We look at how each of the four teams qualified for the finals and give you details on their previous results at FIFA World Cups.
ITALY
Qualification
Italy set the pace in Group 8 with a 2-1 win over Cyprus and after that result took them to the summit they remained there. It nonetheless took them until their penultimate encounter to guarantee qualification. In all, they recorded seven wins and three draws.
Previous FIFA World Cups
Defending champions Italy are the only team along with Brazil to have won the tournament twice in succession (1934 and 1938). They have qualified for 16 of the 18 FIFA World Cup finals, failing to book themselves a place in 1958 and having not opted to take part in the first edition in 1930. In total, they have four titles (1934, 1938, 1982, 2006) two runners-up finishes (1970 and 1994) and a third placing on home soil in 1990.
PARAGUAY
Qualification
Paraguay have put together their best qualification campaign ever recording ten wins, three draws and five defeats. They collected 33 points in all to finish third behind Chile and Brazil. Paraguay confirmed their qualification with a 1-0 win over Argentina in Asuncion in September.
Previous FIFA World Cups
South Africa 2010 will be Portugal’s eighth FIFA World Cup finals appearance and their fourth in a row. With a total record of six wins, seven draws and nine losses, they have never won two games at the same finals and have yet to progress beyond the Round of 16.
NEW ZEALAND
Qualification
New Zealand sealed their victory in the OFC Nations Cup with five consecutive wins before an inconsequential defeat against Fiji. The All Whites then had to wait 11 months before their two-legged play-off against the fifth placed Asian qualifiers Bahrain. In sapping heat, the Kiwis earned a 0-0 draw away in Manama before winning 1-0 at home to qualify for the main event.
Previous FIFA World Cups
It has taken 28 years for New Zealand to qualify for the FIFA World Cup after their only other appearance in 1982. The All Whites lost all three group matches at Spain ’82 but were not disgraced in a high quality group featuring Brazil, Soviet Union and Scotland.
SLOVAKIA
Qualification
Slovakia topped Group 3 during European qualifying and in doing so upset a number of predictions that they would struggle. Losing to rivals Slovenia in the penultimate round of matches, Slovakia needed a result against Poland in their final outing. They duly triumphed 1-0 to book their place at South Africa 2010.
Previous FIFA World Cups
Slovakia will be making their first appearance at a FIFA World Cup next year but 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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