South Africa World Cup 2010 Groups

The World Cup draw took place in Cape Town, South Africa, on December 4, 2009.

All the team details can be found below including team profiles, team shirts (including home and away shirts, shorts and socks), player ratings, FIFA rankings, coaches, predictions, betting odds, fixtures, results, and full squads.

GROUP A

South Africa
Mexico
Uruguay
France

South Africa Mexico Uruguay France

A very tough group for the hosts South Africa. However, both France and Uruguay had to come through controversial play-offs to make the finals and Mexico also struggled in qualification, changing coaches in mid-stream.

Mexico have welcomed back veteran trickster Cuauhtemoc Blanco and coach Javier Aguirre hopes "el Cuauh" can inspire his young team of speedsters.

French coach Raymond Domenech is under fire from all directions after his team qualified under a cloud in their match against Ireland. Thierry Henry's blatant hand ball inspired the headlines but a team possessing the talents of Franck Ribery, Nicolas Anelka, Yoann Gourcuff and Henry himself should never have found themselves having to rely on cheating to qualify.

For the Bafana Bafana Brazilian coach Carlos Alberto Parreira returns for a second spell at the helm and to a decidedly mixed reception from home supporters, many of whom wanted a South African to take charge.

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Team GP W D L GF GA Pts Uruguay 3 2 1 0 4 0 7 Mexico 3 1 1 1 3 2 4 South Africa 3 1 1 1 3 5 4 France 3 0 1 2 1 4 1

GROUP B

Argentina
South Korea
Nigeria
Greece

Argentina South Korea Nigeria Greece

Argentina, Nigeria and Greece all struggled in qualifying and this group looks wide open.

Argentina with the skills of Lionel Messi, Carlos Teves and the experience of Juan Sebastian Veron must be favorites to top the group but are handicapped by the inexperience and eccentricities of coach Diego Maradona.

South Korea sailed easily enough through Asian qualifying but except for the 2002 World Cup on home soil have never progressed to the knock out stages.

Euro 2004 champions Greece came through a tough play off with the Ukraine and will be appearing in only their second World Cup after USA 94, where they also faced Argentina - and were hammered.

Nigeria have recently failed to live up to their potential. Africa's most populous nation should do better but incompetence and corruption always seem to win the day. Local coach Shaibu Amodu may not be at the helm next June as the Nigerian FA may look to bring in a big-name foreigner.

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Team GP W D L GF GA Pts Argentina 3 3 0 0 7 1 9 South Korea 3 1 1 1 5 6 4 Greece 3 1 0 2 2 5 3 Nigeria 3 0 1 2 3 5 1

GROUP C

England
USA
Algeria
Slovenia

England USA Algeria Slovenia

A great draw for England and the USA. Complacency would seem to be the biggest hurdle for coach Fabio Capello and his England squad. England sailed through European qualifying group 6 with ease, with talisman Wayne Rooney scoring 9 goals.

The USA impressed at the 2009 Confederations Cup under coach Bob Bradley and have qualified for every World Cup since 1990. Well organized and resilient, this could be a break-out tournament for the USA. 2009 US player of the year Landon Donovan is the key man.

Algeria came through a bitter play off with rivals Egypt and have reached their third World Cup after appearances at the 1982 and 1986 tournaments.

Slovenia beat highly-fancied Russia in a play off to qualify and coach Matjaz Kek and his team will be hoping to record their first points at a World Cup after losing all three group games in Korea/Japan 2002.

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Team GP W D L GF GA Pts USA 3 1 2 0 4 3 5 England 3 1 2 0 2 1 5 Slovenia 3 1 1 1 3 3 4 Algeria 2 0 1 2 0 2 1

GROUP D

Germany
Australia
Ghana
Serbia

Germany Australia Ghana Serbia

This is a very tough group indeed vying with Group G as the "Group of Death."

Germany, three times world champions, will be favorites to progress with captain Michael Ballack looking to bow out of international football on a high.

Coach Pim Verbeek has improved the Socceroos' defence but has his critics Down Under complaining of a lack of flair. That said, Australia were undefeated in qualifying but harder tests lie ahead.

Ghana, who recently won the under-20 World Cup, have a seemingly endless supply of new talent, but the Black Stars' coach Milovan Rajevac will be looking to the experience of Stephen Appiah, Sulley Muntari and the inspirational Michael Essien to drive the team on.

The former Yugoslavia previously qualified eight times for the World Cup finals, the new nation of Serbia has made it for the third time*. The team is lead at the back by Manchester United stopper Nemanja Vidic, with Dejan Stankovic still going strong for Inter and the national team. The Plavi ('the Blues') are coached by Radomir Antic.

*[the first appearance in 1998 was made under the name of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia; the second in 2006 as Serbia and Montenegro]

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Team GP W D L GF GA Pts Germany 3 2 0 1 5 1 6 Ghana 3 1 1 1 2 2 4 Australia 3 1 1 1 3 5 4 Serbia 3 1 0 2 2 3 3

GROUP E

Netherlands
Japan
Cameroon
Denmark

Netherlands Japan Cameroon Denmark

The Netherlands conceded only two goals in European qualifying group 9 and have the pedigree and class to progress. A recent injury to Arsenal striker Robin van Persie is a blow, however.

Japan's coach Takeshi Okada predicts a top four finish for the Blue Samurai, we predict they will finish fourth in this very competitive group. Shunsuke Nakamura is Japan's best known player, now in Spain after a successful stint with Celtic.

Coach Paul LeGuen has transformed the fortunes of the Indomitable Lions who will make their sixth appearance at World Cup finals. Striker Samuel Eto'o is now at Inter in Serie A after his glory years with Barcelona.

Denmark's coach Morten Olsen quietly guided his team to top spot in European qualifying group 1 above the likes of the more-fancied Portugal and Sweden. Feyenoord's Jon Dahl Tomasson still leads the attack along with Arsenal's Nicklas Bendtner. Juve's workhorse Christian Poulsen prowls the midfield.

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Team GP W D L GF GA Pts Netherlands 3 3 0 0 5 1 9 Japan 3 2 0 1 4 2 6 Denmark 3 1 0 2 3 6 3 Cameroon 3 0 0 3 2 5 0

GROUP F

Italy
New Zealand
Paraguay
Slovakia

A great draw for coach Marcello Lippi and the current world champions. However, the Azzurri are aging at the back and up front giant striker Luca Toni is out of form and favor with both club and country. Should progress with ease from the group but after that, who knows?

New Zealand have qualified for only their second World Cup after an emotional play off win against Bahrain. The All Whites will battle hard but are out classed at this level.

Paraguay have reached their fourth successive finals and will be a hard nut to crack. La Albirroja parade Nelson Haedo Valdez and the oft-injured Roque Santa Cruz in attack with Cristian Riveros and Victor Caceres two dynamos in midfield.

Making their first appearance in the World Cup finals after the break up of Czechoslovakia, coach Vladimir Weiss has moulded a Slovak team around the cultured left foot of Napoli playmaker Marek Hamsik.

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GROUP G

Brazil
N. Korea
Ivory Coast
Portugal

Brazil North Korea Ivory Coast Portugal

A very tough group indeed. Is this the "Group of Death?" Certainly for North Korea making their first appearance at this level since 1966.

Brazil, joint favorites with Spain, have talent in abundance: Kaka, Robinho, Luis Fabiano, Elano. Strong at the back and in goal, Dunga has shaped a side in his own image, tough, tenacious and uncompromising but with great flair on the ball.

Little is known about North Korea and their South African adventure is a trip in to the unknown for all concerned.

Ivory Coast are rated the strongest of the African sides and are expected to do well. Lead by Chelsea's Didier Drogba, the Elephants are hoping to escape the group stage after failing to do so in 2006.

Carlos Queiroz's Portugal side had to qualify via a play off with Bosnia and despite the presence of Cristiano Ronaldo have struggled to score goals.

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GROUP H

Spain
Honduras
Chile
Switzerland

Spain Honduras Chile Switzerland

A good draw for Euro 2008 winners and co-favorites Spain. In a predominately Spanish speaking group, Spain should have too much class for their opponents. Torres, Villa, Xavi, Iniesta, Casillas, Fabregas - all are world class players.

Honduras have reached the finals for only the second time in their history. 1982 in Spain was their only previously appearance when they drew 1-1 with the hosts. They will be hoping for a similar result this time around.

Chile have the pedigree having qualified on eight previous occasions, with a best showing of third place in 1962, when they hosted the tournament.

Swiss football is on the up and this is the ninth time the Swiss have made the finals. Former Bayern coach Ottmar Hitzfeld is the man in charge.

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