* = Seeded Team
[Team Jersey Images © Soccerphile]
Eight successive wins ensured England qualified with ease and there is a new found belief in the team under Italian coach Fabio Capello. England should progress from this group but they have come a cropper before to the USA at a World Cup and Slovenia pushed them hard in a recent friendly at Wembley. Whether England have the quality to defeat higher ranked opponents remains to be seen, much depends on Wayne Rooney staying fit (and on the pitch) and Emile Heskey finding the net.
 |
 |
England Kit 1 |
England Kit 2 |
England v USA 12 June; Rustenburg
England v Algeria 18 June; Cape Town
England v Slovenia 23 June; Port Elizabeth
Record: 1950, 1958 First round; 1982 1998 Second Round; 1954, 1962, 1970, 1986, 2002, 2006 Quarter Finals; 1990 Fourth place; 1966 Champions
Wayne Rooney, John Terry
Will make it out of the group and on to the quarterfinals (again).
World Cup Betting
Finished first in European qualifying group 6.
Joe Cole, Ashley Cole, Rio Ferdinand, Wes Brown, David Beckham,
Wayne Bridge, Emile Heskey and Owen Hargreaves were all members
of the 2002 England squad.
Buy World Cup Tickets
The USA had a good year in 2009 reaching the final of the Confederations Cup where they took a 2-0 lead over Brazil and sealed qualification with a 3-2 win over Honduras with a game to spare. Coach Bill Bradley has built a solid, athletic outfit that can now compete with the big boys. Everton keeper Tim Howard continues a series of good American keepers and Clint Dempsey has impressed at Fulham with his goals and never-say-die attitude. Jonathan Spector has also impressed at West Ham United and captain Carlos Bocanegra (now of Rennes) at Fulham before him.
 |
 |
USA |
USA |
USA v England 12 June; Rustenburg
USA v Slovenia 18 June; Johannesburg
USA v Algeria 23 June; Pretoria
Bill Bradley
1934, 1950, 1998, 2006 First round; 1994 Second Round; 2002 Quarter Finals, 1930 Semi Finals
Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey
The USA will like this group just as much as England.
World Cup Betting
First place in CONCACAF group.
Cobi Jones is the most capped US player with 164.
Buy World Cup Tickets
Algeria came through a tense play off with bitter rivals Egypt and Les Fennecs (The Desert Foxes) fully deserve their place at the tournament. Quick and skilful, many of the squad play their football in England, Germany, Italy and France. British football fans will be familiar with Madjid Bougherra, Hassan Yebda and Kamel Ghilas.
 |
 |
Algeria |
Algeria |
Algeria v Slovenia 13 June; Polokwane
Algeria v England 18 June; Cape Town
Algeria v USA 23 June; Pretoria
Rabah Saadane
First round 1982, 1986
Hassan Yebda
We think they'll struggle to get out of the group.
World Cup Betting
Beat Egypt in a play off in Khartoum, Sudan.
Beat West Germany 2-1 at the 1982 World Cup in Spain.
Buy World Cup Tickets
Slovenia qualified for their second World Cup finals after overcoming the odds to beat Russia in a play off. Coach Matjaz Kek lead his team of journeymen to second place in Group 2 behind Slovakia.
 |
 |
Slovenia |
Slovenia |
Slovenia v Algeria 13 June; Polokwane
Slovenia v USA 18 June; Johannesburg
Slovenia v England 23 June; Port Elizabeth
Matjaz Kek
2002 First Round
Milivoje Novakovic
Early flight home but a great run to the finals.
World Cup Betting
Second in European qualifying group 3 behind Slovakia, then won a play off on away goals 2-2 against Russia.
Slovenia's main stadium in Maribor has a capacity of only 12,000.
Buy World Cup Tickets