England
Coach: Sven-Goran Eriksson.
How qualified: Won European Group 6.
Last appearance: 2002, quarterfinals.
One to watch: Wayne Rooney. With the recent death of former Manchester United star George Best, Rooney has been receiving comparisons to the Northern Ireland great when it comes to his goal-scoring ability. Rooney, 20, also a ManU star, just might have his coming-out party in Germany and if he does, England just might make a run.
Fast fact: It has been nearly 40 years (1966) since England's only World Cup title.
PARAGUAY
Manager: Anibal Maño Ruiz.
Fifa ranking: 30.
Key man: Jose Cardozo (San Lorenzo, above).
Previous World Cups: 6.
Best: 2nd round 1986, 1998 & 2002.
Killer fact: Captain Carlos Gamarra went through the whole of Paraguay's four-match France '98 campaign without committing a single foul.
Paraguay begin their campaign against England in Frankfurt on 10 June, and they hope to be around for a while. "God willing, I won't be coming back from Europe until 9 July," said the Uruguayan-born coach, Anibal Ruiz, last week. The inference is clear. This is Paraguay's seventh World Cup, it is the first time they have qualified for three in a row, and they are confident that this will be their best. Their hopes are based on Paraguayan football's traditional strengths - solid defence, hard work and excellent team spirit - but they now have the firepower that has not always been present in some of their recent sides. Star striker Roque Santa Cruz faces a struggle to be fit in time, but even without him they have interesting attacking options. Veteran José Cardozo is still a danger and Werder Bremen's Nelson Haedo Valdez has been a key addition.
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO
Manager: Leo Beenhakker (Dutch).
Fifa ranking: 51.
Key man: Dwight Yorke (Sydney United, above).
Previous World Cups: None.
Killer fact: Trinidad and Tobago are the smallest nation at the finals, with a population of just 1.3 million, and only the fourth Caribbean island to ever qualify.
The "Soca Warriors" represent the smallest nation ever to play in the finals. With 10 of the squad likely to come from clubs such as Wrexham and Gillingham, they will be representing the lower divisions of English football, not to mention some of Scotland's less vaunted clubs. Qualifying for the first time after a brutal play-off in Bahrain, they had come fourth in the Concacaf group. Leo Beenhakker coached the Netherlands in the 1990 finals, also managed Real Madrid and rescued the campaign when he arrived at the halfway point. Their captain, Dwight Yorke, 34, now plays in Australia and operates in central midfield. He is partnered by Chris Birchall, 21, a Stafford-born Port Vale winger - the first white man to play for Trinidad & Tobago in 60 years. English-speaking and largely British-based, T&T will be fired up like FA Cup underdogs against England.
SWEDEN
Manager: Lars Lagerback.
Fifa ranking: 14.
Key man: Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Juventus, above).
Previous World Cups: 10.
Best Finalists 1958.
Killer fact: Twelve players who appeared in the 2002 finals played in Sweden's final qualifying match for 2006. Henrik Larsson is the only survivor from USA '94.