2006 Football World Cup

Germany is preparing to host, for the second time in its history, the Football World Cup. This tournament, with the slogan 'A time to make friends', will take place from 9 June to 9 July; it will involve 32 national teams at a total 64 matches.

Follow our guide and visit straightaway the 12 selected cities.

The challenges, group by group

Group A: Germany, Costa Rica, Poland and Ecuador

Germany, who is playing at home, is of course the logical favourite of this group which is, on the face of it, easily within its reach. Triple world champion and finalist in the last World Cup, it has its sights set on the title. The Mannschaft is coached by former striker Jürgen Klinsmann, who has decided, since he took up this post, to bank on youth and has made no bones about enlisting many of the country's young hopefuls. The friendly matches have tended to prove him right. However, their lack of experience might prove detrimental.

Germany's first opponent is Costa Rica. The Ticos are not, on the face of it, great warriors but they have already proved in the past that they can cause an upset: in 1990, they qualified for the round of 16, to the expense of Sweden and Scotland. For their third final phase (eliminated in the first round in 2002), they are aspiring to more than just a bit part.

Germany will then face Poland. A team very much on the up and which made a strong impression during the qualifying matches by holding out on England. Twice coming third in the World Cup, in 1974 and 1982, this young team aspires only to follow in the footsteps of its glorious elders. Just like Maciej Zurawski, striker with Scottish club Celtic Glasgow, who is emerging as the designated successor of the national star Zbigniew Boniek.

Finally, Germany will challenge Ecuador for its last match. For their second consecutive World Cup, the South Americans are to be taken very seriously. And with good reason: during the qualifiers, they had the satisfaction of beating Brazil. Led by their striker Augustin Delgado, they dream of notching up a win over the other 2002 finalist.

In other words, for Klinsmann's German team, eagerly awaited by an entire nation, there is definitely no margin for error.

Group B: England, Paraguay, Trinidad and Tobago and Sweden

Two favourites stand out in this group. Two regulars of the final phases: England (12th participation) and Sweden (10th).

The English, who never miss an opportunity to point out that they invented the game, are still seeking a second victory after their home-ground win in 1966. At the start of each World Cup, they are always widely named as potential winners. The team-mates of David Beckham and the talented Wayne Rooney will have to start by calibrating themselves during this first round.

Particularly against Sweden, country of England manager Sven-Göran Eriksson. The Vikings remain tough adversaries. Their record of achievement speaks for them: a final in 1958 and two 3rd places, in 1950 and 1994. Their always well-oiled team game and the talent of their strikers may surprise more than a few.

Paraguay is a team to be taken seriously. Just think back to their performance against France in the round of 16 of the 1998 World Cup. The team of Roque Santa Cruz, the Bayern Munich striker, remains as difficult to manoeuvre as ever. And it is never as formidable as when it is not expected.

Lastly there remains the team that is sure to get the biggest sympathy vote: Trinidad and Tobago. Coached by the Dutchman Leo Beenhakker, former Real Madrid coach and also Netherlands manager from 1985 to 1990, it will certainly not content itself with bringing a mere touch of exoticism.

Group C: Argentina, Côte d'Ivoire, Serbia-Montenegro and Netherlands

It is customary, during the draw, to take one group and dub it the "Group of Death". This badge of honour has fallen to Group C.

Logic demands that the seeded team, Argentina, and the outsider, the Netherlands, should be favourites in the betting stakes. But with Côte d'Ivoire, considered the best African team of the moment, seeing off the great Cameroon in the qualifiers, and Serbia, true football artists, anything is possible.

Argentina, two-times World Cup winner, in 1978 and 1986 (finalist in 1930 and 1990), remains a favourite for the title, as vouched for by its track record in the qualifiers. All the more so since, as per usual, the Gauchos can rely on a string of stars who play in the biggest European clubs.

But each point will count, starting from 10^th June against the Côte d'Ivoire team coached by Frenchman Henri Michel, an old stager of the competition (Germany will be his 5^th World Cup). The former Nantes player and France captain can moreover count on highly talented players such as Didier Drogba and Bonaventure Kalou. Enough to nurture a few ambitions.

On 11^th June the second match will pit the Netherlands against the Serbs. The former, a benchmark in world football, is still waiting to hit the jackpot after losing two finals, in 1974 and 1978. The young Orange generation is led by Marco Van Basten, former star of the 1990s. Up against them the Serbs, who have gone undefeated during the ten qualifying matches and have outstripped Spain.

In other words, the two teams to emerge from this group will be really solid and able to lay a legitimate claim to the top prize.

Group D: Mexico, Iran, Angola and Portugal

Although on the face of it this group is not the most spectacular or the most balanced, it would be a mistake to call it the weakest.

So it's no accident that Mexico has been seeded for the first time. The Greens, coached by Ricardo Lavolpe, are old veterans of the competition (in Germany they will be competing in their thirteenth final phase). Quarterfinalists in 1970 and 1986, Mexico went out in the first round during the last three World Cups. Moreover, the team seems particularly well armed this year, notably with striker Jared Borgetti, the top overall goal scorer in the qualifiers.

Portugal is the other favourite of the group. The runner-up in the last European Championships remains a safe bet in world football and an endless reservoir of highly talented players. Its completely blank list of awards remains a great incongruity. More than ever, the troops of captain Luis Figo (another player brought back from retirement) and serial goal scorer Pedro Miguel Pauleta (the most prolific during the European qualifiers) seem ready to cause an upset in the competition.

Iran, taking part in its fourth final phase, must be treated with respect. All the more so since the Iranians can once again count on their striker-captain Ali Daei, a veritable legend in his country (capped 143 times). This unique player went down in international football history during the qualifiers by scoring his 100^th goal for Iran; a total which has since increased to 107, making him the greatest goal scorer of all time.

Lastly Angola, taking part in its first-ever final phase, must also be considered a serious contender: it's not by chance that they eliminated Algeria and Nigeria, two benchmarks from the African continent, from the race to the World Cup.

Group E: Italy, Ghana, United States and Czech Republic

This group promises a lot. It is probably the hottest, along with Group C.

Italy, three times world champion (1934, 1938 and 1982) and two-times finalist (in 1970 and 1994), is of course the favourite. Marcello Lippi's Squadra Azzurra remains a safe bet: without ever being totally convincing, it forges its way relying on a constantly changing team.

Up against it are some serious customers. Starting with the Czech Republic, who are curiously taking part in their first World Cup (Czechoslovakia was twice a finalist, in 1934 and 1962). The Czechs did not manage to qualify for the last three final phases: so their appetite is voracious. And, to achieve their aims, they can once again count on their star captain, Pavel Nedved. The 2003 European Footballer of the Year (Ballon d'Or), following the example of Zinédine Zidane, came out of retirement to save a country in danger during the ultimate decider against Norway, thereby living up to the fans' expectations.

The Americans no longer look like hockey or baseball players come to mess around on the soccer pitch. Football has become a serious affair since the 1994 World Cup, organised in their country. Proof can be seen in their incredible performance in Asia in 2002, which culminated in a place in the quarterfinals (they lost 1-0 to Germany). The Yankees, who are competing in their 5^th consecutive final phase, are resourceful and their players - many of whom play in Europe - have lessons to learn from nobody. The United States are aiming to make the last 16 at least. They will be expected. And respected.

Ghana, for its part, is taking part for the first time. However, like all African teams, it must be taken seriously. The talent of its players (Abedi Pelé in the past, Michaël Essien today) no longer needs any demonstration. Ghana has every intention of proving that it is not there by chance.

Group F: Brazil, Croatia, Australia and Japan

So here are the first three victims of the Brazilian giant, five-times champion, titleholder and huge favourite of this 18^th World Cup. Basically, and to summarise general opinion, in Germany it is set to be Brazil against the rest of the world.

All the same, it would be foolish to reduce the first matches of the Seleção to a little warm-up session. Of course the team-mates of the brilliant Ronaldinho look like legitimate number ones, but experience goes to show (look at France in South Korea) that you shouldn't count your chickens. Indeed Brazil will be even more eagerly awaited than usual.

Let's begin with the Japanese, coached by one of the greatest Brazilian stars, Zico. The Japanese, who are taking part in their third consecutive final phase, will finally be able to take on their role model. It will be on 22^nd June in Dortmund and it's a strong bet that they will not be content to just defend: that is not in their mentality, and even less so in that of the Seleção's former number 10.

The same goes for Croatia, ever the team of adventurers, whose leitmotif could be "let's go for it, we have nothing to lose". The bronze-medal winners of the World Cup in France (their first World Cup) remain serious customers and footballers of great technical skill. On a good day and for a gala match, they are capable of anything. So one could very well see them tripping up Brazil, before being defeated by Australia a few days later.

This last team, Australia, presented as a victim of providence, has every intention of getting itself talked about for its second participation in a World Cup final phase. Coached by Dutch master tactician Guus Hiddink (coach of the incredible South Korea in 2002), it is keen to repeat a feat like the one that earned it the last ticket to the World Cup by eliminating Uruguay, two-times world champion (1930 and 1970), in a decider.

Group G: France, Switzerland, Korea Republic and Togo

Since their Asian fiasco in 2002, the French have become more imbued with modesty and caution. So, at the time of the draw, there was no question of lapsing into blind optimism. This group is probably more complicated than it seems. Especially since the performance of Raymond Domenech's troops in the qualifiers was rather subdued, managing to qualify mainly thanks to the return of the old stars Thuram, Makelele and, of course, Zidane.

Logical favourites of this group, the 1998 world champions will once again cross paths with their opponent of the moment, Switzerland. A Swiss team that has dogged Thierry Henry's team-mates since the Euro 2004 in Portugal, when it was in their qualifying group. The Blues are therefore perfectly well aware of the qualities of the Swiss, with whom they have not managed to break the deadlock during their two matches (1-1 and 0-0).

There remains Korea Republic, who came fourth in the last World Cup on their home ground, and was the true revelation of the competition. The idol-toppling Koreans notably eliminated Portugal, Italy and Spain. Many of their players have since gone to play in Europe, like Park who is now shining in the strip of Manchester United. Coached by Dutchman Dick Advocaat, Korea is still playing its intense and flowing style of football. Now the surprise element has gone, it is taken more seriously and is even a favourite of the group.

Togo, on the contrary, is a totally unknown opponent. One thing is certain: the Sparrow Hawks are to be taken seriously. They obtained their ticket to Germany by seeing off Senegal, a fabulous quarterfinalist in the Asian tournament in 2002 and. an old acquaintance of France. The partners of Emmanuel Adebayor, most of whom play in France, have an example to follow.

Group H: Spain, Ukraine, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia

Will Spain finally manage to shine in the final phase of the World Cup? In any event it remains the favourite of this balanced group. Although rightly considered a great football nation with its 486,000 federation members, it has bagged only one trophy - European Championship 1964 - and is hungry for more. In the World Cup, the Iberian team has never made it further than the quarterfinals. Will this year be the one?

Spain will in any case have its work cut out against Ukraine, the first European team to obtain its ticket for the World Cup at the end of an impressive qualifying campaign (it thus overcame Greece, current European Champions, Denmark and Turkey, 3^rd in the last World Cup in Asia). It has managed to carve out for itself a fearsome image. Manager Oleg Blokhine, former Russian football idol in the 1980s, can rely on talented players such as his star striker and captain Andrei Schevtchenko, European Footballer of the Year (Ballon d'Or) in 2005.

Frenchman Roger Lemerre returns to the World Cup four years after the French fiasco in Asia. This time leading Tunisia. The Eagles of Carthage, competing in their 4^th final phase (the third successive one), are considered outsiders. Reflecting a continent of increasing importance on the football scene, Tunisia declares its ambitions: getting through the first round.

There remains Saudi Arabia, which seems to be a degree lower. But the Green and Whites, taking part in their 4^th consecutive final phase, could well hold a surprise in store, as they did in 1994 in the United States, when they managed to reach the last 16.

Also of note, the top two in this group will meet the two winners from Group G - France's group - in the round of 16.

Magazine - 15/05/06