GROUP A

FRANCE

Coach: Raymond Domenech

Star player: Franck Ribery

Previous appearances: 1930 (first round), 1934 (first round), 1938 (quarter-finals), 1954 (first round), 1958 (third place), 1966 (first round), 1978 (first round), 1982 (fourth place), 1986 (third place), 1998 (winners), 2002 (first round), 2006 (runners-up).

Chances: Struggled through qualifying and secured their place thanks to Thierry Henry's handball in the play-off victory against the Republic of Ireland. Coach Domenech continues to make mystifying tactical decisions and it remains to be seen whether the undoubted strength of France's squad is enough to overcome that handicap, although they could not have wished for a more comfortable-looking group.

MEXICO

Coach: Javier Aguirre

Star player: Andres Guardado

Previous appearances: 1930 (first round), 1950 (first round), 1954 (first round), 1958 (first round), 1962 (first round), 1966 (first round), 1970 (quarter-finals), 1978 (first round), 1986 (quarter-finals), 1994 (second round), 1998 (second round), 2002 (second round), 2006 (second round).

Chances: Aguirre revived El Tricolor's qualifying campaign after the disastrous reign of Sven-Goran Eriksson, but they have never been beyond the second round outside Mexico and the conditions in South Africa are hardly likely to be conducive to them changing that statistic.

SOUTH AFRICA

Coach: Carlos Alberto Parreira

Star player: Steven Pienaar

Previous appearances: 1998 (first round), 2002 (first round).

Chances: 'Bafana Bafana' need to ride the wave of enthusiasm that is sure to greet their World Cup hosting because their form in the build-up has been pretty dire, with Parreira returning to the post after compatriot Joel Santana failed to convince. A last-16 berth is surely the best they can hope for.

URUGUAY

Coach: Oscar Washington Tabarez

Star player: Diego Forlan

Previous appearances: 1930 (winners), 1950 (winners), 1954 (fourth place), 1962 (first round), 1966 (quarter-finals), 1970 (fourth place), 1974 (first round), 1986 (second round), 1990 (second round), 2002 (first round).

Chances: World Cup play-off regulars in recent years, Uruguay will be tough opponents for anyone and will be targeting a place in the last 16. Ajax striker Luis Suarez has been in superb goalscoring form in the Eredivisie and will aim to continue it in South Africa, while Forlan showed with his brace in the Europa League final that he is a man for the big occasion.

GROUP B

ARGENTINA

Coach: Diego Maradona

Star player: Lionel Messi

Previous appearances: 1930 (runners-up), 1934 (first round), 1958 (first round), 1962 (first round), 1966 (quarter-finals), 1974 (second round), 1978 (winners), 1982 (second round), 1986 (winners), 1990 (runners-up), 1994 (second round), 1998 (quarter-finals), 2002 (first round), 2006 (quarter-finals).

Chances: Qualification was a bumpy ride in the extreme and included a 6-1 hammering by Bolivia, but if Maradona can get the balance right between motivator and tactician then Argentina are equipped to reach the semi-finals, or even win it. The key will be whether Messi can replicate his sparkling form for Barcelona in the national term jersey, something he has yet to manage.

GREECE

Coach: Otto Rehhagel

Star player: Theofanis Gekas

Previous appearances: 1994 (first round).

Chances: Rehhagel's super-defensive tactics astonishingly prevailed in the 2004 European Championships and they secured their second World Cup finals place by beating Ukraine in a play-off last year. A no-thrills passage to the last 16 is a possibility but they are surely too one-dimensional to go any further.

NIGERIA

Coach: Lars Lagerback

Star player: John Obi Mikel

Previous appearances: 1994 (second round), 1998 (second round), 2002 (first round).

Chances: Internal strife could be the greatest threat to the Super Eagles' hopes, with Shaibu Amodu sacked after the African Nations Cup and replaced by former Sweden coach Lagerback. Playing on their home continent may just give them the boost they need to progress beyond the group phase though.

SOUTH KOREA

Coach: Huh Jung-moo

Star player: Park Ji-sung

Previous appearances: 1954 (first round), 1986 (first round), 1990 (first round), 1994 (first round), 1998 (first round), 2002 (fourth place), 2006 (first round).

Chances: Better equipped to progress from the group phase this time around than in Germany. They are usually physically very well drilled and that stamina should stand them in good stead, although the conditions are sure to suit European sides down to the ground.

GROUP C

ALGERIA

Coach: Rabah Saadane

Star player: Karim Ziani

Previous appearances: 1982 (first round), 1986 (first round)

Chances: Qualifiers for a third time after eliminating Africa's continental champions Egypt, Saadane's men are defensively solid and are unlikely to be on the end of any thrashings in South Africa. That said, qualification for the last 16 looks too much to ask from a group containing England and the USA.

ENGLAND

Coach: Fabio Capello

Star player: Wayne Rooney

Previous appearances: 1950 (first round), 1954 (quarter-finals), 1958 (first round), 1962 (quarter-finals), 1966 (winners), 1970 (quarter-finals), 1982 (second round), 1986 (quarter-finals), 1990 (fourth place), 1998 (second round), 2002 (quarter-finals), 2006 (quarter-finals).

Chances: Stormed through qualification under Capello, whose winning pedigree in club football suggests a more ruthless and focused England are a good bet for at least a semi-final place. They have endured some traumatic times since booking their place but could not wish for a better leader than Capello. Rooney, who scorched past the 30-goal mark for Manchester United this season, is pivotal to their chances of a first World Cup triumph outside of England.

SLOVENIA

Coach: Matjaz Kek

Star player: Robert Koren

Previous appearances: 2002 (first round).

Chances: Stunned Russia in the play-offs to progress but must be odds-against to progress with England and the USA in front of them. The smallest country competing in terms of population, they go into the finals with a nothing-to-lose approach.

USA

Coach: Bob Bradley

Star player: Landon Donovan

Previous appearances: 1930 (third place), 1934 (first round), 1950 (first round), 1990 (first round), 1994 (second round), 1998 (first round), 2002 (quarter-finals), 2006 (first round).

Chances: Performed well in the 2009 Confederations Cup and Bradley's side possess plenty of players with top-level experience in England and Germany. They would be disappointed not to make it to the last eight.

GROUP D

AUSTRALIA

Coach: Pim Verbeek

Star player: Tim Cahill

Previous appearances: 1974 (first round), 2006 (second round).

Chances: Impressive under Guus Hiddink at the 2006 finals, they will believe they can at least match their run to the last 16 in South Africa, although Germany, Ghana and Serbia will provide tough opposition.

GERMANY

Coach: Joachim Low

Star player: Michael Ballack

Previous appearances: 1934 (third place), 1938 (first round), 1954 (winners), 1958 (fourth place), 1962 (quarter-finals), 1966 (runners-up), 1970 (third place), 1974 (winners), 1978 (second round), 1982 (runners-up), 1986 (runners-up), 1990 (winners), 1994 (quarter-finals), 1998 (quarter-finals), 2002 (runners-up), 2006 (third place).

Chances: Perennial strong performers in tournaments, Low's side are sure to be contenders again in South Africa. If the likes of Ballack, Miroslav Klose and Mesut Ozil click then a quarter-final spot could be the very least they could expect. A potentially-damaging contract row involving Low appears to have been resolved amicably.

GHANA

Coach: Milovan Rajevac

Star player: Michael Essien

Previous appearances: 2006 (second round).

Chances: The Black Stars are a sound unit with their top stars playing at the very highest level in Europe. A repeat of their 2006 success in reaching the last 16 would be an excellent achievement, though, particularly considering that star man Essien has struggled for fitness at Chelsea all season. He is the heartbeat of a team which blends survivors from 2006 with new blood from the 2009 Under-20 World Cup-winning side.

SERBIA

Coach: Radomir Antic

Star player: Dejan Stankovic

Previous appearances: None as Serbia.

Chances: Qualified ahead of France and with quality through the spine of the team in the shape of Nemanja Vidic, Stankovic and the giant Nikola Zigic up front, they would be a good bet for a last-16 place, and possibly a quarter-final. Milos Krasic offers a threat from wide areas.

GROUP E

CAMEROON

Coach: Paul Le Guen

Star player: Samuel Eto'o

Previous appearances: 1982 (first round), 1990 (quarter-finals), 1994 (first round), 1998 (first round), 2002 (first round).

Chances: Cruised through qualifying but will still be hugely reliant on the talismanic Eto'o up front. The second round looks to be about the limit of what they can achieve, even with an astute coach like Le Guen at the helm.

DENMARK

Coach: Morten Olsen

Star player: Christian Poulsen

Previous appearances: 1986 (second round), 1998 (quarter-finals), 2002 (second round).

Chances: Not the exciting prospect they were when Olsen was playing back in 1986, but a strong defensive base which includes Daniel Agger, Simon Kjaer and Poulsen in front of them will make them hard to beat. A good bet for a second-placed group finish and a last 16 exit.

HOLLAND

Coach: Bert van Marwijk

Star player: Wesley Sneijder

Previous appearances: 1938 (first round), 1974 (runners-up), 1978 (runners-up), 1990 (second round), 1994 (quarter-finals), 1998 (fourth place), 2006 (second round)

Chances: The Oranje made light work of qualification and some brilliant displays at Euro 2008 - including a comprehensive 3-0 win over world champions Italy - underlined once again that they can beat anyone on their day. The question, as ever, is consistency. A last-eight place would surely be the minimum goal. The late-season return to fitness of Arsenal striker Robin van Persie is a huge boost to the squad.

JAPAN

Coach: Takeshi Okada

Star player: Shunsuke Nakamura

Previous appearances: 1998 (first round), 2002 (second round), 2006 (first round).

Chances: Qualified without too much difficulty but will have a real struggle on their hands to get out of this group. Nakamura struggled with Spanish side Espanyol and returned to Yokohama F Marinos in the J.League, and the team will rely heavily on in-form goalscorer Shinji Okazaki.

GROUP F

ITALY

Coach: Marcello Lippi

Star player: Andrea Pirlo

Previous appearances: 1934 (winners), 1938 (winners), 1950 (first round), 1962 (first round), 1966 (first round), 1970 (runners-up), 1974 (first round), 1978 (first round), 1982 (winners), 1986 (second round), 1990 (third place), 1994 (runners-up), 1998 (quarter-finals), 2002 (second round), 2006 (winners).

Chances: So many of the 2006 side are still in place under Lippi, the man who led them to glory in Germany. The question is whether they will have enough in the tank to become the first side to retain the World Cup since Brazil in 1962. The semi-finals look like being the end of the road for the Azzurri this time, but they should have no problems at all in Group F despite being notoriously slow starters at big tournaments.

NEW ZEALAND

Coach: Ricki Herbert

Star player: Ryan Nelsen

Previous appearances: 1982 (first round).

Chances: The All Whites ensured a truly global event by qualifying as the Oceania region's representative, but few would back them to get beyond the group stage. Blackburn defender Nelsen lifts the team in quality and stature, but there are not enough players of similar ability around him to predict anything other than a first-round exit.

PARAGUAY

Coach: Gerardo Martino

Star player: Nelson Haedo Valdez

Previous appearances: 1930 (first round), 1950 (first round), 1986 (second round), 1998 (second round), 2002 (second round), 2006 (first round).

Chances: At their fourth World Cup in a row, Martino's side are a good bet to secure a place in the last 16. Valdez and new Sunderland midfielder Cristian Riveros are their star performers, with a solid defence still the base from which they operate. It looks like a straight fight between them and Slovakia to join Italy in the knockout phase.

SLOVAKIA

Coach: Vladimir Weiss

Star player: Marek Hamsik

Previous appearances: None.

Chances: World Cup debutants who possess plenty of individual talent as well as team spirit, but a lack of past finals pedigree may be their greatest weakness. Napoli star Hamsik will particularly relish the chance to pit his wits against Italy though, and Weiss has got the whole squad working well for him.#

GROUP G

BRAZIL

Coach: Dunga

Star player: Kaka

Previous appearances: 1930 (first round), 1934 (first round), 1938 (semi-finals), 1950 (runners-up), 1954 (quarter-finals), 1958 (winners), 1962 (winners), 1966 (first round), 1970 (winners), 1974 (fourth place), 1978 (third place), 1982 (second round),. 1986 (quarter-finals), 1990 (second round), 1994 (winners), 1998 (runners-up), 2002 (winners), 2006 (quarter-finals).

Chances: Dunga endured criticism early in his reign but Brazil have now augmented their finesse with power and strength. Explosive on the counter-attack and a threat from every set-piece - attacking or defending - their greater World Cup pedigree in comparison to Spain means the Selecao arguably head to South Africa as favourites. Kaka's struggle to impress in his first season with Real Madrid might be a cause for concern, though.

IVORY COAST

Coach: Sven-Goran Eriksson

Star player: Didier Drogba

Previous appearances: 2006 (first round).

Chances: Man for man the Elephants look about the best side representing Africa in the finals and they could match Cameroon's achievements of 1990 by reaching the last eight, although a fiendishly difficult draw and a lacklustre showing at the African Nations Cup suggest that may be highly optimistic. In Eriksson they now have a coach with solid World Cup pedigree, having taken England to the quarter-finals in 2002 and 2006. A repeat would be an impressive achievement with the Ivorians.

NORTH KOREA

Coach: Kim Jong-hun

Star player: Jong Tae-se

Previous appearances: 1966 (quarter-finals).

Chances: Plenty of attention will fall on the North Koreans, who for political and social reasons will be one of the great curiosities of the finals. On the pitch, their qualification was secured thanks to their tight defence and while they are highly unlikely to get to the last 16 after being drawn alongside Brazil, Ivory Coast and Portugal, it is equally difficult to imagine them losing their shape at any point and getting hammered.

PORTUGAL

Coach: Carlos Queiroz

Star player: Cristiano Ronaldo

Previous appearances: 1966 (third place), 1986 (first round), 2002 (first round), 2006 (fourth place).

Chances: As a group the current generation does not quite compare to that of Luis Figo, Rui Costa et al but in Ronaldo they possess arguably the finest player on the planet. They would be disappointed not to get to the last eight in South Africa, but first they have a tough group to get through and a number of players who under-performed in qualifying - not least Ronaldo - must step up to the plate.

GROUP H

CHILE

Coach: Marcelo Bielsa

Star player: Alexis Sanchez

Previous appearances: 1930 (first round), 1950 (first round), 1962 (third place), 1966 (first round), 1974 (first round), 1982 (first round), 1998 (first round).

Chances: An exciting and talented unit under the clever coaching of Argentinian Bielsa. The group is essentially a battle to finish second behind Spain, and with the skills of Sanchez and Matias Fernandez they look well equipped to win that fight.

HONDURAS

Coach: Reinaldo Rueda

Star player: Wilson Palacios

Previous appearances: 1982 (first round).

Chances: Rueda's men have some top-level European experience with the likes of Palacios performing well at Tottenham, but it would be a big shock if Honduras made it to the second round. Coach Rueda is well respected though and is arguably their best asset.

SPAIN

Coach: Vicente Del Bosque

Star player: Fernando Torres

Previous appearances: 1934 (quarter-finals), 1950 (fourth place), 1962 (first round), 1966 (first round), 1990 (second round), 1994 (quarter-finals), 1998 (first round), 2002 (quarter-finals), 2006 (second round).

Chances: Chronic World Cup underachievers in the past, Spain have never been better placed to become world champions having broken their habit of freezing at major finals in emphatic fashion by winning Euro 2008. There is quality all over the pitch and they pose the biggest threat to Brazil. Fitness concerns have dogged Torres for most of the season, but Spain have great quality in depth and could arguably still be considered strong contenders even if he is not fully fit.

SWITZERLAND

Coach: Ottmar Hitzfeld

Star player: Tranquillo Barnetta

Previous appearances: 1934 (quarter-finals), 1938 (quarter-finals), 1950 (first round), 1954 (quarter-finals), 1962 (first round), 1966 (first round), 1994 (second round), 2006 (second round).

Chances: In Hitzfeld the Swiss could not wish for a manager with greater nous, and they will be targeting a place in the second round and maybe even the last eight. Playmaker Barnetta and young goalscorer Eren Derdiyok are the men to watch.