France Switzerland South Korea Togo
* = Seeded Team
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With the lowest points total of any of Europe's eight group winners, make no mistake France stumbled into their sixth successive major tournament by the skin of their teeth. Having drawn four of their opening six fixtures, the returns from international exile of Zinedine Zidane and Claude Makelele ultimately made the difference. The former World Cup winners sparked a revival which delivered crucial points in Dublin and Berne before Cyprus were put to the sword in Paris to confirm progression.
For vast stages of qualification, it was a close run thing. France not only failed to beat both Switzerland (who they will meet again in the group phase) and Israel, Raymond Domenech's side struggled to find the back of the net despite an unparalleled treasure trove of attacking riches. The dilemmas for Domenech are multitude: who to play upfront alongside Thierry Henry (Trezeguet, Cisse, Anelka, Saha, Govou, Wiltord), how to best exploit the intricacy of Zidane, how much youth to blood before the tournament's start plus the decision on his best goalkeeper. For a side which was dumped out of its last World Cup adventure in the first round, making the last 16 in a straight-forward looking Group G is by no means guaranteed.
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France Kit 1 |
France Kit 2 |
France v Switzerland 13 June; KO 18:00; Stuttgart
France v South Korea 18 June; KO 21:00; Leipzig
France v Togo 23 June; KO 21:00; Cologne
Raymond Domenech
1930, 1934, 1954, 1966, 2002 First Round; 1938 Quarter Finals; 1982 Fourth place; 1958 & 1986 Third place, 1998 Champions
Zinedine Zidane, Thierry Henry
Should make it out of a relatively easy group along with South
Korea.
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France finished at the top of European Qualifying Group 4, just, to qualify ahead of Switzerland, Israel and the Republic of Ireland.
Reports persist of "footballing differences" between Thierry Henry
and Zinedine Zidane. Supposedly Thierry likes the ball early, whereas
Zizou prefers to take his time.
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Goalkeepers Fabien Barthez (Olympique Marseille), Gregory
Coupet (Olympique Lyon), Mickael Landreau (Nantes).
Defenders Eric Abidal (Olympique Lyon), Jean-Alain Boumsong
(Newcastle United), Pascal Chimbonda (Wigan Athletic), William Gallas
(Chelsea), Gael Givet (Monaco) Willy Sagnol (Bayern Munich), Mikael
Silvestre (Manchester United), Lilian Thuram (Juventus).
Midfielders Vikash Dhorasoo (Paris St Germain), Alou Diarra
(Racing Lens), Claude Makelele (Chelsea), Florent Malouda (Olympique
Lyon), Patrick
Vieira (Juventus), Zinedine Zidane (Real Madrid).
Forwards Djibril Cisse (Liverpool), Thierry Henry (Arsenal),
Franck Ribery (Olympique Marseille), Louis Saha (Manchester United),
David Trezeguet (Juventus), Sylvain Wiltord (Olympique Lyon).
Switzerland squeezed through qualifying to gain a place at their first World Cup finals for 12 years. Having finished second behind France in one of UEFA's closest groups, the Swiss overcame 2002 semi-finalists Turkey in an ill-tempered playoff, the repercussions of which may still come back to haunt them. They looked nervous at times during the preliminaries, none more so than when star striker Alexander Frei saved his nation's blushes with a last gasp winner against minnows Cyprus in March. In the playoffs with Turkey, Switzerland stuttered to an away goals victory despite being 3-0 up on aggregate at one point.
Frei has sported plenty of controversy during his career but is the one Swiss player who can grace the world stage. The 26-year-old Rennes striker was the leading scorer in France last season with 22 goals in 40 games for his club, sparking interest from Bundesliga side Stuttgart. Watch out too for Colombia-born striker Johan Vonlanthen. Still only 19-years-old, the promising forward is currently on loan at NAC Breda from PSV after spending last season loaned to Serie A side Brescia. AC Milan's Johann Vogel captains the side while the experienced Yakin brothers are also still influential.
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Switzerland Kit 1 |
Switzerland Kit 2 |
Switzerland v France 13 June; KO 18:00; Stuttgart
Switzerland v Togo 19 June; KO 15:00; Dortmund
Switzerland v South Korea 23 June; KO 21:00; Hannover
Kobi Kuhn
1950, 1962, 1966 First Round; 1946 Second Round; 1934, 1938 Quarterfinals.
Alexander Frei, Philippe Senderos
They could pull off a shock in this group and emulate their performance
at USA '94 by reaching the second round, but we doubt it - first
round victims.
World Cup Betting
The Swiss came through a stormy play-off with Turkey on away goals after finishing second to France in European Qualifying Group 4.
Johan Vonlanthen holds the record as the youngest ever scorer at
the European Championships just ahead of England's Wayne Rooney.
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Goalkeepers Diego Benaglio (CD Nacional, Portugal), Fabio
Coltorti (Grasshoppers Zurich), Pascal Zuberbuehler (FC Basle)
Defenders Valon Behrami (Lazio, Italy), Philipp Degen (Borussia
Dortmund, Germany), Johan Djourou (Arsenal, England), Stephane Grichting
(Auxerre, France), Ludovic Magnin (VfB Stuttgart, Germany), Patrick
Mueller (Olympique Lyon, France), Philippe Senderos (Arsenal, England),
Christoph Spycher (Eintracht Frankfurt, Germany)
Midfielders Tranquillo Barnetta (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany),
Ricardo Cabanas (Cologne, Germany), David Degen (FC Basle), Blerim
Dzemaili (FC Zurich), Daniel Gygax (Lille, France), Xavier Margairaz
(FC Zurich), Johann Vogel (AC Milan, Italy), Raphael Wicky (Hamburg
SV, Germany)
Forwards Alex Frei (Rennes, France), Mauro Lustrinelli (Sparta
Prague, Czech Republic), Marco Streller (Cologne, Germany), Johan
Vonlanthen (NAC Breda, Holland)
The 2006 World Cup is a big one for South Korea. After the glorious summer of 2002 when the team finished fourth, will the Taeguk Warriors be able to build on that success and become an established football power? Or will the events in the Korea/Japan World Cup be forever regarded as a fluke?
The fact that the country is on its third coach since that time suggests that not all is well. However, since Dick Advocaat's arrival in October after Humberto Coelho and Jo Bonfrere had failed to impress, the team is looking somewhat like its old self. Players like Park Ji-sung and Lee Young-pyo have excelled in Europe in the past year or two and young hotshot Park Chu-young may surprise a few experienced European defenders, though the Korean defence doesn't yet look as solid as four years ago. A place in the second round would be considered a success and anything beyond that and Advocaat will be approaching Hiddink-like status.
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South Korea Kit 1 |
South Korea Kit 2 |
South Korea v Togo 13 June; KO 15:00; Frankfurt
South Korea v France 18 June; KO 21:00; Leipzig
South Korea v Switzerland 23 June; KO 21:00; Hannover
1954, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998 First Round; 2002 Semifinalists
Park Ji-sung, Ahn Jung-hwan, Park Chu-young
Should make the second round but no further.
World Cup Betting
South Korea qualified with a struggle from their Asian qualifying group.
Three out of four of South Korea's last four national team coaches have all been Dutch.
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Goalkeepers Lee Woon-Jae (Suwon Bluewings), Kim Yong-Dae
(Seongnam Ilhwa), Kim Young-Kwang (Chunnam Dragons)
Defenders Lee Young-Pyo (Tottenham Hotspur, England), Kim
Dong-Jin (FC Seoul), Cho Won-Hee (Suwon Bluewings), Song Chong-Gug
(Suwon Bluewings), Choi Jin-Cheul (Chonbuk Motors), Kim Jin-Kyu
(Jubilo Iwata, Japan), Kim Young-Chul (Seongnam Ilhwa)
Midfielders Park Ji-Sung (Manchester United, England), Kim
Do-Heon (Seongnam Ilwha), Kim Sang-Shik (Seongnam Ilhwa), Kim Nam-Il
(Suwon Bluewings), Lee Eul-Yong (Trabzonspor), Lee Ho (Ulsan Tigers),
Baek Ji-Hoon (FC Seoul)
Forwards Ahn Jung-Hwan (MSV Duisburg, Germany), Cho Jae-Jin
(Shimizu S-Pulse, Japan), Park Chu-Young (FC Seoul), Seol Ki-Hyeon
(Wolverhampton Wanderers, England), Lee Chun-Soo (Ulsan Tigers),
Chung Kyung-Ho (Gwangju Sangmu)
The Togolese, led by Monaco striker Emmanuel "Sheyi" Adebayor, have been impressive and their form has not gone unnoticed by the corporate world. Their football federation has just signed a two-year sponsorship deal with German sportswear manufacturers Puma. The contract, which is worth over US$600,000, gives Puma the option to renew the relationship with Togo until 2010. Kit will be supplied to the Hawks, Togo's national team, as from 1 January 2006. Puma is also expected to provide training facilities and technical assistance for Togo's youth teams as part of the sponsorship deal.
For Togo the success of the national team could not have come at a better time. The West Africans were reeling from a bloody uprising that was sparked by disputed elections following the death of their longserving ruler Gnasibbe Ayadema. The team's fine run has given the people of this country renewed hope. "That has always been the power of football, the reason why this game is special and the reason why it is different from the rest of the sporting disciplines," said Footballers Union of Zimbabwe patron Shepherd Chiware. "If you look at the wonders being done by the Togo national team and the impact that their success have on their nation then you can understand the power of football.
"Every where on this continent, football is mending bridges and I think the Angolans are a lot happier at this point in time than they have been because of the success of their national team. "Here in Zimbabwe we see it at every home game when we have 50 000 people at the National Sports Stadium and you look at all their faces, after the Warriors' victory, and you can see hope. "People forget about the fuel problems that they have or any of the social challenges that they face when it comes to the national team. "We need a new set of representatives at the World Cup finals and it feels good to realise that countries that have never been to the World Cup will now have the chance. It will be very good for our football as a continent."
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Togo Kit 1 |
Togo Kit 2 |
Togo v South Korea 13 June; KO 15:00; Frankfurt
Togo v Switzerland 19 June; KO 15:00; Dortmund
Togo v France 23 June; KO 21:00; Cologne
Otto Pfister
First appearance at the World Cup
Emmanuel "Sheyi" Adebayor
Togo to go out at the group stage.
World Cup Betting
Topped African qualifying group 1, ahead of favorites Senegal.
Togo's coach Stephen Keshi captained Nigeria at World Cup '94 in
the USA.
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Goalkeepers Kossi Agassa (Metz, France), Nimini Tchagnirou
(Djoliba, Mali), Kodjovi Dodji Obilale (Etoile Filante)
Defenders Yaovi Dosseh Abalo (Apoel, Cyprus), Dare Nibombe
(Mons, Belgium), Ludovic Assemoassa (Clermont, France), Karim Guede
(Hamburg, Germany), Toure Assimiou (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany),
Richmond Forson (J.A. Poire, France), Massamesso Tchangai (Benevento,
Italy), Kuami Agboh (Beveren, Belgium), Eric Akoto (Admira Walker,
Austria), Afo Erassa (Clermont, France)
Midfielders Kaka Aziawonou (Youngs Boys, Switzerland), Cherif
Toure Mamam (Metz, France), Thomas Dossevi (Valencien, France),
Alexis Romao (CS Louhans Cuiseaux, France), Adekambi Olufade (Al
Siliyah, Qatar), Yao Junior Senaya (YF Juventus, Switzerland)
Forwards Emmanuel Adebayor (Arsenal, England), Robert Malm
(Brest, France), Abdel-Kader Cougbadja (Guingamp, France), Moustapha
Salifou (Brest, France)
For highlights of the qualifying rounds, read Soccerphile's Ozren Podnar's "Best
of the World Cup Qualifiers."
Group G World Cup 2010