Who Ate All The Bratwurst

Germany 2006: Day 6 preview & predictions

Feeling pretty smug after my match predictions for yesterday's games. I predicted all three outcomes correctly, with two exact scorelines (the Korea/Brazil results). Should have put a bet on! It'll never happen again…

And on the sixth day, Sepp Blatter decreed: (all times BST):

2pm Spain v Ukraine, Group H, Leipzig (ITV, live blog on Bratwurst)
5pm Tunisia v Saudi Arabia, Group G, Munich (ITV)
8pm Germany v Poland, Group A, Dortmund (BBC)

Click below to read the full preview & predictions…

Germany 2006: Day 6 preview & predictions cont…

2pm Spain v Ukraine, Group H, Leipzig (ITV, live blog on Bratwurst)

The two favourites to progress from Group H get straight down to business. Because it's Spain, we have to ask the same question asked in 2002 (and at every World Cup before that) – can they shake off the 'World Cup underachievers' tag? They have some talented young players (Torres, Reyes, Fabregas, Casillas) but I'm not convinced they can do any better than the last eight. The same goes for Ukraine, who rely too much on star striker Andriy Shevchenko.
Player cam: I tipped Spain's Fernando Torres for the Golden Boot ages ago, so I look forward to seeing if he can take the tournament by storm. He has the potential and will start ahead of Raul, but is he strong enough to dominate opposing defences? We'll see…
Prediction: Spain 1 – 0 Ukraine

* * * * *

5pm Tunisia v Saudi Arabia, Group G, Munich (ITV)

Group G's also-rans meet up and each knows a defeat will almost certainly end their World Cup dream of qualifying for the knockout stages. Tunisia are undoubtedly a stronger side than the Saudis, but it'll be a very tight match. Whilst it's not a match to set the pulse racing, I'll be interested to see just how strong Tunisia (coached by former French coach Roger Lemerre) are. They're probably capable of reaching the second round if they get a result against Ukraine.
Player cam: 19-year-old striker Yassine Chikhaoui is in for injured Francileudo Santos. He's fast and direct and could cause the Saudi defence a load of problems.
Prediction: Tunisia 2 – 0 Saudi Arabia

* * * * *

8pm Germany v Poland, Group A, Dortmund (BBC)

So that's the first round of group matches down, in no time at all. The hosts are back in action against neighbours Poland, in what should be a fascinating game. Poland desperately need a win (a draw probably won't be enough, with Ecuador likely to beat Costa Rica tomorrow), but that could play into German hands. It's a dangerous match for both teams. Germany would take a draw.
Player cam: A certain Michael Ballack should return for Germany, probably in place of Tim Borowski. Is he fit though?
Prediction: Germany 2 – 1 Poland

GROUP H: The Verdict

Our final group verdict would appear fairly clear-cut. Surely Spain and Ukraine will have too much quality for also-rans Tunisia and Saudi Arabia? Click below to find out how we think they'll finish…

GROUP H: HOW THEY'LL FINISH

1st Ukraine Very solid team and Shevchenko should make hay against Tunisia and the Saudis.

2nd Spain Will probably struggle in one of their so-called easier games (could see Tunisia picking up a draw against them) but should go through in the end, having done things the hard way.

3rd Tunisia Was tempted to put the north Africans through in second, cause they are a decent side, but I think they'll just fall short.

4th Saudi Arabia Can't see them making any impact against the other three teams. Will find it hard to pick up any points.

So Ukrain and Spain make it to the second round from Group H.

Based on previous Bratwurst predictions, they join Germany and Poland from Group A, England and Sweden from Group B, Argentina and Holland from Group C, Portugal and Mexico from Group D, the USA and Ghana from Group E, Brazil and Croatia from Group F and France and Switzerland from Group G.

We'll do our knockout stages predictions soon…

And here's how the bookies (Blue Square) see Group H:

Spain 8-13
Ukraine 2-1
Tunisia 7-1
Saudi Arabia 18-1

Team Guide: UKRAINE

The end is near Bratwurst readers. Welcome to Bratwurst team guide number 32 of 32. It has been a hell of a journey, but Germany is now in sight. Last stop Ukraine.

Ukraine, Group H

14 June vs SPAIN (2pm*, Leipzig)
19 June vs SAUDI ARABIA (5pm, Hamburg)
23 June vs TUNISIA (3pm, Berlin)
*all times BST

World Ranking 45

How they qualified
Topped a competitive group featuring Turkey, Denmark and Greece becoming the first European country to qualify. Away wins in Turkey and Greece proved to be decisive. They drew four of their 12 games and suffered a solitary defeat at home to Turkey.

World Cup history
It was third time lucky for Ukraine who lost in the play-offs in their previous two attempts to qualify.

Star man
No contest - Chelsea's new record signing Andriy Shevchenko is a class above the rest of the Ukrainian squad. The former AC Milan striker is a lethal finisher who makes scoring goals look simple. He is deceptively fast and strong enough to trouble any defender. Shevchenko is about as close as you can get to the complete centre-forward. The 29-year-old is still at the top of his game. He has apparently recovered from a knee injury and could feature in Ukraine's warm-up game against Luxembourg tonight.

Strengths
Shevchenko and Sergei Rebrov - the attacking pairing that propelled Dynamo Kiev to great things in the 1990s.
Strong going forward.

Weaknesses
Not enough quality in defence and particularly midfield.
The first time qualifiers lack top-level experience. Most of the squad play their football in Ukraine.

Did you know?
A number of animal species have been introduced to the area Chernobyl. Some animals are reported to be living in deserted houses in the town.

Odds 66-1 (Blue Sq)

Verdict
Despite this being their first World Cup, Ukraine should have enough quality to qualify for the second round. This will be heavily reliant on Shevchenko firing on all cylinders. If Ukraine are not at their best then Tunisia will be ready to pounce. If they do qualify, that could set up a second round meeting with France, who I think they would cause problems for. Potential quarter-finalists.

Rob Parker

Team Guide: TUNISIA

It is time for the penultimate Bratwurst team guide. By now you must by nearly full to the brim with football knowledge and pub trivia, but make room for our next installment so you can impress your mates with your knowledge of Tunisia.

TUNISIA, Group H

14 June vs SAUDI ARABIA (5pm*, Munich)
19 June vs SPAIN (8pm, Stuttgart)
23 June vs UKRAINE (3pm, Berlin)
*all times BST

World Ranking 21

How they qualified
By the skin of their teeth. They went into their final game with north African rivals - and the only serious contenders in their qualifying - Morocco needing a point to qualify. A last minute equaliser meant Tunisia qualified ahead of Morocco by one point. Defeat in Kenya was the only major slip-up of their campaign.

World Cup history
This is Tunisia's fourth World Cup and their third consecutive qualification. They have yet to get beyond the group stage.

Star man
Tunisia are not really a team of star performers. Francileudo dos Santos top-scored in qualifying with seven goals, but then again he did help himself to four in one match against Malawi. The most consistent performer is arguably Ajax defender Hatem Trabelsi. The full-back has a Brazilian philosophy on the role of defenders. He loves to make runs with the ball, but is also capable of defending. At the age of 29, Trabelsi will be playing in his third World Cup.

Strengths
High on confidence after their African Cup of Nations success earlier this year.
The experience of France's European Championship winning coach Roger Lemerre.
A strong team ethic stemming from the aforementioned lack of stars.

Weaknesses
For 'lack of stars' read lack of world class players.
A phobia of getting past the group stage.

Did you know?

You cannot buy Tunisian currency (dinar) outside of Tunisia and you cannot take it out when you leave the country.

Odds 300-1

Verdict

The unexpected success in the African Cup of Nations has over-inflated their FIFA World Ranking. They are still unlikely to break their first round duck, but this is probably their best chance so far to do so. A solid team who are probably better than Saudi Arabia on paper and can challenge Ukraine on their day. Second spot is not out of the question, but I expect them to finish third.

Rob Parker

Team Guide: SPAIN

Buenos dias, Bratwurst readers. Just three teams are left for us to examine before the big kick-off. As the official Bratwurst poet laureate so succinctly put it when I spoke to him yesterday:

Of the three that remain

It is fairly plain

That Spain pose more threat

Than Tunisia or Ukraine.

Spain, Group H

14 June vs UKRAINE (2pm*, Leipzig)
19 June vs TUNISIA (8pm, Stuttgart)
23 June vs SAUDI ARABIA (3pm, Kaiserslauten)
*all times BST

World Ranking 5

How they qualified
Not in the manner they would have liked. The perennial major tournament under-achievers turned qualification under-achievers this time. They finished behind two points behind Serbia and Montenegro. Although they remained unbeaten they drew five of their 10 games. A 5-1 victory at home to Slovakia in the play-offs saw them cruise to the finals though.

World Cup history
It is well-known that Spain under-perform in World Cups. Despite their footballing pedigree the best performance Spain have mustered was a fourth place in 1950. That is despite their eleven previous qualifications. Will number 12 bring better luck?

Star man
This is a tricky one. In practice it is likely to be Fernando Torres or David Villa, but neither are guaranteed to start. If Torres gets the nod, expect him to be the one to shine. The speedy striker has shown great loyalty to Atletico Madrid, the team he skippers despite being just 22 years old. Chelsea might content themselves with Andriy Shevchenko, but expect some of the other big boys to be sniffing round again after the tournament.

Torres weighed in with seven goals in qualifying and has nine goals in 29 games for Spain in total. That ratio might not match up to that of Peter 'International Hotshot' Crouch, but Torres now seems to have settled at international level and is scoring regularly. This compilation of goals shows what he is all about. His fate in Germany will depend on whether coach Luis Aragones can bring himself to leave Raul out of the starting line-up.

Strengths
Great players throughout the team.
The pressure is off. Nobody (bookies included) bothers to expect anything from Spain anymore.

Weaknesses
A possible lack of quality in defence compared to the other top countries.

A belief that no matter what they do, it won't happen for them at the World Cup.

Did you know?

Since 1924, 15 people have been killed in the crazy Running of the Bulls festival in Pamplona.

Odds 14-1 (Blue Sq)

Verdict
The five draws in qualification have helped to hide the fact that Spain are unbeaten in 21 games under Aragones. That must make them 'dark horses' or outsiders for the World Cup. Heard it all before? Yes, me too. Spain should be able to progress to the quarter-finals comfortably enough. At this point they will probably meet Brazil which should spell the end of their tournament. Group H should not provide too many problems for them though. 

Rob Parker

Team Guide: SAUDI ARABIA

The end is near Bratwurst readers. Just like FIFA, we have decided to make Group H our final group. Even though you will be understandably distraught as we enter the final stage of our Bratwurst team guides, console yourselves with the thought that the real thing kicks off in four days.

In the meantime we must crack on with Group H, a group severely lacking in alphabetical diversity. First up is Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia, Group H

14 June vs TUNISIA (5pm*, Munich)

19 June vs UKRAINE (5pm, Hamburg)

23 June vs SPAIN (3pm, Kaiserslauten)

*all times BST

World Ranking 34

How they qualified

Unbeaten and having conceded just two goals in their 12 games across the two group stages of Asian qualification. Finished comfortably clear of South Korea - the only serious threat thy came up against - having beaten them home and away.

World Cup history

Saudi Arabia first qualified in 1994 and have not missed a World Cup since. They have yet to top their feat of reaching the second round accomplished during their World Cup debut.

Star man

Former Wolverhampton Wanderers player Sami Al Jaber is one of the few Saudi players capable of making things happen. He is also one of the few Saudi players with experience of playing club football outside Saudi Arabia. Al Jaber played in USA 94 as a 21-year-old and has been involved in all of Saudi Arabia's World Cup campaigns. He initially retired from international football in 2002 after a poor showing in Japan and Korea, but was persuaded to return in 2005. Now aged 33 and playing in his homeland once again, Al Jaber will still be responsible for producing Saudi Arabia's creative spark.

Strengths

The aforementioned tight defence.

Becoming more experienced as a World Cup nation.

Weaknesses

A lack of top-level experience among the squad.

Brazilian Marcos Paqueta is Saudi Arabia's third coach since 2004.

Did you know?

Saudi Arabia has no rivers or permanent bodies of water.

Odds 750-1 (Blue Sq)

Verdict

Saudi Arabia may be about to play in their fourth World Cup finals, but it is a lack of experience in club football which will count against them in Germany. Nicking a point against Tunisia is probably the best they can hope for as they finish bottom of Group H. A repeat of 1994 is not on the cards and it will be an early exit for the Saudis.

Rob Parker

GROUP G: The Verdict

When Group G was first drawn, I thought France had it easy. Now I'm not so sure. South Korea, Switzerland and Togo are all decent sides. Click below to see how we think the group will work out…

GROUP G: HOW THEY'LL FINISH

1st France Just got a feeling that France will dominate this group but go no further than the quarters.

2nd Switzerland A very well-organised team, as they showed against Italy this week. Won't score too many but will probably concede even less.

3rd South Korea Struggled to qualify from an easy group and won't reproduce their home form from 2002.

4th Togo Will need Arsenal's Adebayor to lead the way with inspirational performances. Otherwise they'll really struggle.

So France and Switzerland make it to the second round from Group G, where they join Germany and Poland from Group A, England and Sweden from Group B, Argentina and Holland from Group C, Portugal and Mexico from Group D, the USA and Ghana from Group E and Brazil and Croatia from Group F.

Keep posted for the first of our Group H team guides, starting on Monday.

Here's how the bookies (Blue Square) see Group G:

France 4-9
Switzerland 7-2
South Korea 6-1
Togo 16-1

Don't disagree with that. Switzerland are definitely worth a bet at 7-2 - they could easily draw with France (or better) and win their other two matches.

Team Guide: TOGO

There will be few nations having a run-up to the World Cup like Togo. A coach who barely knows the team, arriving in Germany almost a month before their first match and a bout of chicken-pox for good measure. After reading the Bratwurst team guide we will now if they have a chance of pulling off an upset.

TOGO, Group G

13 June vs SOUTH KOREA (2pm*, Frankfurt)
19 June vs SWITZERLAND (2pm, Dortmund)
23 June vs FRANCE (8pm, Cologne)
*all times BST

World Ranking 61

How they qualified
Hijacked Senegal's route to the World Cup by finishing two points ahead of them in their African qualifying group. The home win and away draw against Senegal proved decisive. The campaign had started with a defeat to Equatorial Guinea (home of Olympic swimmer Eric the Eel) but this proved to be their only defeat of the campaign.

World Cup history
Unsurprisingly non-existent.

Star man
Arsenal's January signing Emmanuel Adebayor has already established himself as Togo's best ever player despite being just 21 years old. He has scored 12 goals in 28 games for Togo, 11 of which came in World Cup qualification, making him Africa's leading marksman ahead of the likes of Didier Drogba and Obafemi Martins. The 6ft 2in striker has managed four goals in 13 outings for the Gunners since his £7 million move from Monaco. Adebayor is strong in the air and quick across the ground. Togo's hopes of causing any sort of an upset rely almost entirely on him.

Strengths
Adebayor.
They have absolutely nothing to lose.
Goalkeeper Kossi Agassa of Metz is rated highly.

Weaknesses
A lack of quality players and a lack of experience.
Were below par at the African Cup of Nations.
Coach Otto Pfister picked the squad without having seen many of them play.

Did you know?

According to some sources Togo has the lowest crime rate in the world (it's very low even if it isn't the lowest).

Odds 750-1 (Blue Sq)

Verdict

Most teams would be delighted if you told them they would be away at the World Cup for six weeks as they would probably have reached the final. Unfortunately for Togo it is the time-span of a first round exit. One-man teams can succeed at the World Cup (Maradona's Argentina of 1986, for example) but there is a lot of weight on the young shoulders of Adebayor. He will be a constant threat though and could help Togo to pull off a shock win if the defence can keep their concentration. Second round qualification is not on the cards though.

Rob Parker

Team Guide: SWITZERLAND

Switzerland - land of ridiculously high gun crime, dodgy bank accounts and the St Bernard's dog. But how will they fair at the World Cup? They are always a safe bet for the neutral anyway. Click below to read their Bratwurst team guide.

SWITZERLAND, Group G

13 June vs FRANCE (5pm*, Stuttgart)

18 June vs TOGO (2pm, Dortmund)

23 June vs SOUTH KOREA (8pm, Hanover)

*all time BST

World Ranking 35

How they qualified

In the most controversial circumstances of all the qualifiers. Switzerland qualified on away goals after a 4-4 play-off result against Turkey. The result and Switzerland's qualification ended up being a footnote to the violence that followed the match. Click here to see it kicking off. By that stage everyone had forgotten that Switzerland finished unbeaten behind France in their qualifying group, pipping Israel to second spot on goal difference.

World Cup history

This is their eighth World Cup, but they had not qualified since 1994 and before that since 1966. They have never got past the quarter finals.

Star man

Alexander Frei, who you will probably remember best for spitting on Steven Gerrard during Euro 2004. Frei is a natural goalscorer who scores more than a goal every other game for his country. His absence would arguably be worse for Switzerland than the loss of Rooney for England. Switzerland have some young strikers in the squad, but Frei is the man with the proven track record. Frei now plays for Stade Rennes and was the top goalscorer in the French First Division last season. He has struggled with form and injuries for his club this season but has been consistent for country.

Strengths

An exciting and talented young squad including Arsenal duo Phillipe Senderos and Johan Djourou.

Have not got far to travel, especially compared to group-mates Togo and South Korea.

Weaknesses

A lack of top level experience among the young squad.

Do not have a world class goalkeeper.

Did you know?

Apparently it is illegal to mow your learn while dressed as Elvis in Switzerland.

Odds 100-1 (Blue Sq)

Verdict

There is a club side in Switzerland called Young Boys, and perhaps the national side should adopt the name. There is no doubt that a talented generation are filtering through after success at Under-17 and Under-21 levels, but Germany 2006 might be a bit too soon for them. Group G is another group where the last match will probably settle the second qualifier from the group. Switzerland might have the brighter future, but South Korea have the World Cup experience and might just edge it. It could go either way though.

Rob Parker

Team Guide: SOUTH KOREA

South Korea or Korea Republic - it makes no difference to us. They are next in Group G alphabetically either way, which means it is Bratwurst team guide time. Hooray!

SOUTH KOREA, Group G

13 June vs TOGO (2pm*, Frankfurt)
18 June vs FRANCE (8pm, Leipzig)
23 June vs SWITZERLAND (8pm, Hanover)
*all times BST

World Ranking 29

How they qualified
Far from convincingly. Drew matches against Lebanon and the Maldives in the first stage of qualifying. In the second group stage they finished behind Saudi Arabia after losing to them home and away. They still had enough to see off Uzbekistan and Kuwait, despite a draw against Uzbekistan.

World Cup history
Germany 2006 is South Korea's seventh consecutive World Cup and their eighth in total. They first qualified in 1954. The highlight of course was in 2002 when they reached the semi-final as hosts.

Star man
Manchester United's head of replica shirt sales Park Ji-Sung. In fairness Park has actually made a contribution to United's season and his signing was not as blatant a marketing ploy as some other Far Eastern imports. The tricky winger made 33 appearances in the Premier League this season. Park can play anywhere across midfield and is full of running wherever he plays. Still only 25 years old, the former PSV Eindhoven player has 59 international caps to his name. South Korea will need Park at his best to ensure they edge out Switzerland in Group G.

Strengths
Plenty of attacking pace.
A hard-working, youthful squad.

Weaknesses
Unlikely to have the same impact as they did on home-soil.
Their experienced back four of 2002 are now residing in an old defenders' home.
They have lost the magic touch of Guus Hiddink, although they have gone Dutch again with Dick Advocaat.

Did you know?
South Korea are the undoubted Kings of Blog. National news site Oh My News is an enormous blog. Click here for an interesting article on World Cup ticketing.

Odds 200-1 (Blue Sq)

Verdict
Another semi-final spot is not on the agenda. Unless they drastically improve their qualifying form, South Korea will be little more than first-round fodder. The bookies favour Switzerland to take the second spot in Group G, but if South Korea play to their potential they might have something to say about that. If they do squeeze through do not expect them to progress much further.

Rob Parker

Team Guide: FRANCE

And so we begin our penultimate batch of freshly oven-baked Bratwurst team guides. Here is the first Group G guide - be careful it is still piping hot. Click below to see if France are in with a chance.

FRANCE, Group G

13 June vs SWITZERLAND (5pm*, Stuttgart)
18 June vs SOUTH KOREA (8pm, Leipzig)
23 June vs TOGO (8pm, Cologne)
*all times BST

World Ranking 8

How they qualified
Not in the form of possible winners. Topped their qualifying group, but with the lowest points haul of any European group winner. They still qualified unbeaten but won just five games, drawing the other five. Home draws against the Republic of Ireland and Israel were most worrying.

World Cup history
Despite participating in every World Cup, France were serial under-achievers until everything clicked into place on home-soil in 1998.

Star man
Good old Tel of course. Thierry Henry stands head and shoulders above the rest of the France squad on current form. He missed out on the final in 1998 (though he kicked every ball from the touchline) and 2002 was a well-documented disaster. Nobody will be pushing harder for a France victory than their self-confessed angry man. The lack of service to Henry was a major cause of France's downfall in 2002 and will need to be addressed if they are to avoid disappointment. Henry is still yet to fully shake off his tag as a player who freezes on big occasions. He is capable of doing things like this though.

Strengths
The younger members of the World Cup-winning squad now provide a core to the team.
A group of strikers who will always find a goal between them in Henry, David Trezeguet, Louis Saha, Djibril Cisse and Sylvain Wiltord.

Weaknesses
Too many players in the squad who would not have had a sniff of a call-up in 1998.
Some of the older players are a little past their best.

Did you know?
It is easy to follow the World Cup if you are a French football fan. Every worker in France is legally entitled to a minimum of five weeks annual holiday.

Odds 11-1 (Blue Sq)

Verdict
It would have been interesting to see France in one of the more competitive groups. If they manage not to qualify from Group G then they have serious problems. Neither Switzerland, South Korea nor Togo should pose too many problems if they play to their ability, but any below-par performances will see the Swiss and Koreans in particular ready to pounce. And any side playing against Jean Alain Boumsong is always in with a shout. It is easy to see France sneaking to the quarter-finals relatively untroubled, but anything beyond that would take something special.

Rob Parker

GROUP F: The Verdict

Group F is the home of tournament favourites Brazil, the durable Croatians, speedy Japan and plucky underdog Australia. We all know who'll win the group, but who finishes in second? Click below to find out…

GROUP F: HOW THEY'LL FINISH

1st Brazil Unless something very dramatic happens – like Ronaldinho and Ronaldo's legs falling off – they'll win the group with three wins and the maximum nine points.

2nd Croatia A solid, experienced team who could be inspired to great things by prodigious young forward Niko Kranjcar. Will have too much quality for Japan and the Socceroos.

3rd Japan A fast and skillful team but will struggle to qualify. Good enough at least to beat Australia and grab third place.

4th Australia Fully deserve their place after play-off victory against Uruguay but out of their depth in this company, especially if Tim Cahill doesn't recover from injury. Can't doubt their competitive spirit but they don't have the players to make an impact (more famous last words).

So Brazil and Croatia make it to the second round from Group F, where they join Germany and Poland from Group A, England and Sweden from Group B, Argentina and Holland from Group C, Portugal and Mexico from Group D and the USA and Ghana from Group E.

Keep posted for the first of our Group G team guides, starting on Monday.

BTW, this is how the bookies (Blue Square) rate the group:

Brazil 1-3
Croatia 11-2
Australia 7-1
Japan 10-1

Surprised that Japan are behind Australia in the betting. Nothing worth digging into your wallet for - some may argue that at 1-3 for Brazil is a gimme and you're just buying money at 33% interest, but I'd never recommend odds-on bets - remember France in 2002, no goals, bottom of the group.

Team Guide: JAPAN

And so another set of Bratwurst team guides are complete. We round up another group with a visit to the Land of the Rising Sun - Japan. Remember, Group F is for life not just for Christmas.

JAPAN, Group F

12 June vs AUSTRALIA (2pm*, Kaiserslauten)

18 June vs CROATIA (2pm, Nuremberg)

22 June vs BRAZIL (8pm, Dortmund)

*all times BST

World Ranking 18 (I think not!)

How they qualified

Japan were the first team to secure qualification for the World Cup (excluding hosts Germany). They topped their qualifying group ahead of Iran, Bahrain and North Korea, with defeat in Iran the only blemish on their record. Minimal fuss as you would expect.

World Cup history

First qualified in 1998. Entered into a marriage of convenience with South Korea to co-host the 2002 World Cup. Although Japan qualified for the last 16, the unthinkable happened as they were overshadowed by the performance of their bitter rivals.

Star man

Former Feyenoord midfielder Shinji Ono is the man who can. Despite being part of the Dutch club's UEFA Cup winning team in 2002 in his first season at the club, after a string of injuries they wanted to offload Ono last summer. He eventually moved back to Urawa Red Diamonds in January. Ono is still an important part of the national team, although the aforementioned injuries meant he played in just one match in the qualifying group.

This is Ono's third World Cup even though he is still only 26. If he is fit, expect him to dominate Japan's midfield and take over from Hidetoshi Nakata as the team's superstar. Sadly he has grown his hair back and no longer looks like a Buddhist monk (pictured above), but we live in hope that he will shave it off again for the tournament.

Strengths

Excellent defensive partnership of Tsuneyasu Miyamoto and Yuji Nakazawa.

Plenty of skillful midfield players including Ono, Nakata and Celtic's Shunsuke Nakamura.

Weaknesses

They lack a top quality striker.

The Japanese public wanted coach Zico sacked during qualifying.

Did you know?

In Japan the number four is considered unlucky because it is pronounced the same as the word for death. Spare a thought then for Gamba Osaka midfielder Yasuhito Endo, who will be wearing four in Germany.

Odds 250-1 (Blue Sq)

Verdict

Hosting the World Cup does not seem to have given Japanese football the impetus it was supposed to just yet. If anything they have taken a step backwards since then. They are rank outsiders even in comparison to Australia and are unlikely to be involved in the scrap for second-place. A striker who could guarantee them goals would give them more of a chance.

Rob Parker

Team Guide: CROATIA

With Croatia's plans to hyptnotise the opposition revealed, it is time for Bratwurst to assess how they will get on in Germany. Check them out by clicking the link below.

CROATIA, Group F

13 June vs BRAZIL (8pm*, Berlin)

18 June vs JAPAN (2pm, Nuremberg)

22 June vs AUSTRALIA (8pm, Stuttgart)

*all times BST

World Ranking 23

How they qualified

Croatia qualified for the tournament unbeaten. They pushed Sweden - who finished level on points - into the play-offs by beating them home and away. Of more concern was the draw away at Malta, but with two other draws and seven wins they qualified regardless.

World Cup history

Three qualifications from three attempts in 1998, 2002 and now 2006. Finished third in 1998 having taken the lead against eventual winners France in the semi-final.

Star man

It is a tough call between two men lacking in vowels but abundant in goals - Dado Prso and Darijo Srna. Srna gets the nod for creating as many goals as he scores. The midfielder plays for Shakhtar Donetsk in Ukraine. He scored five goals during qualifying including both of the winners against Sweden. He seems to have been around for a while now, but is still only 24 years old. An excellent crosser of the ball with pace to burn.

Strengths

An excellent defence built around Juventus pair Robert Kovac and Igor Tudor (who has been on loan at Siena).

Niko Krancjar, the 21-year-old son of coach Zlatko, is tipped to make his mark on the tournament.

Weaknesses

Struggled for goals against the better opponents in their qualifying group.

The golden generation of Boban, Prosinecki, Suker, Asanovic and Jarni are now all retired.

Did you know?

Dalmatians, cravats and Marco Polo all come from Croatia.

Odds 66-1 (Blue Sq)

Verdict

On paper they are a stronger team than Australia. Second place in the group behind Brazil and a place in the knockout stages would not be a surprise then. But I think a full-strength Australia will edge them out and progress to the second round. Australia-Croatia on 22 June might not sound like the most glamorous match of the tournament, but expect a corker if both teams are still playing for second place.

Rob Parker

Team Guide: BRAZIL

The Bratwurst team guides have looked at 21 of the 32 nations competing at the World Cup (17 days!). In that time we have looked at some outsiders and underdogs. Brazil definitely don't fall into either category, which must make them insiders and overdogs.

BRAZIL, Group F

13 June vs CROATIA (8pm*, Berlin)
18 June vs AUSTRALIA (5pm, Munich)
22 June vs JAPAN (8pm, Dortmund)
*all times BST

World Ranking 1 (they got one right!)

How they qualified
They had a tougher workout than all previous reigning champions, FIFA having abolished the double-edged sword of automatic qualification and, therefore, a lack of competitive games. Brazil topped South American qualifying, but only on goal difference from rivals Argentina. They lost two games - away to Argentina and Ecuador - and drew seven. Although that record sounds pretty unimpressive for a team considered to be invincible, they did qualify easily.

World Cup history
It's a little known fact that Brazil have won the World Cup five times. You knew that, of course. Brazil are World Cup history. Brazil have never missed a World Cup - Germany 2006 is there 18th tournament.

Star man

I have to narrow it down to one? Well, it might as well be the best player in the world then. Ronaldinho almost unanimously claims that title. Deceptively quick and able to do things with the ball other players couldn't dream of, Ronaldinho seems to ghost past defenders. He has had some big matches lately (including the Champions League semi-final and final) and despite flashes of brilliance, was not at his mesmerising best. I expect that to change when the World Cup starts. With Kaka to share the creative burden, Ronaldinho will be the star of the show. Here he is in action. And he always does the best adverts.

Strengths

The quinteto magico of Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Kaka, Adriano and Robinho.

Sheer strength in depth of attacking talent.

Weaknesses

They are expected to beat everybody.

Question marks over goalkeeper Dida.

A defence which is not terrible, but certainly doesn't match up to the attacking talent on display.

Did you know?

Brazil got its name from the nut, not the other way round.

Odds 5-2 (Blue Sq)

Verdict

In theory they should have been able to cruise to the final without the easy group they were drawn in. Its difficult to imagine Australia, Croatia or Japan posing any problems for Brazil. The tournament is Brazil's to lose, and the outcome will probably depend on how well they cope with that pressure. If all their stars perform they will take some stopping.

Rob Parker

Team Guide: AUSTRALIA

Do you come from a land down under, where women glow and men plunder? If so, you might be interested in the link below. If not, then read the Bratwurst team guide to find out everything you need to know about Australia.

AUSTRALIA, Group F

12 June vs JAPAN (2pm*, Kaiserslauten)
18 June vs BRAZIL (5pm, Munich)
22 June vs CROATIA (8pm, Stuttgart)
*all times BST

World Ranking 42

How they qualified
Australia's qualification basically boiled down to the play-off against Uruguay. The group stage of Oceania qualification was never likely to test them (they have now switched to the Asian federation). They topped the qualifying group easily, then beat second-placed Solomon Islands 9-1 on aggregate in a play-off. When they were eventually tested, they squeezed past Uruguay on penalties after 1-0 home wins for either side.

World Cup history
It is the second time Australia have qualified. In 1974 they went home after the first round without scoring a goal.

Star man

They have two and they are both struggling for fitness. Tim Cahill pips Harry Kewell on the basis of consistency. Cahill was expected to miss the World Cup with a knee injury, but has been included in the the Socceroos squad. As well as being a very good midfield player in general, Cahill weighs in with plenty of important goals and was joint-top scorer in Oceania qualifying. Despite being only 5ft 10in tall, he possesses the leap of a salmon and is an aerial threat against even the largest of defenders. He would be an enormous loss for Australia if he is unfit for any of their games.

Strengths

They are Australian and as such thrive on top level sport.

Several attack-minded players from top European clubs.

World Cup specialist Guus Hiddink as coach.

Weaknesses

A lack of quality in defence.

Probably would not have qualified if they happened to be situated anywhere else in the world.

Injury problems threatening the availability of Cahill, Kewell and John Aloisi.

Did you know?

Koala fingerprints are virtually impossible to distinguish from human fingerprints.

Odds 125-1 (Blue Sq)

Verdict

Second spot in Group F is definitely up for grabs and it is there for the Aussies' taking. There is not a great deal to choose between Australia, Croatia and Japan compared with the gulf in quality in some groups. The fitness of Cahill and Kewell could be decisive. The final group game against Croatia in Stuttgart will probably have a place in the second round resting on its outcome.

Rob Parker

GROUP E: The Verdict

E is most definitely not for Easy. Two decent teams will go home early from Germany, no doubt bemoaning the misfortune that saw them drawn in such a rock-hard group. Which pair will prevail out of the Czech Republic, Ghana, Italy and the US of A? Click below to find out…

GROUP E: HOW THEY'LL FINISH

1st USA No, I've not had a Janet Jackson-esque brain malfunction. I do believe that USA will surprise a lot of people this year. Bruce Arena will have them very well-organised – plus, as I've said before, I think Italy and especially the Czech Rep. are overrated. The Yanks will surprise people. Of course, these words could return to haunt me but I'm sticking by my prediction.

2nd Italy A solid, unremarkable bunch of players. Won't score too many goals and won't concede many either. Really can't see them winning the World Cup this time around. Whoops, my neck's on the block again.

3rd Czech Republic Ranked second in the world by Mr FIFA, but that ranking is more preposterous than the USA's top-five position. Nedved is past it and he's the team's talisman. Will really struggle to qualify.

4th Ghana There will be worse teams finishing in fourth place in their group at this World Cup. Unlucky to be in such a competitive quartet. Interested to see how Michael Essien fares.

So the USA and Italy make it to the second round from Group E, to join Germany and Poland from Group A, England and Sweden from Group B, Argentina and Holland from Group C and Portugal and Mexico from Group D. Stay tuned for the first of our Group F team guides, starting on Monday.

This is how the bookies (Blue Square) rate the group:

Italy 10-11
Czech Republic 2-1
USA 6-1
Ghana 8-1

Very tight – the bookies are clearly worried that any of the four could top the group. Put a quid on the USA at 6-1.

FIFA World Cup website player guides

Somebody has been busy over at the Official World Cup website. They have compiled a player guide for each of the 736 players competing in Germany. The guides contain each player's World Cup history and some background information on them worth. Worth a scan when you get chance. Click here to see them.

Rob Parker

Team Guide: USA

The USA team deserves your sympathy. Ignored at home by a soccer-resistant population and hated abroad for George Bush's foreign policy, this is a team caught between a rock and a hard place. And to make things worse they've been drawn into Group E, so put down those anti-war placards and say "howdy" to team USA.

USA, Group E

12 June vs Czech Republic (5pm*, Gelsenkirchen)
17 June vs Italy (8pm, Kaiserslauten)
22 June vs Ghana (3pm, Nuremberg)
*all times BST

World Ranking 5 (no, seriously)

How They Qualified
Panama, Guatemala and the rest of CONCACAF don't scare many, and these easyish games are part of the reason for the artificially high FIFA rankings enjoyed by the US (5) and Mexico (4). But you can only beat what's in front of you and the US topped the group courtesy of a famous 2-0 win over Mexico.

World Cup History
Semi-finalists at the inaugural 1930 World Cup, this is a nation that peaked early. An unexpected 1-0 win over England in 1950, was followed by 40 years in the World Cup wilderness. Italia '90 brought three straight defeats but an inspired performance as hosts saw them through to the second round in 1994, before a return to losing ways at France '98 (featuring coach Steve Sampson's infamous 3-6-1 formation.) Sampson was duly replaced by Bruce Arena, who led a young team to the quarter finals in Japorea 2002.

Star Man

Landon Donovan will wear 21 but he's very much a number 10. Slight but skillful, the Los Angeles Galaxy star will play as either a second striker or attacking midfielder, and the US will rely on their 'all time assist leader' to unpick opposition defences (or dee-fenses). Donovan will also have a point to prove to the Germans, after two frustrating spells at Bayer Leverkusen.

Here's what Bruce Arena had to say about his playmaker: “Four years ago he was just an excited player going to a World Cup. This time around he’s one of those players that realises the challenge of the World Cup and the responsibility he has now as a more senior player on our team, and we’ll see if we can get performances from him game in game out for 90 minutes.”

Strengths
Arena has earned total devotion from his players, and they follow his carefully thought out game-plans to the letter. With a top keeper in Kasey Keller, and a solid group of defenders (particularly Standard Liege's gigantic Oguchi Onyewu) they won't be easy to break down. A high tempo, high pressure counter-attacking strategy should utilise the talents of PSV winger DaMarcus Beasley and playmaker Landon Donovan.

Weaknesses
Will rely heavily on Brian McBride up front, but the Fulham forward will turn 34 during the tournament. Brian Ching and Josh Wolff are unconvincing replacements, while Eddie Johnson's 9 goals in 15 appearances have all come against CONCACAF cannon fodder. One important mental aspect: the USA have never had a good European based World Cup.

Did you know?
The first ever World Cup hat-trick was scored by American Bert Patenaude in 1930.

Odds 66-1 Blue Sq

Verdict
If Italy or the Czech Republic fail to take them seriously, the USA could make it out of Group E. Equally, the Americans should be careful not to focus too much on the big boys and underestimate the Ghanaians. With a well organised defence but a lack of firepower, it's entirely possible for this team to draw all three games and just miss out.

Daryl Grove

Team Guide: ITALY

As reliable as the outcome of a Serie A match, Bratwurst's team guides continue their tour of Group E, giving you all the information you need on the countries competing in Germany. Time to say 'Bongiorno' to Italy.

ITALY, Group E

12 June vs GHANA (8pm*, Gelsenkirchen)
17 June vs USA (8pm, Kaiserslauten)
22 June vs CZECH REPUBLIC (3pm, Hamburg)
*all times BST

World Ranking 14

How they qualified
Without too much difficulty. The Azzurri topped their qualifying group easily enough despite defeat in Slovenia and draws in Scotland and Norway. The eight goals they shipped - more than any other team to top a European qualifying group - will have been of concern to a nation that prides itself on its ability to defend.

World Cup history
Germany 2006 will be Italy's 16th World Cup. They have only missed the tournament in 1930 and 1958 and have lifted the trophy on three occasions - 1934, 1938 and 1982.

Star man
Francesco Totti is in the squad despite not playing a game since breaking his leg in February. He has tended to disappoint in major tournaments so the Bratwurst star man mantle goes to Luca Toni. We've already tipped Toni to make an impression in the Golden Boot competition. Toni is a true late-bloomer. Various coaches have spotted his potential in a career that has taken in Vicenza, Brescia, Piacenza, Palermo and Fiorentina. A transformation over the last few seasons has seen him become Italy's new pin-up star. Toni will turn 29 just before the World Cup and is at the top of his game. At Palermo and now Fiorentina, Toni has improved his strength and his heading which, despite being 6ft 4in, were two major flaws earlier in his career. He is in the form of his life and, as he recently told Football Italia, "At the moment, all I have to do is touch the ball for it to go in." Expect him to be much better known outside Italy after the tournament.

Strengths
Always send a squad capable of winning the tournament.
Normal defensive service will surely be resumed.

Weaknesses
Italy, particularly goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, are currently in the throes of a betting and match-fixing scandal.
A few big-name players who might be expecting starting place which are not guaranteed.

Odds 9-1 (Blue Sq)

Verdict
Italy should qualify for the second round with few problems. Complacency against the USA and Ghana could be their main threat as they showed in qualifying that they sometimes switch off against weaker opposition. The thought of that nice shiny trophy should be enough to concentrate the mind though. If the group is safely negotiated, Italy should have another easy looking draw against Australia, Japan or Croatia in the second round. Good value at 9-1, considering their route to the quarter-finals looks pretty assured.

Rob Parker
   

All 32 squads announced. Here are the full details…

So all 32 World Cup squads have now been announced. Sven wasn't joking: Theo Walcott (pictured) is still in there! World Cup Blog has done the groundwork and compiled an exhaustive list of all the squads, which you can see by visiting Bob and co's excellent site…

Team Guide: GHANA

If Arsenal fans are adopting Ivory Coast as their World Cup second team because of the presence of Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Eboue, then Chelsea fans will have to abondon Didier Drogba and look elsewhere. I think we've got just the thing: it's Ghana - homeland of Michael Essien.

GHANA, Group E

12 June vs ITALY (8pm*, Gelsenkirchen)
17 June vs CZECH REPUBLIC (5pm, Cologne)
22 June vs USA (3pm, Nuremberg)
*all times BST

World Ranking 50

How they qualified
By virtue of South Africa's dreadful showing. The Black Stars beat South Africa home and away to finish five points clear at the top of the group ahead of the Democratic Republic of Congo. They did slip up away at Burkina Faso though and drew three other games against fairly lowly opposition. Despite the blips Ghana only conceded four goals throughout qualifying.

World Cup history
First time qualifiers despite winning the African Cup of Nations four times.

Star man
Chelsea's Michael Essien makes Ghana tick. His £24.4 million transfer fee was definitely an over-inflated Chelsea price on this season's form. He has made the headlines for a series of nasty tackles rather than for taking the Premier League by storm with his box-to-box play as was expected. Essien should be fully settled at Stamford Bridge by next season and I expect him to be much improved. The World Cup could see the start of the improvement. Although the thought of Essien diving into tackles with national pride at stake on top of everything else is a painful one.

Strengths
The midfield pairing of Essien and Stephen Appiah.
A disappointing African Cup of Nations has given them a taste of failure if complacency had set in after qualification.

Weaknesses
A lack of strike power.
The poor performance at the African Cup of Nations might have been a sign of things to come.

Did you know?
The first football match in Ghana took place in 1903 under moonlight.

Odds 250-1 (Blue Sq)

Verdict

The World Cup seems to have come a bit too late for Ghana. They have gone off the boil since qualifying. Coach Ratomir Dujkovic has made several changes to the squad ahead of the tournament in a bid to stop the rot. Whether this has worked or not should become very apparent when they take on Italy on 12 June. Ghana should be able to unsettle the Italians and the Czech Republic. Don't be too surprised to see them slip through to the second round or (perhaps more likely) pave the way for the USA to do so.

Rob Parker

Team Guide: Czech Republic

It's half-time in our Bratwurst team guides as we have now run the rule over 16 of the 32 countries competing. Click here if you need to catch up or else make yourself comfy, the second half is about to kick off.

Group A team guides. Check. Group B team guides. Check. Group C team guides. Check D team guides. Check. Group E team guides: Czech Republic.

CZECH REPUBLIC, Group E

12 June vs USA (5pm*, Gelsenkirchen)
17 June vs GHANA (5pm, Cologne)
22 June vs ITALY (3pm, Hamburg)
*all times BST

World Ranking 2

How they qualified
The Czech Republic had to qualify through the play-offs after finishing behind the Netherlands in their group. Two 1-0 wins against Norway was enough to book their place in Germany though. They had originally finished five points adrift in the qualifying group because of two defeats against the Netherlands and a further loss in Romania. They won all their other games and were free-scoring - clocking up 35 goals in 12 games.

World Cup history
This is their first World Cup as the Czech Republic. Czechoslovakia qualified eight times and were runners-up in 1934 and 1962.

Star man
Pavel Nedved has returned to international football to take up his rightful place as the darling of Czech football, as he has been for much of the last decade. His absence from the Juventus team was clearly a major factor in their spineless performance at Highbury earlier this season. He is the sort of player who can turn a game in a split-second with goals like this. The 33-year-old is still producing for Juve so his age should not be an issue at the World Cup.

Strengths
Arguably the best goalkeeper in the world in Petr Cech.
A core of top players like Nedved, Cech, Tomas Rosicky and Jan Koller, who scored nine goals in qualifying.
Tomas Rosicky's missus to keep morale up.

Weaknesses
A defence that, despite having the best goalkeeper in the world behind it, was leaky in qualifying.
They came unstuck whenever they were really tested in qualifying.

Did you know?
The sugar cube was invented in the Czech town Dacice in 1843.

Odds 33-1

Verdict
The FIFA world rankings strike again.  The bookies have the second-best team in the world at 33-1.  Something doesn't add up.  Second-best team in the world they are not - they are only just the second-best team in the group. Group E is a very tight group and an upset could be on the cards. The Czech Republic's toughest game is their last match against Italy, which could be very interesting if they have dropped points against the USA or Ghana.  They should qualify for the second round, but I have a sneaky suspicion they won't.

Rob Parker

At last, a sensible look at Sven's crazy England squad

Our new blogger Stateside, Daryl, has posted an excellent, chalkboard-style analysis of Sven's bonkers England squad on his fine Soccer Weblog. Definitely worth a read on this lazy Friday afternoon (what else you gonna do… work?)

GROUP D: The verdict

Group D (Angola, Iran, Mexico, Portugal) ranks as one of the easiest groups of this World Cup, but it should be very competitive. Here's how we predict it'll end up…

GROUP D: HOW THEY'LL FINISH

1st Portugal Lucky to land in this group but they have enough midfield quality (Deco, Maniche, Figo, Cristiano Ronaldo) to finish top of the heap

2nd Mexico Ranked 6th in the world by FIFA, but definitely not the sixth-best team in the world. Should scrape 1-0 victories against Iran and Angola and claim second spot

3rd Iran A solid team but destined for third place

4th Angola Huge underdogs but can't underestimate any team that qualifies from the African world group. That said, I still think they'll pick up Group D's wooden spoon.

So Portugal and Mexico make it to the second round, to join Germany and Poland from Group A, England and Sweden from Group B and Argentina and Holland from Group C (no shocks predicted yet then). Stay tuned for the first of our Group E team guides, starting on Monday.

This is how the bookies (Blue Square) see the group:

Portugal 4-5
Mexico 11-8
Iran 10-1
Angola 16-1

Team Guide: PORTUGAL

It just so happens that running through Group D alphabetically is likely to give you the final group positions in ascending order.  Our final team guide for Group D is the side that will most likely top the group: Portugal. A little poetry to get you in the mood, perhaps?

There once was a man named Big Phil,

Who's manager of Portugal still.

The FA lost pride

As Phil chose to reside

Where he's able to nick players from Brazil.

PORTUGAL, Group D

11 June vs ANGOLA (8pm*, Cologne)
17 June vs IRAN (2pm, Frankfurt)
21 June vs MEXICO (3pm, Gelsenkirchen)
*all times BST

World Ranking 8

How they qualified
With consummate ease.  Portugal emerged unbeaten from their qualifying group with nine wins and 3 draws.  They chanced upon a fairly easy group with only Slovakia and Russia providing credible opposition, but they still qualified in style.  The closest Portugal came to a slip up was a 2-2 draw at Liechtenstein.

World Cup history
Portugal have an astonishingly poor World Cup history.  They have only qualified on three previous occasions - 1966, 1986 and 2002.  Their best finish was, of course, third-place in 1966.

Star man
Portugal's Pauleta was the top scorer in UEFA World Cup qualification.  The Paris Saint Germain striker scored 11 goals in the 12 qualification games.  His qualifying haul put him above Eusebio as Portugal's all-time leading goalscorer. The 33-year-old has yet to show his class in a major international tournament, and this is likely to be his last chance to address that.  A mobile striker with good control and a threat in the air.

Strengths
A wonderful array of individual talent in the side including Cristiano Ronaldo, Deco and Luis Figo.

An excellent run of form stretching from reaching the final of Euro 2004.

A peach of a group.

Weaknesses
Their strikers tend to forget how to score goals at major tournaments.

Defensive rock Jorge Andrade is out after knee surgery.

Did you know?
Portugal is officially England's oldest ally.  The Anglo-Portuguese Treaty was signed in 1373 and is still in effect.

Odds 16-1

Verdict
Despite being the second-ranked team in the group, Portugal are definitely favourites to top Group D.  Just like in qualification they have been blessed with a fantastic group draw.  The downside is that they will meet a side from the formidable Group C in the second round - probably Argentina or the Netherlands.  A mouthwatering prospect for the neutral, but Portugal will have to hit top form if they are to progress beyond that.

Rob Parker
 

Team Guide: MEXICO

FIFA's world rankings system has taken some criticism from Bratwurst over recent weeks, but that should not detract from our team guide for the sixth best team in world football.  It's Mexico, of course.

MEXICO, Group D

11 June vs IRAN (5pm*, Nuremberg)

16 June vs ANGOLA (8pm, Hanover)

21 June vs PORTUGAL (3pm, Gelsenkirchen)

*all times BST

World Ranking 6

How they qualified

They had to work a little harder than they might have expected.  They dominated the CONCACAF qualifying league along with the USA.  They finished level on points and each one the home game of their head-to-heads.  A shock defeat to Trinidad and Tobago in the final match meant Mexico had to settle for second place in the group.

World Cup history

Mexico have played in plenty of World Cup tournaments, but have never been able to push on and build a side capable of competing.  Despite qualifying 12 times, their best efforts were reaching the quarter-finals in 1970 and 1986.

Star man

Jared Borgetti. Yes, 'that' Jared Borgetti.  The Premier League might not be his cup of tequila, but CONCACAF qualifying certainly is.  El Zorro del Desierto - The Desert Fox, to you and me - scored 14 goals in qualifying, more than any other player in the world.  The 32-year-old is Mexico's all-time leading goalscorer, bagging a goal every other game.  Bolton Wanderers fans haven't even seen a goal every other month.  His international pedigree is undoubted though, so expect the Fox to be on the hunt against Angola and Iran.

Strengths

Three of CONCACAF's top five scorers from qualifying in Borgetti, Jaime Lozano and Jose Fonseca.

A strong defence marshalled by in-form goalkeeper Oswaldo Sanchez and protected by Barcelona's Rafael Marquez.

Weaknesses

Arguably their most creative player Cuauhtemoc Blanco - inventor of the 'Blanco Bounce' - has been left out after an argument with coach Ricardo La Volpe.

Once again the huge step up in class from qualifying will put their dubious world ranking to the test.

Did you know?

Mexico City sinks by between six and eight inches every year because it is built on top of an underground reservoir.

Odds 40-1 (Blue Sq)

Verdict

Mexico should qualify for the second round with ease, probably behind Portugal but ahead of Iran and Angola.  Expect a dull final group game if the two favourites need just a draw to progress.  FIFA reckon they are the sixth best team in the world, but the bookies say they are a 40-1 shot.  The bookies have got a more realistic view of the situation.  The second road will be the end of the road for the Mexicans with a probable game against Argentina or the Netherlands.

Rob Parker

Team Guide: IRAN

Rumour has it that the debate over Iran's nuclear programme is distracting the national team from World Cup preparations.  It's time to put the politics to one side and let Bratwurst go 'fission' for all the information you need on Iran's World Cup prospects.

IRAN, Group D

11 June vs MEXICO (5pm*, Nuremberg)
17 June vs PORTUGAL (2pm, Frankfurt)
21 June vs ANGOLA (3pm, Leipzig)

*all times BST

World Ranking 22

How they qualified
Pretty much by default.  They topped a group containing containing those footballing giants Jordan, Qatar and Laos in the first stage of Asian qualifying, and then finished second behind Japan in the second stage ahead of Bahrain and North Korea.  The only result worth picking out is that they beat Japan at home.

World Cup history
Qualified for a World Cup at their second attempt in 1978, but then had to wait 20 years before they qualified again when they played in the infamous 'warmongers' group with USA, Germany and Yugoslavia at France 98.

Star Man

The man whose nicknames include the Asian Maradona, the Wizard of Tehran and the Magic Number 8.  Ali Karimi plays for Bayern Munich in Germany.  He won his big move in 2004 on the back of being named Asian Footballer of Year.  Karimi is a skillful midfielder who weighs in with his share of goals.  Although used largely as a substitute at Bayern, he has made 25 appearances this season and has scored three goals.  You are most likely to have seen Karimi this season scoring an acrobatic goal against Rapid Vienna in the Champions League.  The 27-year-old has 32 goals in 89 games for Iran.

Strengths

The quality playmaker missing from many of the lower ranked teams in Ali Karimi.

In Group D - a group which all four teams will look upon as the best draw they could have hoped for.

Weaknesses

A lack of experience beyond the handful of German based players.

Star striker Ali Daei is now aged 36.  He scored nine goals in qualifying but the World Cup will be a big step up for a player now playing in the Iranian national league.

Did you know?

Farsi - the main language in Iran - is the fourth most popular language for blogging in the world.

Odds 400-1 (Blue Sq)

Verdict

According to FIFA's rankings, Iran are only two places below Germany and three below Greece which would suggest that they should be able to give Portugal a game.  I think this is a little optimistic.  You would expect Iran to beat Angola in the final group match, but this will probably be little beyond a consolation.  Should finish third in the group.

Rob Parker

Team Guide: ANGOLA

The Bratwurst team guide roadshow rolls on to Group D.  The first team alphabetically in Group D, and indeed the World Cup, is Angola.  Click below to see how we rate the chances of one of the lowest rank teams in the tournament.

ANGOLA, Group D

11 June vs PORTUGAL (8pm*, Cologne)

16 June vs MEXICO (8pm, Hanover)

21 June vs IRAN (3pm, Leipzig)

*all times BST

World Ranking 58

How they qualified

By the skin of their teeth.  Having finished level on points with Nigeria, Angola qualified on the basis of their head-to-head results with the Super Eagles - a win at home and a draw away.  Their only defeat was away against Zimbabwe.  It was a shock in a group which also contained Algeria. However, the wheels nearly fell off very early on when Angola lost 3-1 at Chad in a preliminary match.  A 2-0 win in the return match was enough to progress to the group stage and the rest, as they say, is history.

World Cup history

None to speak of.  This is Angola's first qualification in six attempts since 1986.

Star man

The captain, leading goalscorer and all round national hero is Fabrice Akwa - Akwa to his mates.  Angola will need Akwa to be at his best to avoid humiliation in Germany.  His goals in qualifying were vital - particularly the winner against Nigeria.  He has been training with Angolan club side AS Aviacao since January when Al Wakrah of Qatar cancelled his contract.  Still only 28 years old, the former Benfica player is hoping to attract a new club side with his performances this summer.  He has even attempted to sweeten the deal by announcing that he will retire from international football after the tournament, which is a bonus for any would-be suitors as he has just spent what was the end of most domestic seasons playing in the Mickey Mouse Cosafa Castle Cup for his country.

Strengths

The Benfica connection past and present - Akwa and 24-year-old Pedro Mantorras, who has seen knee injuries scupper his promising career so far.

A decent defence.

Underdogs in one of the easier groups.

Weaknesses

An injury to winger Gilberto, who plays for Al Ahli in Egypt, when the Angolans need every quality player they can get their hands on.

The aforementioned lack of quality players, particularly midfield flair players.

Did you know?

Although Portuguese is the official language, other Angolan languages include Umbundu, Kimbundu and Kikongo.

Odds 500-1 (Blue Sq)

Verdict

Angola have got just about as nice a draw as they could have hoped for.  Iran are beatable but it is hard to imagine them getting a result against either Mexico or motherland Portugal.  It's always nice to see first time qualifiers, but it looks like a case of 'hello, goodbye.'  Should have plenty of underdog support from England - well we can't support Trinidad and Tobago can we?

Rob Parker

GROUP C: The verdict

Argentina, Holland, Ivory Coast, Serbia & Montenegro: Group C is undoubtedly this year's group of death. Very tough to call, but that's what we've done…

GROUP C: HOW THEY'LL FINISH

1st Argentina Hugely talented (although if Messi is injured it will be a huge loss for them) and will be desparate to make up for abject failure in 2002. Every nation will fear the playmaking of Juan Riquelme (pictured) and the finishing of Carlos Tevez. As we said in their team guide, potential winners.

2nd Holland Young, inexperienced squad but they'll have loads of support – each of their group matches will feel like a home tie for the Dutch. May struggle against Argentina but should beat Serbia and the Ivory Coast.

3rd Serbia & Montenegro Robust defence is hard to score against. Could surprise people and nick the odd 1-0 win. Tough luck that they're in a nightmare group.

4th Ivory Coast I'm a huge fan of Arsenal's Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Eboue, but the Cote D'Ivoire face three very difficult matches. I'd love them to qualify, but just can't see it. Plus no team containing Didier Drogba can be truly likeable.

So Argentina and Holland make it to the second round, to join Germany and Poland from Group A and England and Sweden from Group B. Stay tuned for the first of our Group D team guides, coming very soon (later today, in fact).

This is how the bookies (Blue Square) see the group. (Slightly surprised to see Serbia above Ivory Coast but then Serbia did qualify impressively and so deserve the 'dark horse' tag):

Argentina 11-10
Holland 11-8
Serbia & Montenegro 15-2
Ivory Coast 8-1

Tight at the top, no value there - if you rate the Ivory Coast, 8-1 is a decent price.

 

Team Guide: Serbia and Montenegro

Time to bring another chapter to a close in the epic novel that is the Bratwurst team guides.  Fear not because Group C is going out with a bang. So strap yourselves in readers - it's time for a bit of S&M.

SERBIA & MONTENEGRO, Group C

11 June vs NETHERLANDS (2pm*, Leipzig)

16 June vs ARGENTINA (2pm, Gelsenkirchen)

21 June vs IVORY COAST (8pm, Munich)

*all times BST

World Ranking 46

How they qualified

Very impressively.  They emerged unscathed and top of a group containing Spain, Belgium and rivals (understatement) Bosnia-Herzegovina.  They won six of their matches and drew the other four.  Congratulations have to go to Spain's Raul - the only player to score against Serbia & Montenegro during qualifying.

World Cup history

None, sort of.  Serbia & Montenegro only became a footballing nation in 2003.  Yugoslavia qualified for seven World Cups and were semi-finalists in the first World Cup in 1930.  So the Serbs can pretty much choose whether to claim they have a decent World Cup pedigree or a 100 per cent qualification record!

Star man

Stamford Bridge misfit Mateja Kezman is the genuine star of the squad.  The 27-year-old failed to impress Jose Mourinho at Chelsea as he scored just seven goals last season from 11 starts and 20 substitute appearances.  However, the 'Special One' still managed to make a £300,000 profit when he offloaded Kezman to Atletico Madrid for £5.3 million last summer.  He has scored nine goals for Atletico this season.  Of more interest to Serbia and Montenegro were the five goals he scored during World Cup qualification, particularly the equaliser in the draw away in Spain.

Strengths

Football's answer to Peter Crouch - 6ft 8in striker Nikola Jigic.

A defence that conceded just one goal in qualification.

Weaknesses

An inexperienced squad.  The big-name Yugoslav players of the 1990s have mostly retired.

A group which will require something Houdini-esque to get out of.

Did you know

Serbia and Montenegro are actually two separate republics as of 2002 - that's a year before they started playing international football together.  Confusing?  You bet.  The CIA have all the inside information though.

Odds 100-1 (Blue Sq)

Verdict

It's difficult to see anything but an early flight home for Serbia & Montenegro having finished bottom of Group C.  If their superb defence can shut out Argentina and the Netherlands they will have an outside chance, but they must win their game against the Ivory Coast which seems unlikely.  If they manage to get out of this group they deserve a trophy of their own anyway.

Rob Parker

Team Guides: NETHERLANDS

Well, who would have thought it?  Three-quarters of the way through Group C, and it seems like we have only just started.  Doesn't time fly?  Anyway, over to Joey from US sitcom Friends to introduce our next team guide: "See the Netherlands is this make believe place where Peter Pan and Tinkerbell come from."

NETHERLANDS, Group C

11 June vs SERBIA & MONTENEGRO (2pm*, Leipzig)
16 June vs IVORY COAST (5pm, Stuttgart)
21 June vs ARGENTINA (8pm, Frankfurt)
*all times BST

World Ranking 3

How they qualified
In style and undefeated.  The Netherlands topped their qualifying group ahead of the Czech Republic and Romania.  They conceded just three goals and scored 27.  Strangely the only games they failed to win were their two drawn games against Macedonia.

World Cup history
Arguably the greatest footballing nation never to lift the World Cup.  At the peak of 'total football' the Dutch finished as runners-up twice - 1974 and 1978 - but missed out on two great opportunities to win the competition.  The Netherlands have only qualified for seven World Cup finals.  They failed to qualify for the last World Cup in 2002.

Star man
Anyone who saw Edwin van der Sar's early season form for Manchester United will know he can make all the difference to a below-par team.  You would struggle to find a more experienced goalkeeper to play behind Marco van Basten's young team, which is why he is so important to them.  His form has dipped a little as the season has worn on, but that is not to say he has not been performing well.  A giant in every sense of the word.

Strengths
An excellent pool of strikers including Ruud van Nistelrooy, Dirk Kuijt, Robin van Persie and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar.
A squad on a great run of form.

Weaknesses
A very young, inexperienced squad.
A tendancy to let bickering within the squad ruin their chances at major tournaments.

Did you know?
The Dutch government will not prosecute drug smugglers caught with less than three kilogrammes of cocaine.

Odds 11-1 (Blue Sq)

Verdict
Marco van Basten is playing down the Netherlands' chances and he is probably correct to say that the World Cup has come a year or two too soon for his young squad.  On their current run of results though, those odds of 11-1 look quite tempting.  They should qualify for the second round, but will need to be at their best to beat Argentina and the Ivory Coast.  If they can maintain harmony in the squad, the Netherlands will have a great chance of making the semi-finals.  Winning the group would probably make life much easier for the knockout-stages.

Rob Parker

Team Guide: IVORY COAST

Ivory Coast - also known as Cote d'Ivoire and the official Premiership training academy - have qualified for their first ever World Cup finals.  And they were drawn in Group C, which means it's time for them to have the Bratwurst team guide treatment - perhaps an even greater honour than World Cup qualification.

IVORY COAST, Group C

10 June vs ARGENTINA (8pm*, Hamburg)
16 June vs NETHERLANDS (5pm, Stuttgart)
21 June vs SERBIA & MONTENEGRO (8pm, Munich)

*all times BST

World Ranking 32

How they qualified
Topped a tough qualifying group containing African giants Cameroon and Egypt.  Although they lost both matches against Cameroon, a draw away to Libya and wins in all their other matches were enough to book their place in Germany.  They scored 20 goals and conceded just seven in 10 matches.

World Cup history
None whatsoever.  This is the Ivory Coast's first World Cup qualification in eight attempts.

Star man
Nine of the 20 qualifying goals came courtesy of a chap by the name of Didier Drogba.  Drogba won't need too much of an introduction to followers of the Premiership.  He disappointed in his first season at Chelsea, and probably only kept his place at Stamford Bridge by being moderately better than fellow flop Mateja Kezman.  This season he has looked a better player, but is yet to really live up to his £24 million transfer fee.  The arrival of Andriy Shevchenko this summer would put more pressure on Drogba to deliver.  His diving antics have led to criticism from some, but will be sure to catch the eye of Jurgen Klinsmann this summer.

Strengths
Half of Arsenal's miserly Champions League defence in Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Eboue.
A (probably) Premiership-bound strong central midfield pairing of Yaya Toure and Didier Zakora.

Weaknesses
Inexperience as a World Cup nation.
A very tough group containing Argentina and the Netherlands.

Did you know?
Kolo means 'follow of twins'.  The Arsenal defender has elder twin brothers, along with his younger midfielder brother Yaya and baby brother Ibrahim who plays up front.

Odds 80-1 (Blue Sq)

Verdict

A possible group stage upset is on the cards in Group C.  Ivory Coast have got two big-name countries to have a crack at in the shape of Argentina and the Netherlands, and they could well pull off at least one shock result.  Remember Senegal beating France in 2002?  Anything beyond the group stage would be an enormous achievement for a squad built around a core of around six top quality players.

Rob Parker

Team Guide: ARGENTINA

With Argentina you just never know, do you? Beaten recently by England in a semi-meaningless friendly, they will be out for revenge when it matters – which could be in the semi-finals. The old guard have been ushered out and they have a talented young team. So don't cry for Argentina just yet…

ARGENTINA, Group C

10 June vs IVORY COAST (8pm*, Hamburg)
16 June vs SERBIA & MONTENEGRO (2pm, Gelsenkirchen)
21 June vs NETHERLANDS (8pm, Frankfurt)

*all times BST

World Ranking 8

How they qualified
Second in the in the South American qualifying league. They were level on points with Brazil, but finished as runners-up on goal difference. Qualification tailed off towards the end for the Argentines with three defeats in their last five games. A 3-1 victory over Brazil in between was enough to gloss over the defeats and secure qualification before the Brazilians though.

World Cup history
Where do you begin? Winners twice in 1978 and 1986, and runners-up a further two times in 1930 and 1990, but that doesn't tell half the story. Argentina have qualified for 13 World Cup finals and have only missed out once since 1958.

Star man

The young pretenders Lionel Messi and Carlos Tevez are candidates, but in case any Argentinians are reading we had better go for Juan Roman Riquelme. If he is on his game then there is no contest, but he has been known to lack consistency. A big fish in the relatively small pond of Villareal, Riquelme is now known to everybody in England as the man who had his last minute penalty saved by Jens Lehmann in the Champions League semi-final. Riquelme revels in orchestrating play from the quarter-back position once adopted by David Beckham. The problem is that if he is not on top of his game then Argentina do not get a great deal done.

Strengths
An attacking partnership of Tevez and Hernan Crespo with Javier Saviola warming the bench should anyone get a case of the England metatarsals.
A World Cup pedigree which only Brazil, Germany and Italy can match.
A team full of players with excellent technique and passing ability.

Weaknesses
Despite the official party line that coach Jose Pekerman has steadied the ship, Argentina are actually on a poor run of results, with defeats to England and Croatia following qualification.
There are question marks over goalkeeper Roberto Abbondanzieri and no real alternatives.

Did you know?
At the Argentinian elections in 2001, 20 per cent of all votes cast were invalid. Sounds a bit dodgy.

Odds 15-2 (Blue Sq)

Verdict
Argentina should top the very dangerous Group C, but the Netherlands will provide tough competition while the Ivory Coast and Serbia and Montenegro are certainly no pushovers. They need to halt their poor form, but painful memories of an early exit in 2002 should be incentive enough to avoid that. A nice-looking second round draw, probably against Mexico, could see Argentina well on their way. Possible winners.

Rob Parker

 

GROUP B: the verdict

Bratwurst has now profiled all four teams in Group B (England, Paraguay, Sweden, Trinidad & Tobago). This is how we think things will pan out…

GROUP B: HOW THEY'LL FINISH

1st England C'mon, what else could I say! Easily good enough to pick up two wins (Paraguay and T&T) and a relaxing draw (Sweden) in their final group game. Should progress as winners of a mediocre group.

2nd Sweden Juventus striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic and goalkeeper Andreas Isaksson are the only Swedes who might get near a world all-star squad. Apart from that, they're no great shakes – they're hard to beat, sure, but no more than that. Henrik Larsson and Freddie Ljungberg are past their best. Probably swindle a jammy draw against England though.

3rd Paraguay If the tournament was being played in South America, I might even pick Paraguay to top the group. But it's not, so I think they'll struggle.

4th Trinidad & Tobago The weakest team to qualify for Germany '06. Will enjoy their moment in the sun, and will have lots of neutrals cheering for them, but I can't forsee anything but three defeats for Dwight Yorke and co.

So England and Sweden make it to the second round, to join Germany and Poland from Group A. Stay tuned for the first of our Group C team guides, coming to a Bratwurst near you, very soon.

By the way, this is how the bookies (Blue Square) see the group:

England 8-15
Sweden 2-1
Paraguay 15-2
Trinidad & Tobago 40-1

No value there really. Only bet worth taking is Sweden to win the group at 2-1.

Team Guide: TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

The last team guide for Group B is Caribbean minnows Trinidad & Tobago.  So are TnT going to be dynamite or a damp squib?

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO, Group B

10 June vs SWEDEN (5pm*, Dortmund)

15 June vs ENGLAND (5pm, Nuremberg)

20 June vs PARAGUAY (8pm, Kaiserslauten)

* all times BST

World Ranking 47

How they qualified

Dramatically.  The CONCACAF three-round qualifying system is fairly complicated so to cut a long story short, they needed to beat Mexico in their last match to finish fourth in the table and managed to pull off a shock 2-1 win.  That set up a play-off with Bahrain.  Port Vale's English-born Chris Birchall scored a spectacular equaliser in the home leg, while Wrexham defender Dennis Lawrence scored the only goal in the away leg to book the Soca Warriors' place at the finals.

World Cup history

They have none.  First-time qualifiers.

Star man

Coventry City's Stern John scores all the goals, but its a rejuvenated Dwight Yorke who pulls all the strings and provides the inspiration.  Yorke is a national legend.  His impact on the players around him is akin to the extra incentive the current England squad would have if Bobby Moore was playing alongside them.  Yorke returned from international retirement to captain the side during the qualifying campaign.  He has recently been playing in midfield for Sydney FC giving manager Leo Beenhakker an extra option.  The 34-year-old has been training with Manchester United to improve hit fitness for the World Cup since the Australian A-League season ended and has been linked with a move to Luton Town.

Strengths

Probably lots of underdog support from the Germans, especially against England.

The inspirational Dwight Yorke.

Weaknesses

A squad that would basically be a decent League One team in England.

The Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation won't let a World Cup get in the chance of a good feud if the opportunity arises.

Did you know?

Chris Birchall is the first white player to represent Trinidad and Tobago for 60 years.

Odds 1500-1 (www.bluesq.com)

Verdict

Rank outsiders as those odds suggest.  Group whipping boys you would think, but the Trinidad & Tobago spirit could carry them through.  Team unity is often as important as any amount of skill in these major tournaments.  Remember Jamaica's win against Japan in 1998?  Trinidad and Tobago will be out to emulate their Caribbean neighbours and at least record a win.  With so many English-based and born players the Soca Warriors will have even more to play for against England. 

Team Guide: SWEDEN

Abba, Volvo, Sven.  Sweden has had exports of varying success over the years.  Let us rate the chances of the package Sweden are sending to Germany this summer.    

SWEDEN, Group B

10 June vs TRINIDAD & TOBAGO (5pm*, Dortmund)

15 June vs PARAGUAY (8pm, Berlin)

20 June vs ENGLAND (8pm, Cologne)

* all times BST

World Ranking 16

How they qualified

As one of the top runners-up after finishing behind Croatia in their qualifying group.  Although the two teams finished level on points, Croatia topped the group on head-to-head results having beaten the Swedes home and away.  The defeats to Croatia were the only matches in which Sweden dropped points as they enjoyed a comfortable qualification group.

World Cup history

Germany 2006 will be Sweden's eleventh World Cup finals.  Their best performance came as hosts in 1958 when they lost 5-2 to Brazil in the final.  An unexpected third-place at USA 94 was another highlight.

Star man

For years it was Henrik Larsson, but the un-retired Barcelona striker is now sidekick to big Zlatan Ibrahimovic.  Ibrahimovic is the proud owner of the definitive 'good feet for a big lad', as the old cliche goes.  Imagine a slightly shorter Peter Crouch, but with better pace and looks!  Ibrahimovic has great control, skill, strength and finishing, all of which are displayed here.  The acid test for a decent striker these days seems to be 'have they been linked with a move to Chelsea?' and Ibrahimovic passes with flying colours.  He impressed at Euro 2004, particularly with this cheeky goal against Italy, earning his £10.8 million transfer to Juventus.  Now 25 years old, Ibrahimovic will be looking to deliver for Sweden on the world stage this summer.  In the meantime, enjoy this strike from qualifying.

Strengths

The aforementioned Ibrahimovic-Larsson partnership.

A core of experienced players including Freddie Ljungberg.

Weaknesses

An ageing defence that struggled on the rare occasions it was tested in qualifying.

Ibrahimovic has a temperament to match his skill and can be a liability at times.

Did you know?

Sweden's 7,300 km coastline is the longest in Europe.

Odds 40-1 (www.bluesq.com)

Verdict

If everything goes to form you would expect Sweden to qualify (hopefully as group runners-up as they did in qualifying).  Sven's home nation are a bit of a bogey team for England, who have not beaten Sweden for 37 years.  If England break the hoodoo then it will probably be a race between Paraguay and Sweden for the second spot.  It is a race that Sweden would be disappointed to lose.  A place in the quarter finals would probably be a good achievement.

Rob Parker

Team Guide: PARAGUAY

It's time to run the rule over the South Americans England will face in their opening Group B match, in just 47 days.

Click below for the lowdown.

PARAGUAY, Group B

10 June vs ENGLAND (2pm*, Frankfurt)

15 June vs SWEDEN (8pm, Berlin)

20 June vs TRINIDAD & TOBAGO (8pm, Kaiserslauten)

*all times BST

World Ranking 33

How they qualified
Saved themselves a play-off against Australia by taking the final automatic qualification place in the South American table ahead of Uruguay.  They actually only missed out on third place to Ecuador on goal difference.  Incredibly, four of their qualification games finished 4-1 - two wins, two defeats.  Managed 0-0 draws at home to Brazil and away at Argentina, and beat Argentina 2-1 at home.

World Cup history
Paraguay have qualified for six World Cup finals in 1930, 1950, 1958, 1986, 1998 and 2002.  Unsurpisingly given their new found qualifying consistency, Paraguay's best performances have come in recent World Cups reaching the last 16 in 1998 and 2002.

Star man
A tough call, but captain Carlos Gamarra gets the nod partially because it would be harsh to single out one of the strikers. As well as leading the team from central-defence, Gamarra weighed in with three important goals during qualifying.  Now aged 35, the skipper has recently come in for some criticism from Paraguay's retired free kick-taking goalkeeper Jose Luis Chilavert for being too old, but it sounds a bit like sour grapes that he is not competing.  Gamarra earned a move to Inter Milan with his World Cup performance in 2002 and currently plays in Brazil for Palmeiras.  His claim to fame is that he played in all four of Paraguay's matches at France 98 without committing a single foul. 

Strengths
A group of decent strikers including Roque Santa Cruz, Nelson Haedo-Valdez and Jose Cardozo.
Young midfielder Julio Dos Santos is tipped for big things.
A group in which picking anything up against Sweden would give them a chance of progressing.

Weaknesses
As Chilavert has pointed out, it is quite an old Paraguay squad.
A habit of conceding four or five goals if they haven't set up to cancel the other side out.

Did you know?
Duelling is legal in Paraguay provided both participants are registed blood donors.

Odds 150-1 (www.bluesq.com)

Verdict
A draw against a potentially weakened or rusty England in their opening match would stand them in good stead to progress. Paraguay will probably finish third in the group, but if they beat Trinidad & Tobago (as they should) and hunt for any scraps that are going in the other two games then they could make it to the second round for the third successive World Cup. Not to be underrated.

Rob Parker

Team Guide: ENGLAND

It's St George's Day on Sunday and so we've cunningly timed the Bratwurst series of team guides so that it's now the turn of Group B. Those of you that have been paying close attention will have noticed that we're doing the teams in alphabetical order. The first team in Group B, alphabetically, is… England! Three cheers for St George and St Wayne of Rooney!

ENGLAND, Group B

10 June vs PARAGUAY (2pm*, Frankfurt)

15 June vs TRINIDAD & TOBAGO (5pm, Nuremberg)

20 June vs SWEDEN (8pm, Cologne)

*all time BST

World Ranking 10

How they qualified
Pretty comfortable ride through an easy group, although that shock 1-0 defeat to Northern Ireland meant that things weren't wrapped up until the last group game.

World Cup history
Winners on home soil in 1966, but then you knew that already. Since then it's been mostly painful exits, from nerve-shredding penalty shoot-outs to Maradona's dastardly Hand of God.

Star man
Wayne Rooney, no question. Still a teenager and still the young pup of the England team but Roo plays like a man amongst boys. Rooney's main assets are brute strength, fearlessness, a wonderful first touch and an eye for goal. In fact, he doesn't appear to have any obvious weaknesses. I could have mentioned his suspect temperament but Fergie seems to have fixed that, too. The best teenage footballer in the world and I don't care who says different. If Rooney stays fit and plays well, England has a half-decent chance of going all the way.

Strengths
Very solid at the back, although Ashley Cole's fitness is vital
Wayne Rooney (see above)
Hugely talented midfield, especially going forward: Joe Cole, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and David Beckham are as good a quartet as any in the world right now

Weaknesses
Bit of a pre-tournament injury crisis, with Michael Owen, Ashley Cole, Ledley King and Sol Campbell all struggling
Penalty shoot-outs (please, not again)
Lack of striking firepower, especially if Owen is crocked

Did you know?
St George's mother was from Palestine. Good pub quiz ammo

Odds 6-1 (Blue Square)

Verdict
Hmm, very tricky. It's easy to be subjective and say, as many of our players have been, that we have a great chance of going all the way. After all, we do have a great bunch of players this time around. Objectively, I'm predicting another quarter-final thriller with a hefty dose of luck needed to go any further. Either way, come on you England!

GROUP A: the verdict

We've now profiled all four teams in Group A: Costa Rica, Ecuador, Germany and Poland. So it's time for the first ever Official Bratwurst Group Prediction. As with Pele's prophetic outpourings, the value of predictions can go down as well as up…

GROUP A: HOW THEY'LL FINISH

1st Germany Ranked 19th in the world and still the best team in the group. I see them beating Ecuador and Costa Rica comfortably and playing out a draw against the plucky Poles.

2nd Poland They'll have loads of support in Germany (including some pretty nasty hooligans, if reports are to be believed) and will sail through on the host's coat-tails.

3rd Ecuador Ranked above Norway and Ukraine in FIFA's comedy rankings, so no mugs. Could push Poland for second place but I still think they'll just miss out.

4th Costa Rica Struggled to get past Cuba in qualifying and their best player by a mile is Paolo Wanchope, so it's the wooden spoon for Los Ticos.

So Germany and Poland make it to the second round (how could they not, given that this is one of the lamest groups in WC history), where they will face the top two teams from England's group. That's where things will get really interesting…

Team Guide: POLAND

As relentless as an Arsenal attacking move and as incisive as a Steven Gerrard through-ball, why it's the WaatB? World Cup team guides of course.  Next up are England's perennial qualifying buddies Poland.

POLAND, Group A

9 June vs ECUADOR (8pm*, Gelsenkirchen)

14 June vs GERMANY (8pm, Dortmund)

20 June vs COSTA RICA (3pm, Hanover)

*all time BST

World Ranking 28

How they qualified

You should remember really.  They qualified from the same group as England as one of the best-placed runner-up.  Their home and away defeats against England were the only times they dropped points during qualification and they led the group for a long period.

World Cup history

Probably better than you remember.  Poland finished third in both the 1974 and 1982 World Cup finals.  However, the memories of the glory days have been tarnished by a long period of under-achievement.  The 2002 World Cup was the first time the Poles had qualified since 1986, and in Japan and Korea they finished bottom of the group.

Star man

A few to choose from, but on his day Jacek Krzynowek is the real stand-out player.  The 29-year-old is a hard-working winger who knows how to deliver a decent cross.  He started on the bench in the final group match against England but had generally been excellent throughout qualifying.  Krzynowek currently plays in Germany with Bayer Leverkusen.  He was linked with a possible loan move to Portsmouth during the January transfer window, which never materialised.  He will look to put patchy club form behind him in the summer as his invariably does when playing for his country.

Strengths

The strike partnership of Celtic's Maciej Zurawski and Tomas Frankowski who scored 14 goals between them in qualification.

Haven't got far to travel to neighbouring Germany.

Must fancy their chances against Costa Rica and Ecuador.

Weaknesses

A leaky defence, which the goalscorers may not be able disguise against quality opposition.

A hooligan following which is said to be as bad as anything seen in the 1980s who also haven't got far to travel to neighbouring Germany.

Did you know?

According to legend, Poland (formerly known as Lechia) was founded by a bloke called Lech who was out hunting with his two brothers, Czech and Rus.  The brothers split up as they hunted different prey and each ended up creating a country.

Odds 100-1 (www.bluesq.com)

Verdict

Favourites for second spot in Group A behind Germany, although expect them to give their neighbours a run for their money.  If everything goes to form Poland would face England in the second round, where you would like to think their World Cup adventure would end.

Rob Parker

Team Guide: GERMANY

'Football is a game with 22 people and in the end the Germans always win.' So said Gary Lineker, displaying a rare footballer's gift for Wildean bon mots. Lineker has painful personal experience of the Germans' uncanny knack of playing well in major tournaments (don't we all), but how will the 2006 version fare on home soil? We've looked into the future and can reveal all…

GERMANY, Group A

9 June vs COSTA RICA (5pm*, Munich)

14 June vs POLAND (8pm, Dortmund)

20 June vs ECUADOR (3pm, Berlin)

*all times BST

World Ranking 22 (I admit I didn't realise the Germans were ranked quite so low these days)

How they qualified
As hosts they didn't have to. Which is nice.

World Cup history
Three-time winners as West Germany, in 1954, 1974 and 1990, the swines. Yet to win it since unification though.

Star man
If Michael Ballack (pictured) hadn't been suspended for the 2002 final against Brazil, the outcome might have been very different. He is the only German who would currently stand a chance of making a World XI. The Chelsea-bound midfielder has all the tools (as Big Ron might say) required of the modern footballer: great engine, decent tackler, good in the air, makes dangerous runs into the box, scores regularly. He's also blessed with self-confidence that would make Craig Bellamy blush. A class act.

Strengths
Home advantage.
Easy group should give them time to get going and get the German nation behind them.
Past masters at punching above their weight in major tournaments.
More attack-minded than in recent years.

Weaknesses
A poor start against Costa Rica and their fans will be quick to write them off.
Lehmann/Kahn soap opera almost certain to have another (detrimental) chapter.
Defence looked shaky recently.

Did you know?
Bavarians get four public holidays more than the people of Berlin. Fancy that!

Odds 8-1 (Blue Square)

Verdict
Should top an easy group - then they'll face the runners-up in England's group, which could easily be England. Potential semi-finallists but surely don't have the quality to reach the final again (although I thought that in 2002 and look what happened then…). Oh, dear sweet Jesus, I don't care how they do as long as a) they don't win the whole thing and b) they don't knock us out on penalties. Amen.

Team Guide: ECUADOR

The second in our in-depth profiles of the 32 countries participating in the World Cup.  WaatB? readers, please give a warm welcome to Ecuador.

ECUADOR, Group A

10 June vs POLAND (8pm*, Gelsenkirchen)

15 June vs COSTA RICA (2pm, Hamburg)

20 June vs GERMANY (3pm, Berlin)

*all times BST

World Ranking 38

How they qualified

It could have been called a shock if they had not qualified against the odds four years ago too.  Ecuador pipped Paraguay to third spot in the Conmebol qualification table ahead of such football luminaries as Uruguay, neighbours Colombia and Chile. La Tri recorded home wins against both Brazil and Argentina on their way to qualification.

World Cup history

Japan and Korea 2002 was Ecuador's World Cup debut.  They were unable to progress beyond a group containing Italy and Mexico, but did beat Croatia in their final match.

Star man

Although he never lived up to his £3.5 million transfer fee during his time at Southampton (in fact he would have looked expensive on a Bosman), Agustin Delgado (pictured) is the star of the Ecuador team.  He is the country's all-time leading goalscorer with 29 goals in 67 matches.  The World Cup will be Delgado's international swansong.  Delgado is currently playing for Barcelona (no, not the Catalan giants but their Ecuadorian namesakes), although he was suspended by the club before Christmas along with nine other players for their partying antics.

Strengths

A core of quality players including Delgado, Ulises de la Cruz and Ivan Hurtado. A track record of upsetting the odds and winning against more illustrious opposition.

Weaknesses

Delgado's dodgy back coupled with a lack a firepower in his absence. Traditionally under-perform in Europe.

Did you know?

The Ecudorian Government and FA are hoping to use the World Cup to increase tourism to the country and have arranged a promotional tour of Germany to tie-in with the World Cup.

Odds 250-1 (Blue Square)

Verdict

Expect a battle with Costa Rica for third spot in the group and Pan-American bragging rights.  But if Germany still need a result going into their final group game against Ecuador, it could get very interesting.  La Tri love taking a giant down a peg or two.

Rob Parker

Team Guide: COSTA RICA

With less than two months to go before the World Cup's opening match (aargh, I have nothing to wear!), it's time for WaatB? to look at each team in depth. We'll start, logically enough, with profiles of the teams in Group A, otherwise known as The Group That Keeps on Giving. First out of the hat is Costa Rica, who play hosts Germany in the tournament's opening match, on 9 June…

COSTA RICA, Group A

Fixtures
9 June vs GERMANY (5pm*, Munich)
15 June vs ECUADOR (2pm, Hamburg)
20 June vs POLAND (3pm, Hanover)
* all times BST

World ranking 25

How they qualified
Los Ticos, as Costa Rica are nicknamed, finished third in its CONCACAF group. It looked like they wouldn't make it until former manager Alexandre Guimaraes was reappointed and turned the team's fortunes around.

World Cup history
Just two previous appearances in the finals. Reached the second round in 1990 after victories against Scotland and Sweden; didn't escape the group stages in 2002 though.

Star man
Paolo Wanchope (pictured) is back playing in his homeland after lighting up the Premiership for several seasons at Derby County, Man City and West Ham. He's unpredictable, a bit of a maverick, prodigiously gifted etc etc. As many a football commentator likes to say about PW, even he doesn't know what he's going to do next. Wanchope is Costa Rica's all-time top scorer, with 43 goals in 67 games.

Strengths
Wanchope is a proven match-winner and he's still only 29.
In a relatively weak group.
Face alpha males Germany in WC's opening match, traditionally the prime time for a shock result.

Weaknesses
Not enough world-class players, particularly in defence.
Don't play tough European opposition often enough.

Did you know? The orchid is the national flower of Costa Rica. Hmm, no I didn't.

Odds 350/1 (Blue Square)

Verdict Germany will definitely qualify (famous last words) and I strongly fancy Poland (neighbours to Germany and they'll have a lot of local support) to go through as well. Which leaves Costa Rica on an early flight home, having finished bottom of Group A, behind Ecuador too. Oh well, there's always 2010.