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England

They are more cautious than they were four years ago, when a so-called Golden Generation openly talked about winning a World Cup they were never close to but England should be looking to emulate their best performance away from home by reaching a semi-final. There are weaknesses in the squad but in Wayne Rooney they possess a footballer who on his day can turn any match on its head while Fabio Capello is a manager who breaths confidence and competence.

Results & Fixtures Team Analysis

United States

Having reached the final of the Confederations Cup, beating Spain along the way, there is no reason why the USA should not approach its sixth consecutive World Cup finals with confidence. However, while Bob Bradley’s squad has plenty of talent and qualified impressively, it is dangerously thin in places and lacks a truly formidable midfield. The draw has not been kind to them. Every team will look to take three points from Algeria and they are last up for the United States, meaning that qualification might be on a knife edge until the final whistle.

Results & Fixtures Team Analysis

The Outsiders

Slovenia

On paper, they should not provide much opposition. A country with a population five times smaller than Greater London has only competed in one previous World Cup and eight years ago they lost all three matches. Nevertheless, Matjaz Kek's side has vaulted considerable hurdles to get to South Africa. They eliminated Poland and the Czech Republic in qualifying and in the play-off in Moscow thy recovered from going two goals down in Moscow to come through on the away-goals rule. It may be just an achievement to reach the tournament but they are not finished yet.

Results & Fixtures Team Analysis

Algeria

No team in South Africa can have had a more nerve-wracking journey to the tournament that the Desert Foxes of Algeria. Buoyed by a series of excellent performances in Algiers, Rabah Saadane's side finished level with the great powerhouse of African football, Egypt, and forced them into a play-off in a neutral venue. Algeria made it through although it is hard to see them having the impact of their first World Cup, in 1982, when they overcame West Germany. Getting something from their opening game with Slovenia while the two favourites are meeting in Rustenburg is a must.

Results & Fixtures Team Analysis

Star Players

Wayne Rooney (ENG/Manchester United) At the age of 24, Rooney has developed into the single, most formidable striker in Europe. His energy and enthusiasm are sometimes unstoppable but he must be wary of trying too much.

Landon Donovan (USA/Los Angeles Galaxy) David Beckham might be the most famous member of the LA Galaxy side but Donovan is a by a distance the most effective. He has scored more international goals and provided more assists than any other American.

Milivaje Novakovic (SVN/Cologne) With five goals in qualification, nobody did more to ensure than a team seeded fifth in its group reached South Africa. Nevertheless, Novakovic's desire to stay and celebrate rather than return to the Bundesliga saw him stripped of the Cologne captaincy.

Madjid Bougherra (ALG/Glasgow Rangers) Born in France, he chose to play for the country where his grandfather was born and made his name in Scotland as the rock around which Rangers' defence was anchored.

David Beckham (ENG/Los Angeles Galaxy) That Beckham is still a star is unquestioned and that he was still able to perform for AC Milan on loan four years after quitting the England captaincy was proof that Beckham is more than just a pretty face.

Michael Bradley (USA/Borussia Monchengladbach) Nobody has more of an incentive to do well since the American team is managed by Michael's dad, Bob. He owes more than this to his presence in South Africa, especially exceptional displays in club football in first Holland and then Germany.