Held every four years except in 1942 and 1948 because of the World War II, the 19th staging of this competition will once again bring the world to a standstill. Millions of fans worldwide wait eagerly and with great expectations to witness which of the 32 participation nations will be crowned the new Kings of World Soccer.

History and Facts on the World Cup:

Since the first World Cup in 1930, only seven nations have won the coveted trophy- Brazil (five times), defending champions Italy (four times), Germany (three times), Argentina and Uruguay (two times), England and France (once).

Only South American and European countries have won the World Cup. South American countries Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay account for nine titles. While England, France, Germany and Italy combine for nine titles also.

It is worth knowing that of the seven winners, all have hosted the World Cup and all except Brazil have won the World Cup on home soil.

Only Brazil and Argentina have won the World Cup outside of their Confederation.

Brazil four times, - UEFA (Sweden) 1958, CONCACAF (Mexico) 1970, USA 1994 and AFC (Japan) 2002. Argentina once - CONCACAF (Mexico) 1986.

Only Brazil has won the World Cup in every confederation that has hosted the Cup.

The only six teams that have reach to a World Cup Final outside their confederation are Brazil, four times - Sweden 1958, USA 1994, Japan 2002 (wins) and France 1998 (loss), Czechoslovakia, once - Chile 1962 (loss), Italy, two times - Mexico 1970, USA 1994 (losses) Netherlands, once - Argentina 1978 (loss), Germany, twice - Mexico 1986, Japan 2002 (losses) Argentina, twice– Mexico 1986 (won) and Italy 1990 (loss),

Only two teams have won the World Cup two times in a row Italy 1934 and1938 and Brazil in 1958 and 1962.

Only five countries have contested the World Cup final and have not won the Cup. Czechoslovakia (twice) – 1934 and 1938, Hungary – 1938, Sweden – 1958 and Netherlands (twice) – 1974 and 1978. All are UEFA countries.

Only four confederations have hosted the World Cup – CONMEBOL (Uruguay 1930, Brazil 1950, Chile 1962 and Argentina 1978), UEFA (Italy 1934, France 1938, Switzerland 1954, Sweden 1958, England 1966, Germany 1974, Spain 1982, Italy 1990, France 1998 and Germany 2006), CONCACAF (Mexico 1970, 1986 and USA 1994) and AFC (Korea / Japan 2002).

Germany remains the only nation to reach three consecutive finals of the World Cup 1982, 1986 And 1990.

Brazil retired the first World Cup – The Jules RimetTrophy in 1970 after winning the World cup for the third time in 1970 beating then two-time winner Italy in a winner-takes-all final.

Brazil is the only team to have qualified for every World Cup.

Geoff Hurst (England) is the only player to have scored a hat trick in the final of a World Cup.

Justin Fontaine (France) thirteen goals make him the leading goal scorer in a single World Cup tournament.

Ronaldo (Brazil) fifteen goals in three World Cup tournaments make him the all time leading scorer.

Pele (Brazil) remains the only player to have won three World Cups.

Franz Beckenbeur (Germany) and Mario Zagallo (Brazil) are the only persons to win the World Cup as a player and a coach.

The Teams and preliminary group

Zone A: South Africa, Mexico, Uruguay and France

Zone B: Argentina, Nigeria, Korea Republic and Greece

Zone C: England, USA, Algeria and Slovenia

Zone D: Germany Australia, Serbia and Ghana

Zone E: Netherland, Denmark, Japan and Cameroon

Zone F: Italy, Paraguay, New Zealand and Slovakia

Zone G: Brazil, Korea DPR and Cote de Ivories

Zone H: Spain, Switzerland, Honduras and Chile

World Cup 2010 and the questions to be asked:

This will be the first World Cup to be hosted by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). The questions to be asked and are on many fans mind are:

1. Can any other country besides Argentina and Brazil win outside their confederation?

2. Which European country can join the ranks of Argentina and Brazil?

3. Will this be the year when a country from CAF wins the cup?

4. Could a country from CONCACAF, AFC, or Oceania win the cup?

5. Could Dunga and Maradona join Beckenbeur and Zagallo and become a player and coach to win the World Cup?

Previous World Cup top four finishers and individual awards:

1930: Winner Uruguay, Runner-up Argentina Third Germany

Fourth Yugoslavia

Results: Final Uruguay 4: Argentina 2

Golden Shoe Winner: Guillermo Stabile (ARG) 8 goals

1934: Winner Italy Runners - up Czechoslovakia Third Germany

Fourth Austria

Results: Final - Italy 2: Czechoslovakia 1

Third Place – Germany 3: Austria 2

Golden Shoe Winner: Old rich Nakedly (Czechoslovakia) 5 goals

1938: Winner Italy Runners - up Hungary Third Brazil

Fourth Sweden

Results: Final - Italy 4: Hungary 2

Third Place – Brazil 4: Sweden 2

Golden Shoe Winner: Leonia’s (Brazil) 7 goals

1938: Winner Italy Runners - up Hungary Third Brazil

Fourth Sweden

Results: Final - Italy 4: Hungary 2

Third Place – Brazil 4: Sweden 2

Golden Shoe Winner: Leonidas (Brazil) 7 goals

1950: Winner Uruguay Runners - up Brazil Third Sweden

Fourth Spain

Results: Final – None (Round robin 5 pts to 4)

Third Place – None (Round robin 2 pts to 1)

Golden Shoe Winner: Ad emir (Brazil) 9 goals

1954: Winner Germany Runners - up Hungary Third Austria

Fourth Uruguay

Results: Final – Germany 3: Hungary 2

Third Place – Austria 3: Uruguay 1

Golden Shoe Winner: Sandoz Kopsas (Hungary) 11 goals

1958: Winner Brazil Runners - up Sweden Third France

Fourth Germany

Results: Final – Brazil 5: Sweden 2

Third Place – France 6: Germany 3

Golden Shoe Winner: Just Fontaine (France) 13 goals

Best young player – Pele (Brazil)

1962: Winner Brazil Runners - up Czechoslovakia Third Chile

Fourth Yugoslavia

Results: Final – Brazil 3: Czechoslovakia 1

Third Place – Chile 1: Yugoslavia 1

Golden Shoe Winner:- Vava, Garrincha (Brazil) Valentin Ivanov (Russia) Orazen Jerkovic (Yugoslavia) Leonel Sanchez (Chile)

Best young player – Florian Albert (Hungary)

1966:Winner England Runners - up Germany Third Portugal

Fourth Soviet Union

Results : Final – England 4 : Germany 2

Third Place – Portugal 2 : Soviet Union 1

Golden Shoe Winner: Eusebio (Portugal) 9 goals

Best young player – Franz Beckenbeur (Germany)

1970:Winner Brazil Runners - up Italy Third Germany

Fourth Uruguay

Results : Final – Brazil 4 : Italy 1

Third Place – Germany 1 : Uruguay 0

Golden Shoe Winner: Gerd Mueller (Germany) 10 goals

Best young player – Teofilo Cubillas (Peru)

1974:Winner Germany Runners - up Netherlands Third Poland

Fourth Brazil

Results : Final – Germany 2 : Netherlands 1

Third Place – Poland 1 : Brazil 0

Golden Shoe Winner: Grzegorz Lato (Poland) 10 goals

Best young player – Wladyslaw Zmuda (Poland)

1978:Winner Argentina Runners - up Netherlands Third Brazil

Fourth Italy

Results : Final – Germany 2 : Netherlands 1

Third Place – Brazil 1 : Italy 0

Golden Shoe Winner: Mario Kempes (Poland) 6 goals

Best young player – Antonio Cabrini (Italy)

Fair play award - Argentina

1982: Winner Italy Runners - up Germany Third Poland

Fourth France

Results : Final – Germany 2 : Netherlands 1

Third Place – Poland 3 : France 2

Golden Ball Winner / Best player – Paolo Rossi (Italy)

Golden Shoe Winner: Paolo Rossi (Italy) 6 goals

Best young player – Manuel Amoros (France)

Fair play award - Brazil

1986: Winner Argentina Runners - up Germany Third France

Fourth Belgium

Results : Final – Argentina 3 : Germany 2

Third Place – France 4 : Belguim 2

Golden Ball Winner / Best player – Diego Maradona (Argentina)

Golden Shoe Winner: Gary Lineker (England) 6 goals

Best young player – Enzo Scifo (Belgium)

Fair play award – Brazil

1990: Winner Germany Runners - up Argentina Third Italy

Fourth England

Results : Final – Germany 1 : Argentina 0

Third Place – Italy 2 : England 1

Golden Ball Winner / Best player – Salvatore Schillaci (Italy)

Golden Shoe Winner: Salvatore Schillaci (Italy) 6 goals

Best young player – Robert Prosinecki ()

Fair play award – England

1994: Winner Brazil Runners - up Italy Third Sweden

Fourth Bulgaria

Results : Final – Germany 1 : Argentina 0

Third Place – Italy 2 : England 1

Golden Ball Winner / Best player – Romario (Brazil)

Golden Shoe Winner: Stoichkov (Bulgaria) Salenko (Russia) 6 goals

Yashin Award / Best goalkeeper – Michael Preudhomma (Belgium)

Best young player – Robert Prosinecki ()

Most Entertaining Team - Brazil

Fair play award – Brazil

1998: Winner France Runners - up Brazil Third Croatia

Fourth Netherlands

Results : Final – France 3 : Brazil 0

Third Place – Croatia 2 : Netherlands 1

Golden Ball Winner / Best player – Ronaldo (Brazil)

Golden Shoe Winner: David Sucker (Croatia) 6 goals

Yashin Award / Best goalkeeper – Fabian Barthez (Belgium)

Best young player – Micheal Owen (England)

Most Entertaining Team - France

Fair play award – France and England

2002: Winner Brazil Runners - up Germany Third Turkey

Fourth Korea Republic

Results : Final – Brazil 2 : Germany 0

Third Place – Turkey 3 : Korea Republic 2

Golden Ball Winner / Best player – Oliver Khan (Germany)

Golden Shoe Winner: Ronaldo (Croatia Brazil) 6 goals

Yashin Award / Best goalkeeper – Oliver Khan (Germany)

Best young player – Landon Donovan (U.S.A)

Most Entertaining Team - Korea Republic

Fair play award – Belgium

2006: Winner Italy Runners - up France Third Germany

Fourth Portugal

Results : Final – Germany 3 : Portugal 1

Third Place – Croatia 2 : Netherlands 1

Golden Ball Winner / Best player – Ronaldo (Brazil)

Golden Shoe Winner: David Sucker (Croatia) 6 goals

Yashin Award / Best goalkeeper – Fabian Barthez (Belgium)

Best young player – Michael Owen (England)

Most Entertaining Team - France

Fair play award – France and England