Preview of Group A

As hosts of the World Cup, South Africa automatically qualified for this year's World Cup and placed into group A. The South Africans have Everton's Steven Pienaar and Portsmouth's Aaron Mokoena, they could of had West Ham's Benni McCarthy who was unsurprisingly omitted from the final 23 man squad by Carlos Alberto Parreira after they had a spat some years ago. Keep an eye out for goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune who is very promising at the age of 23, and also Siphwe Tshabalala who has been outstanding for the Kaizer Chiefs in the South African league.

They were drawn with Mexico who finished second in their final CONCACAF qualifying group just a point behind USA. They are currently ranked 17th in the world which i think is about right for them. The players to look out for in this mixed age team has to be Barcelona Rafael Marquez, Arsenal's decent looking 21 year-old striker Carlos Vela and the Mexican public's superman Cuauhtemoc Blanco who at 37 will be lacking pace in games. Possible players who could make a name for themselves this World Cup has to be new Manchester United signing Javier Hernandez and Tottenham Hotspur property Giovani Dos Santos.

They are joined by Uruguay who qualified virtue of a playoff against Costa Rica (winning 2-1 on aggregate). They are ranked just above Mexico at 16th in the world which again on paper looks about right. Thay have a frightening looking strike force with Atletico Madrid's rejuvenated Diego Forlan who is showing consistent brilliance which he failed to provide at Manchester United, and Ajax's Luis Suarez who hit over 40 goals this season in the Eredivise.

Group A is finished off with France, who qualified thanks to Thierry Henry's Diego Maradona tribute act in their play-off with the Republic of Ireland which they won 2-1. Beaten by Serbia at the top of their qualifying group, France look a jaded team and with manager Raymond Domenech being replaced by Laurent Blanc after the finals anything could happen within this team.

My prediction for this group is that it will be a very tight group. I think despite France's jaded team they will just finish on top with Mexico nabbing second. On the basis that no host country has ever been knocked out in the Group phase it is hard not to back South Africa to progress but they are in such a tough group I think they will bring up the rear.