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Carlsberg don't do World Cup draws......



Uncle Buck

Ghost Writer
Jul 7, 2003
28,075
Full guide to tonight's finals draw

The lowdown to all 32 teams

Friday December 9, 2005
The Guardian


POT ONE:
Argentina

World Cup record They have qualified 13 times for the finals

Best Champions in 1978 and 1986

Worst Have exited four times in the first round, including in 2002

How they qualified Second to Brazil in South America, winning 10 out of 18 games and scoring 29 goals

Fifa ranking 4

Odds to win 6-1

POT TWO

Angola

World Cup record Next summer's tournament in Germany will be their first appearance in the finals

How they qualified Winners of African Group Four, producing one of the continent's biggest football shocks by finishing ahead of Nigeria

Fifa ranking 62
Odds to win 500-1

Fascinating fact The largest mammal to be shot was in Angola in 1955. It was an African elephant, around 4m high to its shoulders and weighing 10 tons




Australia

World Cup record Qualified in 1974, finishing last in Group One with no goals and one point - against Chile

How they qualified Group winners in Oceania, the Socceroos then beat Uruguay 4-2 on penalties in the play-offs after the tie ended 1-1 on aggregate

Fifa ranking 49

Odds to win 100-1

Fascinating fact Australia is home to the longest straight stretch of railway in the world. It runs for 301 miles




Ecuador

World Cup record Qualified for the last World Cup in 2002 but did not escape from their group, losing to Italy, drawing with Mexico and defeating Croatia

How they qualified Finished third in South American qualifying, six points behind both Brazil and Argentina

Fifa ranking 37

Odds to win 125-1

Fascinating fact It is a superstition in Ecuador that nobody should get married on Tuesday 13th




Ghana

World Cup record Another team making their debut in the finals

How they qualified Winners of African Group Two, taking advantage of South Africa's inconsistency and conceding only four goals in 10 games

Fifa ranking 50

Odds to win 200-1

Fascinating fact In Akan, the Ghanaian language, one of the names people are automatically given reflects the day of the week they are born. Kofi Annan's first name means "Friday-born"




Ivory Coast

World Cup record Another African nation making their first appearance at the finals

How they qualified Cameroon's dramatic last-gasp penalty miss allowed the Ivory Coast to pip them by a point in qualifying

Fifa ranking 41

Odds to win 50-1

Fascinating fact Ivory Coast is the place to go for palm oil. The country became Africa's leading exporter in the late 1970s




Paraguay

World Cup record Qualified six times, including the last two finals

Best Took eventual winners France into extra-time in the 1998 last 16

Worst Three points in three games during their first-round exit in 1958

How they qualified Finished fourth in South America

Fifa ranking 30

Odds to win 80-1

Fascinating fact Duelling is legal in Paraguay as long as both parties are registered blood donors




Togo

World Cup record This is Togo's debut in the finals

How they qualified After an opening-day defeat against Zambia, Togo went unbeaten in their next nine games to win a tough African group which included Senegal

Fifa ranking 56

Odds to win 350-1

Fascinating fact Togo has 37 tribal ethnic groups, contributing to the country's diverse culture; 19% of the population are not African




Tunisia

World Cup record Qualified in 1978, 1998 and 2002

Best Despite a 3-1 opening victory over Mexico in 1978 they still went out

Worst Defeats against Japan and Russia last time with only a draw against Belgium to show for their efforts

How they qualified A final-day draw against Morocco earned first place

Fifa ranking 28

Odds to win 200-1

Fascinating fact Tatooine, the Star Wars planet, is (filmed) in Tunisia

Serbia and Montenegro

Fascinating fact The republics have no public holiday from July 13 to January 1

Fascinating fact Argentina is home to boa constrictor snakes, which often grow longer than 13 feet as adults




Brazil

World Cup record The only country to have played in all 17 tournaments

Best Winners five times: in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002

Worst Consecutive 3-1 defeats by Hungary and Portugal eliminated them at the group stage in 1966.

How they qualified First in South America, losing only twice

Fifa ranking 1

Odds to win 11-4

Fascinating fact It is the world's largest coffee producer with over 3970m trees




England

World Cup record Qualified 11 times, with the most recent failure being 1994

Best Winners in 1966, defeating West Germany after extra-time

Worst The first-round exit in 1950 which included defeat by the US

How they qualified Winners of Europe Group Six, holding off Poland

Fifa ranking 9

Odds to win 7-1

Fascinating fact England defeated Zanzibar in a war that lasted 38 minutes in 1896, the fastest-ever victory




France

World Cup record Have played in the finals 11 times

Best Winners when hosts in 1998

Worst They have been sent home five times after the first round but 2002's exit was the worst as they were holders

How they qualified Winners of Europe Group Four

Fifa ranking 5

Odds to win 12-1

Fascinating fact France has the highest per capita consumption of cheese in the world




Germany

World Cup record Have appeared 15 times. Did not qualify in 1930 and 1950

Best West Germany won in 1954, 1974, when East Germany also qualified, and 1990

Worst Lost in the first stage in 1938 when beaten 4-2 by Switzerland

How they qualified Hosts

Fifa ranking 16

Odds to win 7-1

Fascinating fact In Offenburg there is a monument of a potato to commemorate Francis Drake's discovery




Italy

World Cup record Failed to qualify in 1930 and 1958 only

Best Winners three times: 1934, 1938 and 1982

Worst Have lost in the first round five times, failing to get beyond that stage from 1950 until 1970

How they qualified Winners of Europe Group Five

Fifa ranking 12

Odds to win 7-1

Fascinating fact The average Italian consumes 26 gallons of wine a year




Mexico

World Cup record Have qualified 12 times

Best Held West Germany to 0-0 in the 1986 quarter-finals only to go out 4-1 on penalties

Worst A 6-3 thumping against Argentina left them bottom of their pool in 1930

How they qualified Second in Concacaf

Fifa ranking 7

Odds to win 66-1

Fascinating fact Mexico City is sinking six to eight inches a year because it is built on an underground reservoir




Spain

World Cup record Eleven appearances

Best Quarter-finalists three times, the last time in 2002

Worst Their first-round failure in 1966 meant back-to-back exits at that stage

How they qualified Second in Europe Group Seven, then beat Slovakia 6-2 on aggregate in the play-offs

Fifa ranking 6

Odds to win 12-1

Fascinating fact Many Spaniards keep evil spirits away on All Saints Day by eating chestnuts

POT THREE

Croatia

World Cup record Qualified for the last two tournaments as Croatia but have claims on Yugoslavia's total (see Serbia)

Best Third place in 1998 losing to France

Worst Third in Group G in 2002, beating Italy but losing to Ecuador and Mexico

How they qualified First in Europe Group Eight above Sweden

Fifa ranking 20

Odds to win 50-1

Fascinating fact Goran Visnic, the Croatia-born star of ER, collects Tuborg beer steins




Czech Republic

World Cup record First time as Czech Republic; seven as Czechoslovakia

Best Runners-up in 1934 and 1962

Worst Fourth in Group Three in 1970

How they qualified Beat Norway 2-0 on aggregate in a play-off after finishing behind Holland in Group One

Fifa ranking 2

Odds to win 28-1

Fascinating fact The Bata Shoe Organisation was founded in 1894 by Tomás Bata and is the largest shoe retailer and manufacturer in the world




Holland

World Cup record Seven tournaments since 1930 but absent last time

Best Runners-up in 1974 and 1978

Worst Lost in the first round twice

How they qualified Top of Group One

Fifa ranking 3

Odds to win 9-1

Fascinating fact The shooting of a sparrow on the set of a Dutch world record domino-toppling attempt sparked outrage last month. The bird knocked over 23,000 and an exterminator, fearing mayhem, shot it




Poland

World Cup record Qualified in 1938, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1986 and 2002

Best Third in 1974 and 1982

Worst Eliminated in the first round in 1938, losing 6-5 to Brazil

How they qualified One of best runners-up, in Europe Group Six behind England

Fifa ranking 23

Odds to win 80-1

Fascinating fact In every major city in Poland there is a street named after the virtuoso pianist and third prime minister of the republic, Ignacy Paderewski




Portugal

World Cup record Also made it in 1966, 1986 and 2002

Best Third in 1966, beating Russia in the third/fourth place play-off

Worst Bottom of Group F in 1986 but beat England in their opening fixture

How they qualified First in Europe Group Three

Fifa ranking 10

Odds to win 20-1

Fascinating fact Portugal has been an ally of England since 1294, the oldest alliance still in force in the world




Sweden

World Cup record Have played in 10 tournaments since 1934

Best Runners-up in 1958

Worst Bottom of Group C with zero points in 1990

How they qualified A best runner-up in Europe Group Eight behind Croatia

Fifa ranking 14

Odds to win 33-1

Fascinating fact In 1975 Abba's song SOS became the first song with a palindromic title recorded by a group with a palindromic name to hit the charts




Switzerland

World Cup record Last qualified in 1994, their seventh tournament

Best Quarter-finalists in 1954, losing 7-5 to Austria

Worst Bottom of Group Two in 1966

How they qualified Runners-up in Group Four behind France, then beat Turkey on the away goals rule in play-off

Fifa ranking 36

Odds to win 100-1

Fascinating fact Every Swiss male who is unable to undertake national service must pay an additional 3% in income tax




Ukraine

World Cup record This is their first appearance at the finals after losing in play-offs in 1998 and 2002

How they qualified First in Europe Group Two above Turkey and the Euro 2004 champions Greece

Fifa ranking 40

Odds to win 50-1

Fascinating fact Ukraine is the largest country not to have a scouting body recognised by the World Organisation of Scout Movements

POT FOUR

Costa Rica

World Cup record Qualified in 1990 and 2002

Best Second round (round of 16) in 1990

Worst Third in Group C in 2002

How they qualified Finished third behind the United States and Mexico in the Concacaf section

Fifa ranking 21

Odds to win 350-1

Fascinating fact Costa Rica comprises 0.1% of the earth's land mass but contains 5% of its biodiversity. It abolished its military in 1948




Iran

World Cup record Also played in the 1978 and 1998 finals

Best Third in Group F in 1998, beating the United States 2-1

Worst Fourth in Group Four in 1978 but drew with Scotland

How they qualified Runners-up in Asia Group Two behind Japan

Fifa ranking 19

Odds to win 250-1

Fascinating fact Iran's population more than doubled from 27m to 55m in the 20 years from 1968 to 1988




Japan

World Cup record Qualified in 1998 and 2002

Best First in Group H, then eliminated in round of 16 by Turkey in 2002

Worst Fourth with zero points in Group F in 1998

How they qualified Won Asia Group Two

Fifa ranking 15

Odds to win 125-1

Fascinating fact The silent mode on mobile phones in Japan translates as "good manners mode"




Saudi Arabia

World Cup record Have played in three tournaments: 1994, 1998 and 2002

Best Second in Group F, then eliminated by Sweden in round of 16 in 1994

Worst Bottom of Group E in 2002

How they qualified Top of Asia Group One

Fifa ranking 32

Odds to win 500-1

Fascinating fact Besides Liechtenstein, Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world named after its ruling family (Saud)




South Korea

World Cup record Have qualified every year since their debut in 1986

Best Fourth place in 2002, losing to Germany in the semi-final

Worst Bottom of Group E with no points in 1990

How they qualified Runners-up in Asia Group One behind Saudi Arabia

Fifa ranking 29

Odds to win 150-1

Fascinating fact The once abundant Siberian tiger has not been spotted in South Korea since the 1920s




Trinidad & Tob.

World Cup record First qualification

How they qualified Fourth in Concacaf third qualifying stage, then beat Bahrain 2-1 on aggregate in the Concacaf/Asia play-off

Fifa ranking 51

Odds to win 750-1

Fascinating fact Crab and callaloo is the national dish. The latter is a creamy and spicy sauce made of dasheen leaves, okra, coconut milk, pumpkin and Chandon benit (French thistle)




United States

World Cup record This is their eighth qualification since 1930

Best Semi-finals in 1930, when they lost 6-1 to Argentina

Worst Lost 7-1 to Italy in the first round in 1934

How they qualified First in Concacaf

Fifa ranking 8

Odds to win 80-1

Fascinating fact Lyndon Johnson, the 36th President, drank huge amounts of Fresca each day and was so frugal he washed and reused his plastic cups

SPECIAL POT

Serbia-Montenegro

World Cup record One qualification as the former Yugoslav Republic in 1998 and eight as Yugoslavia up to 1990

Best Semi-finalists as Yugoslavia, losing 6-1 to Uruguay in 1930

Worst Third in Group Five in 1982

How they qualified First in Europe Group Seven, above Spain

Fifa ranking 47

Odds to win 50-1
 




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