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]