1. France Mexico
South Africa Uruguay
Argentina Greece
Nigeria South Korea
Argentina have reached four FIFA World Cup
Finals in all. They beat Netherlands in 1978 and
Germany in 1986 but lost to Uruguay in 1930 and to
the Germans in 1990
Greece will be determined to improve on their
showing at USA 1994, where they sank to group-
stage defeats against Argentina (4-0), Bulgaria (4-0)
and Nigeria (2-0) and headed for home at the first
hurdle
Nigeria’s 3-0 waltz over Bulgaria in their USA 94
debut match was more remarkable given that the
Europeans went on to beat Greece, Argentina,
Mexico and Germany in the tournament
Les Bleus have appeared in 12 final tournaments,
winning on home soil in 1998. Regular actors on the
greatest stage of all, France also managed third-
place finishes in 1958 and 1986, as well as fourth
spot in 1982.
Uruguay will be appearing in the FIFA World Cup
for the 11th time at South Africa 2010.Uruguay
hosted the inaugural FIFA World Cup finals in 1930
and went on to win the tournament after defeating
Argentina 4-2 in the Final.
Korea Republic are the most frequent visitors from
Asia to the FIFA World Cup, and are set to make
their eighth appearance this time in South
Africa.The best result the Taeguk Warriors have
achieved so far was at Korea/Japan 2002, where
they swept past European powerhouses Portugal,
Italy, and Spain to reach the last four.
South Africa have failed to make it beyond the
group stages in either of their two previous FIFA
World Cup appearances.Their first appearance was
in France 1998, six years after they had been
readmitted to the global football family. Despite a
3-0 drubbing to France in their opening game, they
went on to put a decent show against Denmark and
Saudi Arabia, drawing against both.
Mexico's achieved their best-everperformances in
the finals as tournament hosts in 1970 and 1986,
reaching the last eight on both occasions.
South Africa 2010 is their fifth appearance in the
finals in a row. On all four previous occasions they
have bowed out in the Round of 16.

2. Algeria England
Slovenia USA
Australia Germany
South Africa will mark Algeria’s third appearance
at a FIFA World Cup finals, and they will be
looking to graduate from the group stage for the
first time in their history. In 1982, they made history
by defeating West Germany 2-1 and Chile 3-2, only
to lose 2-0 to Austria
England have appeared at 11 previous editions of
the global showpiece, including their debut at Brazil
1950. Victors on home soil in 1966, their best
performance outside their own shores came under
the late Sir Bobby Robson at Italy 1990 when they
lost on penalties to West Germany.
A nation of just two million people, Slovenia have
already punched above their weight to secure a
place at this FIFA World Cup. When one considers
that they knocked out Poland, Czech Republic and,
finally, Russia - population 142 million – to take
their place in South Africa, the achievement
becomes near-miraculous
After a 32-year absence from the world stage,
Australia made a strong statement at the 2006 FIFA
World Cup, reaching the knockout stage where it
took a last-minute goal from eventual champions
Italy to eliminate Guus Hiddink's team.
Germany have won the FIFA World Cup three
times (1954, 1974 and 1990), a figure bettered only
by Brazil (5) and Italy (4). Apart from the 1930 and
1950 tournaments, which they did not enter,
Germany have contested every FIFA World Cup
finals.
The United States have taken part at nine FIFA
World Cups, with Mexico the only CONCACAF
team involved in more editions of the showpiece
event. Their best finals performance came at
Uruguay 1930, when they exited at the semi-final
stage.South Africa 2010 will be the United States'
sixth consecutive finals appearance

3. Ghana
Cameroon Denmark
Netherlands Japan
Ghana were the youngest teamat Germany 2006,
with an average age of just under24 years.
Asamoah Gyan scored the fastest goalof the 2006
FIFA World Cup after 68 seconds in their 2-1 win
over Czech Republic. It was also Ghana's first-ever
goal in the finals.
Cameroon have played in 17 FIFA World Cup
matches, the most of any national team from Africa.
Their 1-0 defeat of holders Argentina to kick off the
1990 FIFA World Cup is one of the great upsets in
the history of the event.
The Scandinavians missed out on both the 2006
FIFA World Cup in Germany and UEFA EURO
2008 in Austria and Switzerland, but the FIFA
founder members blazed an impressive trail en route
to a berth in South Africa this summer.
In their eight finals appearances,the Oranje have
reached the showpiece match twice, falling
narrowly short of the global crown in 1974 and
1978. They also came in fourth at France 1998.
South Africa 2010 will be Japan's fourth FIFA
World Cup finals, and their fourth in a row. Their
best finish came as hosts at Korea/Japan 2002, when
they topped Group H ahead of Belgium, Russia and
Tunisia to advance to the knockout stages for the
first and so far only time.

4. Italy New Zealand
Paraguay Slovakia
Brazil Ivory Coast
Italy have qualified for 16 of the 18 FIFA World
Cup finals, failing to book themselves a place in
1958 and having not opted to take part in the first
edition in 1930. They have won the competition on
four occasions,in 1934, 1938, 1982 and four years
ago in 2006.
New Zealand have appeared on the world stage just
once, with the qualification for the 1982 FIFA
World Cup™ considered one of the country’s most
famous sporting achievements. The squad attained
stunning results including away wins in Australia,
Saudi Arabia and China over a then-record 15-
match qualification campaign
Paraguay will be making their eight FIFA World
Cup finals appearance this year and their fourth in a
row. La Albirroja have never won two games at the
same finals and have yet to progress beyond the
Round of 16. In those eight appearances they have
won six matches, drawn seven and lost nine
While this may be Slovakia's first appearance on the
global stage,the country's footballing past is
naturally tied up with that of the former
Czechoslovakia, who participated in eight finals
overall. Czechoslovakia even reached the final in
1934.
Brazil are preparing to contest their 19th
consecutive FIFA World Cup finals. They are
the only country to have taken part in every
edition of the global showpiece. They are also
the only country to have won the title five
times: amassing a total of 64 victories, 14 draws
and 14 defeats in 92 games played.
Côte d'Ivoire were the only nation at Germany 2006
whose squad was made up of players entirely based
at clubs outside their home country.
They are the only team who have never failed to
score in a FIFA World Cup match.

5. North Korea Portugal
Chile Honduras
Spain Switzerland
After spending nearly 30 years in wilderness, the
past decade saw the revival of the nation's
footballing fortunes.With their women's football
teams running riot at all levels on the international
scene,the men's side came close to qualifying for
Germany 2006 before successfully negotiating the
road to South Africa 2010
After failing to progress past the first stage in 1986
and 2002, Germany 2006 marked a return to FIFA
World Cup form for the Portuguese.Undefeated
during the group phase,they went on to overcome
Netherlands and England en route to the semi-finals,
only to lose 1-0 to France and then go down to the
hosts in the play-off for third place.
Coached by the experienced Argentinian Marcelo
Bielsa, the Chileans qualified for the finals with
some ease, atoning for poor performances in the
qualifying competitions for Korea/Japan 2002 and
Germany 2006, when they finished ninth and
seventh respectively
Honduras return to global football's top table after
28 years away. Their only previous appearance at
the finals came at Spain 1982. Los Catrachos
surprised the world by drawing 1-1 with the hosts
and then with Northern Ireland, before exiting the
tournament after a defeat by the former Yugoslavia
Spain have taken part in the finals of 12 FIFA
World Cups and have not missed a single edition
since failing to reach Germany 1974. La Roja's best
performance at the global showpiece was a fourth-
placed finish at Brazil 1950. At senior international
level, Spain have two major titles to their name: the
1964 and 2008 European Championships.
In South Africa, Switzerland will be appearing at
the FIFA World Cup for the ninth time. The Swiss
reached the quarter-finals in 1934, 1938 and 1954.
They were knocked out in the Round of 16 at the
2006 finals in Germany.

6. Serbia
Serbia will be appearing at the FIFA World Cup
independently for the first time in South Africa.
They formed part of the Yugoslavia side that
appeared at nine editions of the competition, and the
Serbia and Montenegro team that competed at
Germany 2006.