World Cup. The venues were East Rutherford, N.J., Detroit, Orlando, Dallas, Boston, Washington, D.C., San Francisco and Pasadena. The average attendance for the tournament was 69,000 with a total attendance of 3.6 million.

The hosts enjoyed a good showing, drawing with Switzerland, beating Colombia - with the help of Andres Escobar's ultimately tragic own goal - and lost to Romania, sneaking into the second round as one of the best third-placed sides. In the knockout stages, they lost 1-0 to eventual champions Brazil at Sandford.

Bringing the World Cup to American soil was supposed to generate more interest in the sport and, although it took some time, it seems to have had the desired effect.

After making the second round in 1994, they endured a miserable France 98, losing all three games including a 2-1 defeat to Iran. They bounced back in 2002, though, with a shock 3-2 win over Portugal before drawing with co-hosts South Korea and then losing 3-1 to Poland. Having made the knockout stage, they beat local rivals Mexico 2-0 before going down to a 1-0 defeat to finalists Germany.

Again, though, they were unable to build on a successful tournament as, despite a 1-1 draw with Italy, they finished bottom of their group, losing to Czech Republic and Ghana. However, there are high hopes for a successful tournament in 2010, and there is a genuine expectation among many Americans that Bob Bradley can lead the side into the quarter-finals and perhaps even go further.

Qualification: USA finished first in the final round standings in CONCACAF, one point ahead of Mexico, but it was not without drama. Trailing Costa Rica 2-1 in their final qualifier, defender Jonathan Bornstein scored an equaliser deep into injury time to ensure they topped their group.

However, they had already booked their place in South Africa when they edged out Honduras four days earlier, winning 3-2 as a Conor Casey brace and a crucial goal from Landon Donovan proved enough.

Qualifying record: P10, W6, D2, L2, F19, A13, 20Pts.

Qualifying record: - P 10, W 7, D 1, L 2, GS 22, GA 8, Pts 22.

Most appearances: Carlos Bocanegra, Michael Bradley (15).

Top goalscorer: Jozy Altidore (6). [via]

England - Team Profile World Cup 2010

Appearances at finals:
1950 - First round
1954 - Quarter-finals
1958 - First round
1962 - Quarter-finals
1966 - Winners
1970 - Quarter-finals
1982 - Second group stage
1986 - Quarter-finals
1990 - Fourth place
1998 - Second round
2002 - Quarter-finals
2006 - Quarter-finals

Overall record at finals: Played 55, Won 25, Drawn 17, Lost 13.

Best performance: Winners in 1966.

Most appearances at finals: Peter Shilton (1982, 1986, 1990) - 17.

Most goals at finals: Gary Lineker (1986, 1990) - 10.

World Cup high: Geoff Hurst completing his hat-trick during England's 4-2 win over West Germany in the July sun at Wembley in 1966.

World Cup low: England's first finals appearance, losing 1-0 to the USA's part-timers in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

World Cup legend: Bobby Moore, captain in 1966, defensive organiser and the provider of two of Geoff Hurst's goals in the final.

The story so far: English fans may not like to hear it, but that win as hosts in 1966 has since taken on the appearance of an aberration. Many - mostly Englishmen - expected them to defend their crown in 1970, but their quarter-final exit there has become their default setting. Having only entered the tournament after 1950, they have since missed out on qualification for three tournaments.

Italia 90, under the guidance of Bobby Robson, saw a tearful penalty exit at the hands of Germany, who have gained revenge for their defeat in the 1966 final a number of times since. That semi-final remains England's best showing on foreign soil.

Qualification: Progress to South Africa could not have been in starker contrast to the Euro 2008 qualification campaign. Under Steve McClaren, Croatia were England's nemesis, with defeats suffered home and away. Fabio Capello's team, largely made up of the same players, destroyed the Croats 4-1 in Zagreb and 5-1 at Wembley. Granting Wayne Rooney the central role and providing a big striker in Emile Heskey to play off paid dividends as England won nine out of ten qualifiers.

Qualifying record: P10, W9, D0, L1, F21, A3, Pts27.

Most appearances: John Terry, Frank Lampard (10).

Top goalscorer: Wayne Rooney (9). [via]

Uruguay - Team Profile World Cup 2010

Appearances at finals:
1994 - First round

Overall record at finals: Played 3, Won 0, Drawn 0, Lost 3.

Best performance: Reaching the group stage in 1994.

Most appearances at finals: Ioannis Kalitzakis (1994), Savvas Kofidis (1994), Nikos Nioplias (1994), Nikos Machlas (1994) - 3.

Most goals at finals: Greece have yet to score a World Cup goal.

World Cup high: Beating Ukraine away in their play-off second leg to seal their place at the 2010 World Cup.

World Cup low: Failing to score a single goal during their solitary appearance at the finals in 1994.

World Cup legend: None of the 1994 squad did anything to earn legendary status, but Theofanis Gekas contributed half their goals in qualification for South Africa and topped the UEFA scoring charts.

The story so far: Greece qualified for the 1994 World Cup by topping their qualification group ahead of Russia, and much was expected at their first ever finals. However, their debut ended in unmitigated disaster after they lost 4-0 to Argentina, 4-0 to Bulgaria and 2-0 to Nigeria, exiting without a point or even a goal scored.

Coach Alketas Panagoulias opted to stick with the same players who booked Greece's place at the World Cup rather than search out new talent, and he gave every member of the squad, including the three goalkeepers, a game at the tournament.

Qualification: Despite the exploits of star striker Theofanis Gekas, the top scorer in UEFA qualifying with 10 goals, Greece made hard work of a modest World Cup 2010 qualification group that included Israel, Switzerland, Moldova, Latvia and Luxembourg.

After losing home and away to group winners Switzerland, the Greeks were consigned to a play-off with Group Six runners-up Ukraine. Manager Otto Rehhagel stuck to the negative tactics that won Euro 2004 and, following a 0-0 draw in Athens, it looked like the Greeks were going out. But in Donetsk, Dimitrios Salpigidis scored a goal on the counter-attack and that was enough to send Greece to their second World Cup finals.

Qualifying record: P10, W6, D2, L2, F20, A10, Pts20.

Most appearances: Theofanis Gekas and Sotirios Kyrgiakos (11).

Top goalscorer: Theofanis Gekas (10). [via]

South Korea - Team Profile World Cup 2010

Appearances at finals:
1954 - First round
1986 - First round
1990 - First round
1994 - First round
1998 - First round
2002 - Fourth place
2006 - First round

Overall record at finals: Played 24, Won 4, Drawn 7, Lost 13.

Best performance: Fourth in 2002.

Most appearances at finals: Hong Myung-Bo (1990, 1994, 1998, 2002) - 16.

Most goals at finals: Ahn Jung-Hwan (2002, 2006) - 3.

World Cup high: Ahn Jung-Hwan's golden goal against Italy in the last 16 was the highlight of South Korea's fairytale run to the semi-finals on home soil in 2002.

World Cup low: South Korea's historic finals appearance in 1954 was over before it got going, with heavy losses to Hungary (9-0) and Turkey (7-0) sending them packing.

World Cup legend: Hong Myung-Bo played in four consecutive tournaments from 1990 to 2002, captaining the side in their World Cup on home soil and being named the third best player of that tournament.

The story so far: The South Koreans are the powerhouses of Asia when it comes to World Cups, having qualified for the past six tournaments leading into 2010, and seven in total. Qualifying for Switzerland 1954 was in itself was a solid achievement, but their campaign was ultimately unsuccessful.

South Korea struggled in all of their subsequent appearances until 2002 when the nation co-hosted the finals with Japan. Guus Hiddink worked his managerial magic as they progressed through the group stage by beating Poland and Portugal before eliminating Italy with a golden goal and then Spain on penalties in an unlikely march to the semi-finals.

Qualification: South Korea qualified comfortably through the tougher of two final groups in the Asian zone, confirming their status as a true heavyweight of the confederation alongside emerging Japan and new arrivals Australia. Having come through the previous group with neighbours North Korea undefeated, they remained unbeaten through the final round, beating traditional qualifiers Saudi Arabia away and conceding just four goals in eight games. Coach Huh Jung-Moo will be the first local to guide the team to the finals since 1998.

Qualifying record (final group stage): P8, W4, D4, L0, F12, A4, Pts16.

Most appearances: Lee Chung-Yong, Lee Keun-Ho, Kim Dong-Jin, Ki Sung-Yeung, Park Ji-Sung (7).

Top goalscorer: Lee Keun-Ho, Park Ji-Sung (3). [via]

Nigeria - Team Profile World Cup 2010

Appearances at finals:
1994 - Second round
1998 - Second round
2002 - First round

Overall record at finals: Played 11, Won 4, Drawn 1, Lost 6.

Best performance: Second round in 1994 and 1998.

Most apearances at finals: Jay-Jay Okocha (1994, 1998, 2002) - 10.

Most goals at finals: Emmanuel Amuneke (1994), Daniel Amokachi (1994) - 2.

World Cup high: Beating Spain 3-2 at the 1998 finals. Mutiu Adepoju equalised after Fernando Hierro gave Spain the lead, but Raúl put Javier Clemente's side back in front. However, a resilient Nigeria performance was rewarded with goals from Garba Lawal and Sunday Oliseh as they sealed a famous win.

World Cup low: Being destroyed 4-1 by Denmark in the second round of the 1998 finals. After the impressive result against Spain, the 'Super Eagles' were taught a cruel lesson in the first knockout round by the 1992 European Championship winners, with a Tijani Babangida goal the only consolation.

World Cup legend: Jay-Jay "so good they named him twice" Okocha, who burst onto the international scene as a fresh-faced 20-year-old at the 1994 World Cup finals. Of Nigeria's 11 World Cup games, Okocha missed just one - their first ever - and entertained crowds in the USA, France and Japan/South Korea, captaining the side at the 2002 finals. Okocha dazzled, with his natural flair shining through on the big stage as he helped take Nigeria to the second round in both 1994 and 1998.

The story so far: Before qualifying for their first finals in 1994, Nigeria had come desperately close to qualifying on a number of occasions, including final-stage defeats to Morocco in 1970 qualifying, Tunisia in Egypt in 1978, Algeria in 1982 and fierce rivals Cameroon in 1990. But, in 1994, they made their World Cup bow and impressed, winning their group with wins against Bulgaria and Greece, and a narrow defeat to Argentina. If reaching the second round in their debut finals wasn't impressive enough, the 'Super Eagles' were two minutes away from reaching the quarter-finals as they led 1-0 against Italy, but an equaliser from Roberto Baggio and then an extra-time winner from the forward knocked them out. The 1998 finals saw Nigeria's most famous World Cup result, after the 'Super Eagles' twice came from behind to beat Spain 3-2 in their opening fixture. A win against Bulgaria and defeat to Paraguay followed but Nigeria won the group. However, their finals campaign ended in bitter disappointment after they exited at the hands of Denmark in the second round, crashing out 4-1. In 2002, Nigeria were drawn in a tricky group with Argentina, England and Sweden. After a tight 1-0 loss to Argentina, Nigeria were 1-0 up against Sweden but ended up losing 2-1 before a spirited 0-0 draw in searing heat against Sven-Göran Eriksson's side left them with a solitary point at the bottom of the group. Nigeria missed out on a fourth consecutive finals appearance in 2006 after finishing second in qualifying to Angola.

Qualification: Nigeria left it late to narrowly scrape through to their fourth finals, though many were surprised at how they laboured after advancing from the opening qualifying round with a 100% record. South Africa, Sierra Leone and Equatorial Guinea were beaten home and away as the 'Super Eagles' cruised through.

In the final qualifying round, Nigeria remained unbeaten, but draws against rivals Tunisia - home and away - and Mozambique looked to have ended their World Cup 2010 dreams. However, a dramatic 93rd-minute winner from Victor Obinna in their penultimate game against Mozambique kept their slim hopes alive and, when group leaders Tunisia suffered a shock loss to Mozambique in the final match, Nigeria came from behind to beat Kenya 3-2 in Nairobi to qualify against the odds.

Qualifying record (second round): P6, W6, D0, L0, F11, A1, Pts18.

Qualifying record (third round): P6, W3, D3, L0, F9, A4, Pts12. Most appearances: Ikechukwu Uche, Peter Odemwingie, Vincent Enyeama (10). Top goalscorer: Ikechukwu Uche (4). [via]

Argentina - Team Profile World Cup 2010

Appearances at finals
1930 - Runners-up
1934 - First round
1958 - First round
1962 - First round
1966 - Quarter-finals
1974 - Second group stage
1978 - Winners
1982 - Second group stage
1986 - Winners
1990 - Runners-up
1994 - Second round
1998 - Quarter-finals
2002 - First round
2006 - Quarter-finals

Overall record at finals: Played 65, Won 33, Drawn 13, Lost 19.

Best performance: Winners in 1978 and 1986.

Most appearances at finals: Diego Maradona (1982, 1986, 1990, 1994) - 21.

Most goals at finals: Gabriel Batistuta (1994, 1998, 2002) - 9.

World Cup high: Diego Maradona scoring a thrilling solo goal against England in the quarter-finals at the Mexico 86 World Cup.

World Cup low: Losing 6-1 against Czechoslovakia in Sweden 58.

World Cup legend: Diego Maradona. He scored five goals and was the indisputable star of the Mexico 86 tournament.

The story so far: In 1930, Argentina reached the first World Cup final, which ended in a victory for Uruguay, the tournament hosts. The Argentine national team have also topped the football world twice. In 1978, playing at home, the squad coached by Cesar Menotti and led by Mario Kempes defeated Holland in extra-time to clinch their first World Cup.

Eight years later, Diego Maradona played at his absolute peak and took Carlos Bilardo's team to the title in Mexico after defeating Germany in the final. Argentina also reached the final in 1990, when Germany avenged their loss at Aztec Stadium four years earlier and defeated Argentina 1-0 in Rome.

Argentina have failed to qualify only once, after being defeated in the qualifiers in 1970. They have refused to participate in three other World Cups for political reasons but since 1974 they have played in every World Cup, and they have been eliminated in the first round only once, in 2002.

Qualification: The road to South Africa was filled with pitfalls for the two-time champions. Argentina only qualified following the very last game of the tournament, after defeating Uruguay 1-0 in Montevideo, where they had not won since 1976. After their defeat against Chile in the tenth game, coach Alfio Basile quit and Diego Maradona took over.

Under his watch, the team failed to meet expectations and they were pummelled 6-1 by Bolivia in La Paz. However, history weighed heavier in the last two games, and victories against Peru and Uruguay were enough to reach the World Cup. Many people in Argentina dream about repeating the epic 1986 campaign in which the team made it to the World Cup after a turbulent qualifying campaign and went on to become world champions.

Qualifying record: P18, W8, D4, L6, F23, A20, Pts28.

Most appearances: Lionel Messi (18).

Top goalscorers: Sergio Agüero, Lionel Messi, Juan Román Riquelme (4). [via]

Uruguay - Team Profile World Cup 2010

Appearances at finals:
1930 - Winners
1950 - Winners
1954 - Fourth place
1962 - First round
1966 - Quarter-finals
1970 - Fourth place
1974 - First round
1986 - Second round
1990 - Second round
2002 - First round

Overall record: Played 40, Won 15, Drawn 10, Lost 15. Best performance: They won the championship in their first two appearances, in 1930 and 1950.Most appearances at finals: Ladislao Mazurkiewicz (1966, 1970, 1974) - 11.Most goals at finals: Oscar Míguez, Juan Alberto Schiaffino (1950, 1954) - 7.World Cup high: The 'Maracanazo' in 1950, a 2-1 victory against Brazil in the championship-deciding game. Juan Alberto Schiaffino and Alcides Ghiggia scored Uruguay's goals in the second half after Friaça had put the hosts ahead. World Cup low: Their humiliating 6-1 defeat at the hands of Denmark in Mexico 1986. World Cup legend: Juan Alberto Schiaffino is considered the best Uruguayan footballer of all-time. He is most fondly remembered for his great performance in 1950, where he led his squad to their most memorable achievement, but some feel he was even better in the 1954 finals. As a man of Italian ancestry, he joined AC Milan in 1954 and spent the final years of his international career playing for Italy.The story so far: During the early days of organised international football, Uruguay were a true world power. Prior to the creation of the World Cup, they had won Olympic gold in both 1924 and 1928. Since they were the best team of their era, they were awarded the privilege of organising the first World Cup, which they won with relative ease.

Due to political reasons, they were absent from the next two World Cups, but they came back with a bang in 1950 as they achieved one of the biggest shocks in the tournament's history by defeating Brazil at the Estádio do Maracanã to take the trophy, a feat that came to be known as 'Maracanazo'. Despite a couple of decent runs in 1954 and 1970, they have since been unable to relive their early glories.

Qualification: As has been the way of things during recent years, Uruguay had to suffer to reach their 11th World Cup final. Defeat to Argentina in their final CONMEBOL qualifier took them into a play-off with fourth-placed CONCACAF side Costa Rica. They defeated the Ticos 1-0 away and then drew the second leg 1-1 at the legendary Estadio Centenario in Montevideo to grab the last available spot in South Africa. Qualifying record: P8, W7, D7, L6, F30, A21, Pts 28.Most appearances: Luis Suárez (19).

Top goalscorer: Diego Forlán (7). [via]

France - Team Profile World Cup 2010

Appearances at finals:

1930 - First round
1934 - First round
1938 - Quarter-finals
1954 - First round
1958 - Third place
1966 - First round
1978 - First round
1982 - Fourth place
1986 - Third place
1998 - Winners
2002 - First round
2006 - Runners-up

Overall record at finals: Played 51, Won 25, Drawn 10, Lost 16. Best performance: Winners in 1998. Most appearances at finals: Fabien Barthez (1998, 2002, 2006) - 17. Most goals at finals: Just Fontaine (1958) - 13. World Cup high: Ending their wait for World Cup glory on home turf in 1998 as a 3-0 win over Brazil in the final ensured that Zinedine Zidane became a national hero to rival Michel Platini thanks to his two goals. World Cup low: Losing on penalties to West Germany in the semi-finals in 1982. After seeing Patrick Battiston knocked unconscious by a horrendous challenge from Harald Schumacher that went unpunished, France took a 3-1 lead in extra time only to lose on penalties when Schumacher saved twice. World Cup legend: Zinedine Zidane, who scored twice in the 1998 final to beat Brazil and was the star of the tournament. Eight years later in Germany, he recaptured his best form to help France reach the final and scored an audacious penalty against Italy, only for his tournament to end in ignominy when he plunged his head into the chest of Marco Materazzi, earning a red card. The story so far: A third-place finish in Sweden in 1958 aside, France had for a long time been accustomed to early exits on football's biggest stage, but all that was to change in 1982 thanks to a team led by the masterful Michel Platini.Les Bleus reached the semi-finals in Spain but were defeated in cruel circumstances as Harald Schmacher's Germany progressed on penalties following a 3-3 thriller, with France finishing fourth. Four years later in Mexico, they went one better, defeating Brazil in a thrilling quarter-final before losing to West Germany in the semi-finals and eventually finishing third.France subsequently failed to qualify for the next two World Cup finals but upon their return, as hosts in 1998, a new generation of stars led them to their first and so far only triumph. Thierry Henry, Zinedine Zidane, Marcel Desailly and Didier Deschamps were among the key performers under Aime Jacquet, but his successor, Roger Lemerre, oversaw a shocking campaign in 2002 as they failed to qualify from their group. In 2006, they surprised many observers by making the final before Zidane ended his career in explosive fashion as Italy eventually won out in a penalty shoot-out. Qualification: The circumstances of France's qualifiction for the finals are now infamous, with Thierry Henry's handball at the Stade de France infuriating Republic of Ireland, who subsequently demanded a replay of the play-off second leg.

Prior to that controversial night, France had limped in behind Serbia in Group Seven, opening their campaign with a shocking 3-1 defeat to Austria. After beating Serbia and then drawing away in Romania, France secured two 1-0 wins over Lithuania and a narrow victory over the Faroe Islands before drawing at home to Romania and then away at Serbia.

Home wins over Faroe Islands and Austria secured second spot but it was an unconvincing campaign to say the least.

Qualifying record: P12, W7, D4, L1, F20, A10, Pts24. Most appearances: Thierry Henry, Bacary Sagna (11).Top goalscorers: Thierry Henry, André-Pierre Gignac (4).

Mexico - World Cup 2010 Team Profile

Appearances at finals:
1930 - First round
1950 - First round
1954 - First round
1958 - First round
1962 - First round
1966 - First round
1970 - Quarter-finals
1978 - First round
1986 - Quarter-finals
1990 - Qualified but suspended by FIFA
1994 - Second round
1998 - Second round
2002 - Second round
2006 - Second round

Overall record at finals: Played 45 games, Won 11, Drawn 12, Lost 22. Best performance: The quarter-finals in 1970 and 1986. Most appearances at finals: Antonio Carbajal (1950, 1954, 1958, 1962, 1966) - 10. Most goals at finals: Luis Hernandez (1998) - 4. World Cup high: Reaching the quarter-finals in 1970 and 1986, both as the host nation.World Cup low: Defeat against West Germany in the quarter-finals of 1986 created a stigma for the Mexican national team. They were also eliminated by penalty kicks in 1994 by Bulgaria. World Cup legend: Goalkeeper Antonio Carbajal was known as 'Five Cups', because he became the first player to participate in five World Cups: Brazil 1950, Switzerland 1954, Sweden 1958, Chile 1962 and England 1966. Only Germany's Lothar Matthäus has matched his achievement.

The story so far: As the dominant footballing force in the North American/CONCACAF region, it is rare for a World Cup to be without the Mexicans. However, they have a record of underachievement at the finals - only in 1970 and 1986, on both occasions as hosts, have they gone beyond the second round.

After making their World Cup debut in 1950, they became serial qualifiers onwards but generally struggled. In 1986, Mexico advanced to the second round, where they defeated Bulgaria at the Estadio Azteca. A memorable scissor-kick goal from Manuel Negrete was the hosts' highlight before West Germany won 4-1 on penalty kicks in the quarter-finals. They were excluded from the 1990 tournament after fielding ineligible players in qualifiers for the 1988 Olympics but returned in 1994 and 1998, exiting both in the second round. Local rivals USA got the better of them at the same stage in 2002 and Germany 2006 was the same old story, though Argentina needed extra-time to see them off in Leipzig.

Qualification: Mexico survived a near-nightmare, and needed three coaches in the process of qualifying. While he was getting his team together for World Cup qualifying, Hugo Sánchez was fired after failing to qualify for the Beijing 2008 Olympics. Sven-Göran Erikson coached the team for only 13 games, including six defeats, and left the team in serious trouble. Former Atletico Madrid boss Javier Aguirre then came to the rescue for the second time in his career. Qualifying record: P18, W11, D2, L 5, F36, A18.

Most appearances: Andrés Guardado, Ricardo Osorio (16).Top goalscorers: Andres Guardado, Carlos Vela, Cuauhtemoc Blanco, Fernando Arce, Jared Borgetti, Pavel Pardo (3).

South Africa - Team Profile World Cup 2010

Appearances at finals:

1998 - First round
2002 - First round

Overall record at finals: Played 6, Won 1, Draw 3, Lost 2.

Best performance: First round in 1998 and 2002.

Most appearances at finals: Lucas Radebe (1998, 2002), Quinton Fortune (1998, 2002), Benni McCarthy (1998, 2002) - 6.

Most goals at finals: Benni McCarthy (1998, 2002), Shaun Bartlett (1998) - 2.

World Cup high: Their first ever finals victory at their second tournament appearance in 2002, beating Slovenia 1-0 with a Siyabonga Nomvethe goal the difference between the sides.

World Cup low: Bafana Bafana's embarrassing failure to qualify for the 2006 World Cup in Germany, finishing third in their qualification group behind Ghana and Congo DR, after having been named hosts of the 2010 tournament.

World Cup legend: Benni McCarthy is the country's record goal-scorer and second most capped player, with 31 goals in 76 appearances. He scored at the 1998 and 2002 tournaments against Denmark and Spain respectively.

The story so far: The history of the South African football team, like the country itself, has been greatly affected by the system of apartheid. The enforced racial segregation of the country was hugely contentious and numerous attempts were made to suspend the national side from FIFA because the country's constitution prohibited the fielding of racially mixed teams. But South Africa, along with Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan, were one of the founding members of the Confederation of African Football and continued to escape expulsion because of a widespread reluctance for FIFA to become embroiled in political matters.

They were suspended from FIFA competition in 1966 but, after the violence of the Soweto uprising in 1976, a horrified FIFA finally expelled South Africa and the national team would not play again for 16 years. In 1991, as apartheid drew to a close, a new multi-racial South African Football Association was born and the new team played its first game against Cameroon in 1992, winning 1-0. Four years later, hosting and competing in their first African Nations Cup as a multi-racial side, Bafana Bafana lifted the trophy and were joined in celebration by an overjoyed Nelson Mandela.

They went on to play in the 1998 World Cup in France and, after being soundly beaten 3-0 by the hosts in their first ever finals match, South Africa went on to earn admirable draws against Denmark and Saudi Arabia, but finished in third place in the group, two points behind the Danes.

At the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea, an improved South Africa side were agonisingly close to making the second round, missing out to Paraguay on goals scored. A 2-2 draw with the South Americans in the first game was followed up by a first finals victory, a 1-0 win over Slovenia. In their final game against Spain, Bafana Bafana twice came from behind but were denied by a Raul goal as Jose Antonio Camacho's side narrowly triumphed 3-2. A disappointing failure to qualify for the 2006 finals followed but in 2004 it had been announced that, in 2010, South Africa would become the first African country to host the World Cup.

Qualification: As hosts, South Africa qualified for the tournament automatically but did play a number of friendlies while qualification was taking place. They were involved in the first stage of African qualifying with a place at the 2010 African Nations Cup at stake but finished 11 points adrift of Nigeria in the group, missing out on a place at the tournament.

It has been a tumultuous time for Bafana Bafana and, although they performed creditably at the Confederations Cup - losing in the semi-finals to Brazil and the third place play-off to European Championship winners Spain by just a single goal - they continued to crash to defeat after defeat in friendlies, which eventually saw the sacking of boss Joel Santana and the re-appointment of former boss Carlos Parreira.

Qualifying record (second round): P6, W2, D1, L3, F5, A5, Pts7.

Confederations Cup record: P5, W1, D1, L3, F4, A6.

Most appearances: Kagisho Dikgacoi (11).

Top goalscorer: Kagisho Dikgacoi, Katlego Mphela, Bernard Parker (2).