Slovakia Matches Live Streaming Online Sopcast in Fifa World Cup 2010, HD Quality

SLOVAKIA
Group F
Coach: Vladimir WEISS
Star Player : Stanislav Sestak

LIVE STREAM  SLOVAKIA MATCHES :
June 15, 2010 @ 11:30GMT Group Stage Group F
New Zealand vs Slovakia
at Royal Bafokeng Stadium

June 20, 2010 @ 11:30GMT Group Stage Group F
Slovakia vs Paraguay
at Free State Stadium

June 24, 2010 @ 14:00GMT Group Stage Group F
Slovakia vs Italy
at Ellis Park
Short Team History
FIFA member since: 1993
All-time caps leader: Miroslav Karhan (95)
All-time leading scorer: Szilard Nemeth (22 goals)
Notable achievements: European Champions (1976 - as Czechoslovakia)
Legendary Player: Josef Masopust was a hard-working midfielder who rose to fame in the 1960s with Czechoslovakia. Masopust scored 10 goals in 63 games for his country, saving his best performances for the 1962 World Cup in Chile when he led a talented Czechoslovakian team to the finals against Brazil. Voted European player of the year in 1962 and considered by many as the best Czechoslovakian player of his generation.

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Number of Previous World Cup Appearances: 0
Hosted the World Cup: Never

Slovakia Main Squad:

#1 Jan MUCHA
#12 Dusan PERNIS
#23 Dusan KUCIAK

#2 Peter PEKARIK
#3 Martin SKRTEL
#4 Marek CECH
#5 Radoslav ZABAVNIK
#16 Jan DURICA
#21 Kornel SALATA
#22 Martin PETRAS

#6 Zdenko STRBA
#7 Vladimir WEISS
#8 Jan KOZAK
#10 Marek SAPARA
#15 Miroslav STOCH
#17 Marek HAMSIK
#19 Juraj KUCKA
#20 Kamil KOPUNEK

#9 Stanislav SESTAK
#11 Robert VITTEK
#13 Filip HOLOSKO
#14 Martin JAKUBKO
#18 Erik JENDRISEK

Know More About Slovakia ? READ MORE !!
Appearances at finals:
(As Czechoslovakia)
1934 - Runners-up
1938 - Quarter-finals
1954 - First round
1958 - First round
1962 - Runners-up
1970 - First round
1982 - First round
1990 - Quarter-finals

Overall record at finals: (As Czechoslovakia) Played 30, Won 11, Drawn 5, Lost 14.

Best performance: (As Czechoslovakia) Runners-up in 1934 and 1962.

Most appearances at finals: Jan Popluhar (1958, 1962) - 8 (for Czechoslovakia).

Most goals at finals: Adolf Scherer (1962) - 3 (for Czechoslovakia).

World Cup high: Qualifying for the 2010 finals, which will be their first appearance at a major international tournament as an independent nation.

World Cup low: Being destroyed 5-1 by Spain in the World Cup 2006 qualification play-off, with the humiliating first-leg defeat ending any hopes of appearing in the finals for the first time.

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World Cup legend: Jan Popluhar was named the greatest Slovakian player of the 20th century. The defender was an integral part of the Czechoslovakia side that reached the 1962 World Cup final and he played a total of 62 times for his country. Though Czechoslovakia lost the final 3-1 to Brazil, Popluhar had helped stifle the mighty Garrincha and Pele earlier in the tournament as the sides drew 0-0 during the group stages. This was only the second time in 22 World Cup matches that Brazil had not scored a goal.

The story so far: Slovakia have finally emerged from the shadow of neighbours Czech Republic after qualifying for their first major international tournament as an independent nation. Slovakia's political accession from the old Czechoslovakia came in 1993, but the combined football team played together for a further year before disbanding after failing to secure qualification to the 1994 World Cup finals.

Historically, Slovakia contributed a number of players to the old Czechoslovakian national side, and had four key players play in the team that lost 3-1 to Brazil in the 1962 World Cup final having initially been 1-0 up. Goalkeeper Viliam Schrojf, imperious defender Jan Popluhar, midfield schemer Andrej Kvasnak and prolific striker Adolf Scherer all played a crucial part in the country's impressive progression to the final.

Since competing as an independent nation, Slovakia have been perennial nearly-men, finishing third in qualifying for four of the eight major tournaments they have entered, while Czech Republic have impressed, reaching the Euro 96 final and Euro 2004 semi-finals. In 2005, the Slovakians took a step forward by reaching the World Cup qualification play-offs, but an embarrassing 5-1 first-leg defeat to Spain ended their dream. They looked to have gone backwards with a disappointing fourth-place finish in Euro 2008 qualification, but they bounced back to win a tight group, at the expense of neighbours Czech Republic, to book their place at the 2010 finals.

Qualification: Despite losing home and away to second-placed Slovenia, Slovakia won seven of their other eight fixtures to top Group Three by two points. Inspired by the impressive Marek Hamsik and the goals of Stanislav Sestak, Slovakia grabbed important home and away victories over Poland, Northern Ireland and San Marino. They also beat neighbours Czech Republic away from home to cement their status as group leaders as Slovenia floundered, and qualification was confirmed with a battling 1-0 victory in the snow of Poland to complete the Slovakian fairytale.

Qualifying record: P10, W7, D1, L2, F22, A10, Pts22.

Most appearances: Robert Vittek, Peter Pekarik (9).

Top goalscorer: Stanislav Sestak (6).

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TEAM PROFILE SLOVAKIA !!
Appearing for the first time in a major international competition, Slovakia have been striving to relive the glory years enjoyed by the former Czechoslovakia since going it alone in 1993.

While their team is hardly filled with household names, Slovakia can nonetheless rely on a well-organised collective with plenty of admirable qualities. Likewise, their continuing progress gives them good reason to be optimistic about their voyage to South Africa.

The road to South Africa
Fourth in their section in qualifying for the 1998 FIFA World Cup™ France, third on the road to Korea/Japan 2002 and runners-up ahead of Germany 2006, Slovakia continued their rise by sealing top spot in Group 3. Vladimir Weiss's side booked their historic place on 14 October 2009, upsetting a number of predictions that they would struggle to cope with a difficult pool.

Their passage was far from smooth, but slowly and surely Slovakia mounted their bid, losing only to closest challengers Slovenia. Their nearest rivals proved a real thorn in their side, downing them 2-1 in their second outing and, above all, prevailing 2-0 in Bratislva in the penultimate round of matches, yet Slovakia's desire to experience a FIFA World Cup finals shone through in the end. Needing to prevail in Poland in their final outing, they duly triumphed 1-0.

The star players
Solid at the back for Premier League heavyweights Liverpool, Martin Skrtel is a central figure for his country, while midfielder Marek Hamsik has both a knack of scoring goals for Napoli and the welcome habit of shining for the national side. The latter is unlikely to go unnoticed in South Africa and the same applies to Stanislav Sestak, who finished top scorer for Slovakia with six strikes in qualifying and is eager to continue in similar fashion.

The coach
Born in 1964, former Slovakian international Vladimir Weiss was appointed in June 2008, taking over from Jan Kocian after his predecessor failed to take the side through to UEFA EURO 2008.

Blessed with a strong personality, Weiss learnt the coaching ropes at Artmedia Bratislava, leading the unfancied Slovakian outfit into the UEFA Champions League group phase in 2005/06. The following season, he opted to boost his credentials with Saturn Moscow Oblast in Russia, before celebrating a triumphant return to Artmedia with the Slovakian league title a year after. All that remained was a tilt at leading the national team and, given his previous successes, who knows how far they can progress together?

Vladimir Weiss is also the son of... Vladimir Weiss, a former Czechoslovakian international. In fact, he is the father of Vladimir Weiss too, with his son plying his trade at Manchester City and often called up to demonstrate his worth in a national team shirt.

Previous FIFA World Cups
While this may be Slovakia's first appearance on the global stage, the country's footballing past is naturally tied up with that of the former Czechoslovakia, who participated in eight finals overall. Czechoslovakia even reached the final in 1934, losing 2-1 after extra time to Italy, and 1962, when they succumbed 3-1 to Brazil. They also advanced as far as the last eight in 1990.

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Honours (as Czechoslovakia)

- 1 UEFA European Championship (1976)
- 1 Olympic Football Tournament (1980)

What they said
"We're very persistant: we don't give up until we've succeeded," Stanislav Sestak, striker.

Nigeria Matches Live Streaming Online Sopcast in Fifa World Cup 2010, HD Quality

NIGERIA
Group B
Coach: Lars Lagerback
Star Player : Chinedu Obasi 

Number of Previous World Cup Appearances: 3
Best result: 2nd round (1994, 1998)
All-time record: 11 games played, 4 wins, 1 draw, 6 losses
Goals for: 14, Goals against: 16
Biggest victory: 3-0 vs. Bulgaria in 1994
Biggest defeat: 4-1 vs. Denmark in 1998
Top scorer: Daniel Amokachi and Emmanuel Amunike (2 goals)
Most appearances: Jay-Jay Okocha (nine matches)
Hosted the World Cup: Never


LIVE STREAM  NIGERIA MATCHES :

June 12, 2010 @ 14:00GMT Group Stage Group B
Argentina vs Nigeria
at Ellis Park

June 17, 2010 @ 14:00GMT Group Stage Group B
Greece vs Nigeria
at Free State Stadium

June 22, 2010 @ 18:30GMT Group Stage Group B
Nigeria vs South Korea
at Durban Stadium

Short Team History Nigeria:

FIFA member since: 1960
Team nickname: Super Eagles
All-time caps leader: Mudashiru Lawal (86)
All-time leading scorer: Rashidi Yekini (37)
Notable achievements: African Cup of Nations Champions (1980, 1994)
Legendary Player: Muda Lawal was a hero of the Nigerian side that won its first African Cup of Nations in 1980 - his goal in the final against Algeria secured victory for the "Super Eagles.".

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Nigeria

#1 Vincent ENYEAMA
#16 Austin EJIDE
#23 Dele AIYENUGBA

#2 Joseph YOBO
#3 Taye TAIWO
#5 Rabiu AFOLABI
#6 Danny SHITTU
#17 Chidi ODIAH
#21 Uwa ECHIEJILE
#22 Dele ADELEYE

#4 Nwankwo KANU
#10 John Obi MIKEL
#12 Kalu UCHE
#13 Yussuf AYILA
#14 Sani KAITA
#15 Lukman HARUNA
#20 Dickson ETUHU

#7 John UTAKA
#8 Yakubu AIYEGBENI
#9 Obafemi MARTINS
#11 Peter ODEMWINGIE
#18 Victor OBINNA
#19 Chinedu OGBUKE OBASI

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Want to Know More About Nigeria ? Read More ~!!~

Appearances at finals:
1994 - Second round
1998 - Second round
2002 - First round

Overall record at finals: Played 11, Won 4, Drawn 1, Lost 6.

Best performance: Second round in 1994 and 1998.

Most apearances at finals: Jay-Jay Okocha (1994, 1998, 2002) - 10.

Most goals at finals: Emmanuel Amuneke (1994), Daniel Amokachi (1994) - 2.

World Cup high: Beating Spain 3-2 at the 1998 finals. Mutiu Adepoju equalised after Fernando Hierro gave Spain the lead, but Raúl put Javier Clemente's side back in front. However, a resilient Nigeria performance was rewarded with goals from Garba Lawal and Sunday Oliseh as they sealed a famous win.

World Cup low: Being destroyed 4-1 by Denmark in the second round of the 1998 finals. After the impressive result against Spain, the 'Super Eagles' were taught a cruel lesson in the first knockout round by the 1992 European Championship winners, with a Tijani Babangida goal the only consolation.

World Cup legend: Jay-Jay "so good they named him twice" Okocha, who burst onto the international scene as a fresh-faced 20-year-old at the 1994 World Cup finals. Of Nigeria's 11 World Cup games, Okocha missed just one - their first ever - and entertained crowds in the USA, France and Japan/South Korea, captaining the side at the 2002 finals. Okocha dazzled, with his natural flair shining through on the big stage as he helped take Nigeria to the second round in both 1994 and 1998.

The story so far: Before qualifying for their first finals in 1994, Nigeria had come desperately close to qualifying on a number of occasions, including final-stage defeats to Morocco in 1970 qualifying, Tunisia in Egypt in 1978, Algeria in 1982 and fierce rivals Cameroon in 1990. But, in 1994, they made their World Cup bow and impressed, winning their group with wins against Bulgaria and Greece, and a narrow defeat to Argentina.

If reaching the second round in their debut finals wasn't impressive enough, the 'Super Eagles' were two minutes away from reaching the quarter-finals as they led 1-0 against Italy, but an equaliser from Roberto Baggio and then an extra-time winner from the forward knocked them out.

The 1998 finals saw Nigeria's most famous World Cup result, after the 'Super Eagles' twice came from behind to beat Spain 3-2 in their opening fixture. A win against Bulgaria and defeat to Paraguay followed but Nigeria won the group. However, their finals campaign ended in bitter disappointment after they exited at the hands of Denmark in the second round, crashing out 4-1.

In 2002, Nigeria were drawn in a tricky group with Argentina, England and Sweden. After a tight 1-0 loss to Argentina, Nigeria were 1-0 up against Sweden but ended up losing 2-1 before a spirited 0-0 draw in searing heat against Sven-Göran Eriksson's side left them with a solitary point at the bottom of the group. Nigeria missed out on a fourth consecutive finals appearance in 2006 after finishing second in qualifying to Angola.

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Qualification: Nigeria left it late to narrowly scrape through to their fourth finals, though many were surprised at how they laboured after advancing from the opening qualifying round with a 100% record. South Africa, Sierra Leone and Equatorial Guinea were beaten home and away as the 'Super Eagles' cruised through.

In the final qualifying round, Nigeria remained unbeaten, but draws against rivals Tunisia - home and away - and Mozambique looked to have ended their World Cup 2010 dreams. However, a dramatic 93rd-minute winner from Victor Obinna in their penultimate game against Mozambique kept their slim hopes alive and, when group leaders Tunisia suffered a shock loss to Mozambique in the final match, Nigeria came from behind to beat Kenya 3-2 in Nairobi to qualify against the odds.

Qualifying record (second round): P6, W6, D0, L0, F11, A1, Pts18.

Qualifying record (third round): P6, W3, D3, L0, F9, A4, Pts12.

Most appearances: Ikechukwu Uche, Peter Odemwingie, Vincent Enyeama (10).

Top goalscorer: Ikechukwu Uche (4).

TEAM HISTORY NIGERIA:
Expectations are diminished for Nigeria at the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™, but it was not long ago that the Super Eagles were seen as the most likely African nation to finally reach the last four of a FIFA World Cup. And though they have just one point from their last five matches in the finals and missed out on Germany 2006 altogether, the continent’s most populous nation looks likely to be a dangerous dark horse with little to lose up against the world’s best.

That was how the side came to USA 94, where they dismantled eventual semi-finalists Bulgaria 3-0 in their first match before going on to cruelly fall 2-1 against Italy in the second round. However, that was not before the likes of Sunday Oliseh, Victor Ikpeba, Jay-Jay Okocha and Finidi George had become synonymous with the next generation of explosive African football. A similarly quick start in 1998 - they stunned Spain 3-2 in one of the matches of the tournament to start and beat Bulgaria again 1-0 - gave way to another second round defeat, this time a disheartening thumping at the hands of Denmark 4-1. But after dramatically reaching South Africa in their final qualifier, Nigeria could be forgiven for going into the finals with a positive attitude.

LIVE STREAM ONLINE NIGERIA MATCHES

The road to South Africa
A surprising scoreless draw in their first match in the final round of CAF qualifying to Mozambique left Nigeria playing catch-up to Tunisia from the start, and consecutive draws with the Carthage Eagles had the west Africans staring elimination in the face. However, Tunisia lost 1-0 in Mozambique and Nigeria came from a goal behind twice to win 3-2 in Kenya. Striker Obafemi Martins was the hero on the day, coming on at half-time before scoring the first equaliser on the hour mark and the winner just nine minutes from time. The goal stamped Nigeria’s ticket to the next World Cup.

The star players
The Super Eagles have the ability to score a lot of goals in South Africa behind a pacy, dynamic attack that features the likes of Martins, Yakubu Aiyegbeni, Peter Odemwingie as well as youngsters Victor Obinna and Ikechukwu Uche and evergreen Nwankwo Kanu in what is surely his last role of the dice. They won’t be a soft touch behind that either, with Jon Obi Mikel anchoring the midfield, and captain Joseph Yobo in the centre of defence.

The coach
Despite qualifying the Super Eagles for another FIFA World Cup, Shaibu Amodu was demoted after the team finished third at the 2010 CAF Africa Cup of Nations in Angola. He was replaced by former Sweden boss Lars Lagerback at the end of February. The 61-year-old led Sweden for over a decade - part of the time as co-manager with Tommy Soderberg - and took the side to the knockout rounds at Korea/Japan 2002 as well as Germany 2006. His teams also qualified for three consecutive European Championships.

Record
• Nigeria’s 3-0 waltz over Bulgaria in their USA 94 debut match was more remarkable given that the Europeans went on to beat Greece, Argentina, Mexico and Germany in the tournament.

• Since Clemens Westerhof built the 1994 side and left the Super Eagles, the team has been coached by such well-known European journeymen as Jo Bonfrere, Philippe Troussier, Bora Milutinovic and Berti Vogts.

• Nigeria have a rich history at other worldwide tournaments, having won the 1985, 1993 and 2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup as well as the 1996 Olympic Football Tournament.

What they said
"We know that we will have a tough job at the World Cup. We are up against some tough teams like Argentina, with top players like [Lionel] Messi. It's important for us to prove that we can play our own game against the best," Nigeria forward Chinedu Obasi.

South Africa Matches Live Streaming Online Sopcast in Fifa World Cup 2010, HD Quality

SOUTH AFRICA
Group A
Manager: Carlos Alberto Parreira
Star Player : Aaron Mokoena

Number of Previous World Cup Appearances: 2
Best result: 1st round (1998, 2002)
All-time record: 6 games played, 1 win, 3 draws, 2 losses
Goals for: 8, Goals against: 11
Biggest victory: 1-0 vs. Slovenia in 2002
Biggest defeat: 3-0 vs. France in 1998
Top scorer: Benni McCarthy, Shaun Bartlett (2 goals)
Most appearances: Benni McCarthy, Lucas Radebe, Quinton Fortune (6 matches)
Hosted the World Cup: 2010


LIVE STREAM  SOUTH AFRICA MATCHES : 


June 11, 2010 @ 15:00BST Group Stage Group A
South Africa vs Mexico
at Soccer City Stadium

June 16, 2010 @ 19:30BST Group Stage Group A
South Africa vs Uruguay
at Loftus Versfeld Stadium

June 22, 2010 @ 15:00BST Group Stage Group A
France vs South Africa
at Free State Stadium

Short History of SA:

FIFA member since: 1992
Team nickname: Bafana Bafana
All-time caps leader: Aaron Mokoena (90)
All-time leading scorer: Benni McCarthy (31)
Notable achievements: African Nations Cup Champions (1996)
Legendary Player: Nicknamed the Black Prince of South African soccer, Jomo Sono was a star player in the North American Soccer League who went on to serve as coach of the South Africa's national team at the 2002 World Cup.

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GK    Rowen FERNANDEZ
GK    Moneeb JOSEPH
GK    Itumeleng KHUNE
GK    Shu-Aib WALTERS
Matthew BOOTH
Franklyn CALE
Lance DAVIDS
Kagisho DIKGACOI
Bevan FRANSMAN
Siboniso GAXA
Andile JALI
Thanduyise KHUBONI
Bongani KHUMALO
Reneilwe LETSHOLONYANE
Tsepo MASILELA
Benni McCARTHY
Innocent MDLEDLE
Teko MODISE
Aaron MOKOENA
Bryce MOON
Surprise MORIRI
Katlego MPHELA
Anele NGCONGCA
Siyabonga NOMVETHE
Bernard PARKER
Steven PIENAAR
Siyabonga SANGWENI
MacBeth SIBAYA
Lucas THWALA
Siphiwe TSHABALALA

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Want to Know More About South Africa ? Read More !!
Appearances at finals:

1998 - First round
2002 - First round

Overall record at finals: Played 6, Won 1, Draw 3, Lost 2.

Best performance: First round in 1998 and 2002.

Most appearances at finals: Lucas Radebe (1998, 2002), Quinton Fortune (1998, 2002), Benni McCarthy (1998, 2002) - 6.

Most goals at finals: Benni McCarthy (1998, 2002), Shaun Bartlett (1998) - 2.

World Cup high: Their first ever finals victory at their second tournament appearance in 2002, beating Slovenia 1-0 with a Siyabonga Nomvethe goal the difference between the sides.

World Cup low: Bafana Bafana's embarrassing failure to qualify for the 2006 World Cup in Germany, finishing third in their qualification group behind Ghana and Congo DR, after having been named hosts of the 2010 tournament.

World Cup legend: Benni McCarthy is the country's record goal-scorer and second most capped player, with 31 goals in 76 appearances. He scored at the 1998 and 2002 tournaments against Denmark and Spain respectively.

The story so far: The history of the South African football team, like the country itself, has been greatly affected by the system of apartheid. The enforced racial segregation of the country was hugely contentious and numerous attempts were made to suspend the national side from FIFA because the country's constitution prohibited the fielding of racially mixed teams. But South Africa, along with Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan, were one of the founding members of the Confederation of African Football and continued to escape expulsion because of a widespread reluctance for FIFA to become embroiled in political matters.

They were suspended from FIFA competition in 1966 but, after the violence of the Soweto uprising in 1976, a horrified FIFA finally expelled South Africa and the national team would not play again for 16 years. In 1991, as apartheid drew to a close, a new multi-racial South African Football Association was born and the new team played its first game against Cameroon in 1992, winning 1-0. Four years later, hosting and competing in their first African Nations Cup as a multi-racial side, Bafana Bafana lifted the trophy and were joined in celebration by an overjoyed Nelson Mandela.

They went on to play in the 1998 World Cup in France and, after being soundly beaten 3-0 by the hosts in their first ever finals match, South Africa went on to earn admirable draws against Denmark and Saudi Arabia, but finished in third place in the group, two points behind the Danes.

At the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea, an improved South Africa side were agonisingly close to making the second round, missing out to Paraguay on goals scored. A 2-2 draw with the South Americans in the first game was followed up by a first finals victory, a 1-0 win over Slovenia. In their final game against Spain, Bafana Bafana twice came from behind but were denied by a Raul goal as Jose Antonio Camacho's side narrowly triumphed 3-2. A disappointing failure to qualify for the 2006 finals followed but in 2004 it had been announced that, in 2010, South Africa would become the first African country to host the World Cup.

Qualification: As hosts, South Africa qualified for the tournament automatically but did play a number of friendlies while qualification was taking place. They were involved in the first stage of African qualifying with a place at the 2010 African Nations Cup at stake but finished 11 points adrift of Nigeria in the group, missing out on a place at the tournament.

It has been a tumultuous time for Bafana Bafana and, although they performed creditably at the Confederations Cup - losing in the semi-finals to Brazil and the third place play-off to European Championship winners Spain by just a single goal - they continued to crash to defeat after defeat in friendlies, which eventually saw the sacking of boss Joel Santana and the re-appointment of former boss Carlos Parreira.

Qualifying record (second round): P6, W2, D1, L3, F5, A5, Pts7.

Confederations Cup record: P5, W1, D1, L3, F4, A6.

Most appearances: Kagisho Dikgacoi (11).

Top goalscorer: Kagisho Dikgacoi, Katlego Mphela, Bernard Parker (2).

LIVE STREAM ONLINE SOUTH AFRICA MATCHES

Team Profile South Africa: SA
There is an air of cautious optimism in South Africa as the Rainbow Nation prepares to write what is undoubtedly the most significant chapter of its short football history. A mammoth task lies ahead.

Recent years have brought ample disappointments, but Bafana Bafana have also shown, albeit in patches, that - given motivation and purpose - they can be a potent threat. And there can be no greater motivation than representing their country in a FIFA World Cup™ on home soil.

In 1996, four years after their readmission to international football, South Africa shot to prominence and stunned the African continent by claiming their maiden CAF Africa Cup of Nations trophy against Tunisia at Soccer City in Johannesburg. How ironic that, 16 years later, South Africa will return to the venue where they achieved this first major success, aiming to rewrite the script on an even bigger stage.

Their gallant performance at the FIFA Confederations Cup last June, when they lost narrowly to Brazil in the semi-finals and to Spain in the third place play-off, should certainly serve as a chilling reminder to their detractors that this team, when stretched to its potential, cannot be underestimated. That tournament witnessed several impressive performances strung together by the hosts, and ultimately it was only their inability to convert cleverly-tailored moves into goals that led to their demise.

The road to South Africa
South Africa, by virtue of their role as hosts, gained automatic qualification.

The star players
Talented midfield maestro Steven Pienaar is South Africa's prize assert. In the absence of the country's most successful striker, Benni McCarthy, who remains out of favour, Pienaar brings much-needed innovation and imagination to the side.

Since his arrival at Everton, Pienaar has reinvented himself and matured as an all-round player. While he continues to polarise opinion in his native country, no-one in South Africa disputes the confidence he exudes on the field and his ability to inject inspiration into the team's play. His performances during the FIFA Confederations Cup were yet another reminder that he will be key to any South African success in 2010.

Yet arguably just as vital to the Bafana Bafana cause are two players who have laboured tirelessly and effectively with little recognition: wingbacks Siboniso Gaxa and the enterprising Tsepho Masilela.

WATCH SOUTH AFRICA MATCHES LIVE IN FIFA WORLD CUP 2010

The coach
Now in his second stint as a South Africa coach, Carlos Alberto Parreira's return was greeted with mixed feelings in South Africa, although the Brazilian's many supporters are adamant that he is the man to lead this side to the ‘Promised Land' in 2010. Parreira certainly has the pedigree, having led his native country to the beautiful game's ultimate prize at the 1994 FIFA World Cup USA. The extensively-travelled coach also brings a wealth of experience, which should prove vital in revitalising a South African side struggling with some significant pre-tournament problems. However, Parreira will be hoping to avoid the difficulties he endured during an inauspicious first spell as head coach, which witnessed him fail to lead South Africa beyond the first round at the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations.

Previous FIFA World Cups
South Africa have failed to make it beyond the group stages in either of their two previous FIFA World Cup appearances. Clearly, this is a situation they will be desperate to remedy. Their first appearance was in France 1998, six years after they had been readmitted to the global football family. Despite a 3-0 drubbing to France in their opening game, they went on to put a decent show against Denmark and Saudi Arabia, drawing against both. Korea/Japan 2002 was expected to be an opportunity for Bafana Bafana to step up to the next level but, ultimately, they flattered to deceive, crashing out after the group stage despite beating Slovenia 1-0 for their first-ever FIFA World Cup win.

Record
* This is South Africa's third appearance at the FIFA World Cup. Their first participation was at France 1998 and they also qualified for Korea/Japan 2002.

* Benni McCarthy scored the country's first goal at the FIFA World Cup in a 1-1 draw against Denmark on 18 June 1998.

* South Africa's incumbent captain, Aaron Mokoena remains the country's most capped player.

* South Africa hosted and won the CAF Africa Cup of Nations in 1996 at their first attempt, beating Tunisia 2-0 in Johannesburg's Soccer City. They went on to finish as runners-up at the following edition in 1998, losing to Egypt 2-0 in the final.

What they said
"We are all aware that it is a huge honour to play in a World Cup on home soil; not many players have had such a privilege. We are also aware of the task that lies ahead. For us, the World Cup is our priority, it's our biggest goal.  We need to represent our country with pride," Aaron Mokoena, South Africa captain.

New Zealand Matches Live Streaming Online Sopcast in Fifa World Cup 2010, HD Quality

NEW ZEALAND
Group F
Manager: Ricki Herbert
Star Player : Ryan Nelsen

Number of Previous World Cup Appearances: 1
Best result: 1st round (1982)
All-time record: 3 games played, 0 wins, 0 draws, 3 losses
Goals for: 2, Goals against: 12
Biggest defeat: 4-0 vs. Brazil in 1982
Top scorer: Steve Summer, Steve Wooddin (1 goal)
Most appearances: Several players (3 matches)
Hosted the World Cup: Never

LIVE STREAM  NEW ZEALAND MATCHES :

June 15, 2010 @ 12:30BST Group Stage Group F
New Zealand vs Slovakia
at Royal Bafokeng Stadium

June 20, 2010 @ 15:00BST Group Stage Group F
Italy vs New Zealand
at Mbombela Stadium

June 24, 2010 @ 15:00BST Group Stage Group F
Paraguay vs New Zealand
at Peter Mokaba Stadium


Short Team History New Zealand:
FIFA member since: 1948
Team nickname: The All Whites
All-time caps leader: Ivan Vicelich (65)
All-time leading scorer: Vaughan Coveny (28)
Notable achievements: Oceania Champions (1973, 1998, 2002, 2008)
Legendary Player: Born in England, Steve Sumner was an expatriate who was captain of the New Zealand team that qualified for the World Cup in 1982. He was the first player from the Oceania zone to score in World Cup competition.

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Want to Know More Abou New Zealand ? Continue >>
Appearances at finals:
1982 - First round

Overall record at finals: Played 3, Won 0, Drawn 0, Lost 3.

Best performance: First round in 1982.

Most appearances at finals: Frank van Hattum (1982), Ricki Herbert (1982), Wynton Rufer (1982), Steve Wooddin (1982), Steve Sumner (1982), Keith Mackay (1982), Kenny Cresswell (1982), Adrian Elrick (1982), Allan Boath (1982), Duncan Cole (1982) - 3.

Most goals at finals: Steve Sumner (1982), Steve Wooddin (1982) - 1.

World Cup high: Qualifying for the 1982 World Cup by beating China 2-1 in neutral Singapore after a gruelling campaign through Oceania and Asia.

World Cup low: Crashing 5-2 to Scotland in their first ever World Cup match.

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World Cup legend: Captain Steve Sumner was ever-present in qualifying and at the 1982 World Cup itself. His goal against Scotland was the first by any Oceanian player at a finals tournament.

The story so far: New Zealand's one and only World Cup finals appearance in Spain 1982 is now folklore for followers of football in the country. No team travelled further or played more games than the 'All Whites' as they qualified through Oceania and Asia. A 5-2 loss to Scotland in the first group game was a sign of things to come as 3-0 and 4-0 defeats to USSR and Brazil followed.

Fast-forward 28 years and Rory Fallon, the son of 1982 assistant coach Kevin Fallon, scored the only goal as New Zealand beat Bahrain in a play-off to return to the world stage in 2010.

Qualification: Other than South Africa, who qualified automatically as hosts, New Zealand had arguably the easiest path to the finals. They cruised past their Oceania Nations Cup rivals throughout 2008 and 2009 to qualify for Oceania's 'half' place at South Africa, with Shane Smeltz scoring eight of the All Whites' 14 goals.

That just left Asia's fifth-best side, Bahrain, in their way. Bahrain had lost to Trinidad & Tobago at this stage four years previously and, after grinding out a 0-0 draw in Manama, New Zealand inflicted similar pain by edging out their evenly matched opponents to send the nation into a rare ecstasy over the beautiful game.

Qualifying record: P6, W5, D0, L1, F14, A5, Pts15.

Most appearances: Ben Sigmund (8).

Top goalscorer: Shane Smeltz (8).

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Team Profile New Zealand:

After a disastrous campaign four years ago, New Zealand bounced back in emphatic fashion under coach Ricki Herbert to qualify for their first appearance on the world stage in 28 years following a debut showing at Spain 1982. Herbert, and assistant Brian Turner, were both key figures in the campaign nearly three decades ago.  The duo have turned the All Whites into a solid unit whose rearguard, the fifth-placed Asian nation Bahrain was unable to breach over 180 minutes of the intercontinental play-off.

Four years after elimination by the Solomon Islands, the Kiwis claimed the Oceania crown to earn a trip to the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, where they showed solid form after a poor opening against European champions Spain. The dramatic South Africa 2010 play-off victory against Bahrain united the Rugby-mad nation behind the All Whites like never before, resulting in a national record crowd in the capital Wellington for the decisive qualifier.

The road to South Africa
New Zealand topped their Oceania qualification group comfortably winning their first five games before an inconsequential defeat in Fiji with many of the first-team regulars were unavailable. The Kiwis then had an 11-month wait before a two-legged meeting with the fifth-placed Asian nation. Bahrain saw off regional heavyweight Saudi Arabia to earn the right to play New Zealand, having also reached the same stage four years ago, only to fail against Trinidad and Tobago. In exhausting heat, New Zealand battled gamely in the first leg to earn a scoreless draw in Manama. The second leg was poised on a knife-edge throughout, with New Zealand triumphing courtesy of a thumping header from Rory Fallon in the final minute of the first half, though goalkeeper Mark Paston will equally be remembered in the years to come for his penalty save five minutes into the second half.

The star players
Captain and centre-back Ryan Nelsen is undoubtedly the highest profile and best credentialed member of the squad. The resolute defender has been a regular at Blackburn Rovers for a number of years, and is the only New Zealander to achieve such longevity in the English Premier League. At the other end of the pitch, the All Whites have a number of key attacking options led by the prolific Shane Smeltz. Oceania Player of the Year and Australian A-League top-scorer Smeltz has an all-round finishing ability, and is deadly in the air or with his feet. Celtic target-man Chris Killen is a perfect foil for Smeltz, while Fallon and teenage giant Chris Wood both possess quality aerial ability.

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The coach
Ricki Herbert is one of New Zealand football’s most-famous figures, having been a regular member of the Spain ’82 squad and then becoming one of the first Kiwis to play in England which he did with Wolverhampton Wanderers. After assuming the reins of the national team in 2005, Herbert has for several seasons also been the coach of New Zealand’s only professional club, Wellington Phoenix who compete in the A-League. Well regarded across both New Zealand and Australia, Herbert has formed the All Whites into a solid working unit who produce consistent performances.

Previous FIFA World Cups
New Zealand have appeared on the world stage just once, with the qualification for the 1982 FIFA World Cup™ considered one of the country’s most famous sporting achievements. The squad attained stunning results including away wins in Australia, Saudi Arabia and China over a then-record 15-match qualification campaign. Featuring a teenage Wynton Rufer, who went on to become New Zealand’s most well-known export, the All Whites lost all three matches at Spain ’82, but were not disgraced in a high-quality group featuring Brazil, Soviet Union and Scotland.

Records
• Coach Ricki Herbert is set to claim the rare honour of featuring at the FIFA World Cup as a player and as a coach in the nation’s only two FIFA World Cup appearances.

• New Zealand are the second consecutive Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) member to qualify for the FIFA World Cup after Australia achieved the same feat in 2006.

What they said
“This group have given it everything, four years of total commitment. We’re back, we’re there. South Africa, here we come.” New Zealand coach Ricki Herbert. 

United States (USA) Matches Live Streaming Online Sopcast in Fifa World Cup 2010, HD Quality

UNITED STATES (USA)
Group C
Manager: Bob Bradley
Star Player : Landon DonovanOguchi Onyewu, Michael Bradley 

Number of Previous World Cup Appearances: 8
Best result: Semifinals (1930)
All-time record: 25 games played, 6 wins, 3 draws, 16 losses
Goals for: 27, Goals against: 51
Biggest victory: 3-0 vs. Belgium and Paraguay in 1930
Biggest defeat: 7-1 vs. Italy in 1934
Top scorer: Bert Patenaude (4 goals)
Most appearances: Cobi Jones and Earnie Stewart (11 matches)
Hosted the World Cup: 1994

LIVE STREAM  United States MATCHES :
 
June 12, 2010 @ 19:30BST Group Stage Group C
England vs United States
at Royal Bafokeng Stadium

June 18, 2010 @ 15:00BST Group Stage Group C
Slovenia vs United States
at Ellis Park

June 23, 2010 @ 15:00BST Group Stage Group C
United States vs Algeria
at Loftus Versfeld Stadium



Short Team History : USA
FIFA member since: 1914
Team nickname: The Stars and Stripes
All-time caps leader: Cobi Jones (164)
All-time leading scorer: Landon Donovan (42 goals)
Notable achievements: CONCACAF Gold Cup Champions (1991, 2002, 2005, 2007)
Legendary Player: Bert Patenaude was a key member of the 1930 U.S. World Cup team that reached the semifinals. He is credited with the first hat trick in World Cup history.

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Provisional Squad USA:
GK    Brad GUZAN
GK    Marcus HAHNEMANN
GK    Tim HOWARD
Jozy ALTIDORE
DaMarcus BEASLEY
Alejandro BEDOYA
Carlos BOCANEGRA
Jonathan BORNSTEIN
Michael BRADLEY
Edson BUDDLE
Steve CHERUNDOLO
Brian CHING
Ricardo CLARK
Jay DeMERIT
Clint DEMPSEY
Landon DONOVAN
Maurice EDU
Benny FEILHABER
Robbie FINDLEY
Herculez GOMEZ
Clarence GOODSON
Stuart HOLDEN
Eddie JOHNSON
Sacha KLJESTAN
Chad MARSHALL
Oguchi ONYEWU
Heath PEARCE
Robbie ROGERS
Jonathan SPECTOR
Francisco TORRES

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Appearances at finals
1930: Third place
1934: First round
1950: First round
1990: First round
1994: Second round
1998: First round
2002: Quarter-finals
2006: First round

Overall record at finals: Played 25, Won 6, Drawn 3, Lost 16.

Best performance: Finishing third at their first World Cup in 1930. The Americans opened the tournament with a 3-0 win over Belgium and added another 3-0 win over Paraguay before losing to Argentina 6-1 in the semi-finals.

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Most appearances at finals: Cobi Jones (1994, 1998, 2002), Earnie Stewart (1994, 1998, 2002) - 11.

Most goals at finals: Bert Patenaude (1930) - 4.

World Cup high: Beating England 1-0 in the first round of the 1950 World Cup in Brazil. USA went into the match on a seven-game losing streak and it is said that readers in England assumed the score was 10-1 and had been misprinted. The match has been labelled the 'Miracle on Grass'.

World Cup low: Having failed to qualify for a World Cup for 40 years after the 1950 event, USA made their return in 1990 and were promptly thrashed 5-1 by Czechoslovakia. They lost their other two group games by one-goal margins to Italy and Austria.

World Cup legend: Bert Patenaude scored four goals in three games at the 1930 tournament, including the first ever World Cup hat-trick in a 3-0 victory over Paraguay. Despite only winning four full caps, he scored six goals for his country.

The story so far: Despite a 40-year absence after 1950, USA has become a regular fixture at World Cups since 1990 and South Africa will mark their sixth consecutive tournament.

Their best result came in the first World Cup as they finished third, losing 6-1 in the semi-finals to runners-up Argentina. It's still the best showing for any team outside the European and South African confederations. However, they were unable to repeat the feat in 1934, exiting after a 7-1 defeat against hosts Italy in the first round.

After missing the 1938 World Cup, USA returned in 1950 when the competition resumed following World War II and were drawn against England, who bookies had rated as the 3-1 tournament favourites. USA, meanwhile, were rated as 500-1 outsiders and had lost seven games in a row by a combined score of 45-2.

In one of the biggest shocks in football history, USA won 1-0 thanks to a 37th-minute goal from Joe Gaetjens, although both sides failed to escape the group stage.

In their next tournament, in 1990, there would be no miracles. USA lost all their matches, first going down 5-1 to Czechoslovakia, 1-0 to Italy and 2-1 to Austria.

There was hope for the sport in America, however, as they earned the right to hold the 1994 World Cup. The venues were East Rutherford, N.J., Detroit, Orlando, Dallas, Boston, Washington, D.C., San Francisco and Pasadena. The average attendance for the tournament was 69,000 with a total attendance of 3.6 million.

The hosts enjoyed a good showing, drawing with Switzerland, beating Colombia - with the help of Andres Escobar's ultimately tragic own goal - and lost to Romania, sneaking into the second round as one of the best third-placed sides. In the knockout stages, they lost 1-0 to eventual champions Brazil at Sandford.

Bringing the World Cup to American soil was supposed to generate more interest in the sport and, although it took some time, it seems to have had the desired effect.

After making the second round in 1994, they endured a miserable France 98, losing all three games including a 2-1 defeat to Iran. They bounced back in 2002, though, with a shock 3-2 win over Portugal before drawing with co-hosts South Korea and then losing 3-1 to Poland. Having made the knockout stage, they beat local rivals Mexico 2-0 before going down to a 1-0 defeat to finalists Germany.

Again, though, they were unable to build on a successful tournament as, despite a 1-1 draw with Italy, they finished bottom of their group, losing to Czech Republic and Ghana. However, there are high hopes for a successful tournament in 2010, and there is a genuine expectation among many Americans that Bob Bradley can lead the side into the quarter-finals and perhaps even go further.

Qualification: USA finished first in the final round standings in CONCACAF, one point ahead of Mexico, but it was not without drama. Trailing Costa Rica 2-1 in their final qualifier, defender Jonathan Bornstein scored an equaliser deep into injury time to ensure they topped their group.

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However, they had already booked their place in South Africa when they edged out Honduras four days earlier, winning 3-2 as a Conor Casey brace and a crucial goal from Landon Donovan proved enough.

Qualifying record: P10, W6, D2, L2, F19, A13, 20Pts.

Qualifying record: - P 10, W 7, D 1, L 2, GS 22, GA 8, Pts 22.

Most appearances: Carlos Bocanegra, Michael Bradley (15).

Top goalscorer: Jozy Altidore (6).

Team Profile USA:

With typical efficiency, the United States reached the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ by qualifying in first place in the final six-team Hexagonal phase of North, Central America and Caribbean Zone qualifying. Under the careful guidance of coach Bob Bradley, a well-drilled Stars and Stripes' blend of proven internationals and up-and-coming stars never looked in danger of missing out, and will be keen to build on their second-place finish at the FIFA Confederations Cup South Africa 2009.

The road to South Africa
After putting nine goals without reply past minnows Barbados in Stage 2, the USA found themselves drawn with Trinidad and Tobago, Guatemala and Cuba in Group 1 of Round 3. Bradley's charges held firm to win five of their six encounters in the penultimate group stage, their only defeat a 2-1 reverse in Port of Spain against the Soca Warriors with progress to the Hexagonal already in the bag.

The United States kicked off the decisive final phase in the best fashion possible by beating arch-rivals Mexico 2-0, a result they followed up with a 2-2 draw in El Salvador. A comfortable 3-0 victory over T&T was backed up by a 3-1 reverse in Costa Rica, one of only two defeats in the final section. The other came by a score of 2-1 in Mexico's fortress-like Estadio Azteca, though the Stars and Stripes kept their nerve to stay on track and clinch their South Africa 2010 ticket with a 3-2 win in another of CONCACAF's toughest grounds: the Estadio Olimpico in the Honduran city of San Pedro Sula.

The star players
In recent years, the name Landon Donovan has been synonymous with the US national team. The Los Angeles Galaxy attacker has often saved his very best performances for a USA shirt, and there is little doubt that Donovan will once again be one of his team's leading men at South Africa 2010. Providing an impressive supporting cast are the likes of Oguchi Onyewu, Michael Bradley, Jozy Altidore, Tim Howard and Clint Dempsey, all of whom are plying their trade on European soil.

The coach
Bradley was originally appointed national coach on a caretaker basis, though a run of ten games unbeaten quickly convinced the powers that be that he deserved the role on a permanent basis. And anyone who doubted his credentials would have been silenced by events at the FIFA Confederations Cup 2009, where the USA ousted favourites Spain in the semi-finals before going down to a narrow 3-2 final defeat to Brazil.

Previous FIFA World Cups

• The United States have taken part at nine FIFA World Cups, with Mexico the only CONCACAF team involved in more editions of the showpiece event.
• The Stars and Stripes' best finals performance came at Uruguay 1930, when they exited at the semi-final stage.
• South Africa 2010 will be the United States' sixth consecutive finals appearance. At Germany 2006 they bid farewell to the tournament at the first hurdle.

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Records
• The United States' 2-0 victory over Spain at South Africa 2009 prevented La Roja extending their 35-game unbeaten run, a record they hold jointly with Brazil.
• The USA had enjoyed a 58-match unbeaten home streak against CONCACAF opponents until July 2009, when arch-rivals Mexico thrashed them 5-0 in the final of the Gold Cup.
• Altidore, currently on loan at English Premier League outfit Hull City from Villarreal, was the Stars and Stripes' six-goal top scorer in qualifying.

What they said
"We're very proud to have finished at the top of the final Hexagonal. It was a great effort and required a great deal of determination on our team's part. Every time we took the field we spoke about proving to the world what we were capable of and I think we did just that." Bob Bradley, USA coach, after his side claimed top spot in North, Central America and Caribbean Zone qualifying.

Netherlands (Holland) Matches Live Streaming Online Sopcast in Fifa World Cup 2010, HD Quality

NETHERLANDS (Holland)
Group E
Manager: Calm
Star Player : Rafael van der Vaart, Robin van Persie

Number of Previous World Cup Appearances: 8
Best result: Runner-up (1974, 1978)
All-time record: 36 games played, 16 wins, 10 draws, 10 losses
Goals for: 59, Goals against: 38
Biggest victory: 5-0 vs. South Korea in 1998
Biggest defeat: 3-0 vs. Czechoslovakia in 1938
Top scorer: Johannes Rep (7 goals)
Most appearances: Johannes Rep, Ruud Krol and Wim Jansen (14 matches)
Hosted the World Cup: Never

LIVE STREAM  NETHERLANDS MATCHES :  

June 14, 2010 @ 12:30BST Group Stage Group E
Netherlands vs Denmark
at Soccer City Stadium

June 19, 2010 @ 12:30BST Group Stage Group E
Netherlands vs Japan
at Durban Stadium

June 24, 2010 @ 19:30BST Group Stage Group E
Cameroon vs Netherlands
at Cape Town Stadium


Short History of Netherlands:
FIFA member since: 1904
Team nickname: Oranje
All-time caps leader: Edwin van der Sar (130)
All-time leading scorer: Patrick Kluivert (40 goals)
Notable achievements: European Champions (1988)
Legendary Player: Regarded as one of the game's greatest players, Johan Cruyff was a sublimely talented star who was at the heart of the mighty Ajax Amsterdam team that won three straight European Cups from 1971-73. He joined Barcelona in 1973-74 and helped the Spanish club win its first league title in 14 years. A three-time European player of the year (1971, 1973, 1974), Cruyff led the Netherlands to the final of the 1974 World Cup against West Germany.

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22 G Sander Boschker
1 G Maarten Stekelenburg
16 G Michel Vorm
12 D Khalid Boulahrouz
15 D Edson Braafheid
3 D Johnny Heitinga
4 D Joris Mathijsen
13 D Andre Ooijer
5 D Giovanni Van Bronckhorst
2 D Gregory Van Der Wiel
20 M Ibrahim Afellay
8 M Nigel De Jong
14 M Demy De Zeeuw
18 M Stijn Schaars
10 M Wesley Sneijder
6 M Mark Van Bommel
23 M Rafael Van der Vaart
19 F Ryan Babel
17 F Eljero Elia
21 F Klaas-Jan Huntelaar
7 F Dirk Kuyt
11 F Arjen Robben
9 F Robin Van Persie

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 Appearances at finals:

1934 - First round
1938 - First round
1974 - Runners-up
1978 - Runners-up
1990 - Second round
1994 - Quarter-finals
1998 - Fourth place
2006 - Second round

Overall record at finals: Played 36, Won 16, Drawn 10, Lost 10.

Best performance: Runners-up in 1974 and 1978.

Most appearances at finals: Johnny Rep (1974, 1978), Ruud Krol (1974, 1978), Wim Jansen (1974, 1978) - 14.

Most goals at finals: Johnny Rep (1974, 1978) - 7.

World Cup high: Bringing 'total football' to the World Cup in 1974 when, in beating both Brazil and Argentina in the second group stage, they made it to the final despite it being a first appearance in the tournament for 36 years.

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World Cup low: The ugly incident involving Netherland's Frank Rijkaard and Germany's Rudi Völler, resulting in both players being sent off and Rijkaard spitting in Voller's hair.

World Cup legend: Johan Cruyff, who, despite only playing in the 1974 finals, was central to the country's brand of 'brilliant orange', which catapulted the Dutch from obscurity to World Cup entertainers in the 70s.

The story so far: Netherlands' World Cup history is surprisingly sparse considering their modern reputation. After taking part in the first two tournaments, they failed to qualify again until the 70s, when they lost in two consecutive finals.

Even after that, the Dutch missed out on the finals in 1982 and 1986 and, later, in 2002. They have always promised much yet there is still the feeling that the Dutch have generally under-achieved in world football.

Qualification: Netherlands found their route to the finals in faultless fashion, becoming the first European side to qualify for South Africa in June 2009. They were handed an easy group with just four other nations, none of which had qualified for any finals tournament since 2000. The Dutch had a 100% record in Group Nine, but were not exactly prolific in scoring 17 goals in 8 games. Qualification was virtually assured by back-to-back 3-0 and 4-0 home wins over Scotland and Macedonia in the first qualifiers of 2009.

Qualifying record: P8, W8, D0, L0, F17, A2, Pts24.

Most appearances: Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, Andre Ooijer, Dirk Kuyt, Joris Mathijsen, Giovanni Van Bronckhorst (8).

Top goalscorers: Dirk Kuyt, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (3).

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Team Profile Netherlands (Holland):
The final or bust. The Oranje have set lofty aims for their campaign in South Africa, 32 years after their 3-1 extra-time defeat by Argentina in the showpiece game, which itself came four years on from their 2-1 final loss to West Germany. Since the retirement of pioneering coach Rinus Michels, a multitude of players have followed in the footsteps of the Johan Cruyff generation without ever advancing as far as the final hurdle, though one particularly talented crop did claim the European title in 1988. Often seen as spectacular but mentally fragile, the Netherlands hope to banish that image under Bert van Marwijk, who took over in the wake of their disappointing UEFA EURO 2008 campaign.

He and his charges at least have history on their side this time around. The last team to reach a FIFA World Cup™ finals without dropping a single point in qualifying - West Germany in 1982 - went on to contest the final. The current Oranje vintage have made no efforts to conceal their ambitions and, once again, look on paper to have all the ingredients necessary to go far.

The road to South Africa
It was a full house for the Netherlands as they picked up eight wins from eight games. The Van Marwijk era has proved to be a faultless one so far, with the former Feyenoord coach leading his troops to the top of Group 9, where Norway and Scotland came equipped as their major rivals. As it happened, the Dutch let in the only two goals they conceded all campaign against Iceland and FYR Macedonia, while hitting two of their 17 efforts to secure slender but controlled 1-0 victories in Glasgow and Oslo.

The coach
Not the most heralded player in his time, having collected a solitary international cap, Mark van Bommel's father-in-law has known far more success in the dugout. He shone especially brightly at Feyenoord, leading the Rotterdam outfit to the UEFA Cup trophy in 2002 before taking the Dutch crown upon his return after a two-year stint with Borussia Dortmund in Germany. Calm, affable, discrete but approachable, the 56-year-old believes it is important to be close to his players, saying: "An international coach has few opportunities to work with his squad. Because of that, I want to make the most of the time I spend with my players, mix with them, take part in training, and add and vary exercises to get to know them better." Although his style marks a real break with that of his predecessor, Marco van Basten, the tactics remain similar. "Marco put a 4-2-3-1 formation in place," he says. "The players got used to that and I intend to keep it." Flanked by former stalwarts Phillip Cocu and Frank de Boer in the assistant coaching roles, Van Marwijk's record is impeccable thus far.

The star players
With Edwin van der Saar and Ruud van Nistelrooy having called time on their international careers, Van Marwijk has needed to apply his own touch to the core of players he inherited from Van Basten, without shaking things up too vigorously. The key men now are Arjen Robben, Joris Mathijsen, Andre Ooijer, Dirk Kuyt, Mark van Bommel, Klaas Jan Huntelaar and Giovanni van Bronckhorst, all of whom enjoyed considerable playing time under the previous trainer. Rafael van der Vaart, Robin van Persie, Nigel De Jong and Wesley Sneijder also remain closely involved.

Previous FIFA World Cups
In their eight finals appearances, the Oranje have reached the showpiece match twice, falling narrowly short of the global crown in 1974 and 1978. They also came in fourth at France 1998.

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Honours

- 1 UEFA European Championship (1988)

What they said
"We have a mission: that mission is to be champions of the world," Frank de Boer, assistant coach

Mexico Matches Live Streaming Online Sopcast in Fifa World Cup 2010, HD Quality

MEXICO
Group A
Manager: Javier Aguirre
Star Player : Cuauhtemoc Blanco

Number of Previous World Cup Appearances: 13
Best result: Quarter-finals (1970, 1986)
All-time record: 45 games played, 11 wins, 12 draws, 22 losses
Goals for: 48, Goals against: 84
Biggest victory: 4-0 vs. El Salvador in 1970
Biggest defeat: 6-0 vs. West Germany in 1978
Top scorer: Luis Hernandez (4 goals)
Most appearances: Antonio Carbajal (11 matches)
Hosted the World Cup: 1970, 1986

LIVE STREAM  MEXICO MATCHES :  

June 11, 2010 @ 14:00GMT Group Stage Group A
South Africa vs Mexico
at Soccer City Stadium

June 17, 2010 @ 18:30GMT Group Stage Group A
France vs Mexico
at Peter Mokaba Stadium

June 22, 2010 @ 14:00GMT Group Stage Group A
Mexico vs Uruguay
at Royal Bafokeng Stadium

Short History of Mexico:

FIFA member since: 1929
Team nickname: Los Tricolores, El Tri
All-time caps leader: Claudio Suarez (178)
All-time leading scorer: Jared Borgetti (46 goals)
Notable achievements: Gold Cup Champions (1993, 1996, 1998, 2003, 2009)
Legendary Player: Hugo Sanchez was a star with Spanish club Real Madrid during the 1980s. Renowned for his celebratory somersault after scoring a goal, Sanchez is one of the top scorers in the history of the Spanish league. He helped Real win five consecutive league titles from 1986-90, finished as the leading scorer in La Liga for four consecutive seasons and scored 207 goals in 283 games.

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A 30-man squad was announced on May 12 and the final squad of 23 has to be submitted to FIFA by June 1 
23 Luis Ernesto Michel Goalkeeper 1.83m 75 kg July 21, 1979
13 Guillermo Ochoa Goalkeeper 1.80m 72 kg July 13, 1985
1 Óscar Pérez Goalkeeper 1.71m 72 kg February 1, 1973
12 Paul Aguilar Defender 1.77m 65 kg March 6, 1986
16 Efrain Juárez Defender 1.72m 62 kg February 22, 1988
19 Jonny Magallón Defender 1.78m 74 kg November 21, 1981
4 Rafael Márquez Defender 1.83m 75 kg February 13, 1979
15 Héctor Moreno Defender 1.85m 81 kg January 17, 1988
5 Ricardo Osorio Defender 1.72m 67 kg March 30, 1980
2 Francisco Rodríguez Defender 1.84m 68 kg October 20, 1981
3 Carlos Salcido Defender 1.75m 72 kg April 2, 1980
20 Jorge Torres Nilo Defender 1.76m 69 kg January 16, 1986
7 Pablo Barrera Midfielder 1.75m 65 kg June 21, 1987
8 Israel Castro Midfielder 1.76m 67 kg December 20, 1980
17 Dos Santos Ramirez Giovani Midfielder 1.74m 71 kg May 11, 1989
18 Andres Guardado Midfielder 1.69m 60 kg September 28, 1986
22 Alberto Medina Midfielder 1.72m 63 kg May 29, 1983
6 Gerardo Torrado Midfielder 1.73m 72 kg April 30, 1979
21 Adolfo Bautista Forward 1.81m 76 kg May 15, 1979
10 Cuauhtémoc Blanco Forward 1.73m 73 kg January 17, 1973
9 Guillermo Franco Forward 1.82m 76 kg November 3, 1976
14 Javier Hernandez Forward 1.74m 72 kg June 1, 1988
11 Carlos Vela Forward 1.75m 66 kg March 1, 1989

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Appearances at finals:
1930 - First round
1950 - First round
1954 - First round
1958 - First round
1962 - First round
1966 - First round
1970 - Quarter-finals
1978 - First round
1986 - Quarter-finals
1990 - Qualified but suspended by FIFA
1994 - Second round
1998 - Second round
2002 - Second round
2006 - Second round

Overall record at finals: Played 45 games, Won 11, Drawn 12, Lost 22.

Best performance: The quarter-finals in 1970 and 1986.

Most appearances at finals: Antonio Carbajal (1950, 1954, 1958, 1962, 1966) - 10.

Most goals at finals: Luis Hernandez (1998) - 4.

World Cup high: Reaching the quarter-finals in 1970 and 1986, both as the host nation.

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World Cup low: Defeat against West Germany in the quarter-finals of 1986 created a stigma for the Mexican national team. They were also eliminated by penalty kicks in 1994 by Bulgaria.

World Cup legend: Goalkeeper Antonio Carbajal was known as 'Five Cups', because he became the first player to participate in five World Cups: Brazil 1950, Switzerland 1954, Sweden 1958, Chile 1962 and England 1966. Only Germany's Lothar Matthäus has matched his achievement.

The story so far: As the dominant footballing force in the North American/CONCACAF region, it is rare for a World Cup to be without the Mexicans. However, they have a record of underachievement at the finals - only in 1970 and 1986, on both occasions as hosts, have they gone beyond the second round.

After making their World Cup debut in 1930, they became serial qualifiers onwards but generally struggled. In 1986, Mexico advanced to the second round, where they defeated Bulgaria at the Estadio Azteca. A memorable scissor-kick goal from Manuel Negrete was the hosts' highlight before West Germany won 4-1 on penalty kicks in the quarter-finals. They were excluded from the 1990 tournament after fielding ineligible players in qualifiers for the 1988 Olympics but returned in 1994 and 1998, exiting both in the second round. Local rivals USA got the better of them at the same stage in 2002 and Germany 2006 was the same old story, though Argentina needed extra-time to see them off in Leipzig.

Qualification: Mexico survived a near-nightmare, and needed three coaches in the process of qualifying. While he was getting his team together for World Cup qualifying, Hugo Sánchez was fired after failing to qualify for the Beijing 2008 Olympics. Sven-Göran Erikson coached the team for only 13 games, including six defeats, and left the team in serious trouble. Former Atletico Madrid boss Javier Aguirre then came to the rescue for the second time in his career.

Qualifying record: P18, W11, D2, L 5, F36, A18.

Most appearances: Andrés Guardado, Ricardo Osorio (16).

Top goalscorers: Andres Guardado, Carlos Vela, Cuauhtemoc Blanco, Fernando Arce, Jared Borgetti, Pavel Pardo (3).

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Team Profile Maxico:
After a turbulent couple of years that has seen three coaches come and go and more than sixty players pull on the famous green jersey, Mexico have returned to calmer waters under the steadying influence of Javier Aguirre. The former Atletico Madrid coach has put together a team comprising bright young talents and established stars, restoring their wavering confidence in the process.

Following the appointment of the man they call El Vasco (The Basque), the regional powerhouses shot up from fifth to second place in the final six-team qualification group in the CONCACAF Zone, winning five games, drawing one and losing just the one. Having safely made their way to the finals, their objective will now be to progress beyond the Round of 16, where they have been knocked out at the last four FIFA World Cup™ finals.

The road to South Africa
After disposing of Belize with a minimum of fuss in the second qualifying round, Mexico were drawn into a tough group containing Jamaica, Canada and Honduras in the following phase. Coached at the time by Sven Goran Eriksson, El Tri struggled to impose their authority and only scraped in the fourth and final round on goal difference ahead of the Reggae Boyz.

The Mexicans' erratic form continued in the final six-team round-robin group, kicking off with a 2-0 defeat in the USA before beating Costa Rica by the same scoreline and then losing 3-1 to Honduras. That last defeat cost Eriksson his job and his replacement by Aguirre, who stepped in in similar circumstances on the road to Korea/Japan 2002.

And once again the unflappable Aguirre worked a miracle, transforming Mexican fortunes despite kicking off with a 2-1 reverse in El Salvador. Victories over each of their five group rivals then followed, giving them a ticket to the finals with one game to spare. After a draw against Trinidad and Tobago in their final outing, the men in green ended the group in second place behind eternal rivals USA.

The star players
Veteran playmaker Cuauhtemoc Blanco is perhaps the player Mexico fans should thank for their side's turnaround. Lured out of retirement by Aguirre, the uniquely talented 36-year-old became the symbol of a revitalised team, helping younger team-mates such as Guillermo Ochoa, Efrain Juarez, Andres Guardado and Giovani dos Santos to find their best form. Along with skipper Rafael Marquez, they are sure to provide the nucleus of the squad that will travel to South Africa 2010.

The coach
Javier Aguirre is Mexico's most successful coach of recent times. After guiding the unfancied Pachuca to the league championship in 1999, El Vasco was handed the job of reviving the national team's faltering bid to qualify for Korea/Japan 2002. After doing just that, he then took the Mexicans to the top of a challenging group that contained Italy, Croatia and Ecuador, though their Asian adventure came to an end with a last-16 defeat to USA.

After the tournament he signed a contract with Spanish club Osasuna, taking them to the UEFA Champions League in 2005/06. That impressive achievement led to a switch to Atletico Madrid, and though he steered Los Colchoneros into fourth place in 2007/08, he was dismissed halfway through the following season, the wheel turning full circle again when he took over a crisis-stricken Mexico. And having come to his country's rescue for a second time, the wily Aguirre is eyeing a lengthy stay at South Africa 2010.

Previous FIFA World Cups
· Mexico have qualified for the FIFA World Cup finals 14 times in all, more than any other side from the CONCACAF Zone.
· Mexico's achieved their best-ever performances in the finals as tournament hosts in 1970 and 1986, reaching the last eight on both occasions.
· South Africa 2010 is their fifth appearance in the finals in a row. On all four previous occasions they have bowed out in the Round of 16.

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Records
· Under Javier Aguirre, Mexico went an impressive 12 games without defeat before losing 2-1 to Colombia in a friendly, a game in which they used only home-based players.
· The Mexico squad that earned qualification for South Africa 2010 contained four players who won the FIFA U-17 World Cup Peru 2005: Giovani dos Santos, Carlos Vela, Efrain Juarez and Hector Moreno.
· Surprisingly, there were no Mexicans among the top 20 scorers in the CONCACAF qualifying competition, although no fewer than 18 Tricolor players found the back of the net at least once during the qualifiers.

What they said
"I feel relaxed. Whenever you reach an objective you've been brought in to achieve you have the satisfaction of knowing that you haven't let down the people who put their faith in you. I am happy and proud. When I came into the job we were fifth and nine points away from first place, and now we're in the World Cup." Coach Javier Aguirre reacts to his side second-place finish in the CONCACAF Zone.