Portugal's World Cup record: 1966 3rd, 1986 1st rd, 2002 1st rd, 2006 4th.
How Portugal qualified for World Cup 2010: European play-off winners.
The CTrainer: Carlos Queiroz (Mozambique, 56). Appointed: July 2008. WC experience: Player: None. Coach: None.
Queiroz could take recomendation from Sir Alex Ferguson if he has a difficulty next summer, having worked as his assistant, but he is a trainer in his own right having led Portugal in the '90s, as well as South Africa and Real Madrid.
The Country: Portugal ended England’s dreams in 2006 when the world’s most famous winker, Cristiano Ronaldo, helped engineer Wayne Rooney’s departure. The Portugal team leader failed to take the play-offs against Bosnia-Herzegovina, but still the country got through to qualify for their third consecutive finals.
A second-half strike by Raul Meireles was sufficient to break Bosnian hearts and send 2006 semi-finalists Portugal during the finals. The Portuguese had won a hard-fought first leg 1-0 courtesy of a close-range header by Bruno Alves.
But Portugal limped through the first half of their qualifying programme prior to a late rally, winning only five of their 10 group games and finishing two points behind Denmark. Indeed, it was only in the last game that they succeeded in reaching the play-offs, so they will not arrive in South Africa highly confident, though if Ronaldo is fit, they have one player who can turn any game.
Their top scorer in the qualifiers was Simao with just four goals, and they will hope that Chelsea midfielder Deco, now 32, can get pleasure one more impressive finals performance. Others who are key to Portugal’s achievement include more players from Stamford Bridge: Jose Bosingwa, Paolo Ferreira and Ricardo Carvalho.
4 Haziran 2010 Cuma
SOUTH AFRICA
South Africa's World Cup record: 1998 1st rd, 2002 1st rd.
How South Africa qualified for World Cup 2010: Hosts
The Coach: Carlos Alberto Parreira (Brazilian, 66). Appointed: October 2009. WC experience: Player: None. Coach: 1982 (Kuwait), 1990 (UAE), 1994 (Brazil), 2006 (Brazil).
Parreira is noted for having been one of only two coaches that has led four national teams to the World Cup.
The Country: South Africa failed to impress local supporters by not scoring a single goal in the African Nations Cup of 2006. In light of these poor performances it was decided that the hiring of a more experienced manager was essential. Rumours began to circulate, suggesting that England coach Sven-Göran Eriksson was to be the man for the job.
Former Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira accepted the job in 2007 targeting the World Cup finals but he resigned in April 2008 due to family reasons. However, last month, he returned after a short spell with Fluminese.
They will need all his expertise. South Africa hosted the 2009 Fifa Confederations Cup, a year before their World Cup, and finished in fourth place, coming through the group stages with a win over New Zealand and a draw with Iraq, despite a loss to Spain. They then lost in the semi-finals to Brazil, conceding a late free-kick after holding the South Americans at bay for most of the match.
In the 3rd-place play-off, they lost to Spain after extra time, despite leading 1-0 at one stage. For many commentators, the ability of Bafana Bafana to stand up to the South American and European champions showed just how far the team - and players such as Kagisho Dikgacoi - had come.
How South Africa qualified for World Cup 2010: Hosts
The Coach: Carlos Alberto Parreira (Brazilian, 66). Appointed: October 2009. WC experience: Player: None. Coach: 1982 (Kuwait), 1990 (UAE), 1994 (Brazil), 2006 (Brazil).
Parreira is noted for having been one of only two coaches that has led four national teams to the World Cup.
The Country: South Africa failed to impress local supporters by not scoring a single goal in the African Nations Cup of 2006. In light of these poor performances it was decided that the hiring of a more experienced manager was essential. Rumours began to circulate, suggesting that England coach Sven-Göran Eriksson was to be the man for the job.
Former Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira accepted the job in 2007 targeting the World Cup finals but he resigned in April 2008 due to family reasons. However, last month, he returned after a short spell with Fluminese.
They will need all his expertise. South Africa hosted the 2009 Fifa Confederations Cup, a year before their World Cup, and finished in fourth place, coming through the group stages with a win over New Zealand and a draw with Iraq, despite a loss to Spain. They then lost in the semi-finals to Brazil, conceding a late free-kick after holding the South Americans at bay for most of the match.
In the 3rd-place play-off, they lost to Spain after extra time, despite leading 1-0 at one stage. For many commentators, the ability of Bafana Bafana to stand up to the South American and European champions showed just how far the team - and players such as Kagisho Dikgacoi - had come.
URUGUAY
Uruguay's World Cup record: 1930 Winners, 1950 Winners, 1954 SF, 1962 1st rd, 1966 QF, 1970 4th, 1974 1st rd, 1986 2nd rd, 1990 2nd, 2002 1st rd.
How Uruguay qualified for World Cup 2010: Play-off winners.
The Coach: Oscar Tabárez (Uruguayan, 62). Appointed: 2006. WC experience: Player: None. Coach: 1990.
The former AC Milan manager first saw service with his country in 1983 when he took charge of Uruguay’s Under-20s, and assumed control of the senior side in 2006.
The Country: Uruguay were the last country to qualify for the finals, overcoming Costa Rica on Wednesday night. And afterwards, Tabárez vowed to take an improved side to the finals.
A 1-1 home draw with Costa Rica booked Uruguay a ticket to South Africa with a 2-1 aggregate win in the qualifying play-off. "It was very tough," said Tabárez. "This match mirrored the tie as a whole. I'm very happy. Fortunately, we made it, in spite of the way we did it. There is a lot to improve on.
“We'll do so and we'll have the World Cup to prove it. I'm very happy, mostly for the kids. The ones who are younger than eight years old have never seen this and now they can live it."
Captain Diego Lugano was disappointed Uruguay had to go through the play-offs. "I am happy to qualify, but not for the way we've clinched it," the Fenerbahce defender said. "It is unbelievable that we have to suffer this way."
Midfielder Alvaro Fernández added: "We'll never make it into the World Cup comfortably, but it has a special taste."
How Uruguay qualified for World Cup 2010: Play-off winners.
The Coach: Oscar Tabárez (Uruguayan, 62). Appointed: 2006. WC experience: Player: None. Coach: 1990.
The former AC Milan manager first saw service with his country in 1983 when he took charge of Uruguay’s Under-20s, and assumed control of the senior side in 2006.
The Country: Uruguay were the last country to qualify for the finals, overcoming Costa Rica on Wednesday night. And afterwards, Tabárez vowed to take an improved side to the finals.
A 1-1 home draw with Costa Rica booked Uruguay a ticket to South Africa with a 2-1 aggregate win in the qualifying play-off. "It was very tough," said Tabárez. "This match mirrored the tie as a whole. I'm very happy. Fortunately, we made it, in spite of the way we did it. There is a lot to improve on.
“We'll do so and we'll have the World Cup to prove it. I'm very happy, mostly for the kids. The ones who are younger than eight years old have never seen this and now they can live it."
Captain Diego Lugano was disappointed Uruguay had to go through the play-offs. "I am happy to qualify, but not for the way we've clinched it," the Fenerbahce defender said. "It is unbelievable that we have to suffer this way."
Midfielder Alvaro Fernández added: "We'll never make it into the World Cup comfortably, but it has a special taste."
JAPAN
Japan's World Cup record: 1998 1st rd, 2002 2nd rd, 2006 1st rd.
How Japan qualified for World Cup 2010: Asia, Group 1 Runners-up.
The Coach: Takeshi Okada (Japan, 53). Appointed: December 2007. WC experience: Player; None. Coach: 1998.
After Ivica Osim suffered a stroke while serving as coach of Japan's national team, Okada was named as his successor.
The Country: Japan became the first team to book their place after earning a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Uzbekistan in Tashkent. Shunji Okazaki claimed the only goal of the game after nine minutes to book a fourth successive finals berth.
Japan's first major achievement in international football came in the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, where the team won the bronze medal. This raised awareness of the sport in Japan but absence of a professional domestic league hindered its growth and Japan had to wait 30 years before qualifying for the World Cup.
In 1991, the owners of the semi-professional Japan Soccer League agreed to disband the league and re-form as the professional J League to raise the sport's profile and to strengthen the national team programme. With the launch of the new league in 1993, interest in football and the national team grew.
Japan co-hosted the 2002 World Cup with South Korea. Despite being held to a 2-2 draw by Belgium in their opening game, the Japanese team reached the second round with a 1-0 win over Russia and a 2-0 victory against Tunisia. However, they subsequently exited the tournament during the Round of 16, after losing 1-0 to the eventual third-place finishers, Turkey.
How Japan qualified for World Cup 2010: Asia, Group 1 Runners-up.
The Coach: Takeshi Okada (Japan, 53). Appointed: December 2007. WC experience: Player; None. Coach: 1998.
After Ivica Osim suffered a stroke while serving as coach of Japan's national team, Okada was named as his successor.
The Country: Japan became the first team to book their place after earning a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Uzbekistan in Tashkent. Shunji Okazaki claimed the only goal of the game after nine minutes to book a fourth successive finals berth.
Japan's first major achievement in international football came in the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, where the team won the bronze medal. This raised awareness of the sport in Japan but absence of a professional domestic league hindered its growth and Japan had to wait 30 years before qualifying for the World Cup.
In 1991, the owners of the semi-professional Japan Soccer League agreed to disband the league and re-form as the professional J League to raise the sport's profile and to strengthen the national team programme. With the launch of the new league in 1993, interest in football and the national team grew.
Japan co-hosted the 2002 World Cup with South Korea. Despite being held to a 2-2 draw by Belgium in their opening game, the Japanese team reached the second round with a 1-0 win over Russia and a 2-0 victory against Tunisia. However, they subsequently exited the tournament during the Round of 16, after losing 1-0 to the eventual third-place finishers, Turkey.
CAMEROON
Cameroon's World Cup record: 1982 1st rd, 1990 QF, 1994 1st rd, 1998 1st rd, 2002 1st rd.
How Cameroon qualified for World Cup 2010: African Group A Winners.
The Coach: Paul Le Guen (French, 45). Appointed: July 2009. WC experience: Player: 1994 (France). Coach: None.
Le Guen failed to impress in charge of Rangers but, after replacing Otto Pfister, he turned Cameroon’s fortunes around to become an instant hero.
The Country: Cameroon rose to prominence in 1982 finals when an increase from 16 to 24 teams meant there would be two representatives from Africa. And they did not disappoint with Roger Milla featuring for the first time. In the 1990 finals, Milla became a household name as he led the Indomitable Lions to the quarter-finals before they lost to Bobby Robson’s England, but only after a fight.
Cameroon qualified for the next three finals but went out at the first round stage on each occasion. They failed to qualify for the finals in Germany and looked as if they could miss out again.
Under former coach Otto Pfister, Cameroon lost to Togo and were held to a draw by Morocco and the German was sacked. Bottom of their group, Cameroon’s hopes of reaching the finals in their own continent were not good. But the arrival of Le Guen coincided with an upturn in fortunes with the Frenchman guiding the country to a valuable win against Gabon in Libreville.
Samuel Eto’o, an international since he was 14, was made captain and last week Cameroon beat Morroco 2-0 in Fez in their last match of their campaign and qualified for the finals.
The style police are waiting for Cameroon’s kit. For the 2002 African Cup of Nations in Mali they wore sleeveless shirts and, two years later, they tried to wear a one-piece kit - but it was banned by Fifa.
How Cameroon qualified for World Cup 2010: African Group A Winners.
The Coach: Paul Le Guen (French, 45). Appointed: July 2009. WC experience: Player: 1994 (France). Coach: None.
Le Guen failed to impress in charge of Rangers but, after replacing Otto Pfister, he turned Cameroon’s fortunes around to become an instant hero.
The Country: Cameroon rose to prominence in 1982 finals when an increase from 16 to 24 teams meant there would be two representatives from Africa. And they did not disappoint with Roger Milla featuring for the first time. In the 1990 finals, Milla became a household name as he led the Indomitable Lions to the quarter-finals before they lost to Bobby Robson’s England, but only after a fight.
Cameroon qualified for the next three finals but went out at the first round stage on each occasion. They failed to qualify for the finals in Germany and looked as if they could miss out again.
Under former coach Otto Pfister, Cameroon lost to Togo and were held to a draw by Morocco and the German was sacked. Bottom of their group, Cameroon’s hopes of reaching the finals in their own continent were not good. But the arrival of Le Guen coincided with an upturn in fortunes with the Frenchman guiding the country to a valuable win against Gabon in Libreville.
Samuel Eto’o, an international since he was 14, was made captain and last week Cameroon beat Morroco 2-0 in Fez in their last match of their campaign and qualified for the finals.
The style police are waiting for Cameroon’s kit. For the 2002 African Cup of Nations in Mali they wore sleeveless shirts and, two years later, they tried to wear a one-piece kit - but it was banned by Fifa.
ALGERIA
Algeria's World Cup record: 1982 1st rd, 1986 1st rd.
How Algeria qualified for World Cup 2010: Africa Group C Play-Off.
The Coach: Rabah Saadane (Algerian, 63). Appointed: 2007. WC experience: Player: None. Coach: 1986.
Saadane is in his fifth spell as coach of the national team after earlier stints between 1981 and 2004, including leading the team in the World Cup in 1986.
The Country: After a tempestuous 2-0 defeat in Cairo, where four players were injured when Egyptian fans attacked the Algerian team bus, a play-off was needed to determine the winners of the African Group C.
The game was played in neutral Sudan and, following the 1-0 win, hundreds of thousands flooded into the streets across Algeria, celebrating with flags, fireworks and car horns.
Out of Africa, little is known about Les Verts, who reached only their third finals thanks to Antar Yahia's spectacular first half goal in Khartoum on Wednesday. The centre-half volleyed home five minutes before half-time and a solid rearguard effort in the second half kept out Egypt.
Algeria will have some familiar faces at the finals, with four of their players currently based in England. Nadir Belhadj, Portsmouth’s defender-midfielder, who arrived from Lens, is a key player.
Another recent arrival at Fratton Park, Hassan Yebda, will also be representing his country in South Africa, while former Fulham winger Hameur Bouazza, born in France and now at Blackpool, is also in the squad. And Hull City’s Kamel Ghilas, also born in France, is a well established Algerian international.
How Algeria qualified for World Cup 2010: Africa Group C Play-Off.
The Coach: Rabah Saadane (Algerian, 63). Appointed: 2007. WC experience: Player: None. Coach: 1986.
Saadane is in his fifth spell as coach of the national team after earlier stints between 1981 and 2004, including leading the team in the World Cup in 1986.
The Country: After a tempestuous 2-0 defeat in Cairo, where four players were injured when Egyptian fans attacked the Algerian team bus, a play-off was needed to determine the winners of the African Group C.
The game was played in neutral Sudan and, following the 1-0 win, hundreds of thousands flooded into the streets across Algeria, celebrating with flags, fireworks and car horns.
Out of Africa, little is known about Les Verts, who reached only their third finals thanks to Antar Yahia's spectacular first half goal in Khartoum on Wednesday. The centre-half volleyed home five minutes before half-time and a solid rearguard effort in the second half kept out Egypt.
Algeria will have some familiar faces at the finals, with four of their players currently based in England. Nadir Belhadj, Portsmouth’s defender-midfielder, who arrived from Lens, is a key player.
Another recent arrival at Fratton Park, Hassan Yebda, will also be representing his country in South Africa, while former Fulham winger Hameur Bouazza, born in France and now at Blackpool, is also in the squad. And Hull City’s Kamel Ghilas, also born in France, is a well established Algerian international.
SLOVENIA
Slovenia's World Cup record: 2002 1st rd.
How Slovenia qualified for World Cup 2010: European play-off winners.
The Coach: Matjaž Kek (Slovenian, 48). Appointed: January 2007. WC experience: Player: None. Coach: None.
Kek has worked his way up the Slovenian ladder, coaching the country’s Under-15 and Under-16 teams before progressing to the senior side.
The Country: The only shock of the play-offs came in Slovenia with Kek admitting that his country had "realised a dream" by beating Russia to a place at the World Cup finals after Milivoje Novakovic's five goals secured them second place in their group.
Zlatko Dedic scored the game's only goal to put Slovenia through on away goals at the expense of Guus Hiddink's side, who had two men sent off in a dramatic and bad-tempered match. But Kek was in no doubt that his side performed better on the night and deserved to go through.
He said: "It was a historic match for us. I want to thank every one of my players. The whole country was behind us and we could feel their support. Our victory was deserved. It is a huge honour to be among the best teams in the world. Slovenia has realised a dream.”
A dream, indeed, when one considers that they played their first match only in 1992 after the split of Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1991. Before that, Slovenian players played for the Yugoslavia national football team.
Slovenia were surprise qualifiers for Euro 2000, when they beat Ukraine in a playoff. They turned some heads during the tournament, drawing with Yugoslavia and Norway, and only losing to Spain 2–1. Slovenia achieved another major success two years later, qualifying for the 2002 World Cup, this time defeating Romania in a playoff.
They did not lose a match in their whole qualifying campaign, recording six wins and six draws. However, they did not do as well in the finals, as they went home pointless. Despite failing to qualify for the 2006 World Cup, they were the only team to beat Italy on their way to winning the tournament with a shock 1–0 victory on home turf.
How Slovenia qualified for World Cup 2010: European play-off winners.
The Coach: Matjaž Kek (Slovenian, 48). Appointed: January 2007. WC experience: Player: None. Coach: None.
Kek has worked his way up the Slovenian ladder, coaching the country’s Under-15 and Under-16 teams before progressing to the senior side.
The Country: The only shock of the play-offs came in Slovenia with Kek admitting that his country had "realised a dream" by beating Russia to a place at the World Cup finals after Milivoje Novakovic's five goals secured them second place in their group.
Zlatko Dedic scored the game's only goal to put Slovenia through on away goals at the expense of Guus Hiddink's side, who had two men sent off in a dramatic and bad-tempered match. But Kek was in no doubt that his side performed better on the night and deserved to go through.
He said: "It was a historic match for us. I want to thank every one of my players. The whole country was behind us and we could feel their support. Our victory was deserved. It is a huge honour to be among the best teams in the world. Slovenia has realised a dream.”
A dream, indeed, when one considers that they played their first match only in 1992 after the split of Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1991. Before that, Slovenian players played for the Yugoslavia national football team.
Slovenia were surprise qualifiers for Euro 2000, when they beat Ukraine in a playoff. They turned some heads during the tournament, drawing with Yugoslavia and Norway, and only losing to Spain 2–1. Slovenia achieved another major success two years later, qualifying for the 2002 World Cup, this time defeating Romania in a playoff.
They did not lose a match in their whole qualifying campaign, recording six wins and six draws. However, they did not do as well in the finals, as they went home pointless. Despite failing to qualify for the 2006 World Cup, they were the only team to beat Italy on their way to winning the tournament with a shock 1–0 victory on home turf.
Kaydol:
Kayıtlar (Atom)
