32 For 2010: Mexico

For a country so obsessed with football and having played it so long, it’s a mystery that Mexico is yet to make a bigger impact on the World Cup. The current team boast many a technically gifted player and are led by a much respected coach, but expectations thus far have been no higher than for previous campaigns.

Quarter-finalists in 1970 and 1986 (both times on home soil), Mexico really ought to have done better by now. The fact that they have the chance to do so in 2010 is not only a boon but also rather miraculous.

Rewind a year or more and you’ll have found El Tri floundering in fifth place in the ‘hexagonal’ final round of CONCACAF’s qualifying competition. Sven Goran Eriksson had been drafted in as a coach with much international experience, but his lack of appreciation for the Mexican footballing way quickly showed its limitations.

Eriksson made way for former player Javier Aguirre and with the clock ticking, he turned the fortunes of his charges around to the point where they finished second in the six-team group. Mexico had booked their ticket for South Africa, but only just.

And at time of publication, they’ve managed to replicate their old trick of reaching the first knockout round too. They’ve got this far at the last four World Cups, but sadly no further. This, for the Mexicans, is the first priority, but in this World Cup the prospects are stacked considerably in their favour. If they’re to reach the quarter finals in 2010, they’ll have to beat Argentina in Round 2. It’s possible Javier Aguirre’s men could produce an upset (and heaven knows we’ve already had a few of those), but few would actually bet on such an outcome.

The reason an upset can’t be completely written off is largely down to their appealing brand of possession football. The players are obviously very comfortable on the ball and are patient in piecing together each attack, yet they can work the flanks with speed and have a defence that’s difficult to breach too.

Many of the principles adopted by the current team have been brought through from the Mexican side that won the World Under-17 World Cup in 2005. Among that squad were some of the players – familiar names now – that make up Aguirre’s 23 in South Africa, including Efrain Juarez, Hector Moreno (of Dutch side AZ) and Arsenal’s Carlos Vela.

But there’s more quality at hand than that. Manchester United’s new signing from Guadalajara, Javier Hernandez, has already shown the sort of form that could make him a fan’s favourite. His goal was the first of two for Mexico in their group game against France and it may not be his last in this contest.

Elsewhere, Gerardo Torrado provides reliability in midfield, captain Rafael Marquez marshals the defence – a quality that’s made him a regular for Barcelona – and as any Tottenham fan will tell you, Giovani Dos Santos is a nippy winger who, can prize opening the opposition on the break.

Javier Aguirre is more than well aware that his squad is largely polarised between the two age extremes and if anything the Mexicans could do with some decent players that fall somewhere between the two. That, coupled with the fact that Mexico don’t get the chance to test themselves often enough against top opposition, could be a sign of weakness, but the spirit is strong and the support will be even stronger.

Mexico will be tested to the very limit if they’re to do well in South Africa, but they’ve already beaten France, so why not Argentina? This Sunday’s second round tie will tell us if it’s really possible.

32 For 2010: Netherlands

It’s been noted by many people that only seven countries have ever won the World Cup in its 80-year history. Those same people have also suggested the time is now right for a new name to be added to the roll of honour, and most of those have put forward Spain as the country most likely to become the eighth. Perhaps they do so in haste, for the Netherlands are ready to learn by their mistakes and make one big push to become champions in 2010.

There is much evidence to suggest they could. Euro 2008 saw the Dutch complete an emphatic group stage in which they beat Italy 3-0 and France 4-1. With three wins out of three, it was somewhat unfortunate that they were punished in their first bad day at the office – a 3-1 defeat after extra time to Russia – after which they were eliminated from the competition.

They did at least impress with their fast, technically excellent brand of football which garnered much admiration from home fans and neutrals alike, but sadly they couldn’t find the clinical touch when they needed it most. The same could be said of their World Cup 2006 campaign in which they finished level on points with first round group winners Argentina only to be defeated 1-0 against Portugal in the second round.

With former Borussia Dortmund coach Bert Van Marwijk at the helm, fans of the Dutch team are at least optimistic that they can live up to their label of ‘dark horses’. Under the stewardship of the 58-year-old, the Netherlands breezed through qualifying for World Cup 2010 by winning all eight of their games. Dirk Kuyt and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar scored three each during that campaign, but they weren’t the sole source of goals by any means. Such is the strength in depth of the Dutch squad that Mark Van Bommel and Rafael van der Vaart pitched in with two each while seven others including Robin van Persie and Arjen Robben each scored one.

From 1 to 23, it’s difficult to find a Dutch player who isn’t based at one of Europe’s top clubs. Of those that still ply their trade in the Eredivisie, Maarten Stekelenburg (replacement for Edwin Van Der Sar in goal) and former Rangers  defender Giovanni Van Bronckhorst are two worth highlighting.

Juggling so much talent in all areas of the field – even in the weaker Dutch defence – requires a decent coach, and since Van Marwijk took over from Marco Van Basten in 2008 there’s been a greater emphasis on getting things right rather than playing with flair and pace. This makes for a new era of Dutch performances that are less easy on the eye, but with an illustrious history of total football behind them, you’re never far away from entertaining football.

As things stand, Dutch fans have much to be optimistic about at this World Cup, but that optimism is tempered with the hard reality that comes with a trophy cabinet that’s been empty for the last 22 years. The question therefore remains: not ‘can’ but ‘when’ will the Netherlands win the World Cup?  If the answer’s ‘2010’, they’ll have to beat Spain or Brazil along the way and that’ll call for a truly outstanding brand of Oranje indeed.

32 For 2010: France

From the outside looking in, France appear to be in an enviable position. So many talented players, so much potential and yet led by such a volatile coach. One wonders quite what the fates have in store for France in South Africa this summer.

Like King Canute denying the force of the tide, Raymond Domenech has resolutely proclaimed he and his team are just fine, thank you very much, away from the continual barracking they get from the press and public alike. Truth be known, however, it’s Domenech they have a problem with rather than the players.

Going into the 2010 World Cup, there has been much outcry about the absence of such notables as Patrick Vieira, Karim Benzema and Samir Nasri in the squad, but Domenech has dropped them all for his own personal reasons. In the case of Benzema, team spirit in the French squad at Euro 2008 was disrupted when he and several others formed cliques as a way harbouring their distrust of the coach, so this time the coach has left them behind. Such actions will be seen either as a show of force or a gunshot to his own foot.

Even without the above mentioned stars, Domenech does still have much talent at his disposal. In every area of the pitch there are world class players to choose from including Franck Ribery, Nicolas Anelka, Yoann Gourcuff and many more. The problem Domenech has had is finding the right blend of fitness, good form and technical ability among them to create a winning combination. Recent friendly matches such as last Tuesday’s 1-0 defeat to China 1-0 suggest he’s cutting it a bit fine to arrive at the answer.

And finding the answer was something France failed to do beyond doubt in Euro 2008. Having reached the 2006 World Cup final where they were outclassed by Italy, they couldn’t even register a single win in their first round group in Switzerland two years later. The 4-1 thrashing at the hands of the Dutch all but sealed their early exit from the tournament, and ever since Domenech has struggled to hang onto any credibility.

Adding to the sense of doubt that’s been creeping into the collective mind of Les Francaise was their country’s lucky qualification for World Cup 2010. Were it not for Thierry Henry’s twitchy left hand, it might have been Ireland waiting patiently to play Uruguay in their first finals match, and the French are neither happy or proud of the fact. Finishing second in their group behind Serbia, they began their campaign with only one win in their first three games. They then had to rely on a few 1-0 wins over Lithuania and the Faroe Islands to get some points on the board before a resurgent finish got them to the play-offs.

So will France have nothing but doom and gloom to look forward to in South Africa?  Actually no, for this is a team that has had a strong pedigree for success going back over many years now. In a first round group containing Mexico, Uruguay and the hosts South Africa, they have no excuses for not getting through to the knock-out stages, but the memory of their shock early exit in 2002 still comes all too clearly to mind.

Surely it couldn’t happen again, could it? With this French team - and more specifically its quirky, belligerent manager – the feeling amongst most people is that you can’t quite discount every possibility.

32 For 2010: South Africa

One of the great disappointments of African football is that the South African nation have not been been able to produce a team to match the enormous passion that its people have for the game. However, the mere fact that the tournament itself is being held there is a victory for the Rainbow Nation, the continent of Africa and for football.

Of course this was all supposed to happen four years earlier. Were it it not for a maverick FIFA delegate from New Zealand voting against the wishes of his federation we'd be looking back on South Africa 2006 and its legacy. In many ways the timing of this tournament is poor what with the global recession. While the investment in the country's footballing infrastructure is impressive, had it taken place earlier in the decade there may have been more opportunities for investment in the game after the World Cup as opposed to now when confidence among potential corporate partners is low.

There are also concerns and criticisms about how much of the enormous income generated by the World Cup is not trickling down to its people. FIFA's notorious licencing restrictions have prevented local tradesman from exploiting the tournament and one has to wonder how much of the money is staying in the country rather than being funnelled to massive corporate sponsors such as Mastercard and Budweiser to name but two.

But this is not a time for off-pitch pessimism. Irrespective of how Bafana Bafana play, the South African public will support the World Cup in their own unique fashion. This is just as well as the prospects on the pitch are not terribly encouraging.

South Africa's hopes of qualification to the second round pretty much begin and end with Steven Pienaar. The Everton midfielder has been immense this season which is all the more impressive since few would have blamed him for taking his foot off the gas given the importance that the summer has both to him personally and his country. The team's other hero is Matthew Booth. To describe the burly centre half as agricultural is perhaps missing the point. Booth is a six-foot-something white man playing in a sport dominated by blacks and marginalised during Apartheid. The presence of the Mamelodi Sundowns player carries tremendous symbolic value in what is another step in the political reconciliation of a once violently divided nation.

Missing out is Benni McCarthy. South African team coach Carlos Alberto Perriera was never convinced of the West Ham striker's commitment to the team (he was left out of the squad for last year's Confederations Cup). And if rumours are to be believed, McCarthey's latest off the field exploits proved to be the last straw on the camel's back.

Portsmouth fans will point put the combative qualities of Aaron Makoena but apart from that there is very little to be positive about. South Africa play Mexico, France and Uruguay in their group. Technically, none of those teams are exactly world-beaters but Perreira's men will need to find a whole range of hitherto undiscovered gears in order to progress. Mind you, we must never underestimate the power of home advantage and the immense distraction of 60,000 vuvuzelas ringing in the ears of the opposition.

32 For 2010: Cameroon

When nostaligists think of Cameroon they think of one man, Roger Milla. One of the few bright sparks of the Italia 90 tournament (unless you are a German of course) is the flamboyance of the veteran striker's goal celebration that remain a staple of any highlight reel about Cameroon's World Cup exploits.

That tournament proved something of a watershed for African football in that it was the first time a team from that continent had progressed to the quarter finals of the World Cup. However, Italia 90 was not the Cameroon's debut in the finals. Previously, they had appeared in that wonderful 1982 tournament in Spain. While they didn't win a single match in their group they didn't lose one either. Unfortunately, two 0-0 draws against Peru and Poland plus an impressive 1-1 draw against the eventual winners Italy (featuring a younger Roger Milla) were not enough to see them through to the next stage.

In 2010, expectations for African teams will never be higher than ever and the continent, indeed the football World, will be looking to Cameroon, as one of the most established footballing nations to impress. Going against this current squad is their indifferent form in competitive fixtures. Like Nigeria, they left qualification for the World Cup late and a quarter final exit in CAN 2010 (albeit to an excellent Egypt side) was not an altogether inspiring turn out.

On the upside, their turnaround in results on the back end of their qualification coincided with the replacement of coach Otto Pfister with former Lyon, Rangers and PSG manager Paul Le Guen. The Frenchman's club fortunes have taken something of a downturn since his three Ligue 1 titles with OL and will be hoping to reignite his career in the World Cup. He has at his disposal some fantastic and exciting players.

Familiar names to Premier League fans are the two Tottenham defenders Benoit Assou-Ekotto and Sebastien Bassong. Just down the road is Arsenal's Alex Song, a player who is not held in the high regard universally but could prove to be a lynch pin. Former Liverpool and West Ham Rigobert Song is still an important part of the side which also includes former Middlesbrough, Chelsea and Newcastle player Geremi. The Bundesbag suggests that you check out Schalke midfielder Joel Matip. Marseilles' Stephane Mbia is very highly rated by the coach and so might be one to watch.

And then of course there is the captain Samuel Eto'o who despite what Roger Milla says has made a magnificent contribution to his national team on account of all those goals he has scored. It will be interesting to see if the three times Champions League winner's new found industry under Jose Mourinho at Inter can be exploited by Le Guen.

On balance then, a nice blend of experienced European club players playing in their home continent. I don't imagine that there will be much money on Cameroon winning the World Cup but do imagine that they would be popular winners. They face Denmark, Holland and Japan in their group. Pre-tournament form suggests that the Danes will be their main rival for a qualifying spot for the second round.

32 For 2010: Nigeria

For bloggers of a certain vintage the Super Eagles opened doors to the wonder of the World Cup. Nigeria's debut in that tournament back in 1994 was a breath of fresh air.

USA 94 was the first tournament that I involved myself in properly that did not feature England. I was un-poisoned by the concoction of expectation mixed with the inevitability of failure and like many others, free to pick my own favourites unfettered by misplaced notions of patriotism and parochialism. The first team I chose was Nigeria (this was despite the appalling actions of the Abacha Regime in cahoots with the Shell corporation but lets not get into that shall we?)

Rashidi Yekini and Daniel Amakachi's goals in Nigeria's 3-0 demolition of Bulgaria began an odyssey that took the debutants through to the second round. But like all so many romantic World Cup adventures, their dreams were crushed by those perennial poopers of the party, Italy, thanks to a goal by some joker called Roberto Baggio.

These days Nigeria are a recognised African powerhouse and a semi-permanent fixture in the World Cup (they lost out to Angola in 2006). Having said that, the Super Eagles' path to South Africa was far from smooth. In fact, if Tunisia hadn't lost on the final round of qualifying games to a troublesome Mozambique side, the Nigerians would not have made it to the World Cup at all.

A third place showing at the Africa Cup Of Nations earlier in the year was not enough to save coach Shaibu Amodu's job. He was sacked in favour of the Swede Lars Lagerbeck who, like his compatriot Sven Goran Eriksson at Ivory Coast, has the job up until the end of the World Cup.

As for the players, well there are plenty of familiar names. Joseph Yobo of Everton, Mikel Jon Obi and Dickson Etuhu make up a West London axis in the midfield. Up front there's Yakubu (Everton), John Utaka (Porstmouth), Obefemi Martins (Wolfsburg) and of course the legend that is Nwankwo Kanu (82 - caps that is). Also take a look out for Chinedu Obasi, an explosive attacking midfielder who plays for Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga.

In a World Cup group that has echoes of their maiden outing in 1994, Nigeria have been drawn with Argentina and Greece once again along with South Korea. If Lagerbeck can instill some discipline into his players and a formation that suits their strengths then they have as good a chance as any to escape to the second round.

32 For 2010: Korean Republic

From a Euro-centric perspective it is easy to ignore the achievements of teams from Asia. Historically, they were late to embrace the game of football and we are still a very long way from seeing a team from that vast and diverse continent winning the World Cup.

Yet with South Africa 2010, South Korea will have appeared in no less than eight World Cup finals. You can argue the relative merits of the Asian qualification competition as opposed to the European equivalent which is more competitive or the CONCACAF system which weeds out the weaker teams but the reality is that the Korean Republic are a mainstay of successive World Cups. If only they could win some more games.

Their magnificent (or controversial if you're an Italian) run to the semi-finals on home turf in 2002 doesn't disguise the fact that on foregn soil their record is abysmal. Only once have they won a match in the Finals and that was against a novice Togo side in 2006. This is despite South Korea enjoying a competitive professional league and their fine international pedigree. Perhaps on African soil they can make further progress.

Most of the squad are from the domestic K-League. Only a few play in Europe, the most prominent being the captain Park Ji-sung who has enjoyed a breakthrough season at Manchester United and featured heavily in all of their big games. I didn't see too much of Bolton Wanderers last season but understand that Lee Chung-yong is a good player. Celtic fans will know all about Ki Sung-yong. Bundesliga club Freiburg's Cha Du-ri has been known to lose concentration in the past. According to the Guardian Lee Chung-yong and Sung Yong-ki are the upcoming young guns.

The balls have been relatively kind to coach Huh Jung-moo and his squad. Greece, Nigeria and Argentina are all regarded to a lesser or greater extent, beatable but then again the same could easily be said about the Koreans who open their campaign against the Greeks. This is a group in which they could conceivably finish anywhere from top to bottom.

32 For 2010: Ivory Coast

Arguably the African team with the biggest names (from a British perspective at least) Cote D'Ivoire enter the World Cup with great expectations on their shoulders. But do they have the squad to be the first winners of the World Cup to come from the African continent?

If you'd seen them in the Africa Cup of Nations earlier in the year you'd have to say no. That cataclysmic capitulation to Algeria was baffling to watch. The players just seem to have all the energy sucked out of them. The defeat was deemed unexpected and premature. The consequence was their coach Vahid Halilhodzic lost his job despite guiding the squad through the African qualifications to the World Cup in South Africa.

This is not the first time that a coach of an African team has been deprived the honour of coaching a World Cup because he's fallen foul of the Africa Cup of Nations. I'm sure many coaches will be grateful that the tournament is to be moved to odd numbered years from 2013.

Anyway, you know what happened next. Sven Goran Eriksson sidled up to the Ivorian FA, whispered sweet nothings in their ears and before you know it landed a gig coaching some of the best players in Africa during the World Cup. Pretty sweet huh? And what a group of players he has to work with: The Toure Brothers, Kolo and Yaya from Arsenal and Barca respectively. Former Spurs and current Sevilla midfielder Didier Zakora, FA Cup legends Aruna Dindane and Saloman Kalou plus of course, the daddy himself Didier Drogba (assuming he is fit).

Hopefully, should Cote D'Ivoire reach the World Cup Final and are awarded a penalty, the big man won't throw a strop when Yaya Toure steps up to take it and deny the Chelsea striker the Golden Boot.

Unfortunately for them, the odds on such a facetious scenario taking place will be long. The Elephants face a tough passage to the second round. They have been drawn into Group G with Portugal, North Korea and the mighty Brazil. Personally, I think they can finish second but it will be a bally close thing. Of course, should the Ivory Coast manage this they will, in all likelihood, face Spain in the next stage and we all know how good they are.

Having said that, Eriksson is a past master of getting teams to quarter-finals of big tournaments and the Ivorians have the players to cause an upset. Perhaps it will be an African fairy tale after all.

32 For 2010: Japan

Japan’s recent friendly defeat to England in Graz was in many ways symptomatic of their current standing in world football. They have many good quality players and as a team they can score when they really want to but defeat can never be completely ruled out. The Japanese football fans know this and as a result do not expect to have much to cheer about at this summer’s World Cup Finals.

Coach Takeshi Okada has recently come to be the living embodiment of an increasingly impatient public. Aside from the fact that he oversaw their 1998 World Cup campaign in which Japan lost all three of its games, Okada was drafted in as an ad hoc replacement for the popular Bosnian Ivica Osim when the latter suffered a stroke in 2007. By comparison, the press have found Okada less likable, the fans have seen his management of the team as being not as successful and the upshot of all this disdain is that Okada has decided to leave his post once the 2010 World Cup is out of the way... unless persuaded to do so beforehand.

The fact that Japan have secured a fourth straight qualification is most admirable, but at no point did they greatly instil a sense of confidence in their supporters. Their campaign to reach South Africa hit turbulence in only their second match when they lost to Bahrain back in 2008, but recovered from that to eventually top their Third Round group. In the next round, they grabbed the second qualifying spot behind Australia but worryingly finished a full five points behind them.

Japan’s main handicap lies in their irregularity in playing the world’s better teams. One of Asia’s footballing superpowers for well over ten years now, they rarely get to play anyone of the standard of Fabio Capello’s men, although in fairness it rarely showed last Sunday. Spectators will have noted that were it not for two own goals in the second half last Sunday, they’d have won the game to little complaint from anyone.

Key amongst their roster of mainly home-based players are Keisuke Honda, very much the Hidetoshi Nakata of his generation and a recent signing for CSKA Moscow, Keiji Tamada, another forward whose strengths lie in his passing and running game, and Yasuhito Endo, the midfielder who was voted Asian Player of the Year in 2009.

Elsewhere in the squad you’ll find the former Celtic dead-ball specialist Shunsuke Nakamura, Wolfsburg’s versatile right-sided midfielder Makoto Hasebe and Shinji Okazaki, a striker who gained some notoriety as the world’s top international goalscorer last year by hitting the net 15 times for his country.

Such players are well drilled in playing Japan’s pacey brand of possession football and on a technical level are a match for anyone on their day. Typically playing in a 4-4-2 formation, they’ll be looking to patiently prize open the defences of Cameroon, the Netherlands and Denmark when the action gets underway in South Africa, but even with the skills and patience they possess, progression to the latter stages looks unlikely on paper. Should they finish as runners-up in Group E (as seems the most optimistic outcome for them), they’ll almost certainly face Italy in the second round.

All in all, the Japanese find themselves under a cloud of feint despair going into this summer’s competition. With a coach no-one seems to like and a draw that barely encourages optimism, Japan can be excused if they appear to be going through the motions this time around, but each qualification brings with it experience and knowledge. With that in mind, along with a more inspiring coach and a little bit of luck, perhaps 2014 will be their year.

32 For 2010: Algeria

The Algerian national team are suffering from something of an identity crisis these days. On the one hand you have the battling, resolute team that overcame bitter rivals Egypt in a fiery play-off to reach this year’s World Cup Finals, and on the other you have the weak, disorientated team that were thrashed 4-0 by Egypt in the Nations Cup semi finals this year, just days after losing 3-0 to Malawi in the previous round.

Yet Algeria are battlers at heart and they’ll be fighting tooth and nail to go as far as possible in their first World Cup for 24 years. One familiar face from that previous finals appearance in 1986 is head coach Rabah Saadane. The 61-year-old was in charge of the team back then during a disappointing campaign and was a deputy to Mahieddine Khalef in the 1982 World Cup.

SInce those heady days of the 1980’s, Algeria have struggled not only to retain their place among the world’s elite but also on their own continent. Since winning their only African Cup of Nations to date in 1990 (on home soil), Algeria have failed to make any great impact on the African championships and subsequently slid further and further down the world’s pecking order. Currently up to 31st in the FIFA World Rankings on the back of their World Cup qualification, they were as low as 103rd just two years ago.

Algeria’s recent rise to prominence has come about through an improved squad that has a strong Europe-based contingent. Several names will be familiar to British football fans in particular, including Portsmouth’s Nadir Belhadj and Hassan Yebda along with the Rangers defender Madjid Bougherra. Among those plying their trade on the continent, the Wolfsburg defender Karim Ziani and Rafik Saifi of Istres are two to watch out for.

Bougherra has been one of many injury concerns for Saadane, although the French-born centre back claims to be fit again after several months out of the game with a calf strain. Despite assuring the press that he’ll be ready for the World Cup when it arrives, he didn’t figure in Algeria’s 3-0 friendly defeat to the Republic of Ireland this week and will be sorely missed in the finals if he remains absent from the team.

All in all, the Desert Foxes will go into battle next month somewhat unsure of their capabilities against rather tricky opposition. Undoubtedly the game upon which their prospects will rise or fall will be their first against Slovenia in Polokwane, a match they know will give them their best chance of picking up three points. A good start there will give them the momentum they’ll need to stand up to Fabio Capello’s England side prior to their last game in Group C against the USA where a draw will be deemed a reasonable outcome.

Anything on a par with Algeria’s 1982 campaign where they beat West Germany 2-1 and Chile 3-2 will be deemed an amazing success, but in realistic terms it seems unlikely this time. Then again, if anyone knows how to make it happen again it’s Rabah Saadane and in this, his fifth spell in charge of the team, he’ll undoubtedly be as determined as ever.

32 For 2010: Greece

OK, so a 2-2 draw against North Korea is far from ideal preparation for a World Cup tournament but then Greece have made a virtue of taking people by surprise. You do, however, suspect that even the most passionate Greeks will be surprised if the 2004 European champions make it to the second round of the World Cup in South Africa.

Their style of play is well known and, while still very difficult to play against, is not impossible as their failure to emulate their magnificent European Championship success in Portugal demonstrates. In 2004, the uber-organised defence throttled their opponent's attack while hitting them ruthlessly on the counter. These days, the team's tactics are largely unchanged but critics have argued that they're too predictable and the current squad have not been able to emulate their predecessors.

Most of the 2004 squad have, unsurprisingly, moved on. Among them former Bolton player Stelios Giannakopoulos, legendary goalkeeper Antonis Nikopolidis plus the centre halves Traianos Dellas and Michalis Kapsis. However Angelos Charisteas (who scored the only goal in the Euro 2004 Final) continues. As does Giourkas Seitaridis, now a veteren with 68 caps.

Other players English fans will be aware of are Liverpool centre half Sotirios Kyrgiakos and Georgios Samaras, once of Manchester City and latterly of Celtic. The rest of the squad seem to be made up mostly of domestic-based players. Whether this will prove to be a strength or weakness remains to be seen.

Greece's top scorer in qualifying was Theofanis Gekas, a player well-known to those who read the Bundesbag as a player who mostly seems to perform well for bad Bundesliga teams. He was the league top scorer in 2007 for Bochum. Recently, he has been seen scratching his head at Berlin's Olympiastadion as he watched Hertha implode. He has just signed for the Frankfurt club where the Bundesbag predicts he'll score loads of goals.

Qualification itself was arduous. After finishing runners-up to Switzerland they had to overcome a tough but dour Ukraine side. Drawn into Group B for the tournament, they face tough challenges against Nigeria, South Korea and Argentina. I personally cannot wait to see what Diego Maradona makes of Greece's defensive tactics and sniff a potential upset. That said, the prospects of a place in the Second Round don't look too favourable.

One crumb of comfort for Greece coach Otto Rehhagel (who masterminded the team's 2004 triumph) is how Inter demonstrated that non-possession football can still win big matches in the Champions League Final last Saturday. Whether Rehhagel's players will have the ability to control the opposition the way Mourinho's men did against Bayern is unlikely. However, the Greeks are passionate about their football and to see them progress would be welcome if not too easy on the eye.

32 for 2010: Ghana

Despite a rich history in African football, including a long period of dominance in the Cup of Nations, this is only Ghana's second World Cup Finals having also qualified for Germany four years ago.

Ghana's qualification campaign almost foundered at the first hurdle when they scraped through their first group stage on goal difference. This proved a wake up call for the Black Stars and they breezed through the final stage of qualification - only conceding any goals after their finals place was secure. This strong, defensive quality helped them reach the final of this year's African Cup of Nations, though they hardly enlivened a tragic and over-shadowed tournament with three consecutive 1-0 wins before being beaten by holders Egypt.

Interesting parallels can be drawn between their opponents this World Cup and with last time: the experienced campaigners - Germany (it was Italy last time); a strong Eastern Europe team - Serbia (Czech Republic); and an emerging New World side - Australia (USA). Ghana finished second in their group last time but will be hard pushed to repeat that - and if they do they'll most likely face England in the second round. The match against Serbia, probably their most vital for progression, has added interest as it's where their coach Milovan Rajevac is from.

Essentially, Ghana need goals if they are to have any hope of surviving this tough group. Their midfield has been seriously depleted with lengthy injuries to (among others) Michael Essien and Stephen Appiah - seeing them miss most of the season for their clubs. Essein has not played for Chelsea since he was injured playing in the Cup of Nations in January while Appiah has played only two end-of-season games for Bologna since signing for them in November. Both are in the squad, but just what sort of impact these players can have is anyone's guess. Sulley Muntari, while a regular for Inter this season, has only managed to play 90 minutes three times out of 27 appearances, scoring just once.

This leaves the goal-scoring duties falling on the shoulders of Stade Rennes' Asamoah Gyan and NAC Breda's Matthew Amoah, neither of whom have particularly shone domestically. Ravejac has given repeated call up offers to Inter's precocious striker Mario Balotelli who has Ghanain parents. Balotelli, who earlier this season was described by his boss Jose Mourinho as "brainless", has refused each advance in favour of waiting to see if he can make it into the Italian senior squad (he already plays for the under-21s).

We won't see the best of Ghana at this World Cup, but that doesn't mean they'll go down without a fight.

32 For 2010: North Korea

Football just ain’t fair sometimes. When you’ve waited 44 years to qualify for only your second World Cup like North Korea have, the last thing you’d want is to be drawn in the same group as Brazil, Portugal and the Ivory Coast.

That, however, is as good a reason why the East Asians are 1,000-1 to win the 2010 World Cup. Football observers with a glass-half-full temperament are quick to point out that these odds might be a little unfair given North Korea’s heroics during the 1966 World Cup. Back then, not even Chile or Italy could topple them in the first round and were 3-0 up in their quarter final before Eusebio almost single-handedly sent them packing.

The 2010 competition could be one of limited joy for Kim Jong-hun and his team, yet you feel they deserve to acheive something of tokenistic value in South Africa next month. Their qualification campaign has been a lengthy one, starting as it did with a two-leg tie against Mongolia in October 2007, and saw them playing their neighbours south of the border four times over two rounds. The fact that they got through from first round to last with more than enough points in the bank and only one defeat to South Korea shows what a battling outfit they are these days.

Their success in qualifying has been based squarely on their staunchly defensive tactics. Several teams including Jordan, Turkmenistan, Saudi Arabia, Iran and South Korea all failed to score against the North Koreans, but one can’t help but feel the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Fabiano and Didier Drogba will have altogether better luck when the Communist state arrives for its first match in Johannesburg on June 15th.

Of the players in their squad, few play outside the country’s borders although one that does, Jong Tae-se of Kawasaki Frontale, has carved out a reputation as one of the best strikers in the J-League – ‘the Asian Wayne Rooney’, as he’s already been labelled. Another striker, Hong Yong-jo, is proving similarly successful with FK Rostov in Russia, and between them they’ll need to be at their most prolific if they’re to get North Korea to the knockout stages of the 2010 World Cup. If they’re not, the role of goalkeeper Ri Myong-guk and sweeper Ri Jun-il will take on even more significance.

One matter may prove decisive above player selection, however, and that’s the man selecting the players. Coach Kim Jong-hun has done a great job in getting South Korea’s oft-forgotten rivals back into the world football spotlight again, but many are wondering if he’ll soon be shown the door in favour of a foreigner with more experience. Such an act would surely be futile as anyone looking to reprogram DPRK’s fiercely defensive unit at this late stage would have a tough job on their hands. There again, Bora Milutinovic is currently out of contract so anything’s possible.

It’s almost clichéd to suggest North Korea will be looking to reach the second round this summer, but to be brutally honest a draw against Portugal or Ivory Coast in Group G will go down as something realistically worthwhile of note. As for Jong-hun’s preposterous claim that they’re aiming to reach the last eight, we’ll politely draw a veil over that.

The irony of all this is that most of North Korea’s 23 million population probably won’t see its team’s travails next month. SBS, the South Korean TV broadcaster, was planning to allow North Korea access to its pictures throughout the competition but the torpedoing of a South Korean warship by North Korea in March (leading to the death of 46 sailors) has prompted SBS to pull the plug.

A pity, that, for this will be a rare chance to see the chollima on the biggest stage in world football and no-one can say for certain when the next one will come along. The search for another Pak Doo Ik continues.

32 For 2010: Slovenia

This is the third major international tournament Slovenia have qualified for - each time by manner of a play-off. They overcame Ukraine to win a place at Euro 2000 and beat Romania to qualify for the 2002 World Cup.

The key to Slovenia's qualification campaign was their excellent home form (they conceded just one goal in six games) and an away victory against the eventual group winners Slovakia, denying the Czech Republic, Poland and Northern Ireland a place in South Africa. They had a tough draw in the play-off against Russia - who had a very strong group stage. Despite falling two goals down in the first leg, a late strike from Sparta Praha's Nejc Pečnik gave them an away goal - an all important away goal as they went on to win 1-0 in the return fixture in Maribor, Bochum's Zlatko Dedič getting the goal.

Slovenia's main threat up front is FC Köln's 6'4" striker Milivoje Novakovič. However he's found goals hard to come by recently following a much publicised falling out with his club manager Zvonimir Soldo - scoring just six this season. Their only UK based player is team captain Robert Koren, a mainstay of the West Brom midfield for the past three seasons. It's likely that the squad will be entirely made up of non-domestic players.

Slovenia have been drawn with England, USA and Algeria - of these sides the only team they've played before is England - right at the start of this season. Belgian-based striker Zlatan Ljubijankič picking up a late goal in their 2-1 friendly defeat at Wembley. They may feel they have an advantage in playing England last in the group - hoping that England will have already done enough to qualify for the next stage by that time. Their key match is their opener against Algeria where anything less than a win will give them a huge mountain to climb; realistically though, the most they can hope to achieve is an improvement on their 2002 showing where they lost all three games.

32 For 2010: Australia

The Socceroos have moved. Not literally of course but on an administrative level. Previously, Football Federation Australia were members of the Oceania confederation which only has half a qualification spot for the World Cup Finals. This manifests itself as a play-off against a low-ranked team in another confederation (Asia this time, but in the past it has been South America). This route to the tournament has proved problematic for Australia (most notably under Terry Venables for France 98) and was one of the reasons why they lobbied to be included into the Asian Confederation which has more competitive nations and more qualification spots.

With the domestic league still in its infancy, many Australians play overseas in Europe. A number of them are household names. Despite not being the number one sport in the country, there are a large number of experienced international footballers with a growing supporter base who have become galvanised by the team's exploits in 2006 which took them to the Second Round only to be controversially knocked out by the wily Italians.

Top players ahead of the trip to South Africa are Fulham goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer, Tim Cahill of Everton and of course Harry Kewell, now at Galatasaray. However, some doubts remain as to the fitness of the former Leeds United player which would be a significant blow for the team's aspirations. Backing up the headliners are a rump of professionals from European leagues such as David Carney (FC Twente), Mark Bresciano (Palermo), Brett Emerson and Vince Grella from Blackburn Rovers and Luke Wilkshire of Dynamo Moscow. Jason Culina, played for PSV Eindhoven until he made a big money move to A-League side Gold Coast United last season. If he features in South Africa, he may be one of the few home based players to feature. Mark Viduka has effectively retired.

Conscious that the top players in the squad are getting on a bit, a squad of predominantly younger A-League players were selected for the Asian Cup qualifying campaign in the hope that this will yield some senior Socceroos for qualification to Brazil in 2014.

The coach Pim Verbeek was assistant to Guus Hiddink in 2006. The Dutchman is not the most popular figure and has been criticised for using negative tactics (a criticism he refutes). He will be stepping down after the World Cup.

Before that, the Aussies must overcome a tough group if they are to fulfill their dream of meeting England in the Second Round. Australia have been drawn with Germany, Ghana and Serbia. To be frank, progression is going to be a tall order. However, that famous (or infamous, depending on your point of view) competitive streak and sporting appetite may see them through.

32 For 2010: Paraguay

Participants in the first tournament they may be but up until recent years, Paraguay's contribution to World Cup history has been fairly inauspicious. Between 1930 and 1998, the land-locked country located in the shadow of Argentina and Brazil as their neighbours, only qualified for the final stages three times.

Since 1998 however, Paraguay have become a regular fixture in the World Cup draw. Thus far they have never progressed beyond the second round and last time, in Germany, could not manage even that. Paraguay finished third behind Sweden and England and had an uninspiring tournament in an uninspiring group (the game against England was a snore-fest).

This year there may be more grounds for optimism on the back of an exciting qualification campaign. The White and Red registered impressive victories against Brazil and Argentina plus a 5-1 thumping of Ecuador. They finished third in the CONMEBOL qualification table, only one point behind the group winners, Brazil.

In terms of the players, English football fans will know all about Roque Santa Cruz' exploits on Manchester City's bench and treatment table. The former Blackburn and Bayern Munich striker has scored 20 goals for his country. National team coach, Gerardo Martino, also has to choose from Benfica striker Oscar Cardozo and Borussia Dortmund's Nelson Valdez.

In an interesting twist, Valdez may be joined by his strike partner at Dortmund, Lucas Barrios. Now, anyone who has been following Barrios' exploits this season on the Bundesbag will know that he is an Argentine. However, Barrios' mother is Paraguayan and he has just had his citizenship confirmed. Without further ado Barrios was selected by coach Martino (himself, an Argentine) for the latest national team training camp and looks set to be named in the squad.

This will not be an uncontroversial selection as non-Paraguayan Paraguayans are not usually made welcome in the national team. However, If Barrios can replicate his Bundesliga form (19 goals in his first season) in the World Cup, then he may be crucial to their hopes of progressing to the Second Round.

If that is to be achieved, Paraguay must overcome the world champions Italy, dark horses Slovakia and happy-to-be-there New Zealand in Group F. Not impossible but not easy. Their best chance may come in the first game against the notoriously slow starting Italians on 14th June. A good result there would set up their campaign nicely.

32 for 2010: Honduras

Wigan fans will know well the talents of the players of this small Central American nation - with first team regulars Maynor Figueroa and Hendry Thomas and former player Wilson Palacios all coming from there.

This is Honduras' second World Cup Finals, having qualified for the 1982 finals. Despite finishing bottom of their group in that tournament, they had a good campaign: holding the eventual group winners Northern Ireland and the Spanish hosts to draws, and only being narrowly defeated by Yugoslavia.

This time around their task will be made harder if they have to do without their most potent striker David Suazo through injury. Currently playing for Genoa on loan from Inter his career has stuttered since he shared the Serie A Foreign Player of the Year award with Kaka in 2006.

Most recently Honduras made it to the semi-finals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup - being defeated by the hosts and eventual runners-up, USA. Their performance in tournament was made more impressive when it's remembered that they didn't have their key Europe-based players available (despite being held in July).

Their coach, Reinaldo Rueda, has been in charge since 2006 - he was previously head coach of his native Colombia.

Drawn with Spain again, it's hard to see them progressing beyond the group stage against an improving Swiss side and Chile who impressed in qualifying, but they should at least make one of the more overlooked groups a little more interesting.

32 For 2010: Uruguay

"Other countries have their history, it is said, while Uruguay has its football."
Tim Vickery

It is almost impossible not to become misty eyed with romanticism when it comes to Uruguay. After winning gold in the 1924 and 1928 Olympics, Uruguay were rewarded by becoming hosts of the first ever World Cup in 1930. The de facto world champions claimed the official crown beneath the tower of the magnificent Estadio Centenario by beating Argentina 4-2.

Fast forward to October 2009 in the same stadium and the Uruguayans are struggling to fall over the line in a qualifying campaign that saw them finish fifth in the qualification group and have to face Costa Rica over two legs. Having won 1-0 in San Jose, the scene was set for a nervous second leg in Montevideo. And so it proved to be. Eventually, Sebastián Abreu scored for the home side causing pandemonium in the crowd. Minutes later however, Costa Rica equalised and the tension was restored to the Centenario.

But an upset was never really likely thanks to Uruguay's away goal and the first team to win the World Cup became the last team to qualify for the 2010 tournament in South Africa. That they took such a convoluted path is a reflection of the relative decline of Uruguayan football since those heady days before and after the war where they set the standard for the game and in shattering Brazilian hopes in 1950 (where they caused one of the great upsets in world football by beating the host to the Cup in the final match) they helped redefine the Brazilian game.

Uruguay failed to qualify for the World Cup in Germany 2006. They didn't make it past Round 1 in 2002 and were absent in France '98 and USA '94. As the continent's traditional lesser lights such as Venezuela, Bolivia and Chile improve, the Uruguayans will only find the road to future World Cups an even harder one to travel, particularly when you take into account the country's modest population.

Nevertheless, Uruguay are travelling to South Africa and were drawn in Group A with hosts South Africa, plus Mexico and France. The presence of the hosts as seeds hands a significant advantage to the rest of the group. Mexico will be familiar opponents as they regularly participate in the Copa America with Mexican clubs playing in the Copa Libatadores. France will almost certainly be favorites but remain something of an enigma under their eccentric coach Raymond Domenech.

The head coach of the Uruguayan national team is Oscar Tabarez (or El Maestro, as he is known). He previously coached the team in Italia '90. As for the players, Diego Forlan requires little introduction. The Atletico Madrid player won the Pichichi Trophy at his former club Villareal and is one of the hottest talents in La Liga. He is also Uruguay's 8th most capped player and the joint sixth all-time top scorer with twenty three goals, eight less that the great Hector Scarone.

However, this does not make Forlan the top scorer in the current squad. That honour goes to the aforementioned Sebastián Abreu of Botafogo in Brazil. He is only three goals behind Scarone's record and may conceivably break that record by the end of Uruguay's involvement in South Africa 2010. Having said that, Tobarez has preferred Ajax forward Luis Suarez in recent games. The 23 year old has scored 27 goals this season and will form a potent threat alongside Forlan this summer.

That, coupled with a favourable draw makes Uruguay a genuine barrier to Mexico and France in Group A and could themselves slip into the Second Round. For the future there are potentially exciting times. The proposal that Uruguay bid to co-host the 2030 Centenary World Cup with Argentina is already gathering momentum. The prospect of the World Cup Final taking place once again at the Estadio Centenario is too exciting for a world football fan. The prospect would re-energise the nation and hopefully provide much needed focus and vigour for one of the greatest, yet smallest footballing nations.

32 for 2010: USA

We're now a quarter of the way through our 32 for 2010 series looking at the teams that have qualified for the World Cup in South Africa this summer. To mark the occasion, we've set our resident Football Americana writer and brains behind TwoFootedTackle Chris Nee the job of giving you his own personal profile of the USA team...

England supporters will be keeping an eager eye on the USA as World Cup 2010 approaches. Bob Bradley's side were something of an unknown outfit before last summer's FIFA Confederations Cup, where impressive performances against Spain and Brazil repaired the damage of a poor start and brought the Americans crashing back into the English footballing psyche. And wouldn't you just know it, England and the US were drawn together in Group C along with Algeria and Slovenia.

As soon as the draw was complete the social media garden fence between friendly neighbours became a banter battleground. The most famous match in this most dormant of rivalries took place in Brazil in June 1950 and Haiti-born US international Joe Gaetjens scored the only goal to help the underdogs to a shock victory which was wheeled out with alarming regularity on the 2010 draw's conclusion.

It was a memorable moment for the Americans, but it wasn't their only World Cup high point. The 1994 host team has played in every tournament since 1990, reaching the quarter final in Japan and South Korea in 2002 thanks to the defeat of arch-rivals Mexico in the second round in their first ever World Cup finals meeting. Germany proved too difficult a foe in the last eight, and 2006 was a disappointment which resonated throughout US soccer.

But forget DaMarcus Beasley's toilet break, Alexi Lalas' magnificent beard and John Harkes' John Terry impression. Forget Leonardo's elbow in 1994 and the slugfest against Italy in 2006. Things are a little different now, and spirits are high.

In qualifying, Bradley's boys topped the CONCACAF hexagonal tournament ahead of Mexico in second and Honduras in third. They lost just twice in qualifying, both in genuinely difficult away matches in Costa Rica and Mexico. Two draws - away to El Salvador on matchday two and at home to Costs Rica in the final game - punctuated six wins including two crucial victories on the road in the last three games. In August, defeat in Mexico put the USA in a tough position. But a run of three wins against El Salvador (home), Trinidad & Tobago (away) and Honduras (away) secured Bradley's job and his team's berth at the top of the Hex.

In the same week as the USA confirmed its qualification for the World Cup, tragedy struck the US soccer community. Sochaux striker Charlie Davies was badly injured in a fatal car accident in the DC suburbs. Davies miraculously escaped the wreckage with a ruptured bladder, breaks to his left tibia and femur, a fractured elbow and several facial fractures. His recovery has been amazing, and he returned to Sochaux in February well on the road to fitness, despite a scar from ear to ear from surgery which is best left undescribed.

It was just one of a litany of injuries which has beset the US squad since qualification was secured. Defender Oguchi Onyewu of AC Milan and Fulham's Clint Dempsey are both in a race against time to make the plane to South Africa, while Jay Demerit's freak eye injury put him out for much longer than expected. Fortunately, the situation seems to be shaping up nicely for Bradley and, with Davies on track for a return, the fixture against England on day two of the World Cup could make for an emotional 90 minutes.

The returning trio will bolster a team of deceptive strength, and one which has found its style in the last 12 months. Bradley's side is solid and obstinate, fast enough and clever enough to counter-attack with ruthless efficiency. Goalkeeper Tim Howard is a reliable stopper and recent on-loan Everton colleague Landon Donovan's lightning pace and superb technique is vital to the USA's attacking play. Michael Bradley, the coach's son, and Ricardo Clark are two tough, tenacious central midfielders plying their trade in the Bundesliga. Both press the ball well and the partnership could be key to a good campaign in South Africa.

With the central midfielders protecting a defence which won't have played together properly for a year, much of the creative work will fall to Donovan and Dempsey. Ahead of them, Davies will be partnered by Jozy Altidore, who finally seems to be finding his feet in Europe. Altidore's got bags of technical ability and the Premier League is quickly teaching him how to use his considerable strength, not that he was struggling with that last summer.

Whether or not 2010 turns out to be a vintage US performance in years to come, make no mistake: the Americans are here to stay.

32 For 2010: New Zealand

New Zealand arrive at the 2010 World Cup knowing they’ve already achieved their main objective – to end the long wait for a second appearance at the Finals. If anything, the All Whites can look forward to playing their three group games in South Africa safe in the knowledge that the hard work has already been done.

It’s been 28 long years since New Zealand last qualified for the World Cup. Spain ’82 was the first, and so far only time the Pacific island nation of four million people was represented on the world stage. Now, the seemingly endless wait for another bite at the cherry is over and the team can now get on with the thankless task of being taught a lesson in playing football at the highest level when the action starts in earnest this June.

No-one is expecting much from New Zealand – instead this is a rare chance to pick up some badly needed experience for players and coaching staff alike ahead of further World Cup campaigns to come.

Ironically, many of the men who’ll be wearing the renowned white shirts out on the field in South Africa were born within a year or two of that 1982 appearance in Spain. Many play in the A-League but similarly there are plenty with current or previous experience in Britain and the US. Among the most notable, Chris Killen is a striker who has played all his club football in Britain, most recently at Oldham, Hibernian, Celtic and currently Middlesbrough. Aged 28, he averages around a goal every three games and will be one of the main hopes for supplying goals as far as All Whites fans are concerned.

In defence, a recognisable name will be captain Ryan Nelsen, the experienced Blackburn Rovers centre back who played for DC United before Mark Hughes signed him in 2005. Not only a calming influence in defence, he can also score goals himself from time to time and is as much of a threat as anybody in the side from set-pieces.

During the qualifiers for 2010, Shane Smeltz was the top scorer with eight goals. Born in Germany, Smeltz has had spells with AFC Wimbledon, Mansfield Town and Halifax Town but is currently with Gold Coast United in the A-League. Playing for his country, he averages a goal every two games and, with Killen, could form a dangerous strike partnership.

Those qualifiers of which we speak held little in the way of a serious threat for New Zealand until that infamous Asia/Oceania play-off against Bahrain last November. Receiving a bye in the first round, the second saw them playing home and away against New Caledonia, Fiji and Vanuatu in a round robin group which they ultimately won at a canter.

Notorious for its shallow lack of competing nations of a decent standard, the Oceania qualifying competition is now dominated by New Zealand since Australia’s decision to join the AFC in 2006. In previous World Cup qualifying campaigns, it was almost always Australia that blocked their path to success, as indeed did Israel on occasions thanks to their improbable membership in the OFC and AFC in the 1970’s and 80’s.

New Zealand are no strangers to inter-continental play-offs. When they qualified for the Finals in 1982, their reward for topping a first round group containing Australia was a two-legged tie against China which they won 2-1 in Singapore. Playing in all fifteen of New Zealand’s qualifiers back then was a Mt Wellington defender by the name of Ricki Herbert. Fast forward to their play-off against Bahrain in 2009 and Herbert was still a part of the team – this time as Head Coach where he splits his time with A-League side Wellington Phoenix for whom he’s also Head Coach.

And what an achievement it is that his New Zealand side have finally reached the World Cup again. The second leg of the play-off against Bahrain will go down as one of the most exciting in All Whites history as they not only had to score a potential winning goal but also prevent their Arab opponents from scoring a crucial away goal of their own.

In front of a crowd of more than 35,000 in the Westpac Stadium, Wellington, they took the lead from a headed goal by Plymouth Argyle’s Rory Fallon at the end of the first half. Five minutes into the second half, they conceded a penalty when Tony Lochhead was judged to have fouled Bahrain’s Abdulla Ismaeel Omar but the penalty was duly saved by Mark Paston (playing at his home ground) and the battle was on to defend their fragile 1-0 lead. That they did under severe pressure to the very end was just reward for a team who have long fought for a place at the Finals in the face of worldwide scepticism.

And so the All Whites prepare to do battle against Slovakia, Italy and Paraguay this June with a whole new generation of players that will no doubt write their own names into the history books. Whether they, too, will be the last group to reach the Finals for some time remains to be seen.

Even Ricki Herbert acknowledges that New Zealand’s future ought to lie in the Asian Football Confederation in order to strengthen his association’s development. If they do leave behind their neighbours in Oceania, it’s likely they’ll endure the sort of absence from the world stage they suffered after the 1982 World Cup. When they do come back, however, they’ll surely be all the stronger for it, but that’s all in the future.

For now, New Zealand can look forward to proudly taking their place in South Africa less than 100 days from now. All the hard work’s been done... at least for now.