Germany Australia Ghana Serbia
* = Seeded Team
[Team Jersey Images © Soccerphile]
Never to be discounted at major tournaments, Germany qualified from European Group 4 beating Russia away from home with aplomb. As European u-21 champions, the future is surely bright for Die Mannschaft, too. Mesut Ozil, the star of the under-21 team, has the potential to be his country's greatest attacking midfielder since Lothar Matthaus and will be hoping to break into the team in South Africa. However, overall the squad is in transition and the goalkeeping position remains a worry.
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Germany Kit 1 |
Germany Kit 2 |
Germany v Australia 13 June; Durban
Germany v Serbia 18 June; Port Elizabeth
Germany v Ghana 23 June; Johannesburg
Joachim Loew
1938 First round; 1974 Second Round; 1962, 1994, 1998, 2006 Quarter finals; 1958 Fourth place; 1934, 1970 Third place; 1982, 1986, 2002 Runners up; 1954, 1974, 1990 champions
Michael Ballack, Bastian Schweinsteiger
Will make it out of the group and on to the quarterfinals and beyond.
World Cup Betting
Finished top in European group 4.
Gerd Muller is Germany's highest goalscorer with 68.
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Australia were unlucky to lose to eventual winners Italy in the last World Cup in Germany and it's easy to see the side doing well in South Africa, where conditions will suit them. Coach Pim Verbeek's team concedes few goals thanks to veteran Fulham keeper Tim Schwarzer in goal and a defence marshaled by Everton's Lucas Neill. Goalscoring may be a problem, though, and the Socceroos may rely on the height of Josh Kennedy now in the J-League with Nagoya Grampus.
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Australia |
Australia |
Australia v Germany 13 June; Durban
Australia v Ghana 19 June; Rustenburg
Australia v Serbia 23 June; Nelspruit
1974 First Round. 2006 Round of 16
Harry Kewell, Tim Cahill
Will be battling with Ghana to get out of the group.
World Cup Betting
First place in Asian qualifying group 1.
Australia's first international was a 3-1 loss to New Zealand.
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Ghana are considered one of Africa's best hopes for success in South Africa. The Black Stars were impressive in qualifying and with players of the calibre and big match temperament of Michael Essien, Sulley Muntari and Stephen Appiah could be a handful for all the teams in this group. Weaknesses are a lack of an outstanding keeper and goalscorer. Serbian coach Milovan Rajevac should have the lowdown on his home country when the two teams meet in Pretoria.
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Ghana |
Ghana |
Ghana v Serbia 13 June; Pretoria
Ghana v Australia 19 June; Rustenburg
Ghana v Germany 23 June; Johannesburg
Milovan Rajevac
2006 Second round
Michael Essien
Vying with Australia to get out of the group.
World Cup Betting
Won group D in the African qualifying zone.
Ghana's worst ever defeat was an 8-2 mauling by Brazil in 1996.
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Qualified ahead of France from European Group 7 and are making their third World Cup appearance under a different name, not counting previous incarnations as Yugoslavia. The team is brimming with talent and potential and could be the surprise of the tournament or flop as they did in 2006. Manchester United stopper Nemanja Vidic leads the defence along with Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic, Inter's Dejan Stankovic still pulls the strings in midfield and in attack Nikola Zigic is the danger man. Nearly all the squad play for top teams outside Serbia.
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Serbia |
Serbia |
Serbia v Ghana 13 June; Pretoria
Serbia v Germany 18 June; Port Elizabeth
Serbia v Australia 23 June; Nelspruit
Radomir Antic
1950, 1982, 2006 First Round; 1974, 1998 Second Round; 1954, 1958, 1990 Quarterfinals; 1962 Semifinals; 1930 4th Place
Dejan Stankovic
Squeezed out of the group.
World Cup Betting
Won European qualifying Group 7 ahead of France.
Now nickednamed Beli Orlovi (White Eagles); formerly Plavi (The Blues)
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