The FIFA World Cup Draw 2010 went ahead yesterday (Friday 4th of Dec) with all the teams biting their nails to see who they will face against.

32 teams will go to South Africa next summer to compete in the most prestigious football competition in the world, “The World Cup 2010 in South Africa”. All the national sides have confidence that they can write themselves in the history books.

World Cup Favourites

There are the usual teams such as Brazil, Italy, Spain and Germany but also the dangerous sides that like to surprise people such as England Argentina, France and Portugal.

Group of Death

From the Draw it is obvious that the group of death is Group G. Brazil obviously the favourites but Korea Ivory Coast and Portugal are teams that love surprising people. Both Portugal and Brazil have major super stars including former world players of the year Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo who both play for Real Madrid.

Group A is also a handful as though France are the favourites South Africa with the help of the home fans can surprise everyone. Mexico and Uruguay are both capable teams with Uruguay taking the World cup home twice in 1930 and 1950.

The wrest of the groups if you are not a supporter of the teams, you can say is relatively easy for the favourites but some teams may surprise us for the 2nd place spots. After all the World cup is a place of dreams like we saw in previous competitions.

Teams to lookout for

Teams that I expect to give us a surprise are South Africa, USA, Ivory Coast and Denmark. Denmark cruised through their qualifying group which was arguably the hardest. However USA is also a very big powerhouse with the success they got in the Confederation Cup 2009 this summer where they came runners up, indicates what where up for next summer (how exciting). Home teams are always expected to make some sort of an impact which is no different for South Africa. South Africa performed badly in the 2006 African Cup in which they failed to score a single goal, but South Africa have shown how far they have gotten by coming 4th in the Confederation Cup 2009.

Bellow are the 32 teams and who they will be facing in the FIFA world Cup group stages.

Group A: South Africa, Mexico, Uruguay, France
Group B: Argentina, Nigeria, Korea Republic, Greece
Group C: England, USA, Algeria, Slovenia
Group D: Germany, Australia, Serbia, Ghana,
Group E: Netherlands, Denmark, Japan, Cameroon
Group F: Italy, Paraguay, New Zealand, Slovakia
Group G: Brazil, Korea DPR, Côte d’Ivoire, Portugal
Group H: Spain, Switzerland, Honduras, Chile

Story By National Turk sports correspondent

John Steel