GERMANY + SERBIA + AUSTRALIA + GHANA
Fixtures:
ITV Sun June 13 Germany v Australia Durban 19.30
ITV Sun June 13 Serbia v Ghana Pretoria 15.00
BBC Fri June 18 Germany v Serbia Port Elizabeth 12.30
BBC Sat June 19 Ghana v Australia Rustenburg 15.00
ITV Wed June 23 Ghana v Germany Johannesburg 19.30
ITV Wed June 23 Australia v Serbia Nelspruit 19.30
GERMANY
Coach: Joachim Loew (since 2006)
FIFA World ranking: 6
World Cup best: Winners in 1954, 1974 and 1990
Last appearance: 2006 - Semi Finals
How they qualified: Germany were as efficient as ever, finishing with an unbeaten record to top UEFA Qualifying Group Four. After an opening day 6-0 win in Liechenstein, the Germans only just avoided an embarrassing defeat in Finland when Miroslav Klose's hat-trick goal seven minutes from full-time made it 3-3. From then, Germany were imperious with seven straight wins, including a double over Russia. The away win in Moscow, a tense 1-0 victory with ten men, sealed a finals place with a game to spare.
Premier League picks: The Germans lost Chelsea midfielder and captain Michael Ballack on the eve of the finals as well as his back-up Christian Traesch, leaving the Nationalmannschaft short in the middle. It also means the German squad is without a Premier League player - indeed, all 23 men are from eight Bundesliga clubs with six from Champions League finalists Bayern Munich. One of those six, Miroslav Klose, has an excellent World Cup goal record and he will lead the line alongside Lukas Podolski. The experienced full-back Philip Lahm is the new full-back. Full squad.
Prediction: Quarter Finals
It takes a lot to unsettle the normally ice-cool Germans but injuries to captain Michael Ballack and his back-up Christian Traesch have left the Mannschaft short of options with just two central midfielders left in the squad. First-choice goalkeeper Rene Adler is also out with a rib injury though he should be deputised ably enough by Bayern Munich's Joerg Butt. Despite squad worries, Germany looked solid in the warm-up match against Bosnia, winning 3-1 - and they should have few problems with this group. But a possible repeat of the 2006 World Cup Quarter Final with Argentina at that stage again could spell danger, particularly as the Argentines will seek revenge for a match they really should not have lost.
SERBIA
Coach: Radomir Antic (since 2008)
FIFA World ranking: 15
World Cup best: Semi Finals in 1930 and 1962 (as Yugoslavia)
Last appearance: 2006 - First Round
How they qualified: Serbia impressed in the qualifiers, finishing above France at the top of UEFA Qualifying Group Seven. A defeat in Paris in their second game made it seem that the Serbians would have to aim for a runners-up place but Radomir Antic's team then reeled off five straight wins while the French carelessly dropped points. A 1-1 home draw with France cemented the Serbs' place at the top of the table before a 5-0 thumping of Romania in Belgrade sent Serbia to South Africa with a game to spare.
Premier League picks: Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic will play a vital role if Serbia are to make an impression this summer. He is joined at the back by Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic but young Blues pair Slobodan Rajkovic and Nemanja Matic failed to make the cut. In midfield, Antic has selected Wolves' Nenad Milijas and Zoran Tosic, on loan at Cologne from Manchester United. Up front, beanpole new Birmingham City striker Nikola Zigic has been tipped by his coach to make a big impression. Full squad.
Prediction: Second Round
Serbia will want to wipe away the memories of four years ago when a dispirited team were beaten 6-0 by Argentina as they slumped out at the group stage. This squad, a mix of experience and youthful verve, gives them the ideal opportunity to do just that. France could not live with them in the qualifiers and they have the quality to reach the last 16 at least. If Nemanja Vidic can be as solid as usual and 6ft 8 striker Nikola Zigic can live up to his coach's expectations, the Serbs should have too much for Australia and Ghana. Their key player is captain and livewire Dejan Stankovic who comes into the tournament having won the Treble in Italy with Internazionale.
AUSTRALIA
Coach: Pim Verbeek (since 2007)
FIFA World ranking: 20
World Cup best: Second Round in 2006
Last appearance: 2006
How they qualified: Australia's decision to play in the Asian confederation paid immediate dividends as, for the first time, they qualified without needing a playoff. In fact, they were the first team other than hosts South Africa to qualify as, despite the increased competition, the Aussies finished top of the final Asian Qualifying Group A above Japan, Bahrain, Qatar and Uzbekistan.
Premier League picks: Australia have no fewer than 10 players with links to English football. All three selected goalkeepers - Mark Schwarzer, Adam Federici and Brad Jones - play for English clubs at Fulham, Reading and Middlesbrough respectively. However, Jones has asked to return home to deal with a serious family illness, and is likely to be replaced by Eugene Galekovic of Adelaide United. In defence, former Blackburn defender Lucas Neill will line-up at right-back and unattached veteran Craig Moore, formerly at Rangers and Newcastle, has also been chosen. In midfield, the Aussies can call upon the talented Tim Cahill of Everton, and he will be supported by Blackburn pair Brett Emerton and Vince Grella, and Hull's Richard Garcia. Former Leeds striker Harry Kewell, now at Galatasaray with Neill, is one of only three forwards selected by coach Pim Verbeek. Full squad.
Prediction: First Round
First, the good news: Australia's decision to move from Oceania to the Asian confederation will undoubtedly increase the standard of Aussie soccer. The move also seems to have started well with comfortable progress to the World Cup finals but it has not been a totally unqualified success. The Socceroos struggled to qualify for the 2011 Asian Cup in a group featuring Oman, Kuwait and Indonesia, scoring just six goals in six games. Indeed, it is a lack of goals - and just three strikers in the squad - that will make it tough for Australia to get out of the group especially as current coach Pim Verbeek does not inspire in the same way that Guus Hiddink did four years ago.
GHANA
Coach: Milovan Rajevac (since 2008)
FIFA World ranking: 32
World Cup best: Second Round in 2006
Last appearance: 2006
How they qualified: Ghana became the first African team to make it through the qualifiers after four straight wins without a goal conceded gave them an unassailable lead at the top of final African Qualification Group D. Taking just one point from their final two games did not matter as the Black Stars still finished clear of Benin, Mali and Sudan.
Premier League picks: Germany were not the only team in Group D to lose a vital Chelsea midfielder after Michael Essien was ruled out with a knee injury while there are also fitness doubts over Champions League-winning midfielder Sulley Muntari. The Premier League is represented by Wigan reserve keeper Richard Kingston, defenders John Pantsil and John Mensah at Fulham and Sunderland, and Portsmouth midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng. Former Arsenal forward Quincy Owusu-Abeyie, now at Al Saad in Qatar, has also been chosen. Full squad.
Prediction: First Round
People in the Ghanaian capital Accra cringed at the inevitable news that Michael The Bison Essien would miss the World Cup after he picked up a knee injury late in the season with Chelsea. Essien is the driving force behind the Black Stars on the pitch and his absence will be keenly felt as Ghana look to repeat the feat on their impressive debut appearance of reaching the second round. That looks highly unlikely as it stands - and, if Essien's midfield stablemate Sulley Muntari is also ruled out, gaining a place in the last 16 would be nigh on impossible.
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