Thirty-two teams will contest next month's World Cup but only a handful of them have realistic chances of winning. Michael Brown looks at the contenders.
Argentina
(World ranking: 7)
* Why they will win
Argentina have some of the world's most gifted players, including Carlos Tevez, Javier Mascherano and the incomparable Lionel Messi. There is a healthy smattering of players who made the last eight in 2006 and others who have won world youth titles recently. The draw has been kind to the blue-and-whites and they should have a reasonably straight-forward journey into the quarter-finals.
* Why they won't win
Diego Armando Maradona. As brilliant as Maradona was as a player, he is erratic as a coach. Argentina made hard work of qualifying (eight wins, four draws and six defeats) including a humiliating 6-1 defeat to Bolivia. Maradona used more than 100 players in qualifying and seems incapable of getting the best out of Messi.
He is also a distraction, last week promising to run naked through the streets of Buenos Aires if his side won the World Cup. He can't shave after being bitten by his dog and recently ran over ran over a photographer who had the temerity to get in his way. You can't make this stuff up.
Brazil
(World ranking: 1)
* Why they will win
Because they are Brazil. A Seleção have triumphed five times (the most of any nation), are the only country to appear in all 18 World Cups and go into the tournament as the world's No 1 ranked side. They qualified easily with three matches to spare, have lost only once in their last 24 matches and have players cool enough to go by only one name - Kaka, Lucio, Maicon et al (and they're not too bad, either).
* Why they won't win
Brazil are in the most difficult group alongside Portugal, the Ivory Coast and North Korea. Assuming they got through (it has been 44 years since they failed to progress), they could come up against Spain in the second round, which would be a tragedy for fans who enjoy attacking football. The favourite's tag is also a heavy burden to carry around.
England
(World ranking: 8)
* Why they will win
Although the Three Lions haven't lived up to their golden generation tag (they even missed out on qualifying for Euro 2008), there's little doubt they have a talented squad. They breezed through qualification dropping only one game when they had already qualified and scored a European zone high of 34 goals.
In Fabio Capello, they also have a coach who seems to be able to get the best out of his players and they should waltz past Slovenia, Algeria and the US into the second round.
* Why they won't win
Because it's written in the stars. England are destined to experience heartbreak. Every four years, the side get talked up (largely by the British media) only to stumble. They are also hugely reliant on Wayne Rooney staying fit - and he hasn't done that much lately - and have an ageing side that are big on reputation but small on delivery.
You can't say that about the red top newspapers, which will surely find some scandal to put the squad off their stride.
Germany
(World ranking: 6)
* Why they will win
Much like their train system, Germany are clinically efficient. They were runners-up in 2002, third on home soil in 2006 and second at Euro 2008. In fact, since winning the first of their three World Cups in 1954, they have never finished outside the top eight and have four times placed second.
They came through qualification undefeated and have plenty of experience in the likes of Miroslav Klose, Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Lukas Podolski.
* Why they won't win
Injuries have hit the team hard, with Bayer Leverkusen's Simon Rolfes and Stuttgart's Christian Trasch invalided out of the tournament. But the biggest blow was losing skipper Michael Ballack, who picked up an ankle injury towards the end of the Premiership season.
He might not be as good as many think he is, particularly with Chelsea, but he is still an important cog in the German machine and there are few candidates to take his place in central midfield. Klose and Podolski are also in a dreadful dry patch, having scored just five goals between them in the Bundesliga this season.
Italy
(World ranking: 5)
* Why they will win
Just when you write Italy off, they surprise you. They weren't supposed to make much of an impression four years ago, but took home some extra baggage from Germany in the form of the World Cup trophy.
Like Germany, Italy know how to win and they build momentum through the tournament.
Nine players from the triumphant 2006 side return, including goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, captain Fabio Cannavaro and brilliant midfield duo Gennaro Gattuso and Andrea Pirlo, and coach Marcello Lippi seems to have the master touch.
* Why they won't win
No team have been able to retain the World Cup since Brazil did it in 1962 and there is little confidence within Italy that the Azzurri can do it this time around.
They were poor at last year's Confederations Cup when they were beaten by Egypt (1-0) and Brazil (3-0) and accusations that the team are too old has been a common refrain.
Lippi has also been criticised for dabbling too much with different formations and selecting the wrong players, especially with a number of them coming off indifferent seasons. Italy should breeze through their group but the heat will go on from the second round.
Netherlands
(World ranking: 4)
* Why they will win
Few teams qualified for South Africa as easily as did the Netherlands. The Oranje won all eight games, conceding only two goals in the process - the last team to reach the World Cup without dropping a single point in qualifying were West Germany in 1982, and they went on to contest the final.
The Netherlands also have some brilliant, attacking players, like Arjen Robben, Rafael van der Vaart, Robin van Persie and Wesley Sneijder, who will trouble opposition defences. The draw has been relatively kind, and they should progress to the quarter-finals with little difficulty.
* Why they won't win
The weight of history and expectations don't always sit well with the Netherlands. While they might have a good team on paper, the defence is a bit suspect and they are also seen as mentally fragile. They are commited to playing good, attractive football, in the way the great Johan Cruyff demanded in the 1970s, but it's not always winning football.
Portugal
(World ranking: 3)
* Why they will win
Cristiano Ronaldo. There's little the world's most expensive player can't do with a football. He can step over it (ad nauseam), bend it, juggle it and make the ball dance - and all without a hair falling out of place. They're not just a one-man wonder, with quality players like Bruno, Ricardo Carvalho, Simao and Deco.
At three, they also go into the tournament ranked the highest in their history and know what to do at major tournaments having made the last four in 2006 and finishing second at Euro 2004.
* Why they won't win
Portugal laboured through qualifying, needing to beat Bosnia-Herzegovina in a playoff to secure their ticket to South Africa. Ronaldo has not always lived up to expectations in a Portuguese shirt, and he failed to find the net in the seven qualifying games he played.
They have continued their unflattering run, last week drawing 0-0 with Cape Verde Islands despite fielding a first-choice XI. They won't be allowed to sleepwalk their way through the group stages given they were drawn alongside Brazil, Ivory Coast and North Korea.
Spain
(World ranking: 2)
* Why they will win
Every time Spain goes into a World Cup telling themselves they can win it but the difference this time is they truly believe it.
The Euro 2008 champions have a brilliant side at their disposal, perhaps the best in Spain's history, with the likes of Cesc Fabregas, Fernando Torres, Iker Casillas, Andres Iniesta and Xavi.
Add in the fact they have lost just one of their last 45 games, cruised through winning all 10 qualification games, and a lazy tenner on La Selección wouldn't be the stupidest thing to do.
* Why they won't win
Because they never have. Along with the Dutch, Spain are the great underachievers of world football. They will also head into the tournament with concerns over injuries to Fabregas (fractured leg), Torres (knee), Iniesta (leg) and Xavi (calf).
Spain had a fully fit side when they charged to success at Euro 2008 and can't afford to be without any of their stars, especially given they could face Brazil, Portugal, or Ivory Coast in the second round.
