IAN HAWKEY'S PREDICTION: GERMANY, GHANA
GERMANY (FIFA RANK 6)
Best World Cup: Winners 1954, 1974, 1990 A rigorous logic has Germany winning the World Cup: they were third at the last World Cup, second at Euro 2008, and so . . . well, Germans being logical, they have a strong belief, and some young talent to blend with the Ballacks and Kloses
Best player: Michael Ballack. Determined to win a big international prize before he ends his career, having collected too many silver medals
Their anthem should be: Unbreakable by Alicia Keys
Odds: 14-1
Manager: Joachim Low
Killer stat: Miroslav Klose has 48 international goals, still some way behind Gerd Muller (68)
AUSTRALIA (21)
Best World Cup: 2nd round, 2006 Competitive and more worldly now that they have to travel from Arabia to Japan to qualify for major events through the Asia zone. The Australians enjoyed their last World Cup and they want more this time, which means reaching the last eight
Best player: Tim Cahill. Dynamic, a great provider of goals from midfield and a good team man who never gives less than 100%
Their anthem should be: I Should Be So Lucky by Kylie Minogue
Odds: 125-1
Manager: Pim Verbeek
Killer stat: Qualified for finals without conceding a goal
SERBIA (20)
Best World Cup: Debut Managed by a man who played for Luton Town but also had a distinguished coaching career with Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Barcelona. Serbia are darker horses this time than they were before a disappointing 2006 World Cup, when known as Serbia and Montenegro
Best player: Dejan Stankovic. A decade of sustained high standards in Serie A does not come about by accident
Their anthem should be: The Times They Are a-Changing by Bob Dylan
Odds: 66-1
Manager: Raddy Antic
Killer stat: Beat Romania 5-0 in final qualifier to secure their place
GHANA (37)
Best World Cup: 2nd round 2006 Victory in the Under-20 World Cup may give Ghana the extra impetus and sharp young strikers the senior team needs to build on a last-16 place at Germany 2006
Best player: Michael Essien. Not just the indefatigable powerhouse sometimes caricatured but also skilful and creative
Their anthem should be: Young, Gifted and Black by Nina Simone
Odds: 75-1
Manager: Milovan Rajevac
Killer stats: Ghana were the youngest team at the 2006 World Cup, with an average age of 24, and scored the fastest goal after 68 seconds of a 2-1 win against Czech Republic
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FIXTURES
Germany v Australia June 13, 7.30pm
Serbia v Ghana June 13, 3pm
Germany v Serbia June 18, 12.30pm
Ghana v Australia June 19, 3pm
Ghana v Germany June 23, 7.30pm
Australia v Serbia June 23, 7.30pm