FIFA World Cup Group A

As has become tradition in recent years, the World Cup's host team contests the tournament's opening game. In 2010, South Africa welcomes Mexico to the Soccer City stadium in Johannesburg on June 11. "It is an enormous challenge for us to contest the opening game - in front of 94,000 people, and the eyes of the whole world," admitted the hosts' coach Carlos Alberto Parreira.

Uruguay and France will also be preparing themselves to face the deafening noise of the already infamous vuvuzelas in the hands of South African fans. Despite home support, Bafana Bafana ("The Boys," as Parreira's side are nicknamed) are still outsiders in Group A. Had they not been guaranteed a place as hosts, it's unlikely South Africa would have qualified for the World Cup.

In a squad made up mainly of young home-based players, English Premier League trio Aaron Mokoena, Steven Pienaar and Benni McCarthy provide top-level quality and experience. The home side's coach, however, is the real old hand within the South Africa set-up. Parreira led his native Brazil to World Cup triumph in 1994 and South Africa will be the fifth team he oversees at world soccer's prime event.

Play-off controversy follows France

As runners-up in 2006 and World Cup winners on home turf in 1998, France will start the group as clear favorites to progress in top spot. But after trailing Serbia in its qualifying group, "Les Bleus" required a great deal of luck just to make it to South Africa. In extra time of a second leg play-off against the Republic of Ireland, William Gallas scored the goal that took France to their thirteenth World Cup. Thierry Henry had clearly handled the ball in the build-up but, despite Irish players' protests and calls for the game to be replayed that nearly turned into a diplomatic dispute, the result stood.

Raymond Domenech, who has been in charge of the French side since 2004, is hugely unpopular with the press and public - and has allegedly had to resist a players' revolt as well. But in Bayern Munich's Franck Ribery, Domenech has both an ally and his trump card on the pitch. "He is someone I really cherish," said Ribery. "I hope that he stays as coach until the end of my career in the national team. Even though he is constantly, so to say, being put on trial!" Ribery's wish will not be met though. Former France international defender Laurent Blanc is set to take charge of the national team after the tournament.

With former stars now either retired, like Zinedine Zidane, or struggling for form in their 30s, like captain Thierry Henry, a lot will depend on the ability of up-and-coming French league-based players to find their feet in the side. Bordeaux playmaker Yoann Gourcuff, who is expected to run the France team from the middle of the park in South Africa, is the critical example. He will need a breakout World Cup - like Ribery's in Germany four years ago - if France is to have a deep run.

Old hands have seen better days

Uruguay was once on top of the football world. The South Americans won the first staging of the World Cup on home soil back in 1930, and repeated the feat in Brazil 20 years later. That golden age has long since passed though. Although this will be Uruguay's eleventh appearance at the World Cup, it last made it out of the group stages in 1990, and, like France, required a play-off to make it to South Africa. Costa Rica were only narrowly beaten in that encounter, and certainly not in a style which satisfied coach Oscar Tabarez. "For me, it's job done - the main thing is that we're going to the World Cup," Tabarez reflected after his side became the final team to qualify for the tournament in November 2009.

Uruguay will no doubt be looking to get the ball forward quickly, as their most talented players are in attack. Diego Forlan scored both goals for Atletico Madrid as they triumphed over Fulham in the Europa League final, while Luis Suarez netted a dizzying 35 league goals for Ajax in Holland this season.

Mexico also possesses a top-level striker in Arsenal's Carlos Vela. And Rafael Marquez, who has been part of the Barcelona set-up for many years, will provide a reassuring influence whether he plays in midfield or central defense, but otherwise it is a very young squad picked by coach Javier Aguirre. Aguirre took the team to the 2002 World Cup during his first spell as Mexico coach and led them to a comfortable second behind the USA in qualifying. Mexico's is also a story of better days gone by. Their finest achievements at a World Cup were reaching the quarter finals in 1970 and 1986. On both occasions, they were hosting the tournament.

If the weight of expectation on South Africa can be turned into a positive by coach Parreira, and the hosts pick up some momentum early on, they could be difficult to stop. France are favorites for good reason, but certainly vulnerable.

Author: Lutz Kulling / tms
Editor: Matt Hermann