SPAIN + CHILE + SWITZERLAND + HONDURAS
Fixtures:
ITV Wed June 16 Honduras v Chile Nelspruit 12.30
BBC Wed June 16 Spain v Switzerland Durban 15.00
BBC Mon June 21 Chile v Switzerland Port Elizabeth 15.00
ITV Mon June 21 Spain v Honduras Ellis Park 19.30
ITV Fri June 25 Chile v Spain Pretoria 19.30
ITV Fri June 25 Switzerland v Honduras Bloemfontein 19.30
SPAIN
Coach: Vincente del Bosque (since 2008)
FIFA World ranking: 2
World Cup best: Semi finals in 1950
Last appearance: 2006 - Second Round
How they qualified: Spain were a model of perfection in qualification, winning all 10 of their group games to finish top of UEFA Qualifying Group 5, ahead of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Turkey, Belgium, Estonia and Armenia. A 5-2 win over second-placed Bosnia in the final group game showed Spain's clear superiority.
Premier League picks: Liverpool's Fernando Torres will provide the goal threat with team-mate Jose Reina named as a reserve goalkeeper. Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas can pull the strings if he can force his way into the team though how much longer he remains with the Gunners is open to question after Barcelona's bid. These three players are the only players in the squad to play their football outside of Spain. There are five players from Real Madrid, and seven from Barcelona in the 23-man squad. Full squad.
Prediction: Runners-up
Spain proved at Euro 2008 that one outstanding team can run away with a tournament and their fully deserved success two summers ago finally rid them of their reputation as under-achievers. Now, the best ever Spanish team travels to South Africa expecting to an improve a poor World Cup record of just one semi final and three quarter final appearances. With Torres and Villa up front, there are not many teams - and certainly none in Group H - who will be able to stop them. Spain's weakness is in defence but the midfielders, and Barcelona's Xavi in particular, retain the ball so well that it is tough for any team to get at them. However, Brazil will ensure that there is not just one outstanding team at the tournament this time.
SWITZERLAND
Coach: Ottmar Hitzfeld (since 2008)
FIFA World ranking: 24
World Cup best: Quarter finals in 1934, 1938 and 1954
Last appearance: 2006 - Second Round
How they qualified: The Swiss became the first team in World Cup history to lose to Luxembourg and yet still qualify. In fact, they even made it to South Africa as winners of UEFA Qualifying Group 2, but ahead of modest opposition in Greece, Latvia, Israel, Luxembourg and Moldova.
Premier League picks: Arsenal defender Philippe Senderos and West Ham United's Valon Behrami make the final squad. Senderos' team-mate Johan Djourou misses out after a knee injury kept him out almost all season. With the exception of Blaise Nfuko at Twente in Netherlands, the rest of the squad play in the Swiss, German and Italian leagues. Full squad.
Prediction: First Round
Switzerland will be as unspectacular as ever in their attempts to get past the group stages for a second successive World Cup. Ottmar Hitzfeld is a great coach who has won the Champions League twice but he will not play an expansive style with this limited group of players. However, the Swiss will struggle to keep matches tight against the flair of Spain and Chile. Even Honduras probably offer more up front, especially after the injury to Basle striker Marco Streller.
HONDURAS
Coach: Reinaldo Rueda (since 2007)
FIFA World ranking: 38
World Cup best: First Round in 1982
Last appearance: 1982
How they qualified: Honduras edged out Costa Rica in a dramatic finish to the final qualifying group in the CONCACAF zone. The Costa Ricans looked all set for a third consecutive finals appearance but conceded a 94th minute equaliser in a 2-2 against the United States in the last match. Honduras won away at huge Central American rivals El Salvador 1-0 to finish above Costa Rica on goal difference.
Premier League picks: Wigan Athletic fans will recognise attacking full-back Maynor Figueroa and midfielder Hendy Thomas have made the squad while the ex-Latics Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Wilson Palacios has also, unsurprisingly, made the final cut. 14 of the 23 players ply their trade in the domestic league led by their main striker and national hero Carlos Pavon of Real Espana. Full squad.
Prediction: First Round
Hondurans hold out hopes that their team can cause an upset, or at least perform better than their World Cup's fellow minnows New Zealand, North Korea and Algeria. Much depends on the opening game against Chile as Los Catrachos are a confidence team, as demonstrated in qualifying when they fell from the top of group at the mid-point to just making it in the final minute. More likely, the Hondurans will get something out of their last game against Switzerland but by then it could be all over. Certainly, there will not be a repeat of the shock 1-1 draw they gained against Spain in 1982.
CHILE
Coach: Marco Biesla (since 2007)
FIFA World ranking: 18
World Cup best: Semi finals in 1962
Last appearance: 1998 - Second Round
How they qualified: Chile proved their World Cup credentials under Argentine coach Marco Biesla, finishing in second place and just one point behind Brazil in the marathon South American Qualifying Group. The Chileans secured their place in the finals with a match to spare and they did it in some style, beating Colombia 4-2 away.
Premier League picks: There are few English influences on this Chilean squad with only West Bromwich Albion's Gonzalo Jara in central defence and ex-Liverpool forward Mark Gonzalez chosen in the final 23. Gonzalez is now at CSKA Moscow but most of the rest of the squad play in South America, Spain and Italy. Full squad.
Prediction: Second Round
Chile travel to South Africa having failed to win a match at the World Cup finals since 1962. Of course, La Roja memorably played in the 1998 World Cup with Marcelo Salas and Ivan Zamorano up front. Indeed, three draws in the group were enough for them to progress to the Second Round but, there, they lost 4-1 to Brazil. With Honduras and Switzerland up first this time, expect the Chileans to end their winless run before losing to the battle to top the group against Spain. A repeat loss in the Second Round to Brazil is likely to follow.
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