On June 6, South Africa will quench the four-year thirst of football fans all over the world when they host the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The competition will run from June 11to July 11and will bring together 32 of the best teams the world has to offer. TEENage, where every teen matters, has decided to keep you on top of the game with weekly profiles and highlights of your favourite teams and players leading up to the greatest show on earth.

South Africa

Brief History: South Africa is currently experiencing their best period in world football since their re-admission in 1992. They went on to win their first-ever African Cup of Nations four years later, and made it to the finals of the following tournament in 1998 losing 0-2 to Egypt. South Africa’s surge continued in 2009 at the Confederations Cup where they were beaten in the semi-finals by eventual winners Brazil. They have only qualified for the World Cup finals on two previous occasions and have never made it out of the group stages.

World Cup Appearances: France 1998 and South Korea/Japan 2002

World Cup Wins: South Africa has never won the World Cup, and has only ever won one match in their brief history — France 1998, 1-0 victory over Slovenia.

How they made it: South Africa qualified by virtue of being host of the tournament.

Key Players: Midfielder Steven Piennar (Everton), Strikers Benni McCarthy (West Ham United), and Bernard Parker (FC Twente).

Coach: Carlos Alberto Parreira

Strengths: The South Africans’ strength lies in their physical abilities rather than tactical or technical skill. They are faster and stronger, like most African teams are. Another strength is the dribbling ability of Playmaker Steven Piennar.

Weakness: Their inability to find the back of the net proved costly in the Confederations Cup and could be their downfall at the World Cup.

Expected finish: With the likes of former Champions France in this group, South Africa will find it hard to make it through the group stages. Nevertheless, with millions of Africans cheering them on and the advantage of playing on home soil, results might favour the host and see them through to the second round, but that is where their journey is expected to end.

Mexico

Brief History: Currently ranked at number 17 on the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking, Mexico is without a doubt one of the strongest teams representing CONCACAF at the World Cup this summer. The team, which continues to be a force to reckon with in the region, has won five Gold Cups, the most recent being in the summer of 2009 when they thrashed the United States of America 5-0 in the finals. Mexico currently holds the record for most World Cup appearances in CONCACAF.

World Cup Appearances: Mexico has qualified for the World Cup on 14 occasions.

World Cup Wins: Mexico has never won the World Cup; their best performances would be quarter-finals finishes in 1970 and 1986.

How they made it: Mexico qualified for the World Cup finals by finishing second in the CONCACAF qualifications. After a poor start and a change of coach during the campaign, Mexico’s bid got a much-needed rejuvenation by Coach Javier Aguirre’s return. Mexico, who had found themselves at the bottom half of the points table, went on a five-game winning streak, which assured them of qualifications with a game to spare.

Key Players: Attacking Midfielder Cuauhtémoc Blanco (Veracruz), Defensive Midfielder Rafael Marquez (Barcelona), and the young Giovanni Dos Santos (Galatasaray).

Coach: Javier Aguirre

Strengths: The Mexicans will no doubt look to their array of world-class midfielders to take them all the way. With a good blend of Youth and experience in the middle of the park the Mexicans midfield will play a pivotal role in their final position at the World Cup.

Weakness: The Mexicans too often are caught up in playing beautiful football, and in the latter stages of the competition where only results matter the Mexicans might just be left out again.

Expected Finish: The Mexicans have a very good team but lack the killer instincts to go all the way. Just as previous competitions, the Mexicans should find their exit at the second round.

Uruguay

Brief History: A superb crop of young talent which was able to win the 1924 and 1928 Summer Olympics football titles was the beginning of Uruguayan dominance. That same batch of players helped them to claim the title of first-ever World Cup winners in 1930. However, unlike many other teams that rose to prominence in the latter part of the last century, they fell off the pace after the 1950s. Despite this, they are this one of the most feared teams on the South American continent. They are ranked 18th in the FIFA World standings.

World Cup Appearances: South Africa 2010 will be Uruguay’s 11th appearance at a FIFA World Cup.

World Cup Wins: Uruguay has managed to win the World Cup on two occasions: 1930 as hosts defeating Argentina and 1950 defeating hosts Brazil.

How They Made It: After months of preparation and 17 qualifying games, a draw against Argentina would secure for them an automatic World Cup spot. However, an 83rd-minute strike from Mario Bolatti in the last qualification match forced Uruguay to fifth place and out of an automatic World Cup spot and into the playoffs. There they met CONCACAF representatives Costa Rica who they defeated 2-1 on aggregate.

Key Players: Strikers Diego Forlan (Atletico Madrid) and Luis Suarez (Ajax), Defender Diego Lugano- Captain (Fenerbahçe)

Coach: Oscar Washington Tabarez

Strengths: Often referred to as “Garra Charrúa”, Uruguayans possess a “never say die” mentality which propels them to great feats while on the pitch. Their strength lies mainly in attack thanks to one of the more prolific attacking pairs in Diego and Luis.

Weaknesses: They are oftentimes inconsistent in all areas of the park. They can go from superb to mediocre in a simple chance of tempo.

Expected Finish: With the possibility of facing Nigeria or Argentina in the second round they may just see their World Cup ambitions ending there.

France

Brief History: The initial years of French international football was marked with constant turmoil and conflict. This was highlighted by the fact that they sent two separate teams to the 1908 Summer Olympics. Over a period of time things got better and they became one of the European nations to take part in the first-ever World Cup, which was held in Uruguay in 1930. Since then they have managed two European championship titles as well as one World Cup. They have emerged in recent times as one of the more revered teams in international football. They presently are eighth in FIFA World rankings.

World Cup Appearances: They have managed to make it to the World Cup on 12 previous occasions.

World Cup Wins: They have won the World Cup once — 1998 when they were hosts.

How They Made It: Finishing second on 21 points to Serbia (22 points) in Group Seven in European qualifications, they were forced into the play-offs where they faced Ireland. With South Africa 2010 qualification seeming harder to come by, one of the most notorious actions in world football put them through: Thierry Henry’s cheeky handball-come- assist to William Gallas in extra time saw the French pull off a 1-1 draw in Ireland and go through 2-1 on aggregate.

Key Players: Striker Thierry Henry (Barcelona), Winger Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich) and Midfielder Yoann Gourcuff (Bordeaux)

Coach: Raymond Domenech

Strengths: When all attacking players are in sync there are few teams with a defence that can stop them. The addition of “attack-minded” full backs is also an asset.

Weakness: Raymond Domenech. It is that simple; his tactics may just be what prevents the French from reaching their true potential. That and a sub-par defence.

Expected Finish: Though they will be ithout Zinedine Zidane this time around they should make it to the semi-finals.