AMAZING FACTS/FOOTBALL WORLD CUP COUNTRIES, WORLD CUP QUALIFICATION, WORLD CUP TOURNAMENT, DID YOU KNOW?

ALGERIA

Algeria have only been to two previous world cups in 1982 and 1986 and they have failed to get passed the first round each time.

ARGENTINA

Argentina took part in the first ever world cup finals in 1930 reaching the second round, but in the next world cup of 1934, they failed to progress passed the first round. They did not qualify for another world cup tournament until 1958 and in that tournament and the following in 1962 failed once again to reach the second stage. they did not fail to reach the second stage again until 2002 and between 1962 and 2002 they have won the tournament once, in 1978 and 1986 and finished as runners up in 1990. They have also reached to quarter finals 3 times in 1966, 1998 and 2006.

AUSTRALIA

Australia have only qualified for 2 world cups prior to 2010. In 1974, they did not manage to progress passed the first round, but in 2006, they did a little better reaching the second round.

BRAZIL

This is the most successful country in the history of the world cup. They have taken part in every world cup final since the tournament's beginning in 1930. They did not have a particularly good start in the first two tournaments, not managing to advance from the first round in both 1930 and 1934 but they did slightly better in 1938 reaching the third round. In 1950 however, in their own country, the success began with a runners up spot behind Uruguay in a tournament that didn't have a final, but a 4 team round robin competition.

In 1954 in Switzerland, they only managed a quarter final place, but in 1958 came the first of their 5 victories, beating the host nation, Sweden 5-2 in the final. Their other victories came in the following tournament in 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002. Since 1958, Brazil have only failed once, in 1966, to reach the second round

CAMEROON

Cameroon's most successful world cup was in 1990, where they reached the quarter finals losing to England 3-2 in extra time. Their first appearance in a world cup tournament was in 1982 in Spain. they also made it to the 1994 finals, 1998 and 2002, but apart from 1990 they have failed to advance further than the first round.

CHILE

Chile took part in the first tournament in Uruguay in 1930, being knocked out in the first stage. Their best performance came in the 1962 tournament in Chile, where they reached the third round stages, but apart from this, they have failed to advance from the first round having taken part in the tournaments of 1950, 1966, 1974, 1982 and lastly 1998 in France.

DENMARK

Denmark are one of the least successful of the Europeans sides only qualifying for 3 tournaments in 1986, 1998, where they achieved their best finish by reaching the quarter finals and 2002.

ENGLAND

Having only won the world cup once, in 1966 in their own country, England are one of the nearly teams. Not having taken part in a world cup tournament until 1950 for the first time, they have managed to reach the quarter finals on no less than 6 times in 1954, 1962, 1970, 1982, 2002 and 2006. they also reached the third place playoff in 1990.

FRANCE

France were one of the first teams to take part in a world cup tournament, having played in the first in 1930. they also have the record for scoring the first ever goal in a world cup tournament. Like England, they have only won the tournament once in their history and that was on home territory in 1998. Their next best performance was in the 2006 tournament where they finished as runners up. having played in 12 out of the 18 previous tournaments, France have one of the best qualifying records of any European side, but with only one win, one runners up place and one fourth place in the 1982 finals in Spain, it isn't a particularly good record.

GERMANY

Germany have the best record of any side from Europe in world cup history. They have only failed to progress from the first round once and that was in 1938. They have reached the quarter finals 3 times in 1962, 1990 and 1998. they have finished as runners up on no less than 4 occasions in 1966,1982, 1986 and 2002, but like Italy, they have managed to win the tournament 3 times in 1954, 1974 and 1990.

GHANA

Ghana have only reached one previous world cup tournament and that was the last one in 2006.

GREECE

Like Ghana, Greece have only taken part in one other world cup final, back in 1994 where they were knocked out in the first round.

HOLLAND

Holland have always seemed to be peoples second favourite team, because of the style of football they play. They have come very close to winning the world cup, finishing as runners up twice in 1974 and 1978 and having a forth place finish in 1998. They have also reached the quarter final stage once in 1994.

HONDURAS

Honduras have only been to one previous world cup final in 1982 and they were knocked out in the first round.

ITALY

Italy are probably the second most successful European side after Germany, having played in 16 world cup finals, winning the tournament 4 times in 1934, which was the first time they had played in a world cup, 1938, 1982 and 2006, but the reason that they are probably considered the second most successful team is because they have only finished as runners up once in 1994.

IVORY COAST

The Ivory coast have only reached one previous world cup in 2006.

JAPAN

Japan's best finish in a world cup was in 2002, when they were joint hosts with South Korea, they managed to reach the second round, but in their other appearances in the world cup in 1998 and 2006, they failed to progress from the group stages.

MEXICO

Mexico have reached the quarter finals of 2 world cups in 1970, when the tournament took place in their own country and in 1986 again in their own country, so this would suggest that they don't travel well. Apart from those two quarter final finishes, they have progressed into the second round in 1994, 1998, 2002 and 2006.

NEW ZEALAND

More famous for winning the rugby version of the world cup, New Zealand have had one previous appearance in the world cup finals, in 1982, where they were eliminated in the first round.

NIGERIA

Nigeria have played in three previous tournaments, in 1994, 1998 and 2002, never progressing passed the second round.

NORTH KOREA

They have only qualified for one world cup prior to 2010 and that was in 1966, where they reached the quarter finals.

PARAGUAY

Paraguay have taken part in 8 world cup tournaments, including the first ever in 1930. they have reached the second round 3 times in 1986, 1998 and 2002. reaching the second round is the best they have done in their 8 visits.

PORTUGAL

Portugal's first world cup final appearance was in 1966 where they were beaten in the semi-finals by the eventual winners, England. They have only managed to qualify for 3 other finals, in 1986, 2002 and 2006, where they once again lost in the semi-finals and also lost the third place playoff game finishing overall forth.

SERBIA

2010 will be Serbia's first appearance at a world cup final in their own right as the country has only been in a qualifying tournament once as an independent country.

SLOVAKIA

Like Serbia, this is Slovakia's first world cup for the same reasons as Serbia.

SLOVENIA

This will be Slovenia's second appearance in a world cup final. Their only other was in 2002, where they failed to progress from the group stages.

SOUTH AFRICA

As the hosts of the 2010 world cup finals, they are the first African country to host the finals. This will be South Africa's third appearance in a world cup, the other two being in 1998 and 2002, failing to progress passed the group stages both times.

SOUTH KOREA

South Korea have taken part in 7 world cup finals, failing to advance from the first round in 1954, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998 and 2006, but in 2002, when they were joint hosts with Japan, the surprised the world of football by finishing in forth place.

SPAIN

Spain first took part in a world cup finals tournament in 1934, reaching the quarter final stages and this was going to be a pattern that the world of football would see for tournaments to come, but for what ever reason, Spain, have never quite for filled their undoubted potential only reaching the quarter finals 4 times, the last of these in 2002. their best ever finish was a forth place in the 1950 world cup finals.

SWITZERLAND

In their first two appearances in world cup finals, in 1934 and 1938, Switzerland got as far as the quarter finals. they qualified for the next tournament in 1950, but failed to progress from the first round, however, in the following tournament, in 1954, they reached the quarter finals once again. They took part in both the 1962 and 1966 tournaments, but failed again to get further than the first round. They did not qualify for their next world cup final until 1994 where they reached the second round, something they did in their last appearance in 2006 as well.

URUGUAY

Uruguay were the hosts and winners of the first ever world cup in 1930. They did not take part in any world cup finals after that until 1950, where they became world champions once again. This would be the second and last time that they would win the tournament. they continued to qualify for the finals from 1950 till 1974, reaching the quarter finals in two tournaments, in 1954 and 1966 and taking forth place in 1970. Uruguay have failed to get passed the second round in subsequent tournaments in 1986 and 1990 where they where knocked out in the second round and 2002 when the failed to advance from the first round.

USA

The USA took part in the first world cup in 1930, finishing overall third. in both the 1934 and 1950 world cups, they did not progress to the second round. The next time they took part in a final tournament was in 1990, once again not making it passed the first round. This pattern would continue in the 1994 and 1998 tournaments, but in 2002 they reached the quarter finals and in the last world cup of 2006, they once again did not make it in to the knockout stages.