Netherlands

Goalkeepers
1 Maarten STEKELENBURG
16 Michel VORM
22 Sander BOSCHKER

Defenders
2 Gregory VAN DER WIEL
3 John HEITINGA
4 Joris MATHIJSEN
5 Giovanni VAN BRONCKHORST
12 Khalid BOULAHROUZ
13 Andre OOIJER
15 Edson BRAAFHEID

Midfielders
6 Mark VAN BOMMEL
8 Nigel DE JONG
10 Wesley SNEIJDER
14 Demy DE ZEEUW
18 Stijn SCHAARS
20 Ibrahim AFELLAY
23 Rafael VAN DER VAART

Forwards
7 Dirk KUYT
9 Robin VAN PERSIE
11 Arjen ROBBEN
17 Eljero ELIA
19 Ryan BABEL
21 Klaas Jan HUNTELAAR

Honduras

Goalkeepers
1 Ricardo CANALES
18 Noel VALLADARES
22 Donis ESCOBER

Defenders
2 Osman CHAVEZ
3 Maynor FIGUEROA
4 Jhony PALACIOS
5 Victor BERNARDEZ
14 Oscar GARCIA
16 Mauricio SABILLON
21 Emilio IZAGUIRRE
23 Sergio MENDOZA

Midfielders
6 Hendry THOMAS
7 Ramon NUNEZ
8 Wilson PALACIOS
10 Julio Cesar DE LEON
17 Edgar ALVAREZ
19 Danilo TURCIOS
20 Amado GUEVARA

Forwards
9 Carlos PAVON
11 David SUAZO
12 George WELCOME
13 Roger ESPINOZA
15 Walter MARTINEZ

Portugal

Goalkeepers
1 EDUARDO
12 BETO
22 DANIEL FERNANDES

Defenders
2 BRUNO ALVES
3 PAULO FERREIRA
4 ROLANDO5 DUDA
6 RICARDO CARVALHO
13 MIGUEL
21 RICARDO COSTA
23 FABIO COENTRAO

Midfielders
8 PEDRO MENDES
14 MIGUEL VELOSO
15 PEPE
16 RAUL MEIRELES
19 TIAGO
20 DECO

Forwards
7 CRISTIANO RONALDO
9 LIEDSON
10 DANNY
11 SIMAO
17 NANI
18 HUGO ALMEIDA

Spain

Goalkeepers
1 Iker CASILLAS
12 Victor VALDES
23 Pepe REINA

Defenders
2 Raul ALBIOL
3 Gerard PIQUE
4 Carlos MARCHENA
5 Carles PUYOL
11 Joan CAPDEVILA
15 SERGIO RAMOS
17 Alvaro ARBELOA

Midfielders
6 Andres INIESTA
8 XAVI
10 Cesc FABREGAS
14 XABI ALONSO
16 Sergio BUSQUETS
20 Javier MARTINEZ
21 DAVID SILVA

Forwards
7 David VILLA
9 Fernando TORRES
13 Juan Manuel MATA
18 PEDRO
19 Fernando LLORENTE
22 Jesus NAVAS

USA

Goalkeepers
1 Tim HOWARD
18 Brad GUZAN
23 Marcus HAHNEMANN

Defenders
2 Jonathan SPECTOR
3 Carlos BOCANEGRA
5 Oguchi ONYEWU
6 Steve CHERUNDOLO
12 Jonathan BORNSTEIN
15 Jay DeMERIT
21 Clarence GOODSON

Midfielders
4 Michael BRADLEY
7 DaMarcus BEASLEY
8 Clint DEMPSEY
10 Landon DONOVAN
11 Stuart HOLDEN
13 Ricardo CLARK
16 Francisco TORRES
19 Maurice EDU
22 Benny FEILHABER

Forwards
9 Herculez GOMEZ
14 Edson BUDDLE
17 Jozy ALTIDORE
20 Robbie FINDLEY

Switzerland

Goalkeepers
1 Diego BENAGLIO
12 Marco WOELFLI
21 Johnny LEONI

Defenders
2 Stephan LICHTSTEINER
3 Ludovic MAGNIN
4 Philippe SENDEROS
5 Steve VON BERGEN
13 Stephane GRICHTING
17 Reto ZIEGLER
22 Mario EGGIMANN

Midfielders
6 Benjamin HUGGEL
7 Tranquillo BARNETTA
8 Gokhan INLER
11 Valon BEHRAMI
14 Marco PADALINO
15 Hakan YAKIN
16 Gelson FERNANDES
20 Pirmin SCHWEGLER
23 Xherdan SHAQIRI

Forwards
9 Alexander FREI
10 Blaise NKUFO
18 Albert BUNJAKU
19 Eren DERDIYOK

Slovenia

Goalkeepers
1 Samir HANDANOVIC
12 Jasmin HANDANOVIC
16 Aleksander SELIGA

Defenders
2 Miso BRECKO
3 Elvedin DZINIC
4 Marko SULER
5 Bostjan CESAR
6 Branko ILIC
13 Bojan JOKIC
19 Suad FILEKOVIC
22 Matej MAVRIC

Midfielders
8 Robert KOREN
10 Valter BIRSA
15 Rene KRHIN
17 Andraz KIRM
18 Aleksandar RADOSAVLJEVIC
20 Andrej KOMAC
21 Dalibor STEVANOVIC

Forwards
7 Nejc PECNIK
9 Zlatan LJUBIJANKIC
11 Milivoje NOVAKOVIC
14 Zlatko DEDIC
23 Tim MATAVZ

France

Included because I'm including all of the teams. Even the ones that use handballs & being offside to qualify...

Goalkeepers
1 Hugo LLORIS
16 Steve MANDANDA
23 Cedric CARRASSO

Defenders
2 Bakari SAGNA
3 Eric ABIDAL
4 Anthony REVEILLERE
5 William GALLAS
6 Marc PLANUS
13 Patrice EVRA
17 Sebastien SQUILLACI
22 Gael CLICHY

Midfielders
8 Yoann GOURCUFF
14 Jeremy TOULALAN
15 Florent MALOUDA
18 Alou DIARRA
19 Abou DIABY

Forwards
7 Franck RIBERY
9 Djibril CISSE
10 Sidney GOVOU
11 Andre Pierre GIGNAC
12 Thierry HENRY
20 Mathieu VALBUENA
21 Nicolas ANELKA

Uruguay

Goalkeepers
1 Fernando MUSLERA
12 Juan CASTILLO
23 Martin SILVA

Defenders
2 Diego LUGANO
3 Diego GODIN
4 Jorge FUCILE
6 Mauricio VICTORINO
16 Maximiliano PEREIRA
19 Andres SCOTTI
22 Martin CACERES

Midfielders
5 Walter GARGANO
8 Sebastian EGUREN
11 Alvaro PEREIRA
14 Nicolas LODEIRO
15 Diego PEREZ
17 Egidio AREVALO
18 Ignacio GONZALEZ
20 Alvaro FERNANDEZ

Forwards
7 Edinson CAVANI
9 Luis SUAREZ
10 Diego FORLAN
13 Sebastian ABREU
21 Sebastian FERNANDEZ

Mexico

Goalkeepers
1 Oscar PEREZ
13 Guillermo OCHOA
23 Luis MICHEL2 Francisco RODRIGUEZ

Defenders
3 Carlos SALCIDO
4 Rafael MARQUEZ
5 Ricardo OSORIO
12 Paul AGUILAR
15 Hector MORENO
16 Efrain JUAREZ
19 Jonny MAGALLON

Midfielders
6 Gerardo TORRADO
8 Israel CASTRO
18 Andres GUARDADO
20 Jorge TORRES

Forwards
7 Pablo BARRERA
9 Guillermo FRANCO
10 Cuauhtemoc BLANCO
11 Carlos VELA
14 Javier HERNANDEZ
17 Giovani DOS SANTOS
21 Adolfo BAUTISTA
22 Alberto MEDINA

Serbian flag

On the highway to and from the airport, the flags are arranged alphabetically, and the Serbian flag is represented as 3 horizontal stripes, which are red, blue, white, in that order.


The Fifa website uses the same colours but there is also a crest with an eagle.



According to the World Flags Database, Jo'burg has used the "simplified" version, while Fifa.com uses the national flag.

Who knows...

Goalkeepers
1 Vladimir STOJKOVIC
12 Bojan ISAILOVIC
23 Andjelko DJURICIC

Defenders
2 Antonio RUKAVINA
3 Aleksandar KOLAROV
5 Nemanja VIDIC
6 Branislav IVANOVIC
13 Aleksandar LUKOVIC
16 Ivan OBRADOVIC
20 Neven SUBOTIC

Midfielders
4 Gojko KACAR
7 Zoran TOSIC
10 Dejan STANKOVIC
11 Nenad MILIJAS
14 Milan JOVANOVIC
17 Milos KRASIC
18 Milos NINKOVIC
19 Radosav PETROVIC
22 Zdravko KUZMANOVIC

Forwards
8 Danko LAZOVIC
9 Marko PANTELIC
15 Nikola ZIGIC
21 Dragan MRDJA

Cameroon

Goalkeepers
1 Idriss KAMENI
16 Souleymanou HAMIDOU
22 Guy NDY

Defenders
2 Benoit ASSOU-EKOTTO
3 Nicolas NKOULOU
4 Rigobert SONG
5 Sebastien BASSONG
8 GEREMI
12 Gaetan BONG
14 Aurelien CHEDJOU
19 Stephane MBIA

Midfielders
6 Alexandre SONG
7 Landry NGUEMO
11 Jean MAKOUN
18 Eyong ENOH
20 Georges MANDJECK
21 Joel MATIP

Forwards
9 Samuel ETOO
10 Achille EMANA
13 Eric CHOUPO MOTING
15 Pierre WEBO
17 Mohamadou IDRISSOU
23 Vincent ABOUBAKAR

Denmark

Goalkeepers
1 Thomas SORENSEN
16 Stephan ANDERSEN
22 Jesper CHRISTIANSEN

Defenders
3 Simon KJAER
4 Daniel AGGER
6 Lars JACOBSEN
13 Per KROLDRUP
15 Simon POULSEN
23 Patrick MTILIGA

Midfielders
2 Christian POULSEN
5 William KVIST
7 Daniel JENSEN
10 Martin JORGENSEN
12 Thomas KAHLENBERG
14 Jakob POULSEN
20 Thomas ENEVOLDSEN
21 Christian ERIKSEN

Forwards
8 Jesper GRONKJAER
9 Jon Dahl TOMASSON
11 Nicklas BENDTNER
17 Mikkel BECKMANN
18 Soren LARSEN
19 Dennis ROMMEDAHL

North Korea

Goalkeepers
1 RI Myong Guk
18 KIM Myong Gil
20 KIM Myong Won

Defenders
2 CHA Jong Hyok
3 RI Jun Il
5 RI Kwang Chon
8 JI Yun Nam
9 JONG Tae Se
13 PAK Chol Jin
14 PAK Nam Chol
16 NAM Song Chol
21 RI Kwang Hyok

Midfielders
4 PAK Nam Chol
6 KIM Kum Il
11 MUN In Guk
15 KIM Yong Jun
17 AN Yong Hak
19 RI Chol Myong
22 KIM Kyong Il
23 PAK Sung Hyok

Forwards
7 AN Chol Hyok
10 HONG Yong Jo
12 CHOE Kum Chol

Is Drogba out?

Reports that Drogba injured his right arm, possibly fracturing his elbow, in a friendly against Japan. He went down in the 15th minute or so, and for once it seems he was actually injured, rather than merely engaging in theatrics.

The story is on ESPN here and Twitter is going mad. Ivory Coast will still have Kalou, but Drogba is their main scoring force, so it's looking bleak.

Slovakia

Goalkeepers
1 Jan MUCHA
12 Dusan PERNIS
23 Dusan KUCIAK

Defenders
2 Peter PEKARIK
3 Martin SKRTEL
4 Marek CECH
5 Radoslav ZABAVNIK
16 Jan DURICA
21 Kornel SALATA
22 Martin PETRAS

Midfielders
6 Zdenko STRBA
7 Vladimir WEISS
8 Jan KOZAK
10 Marek SAPARA
15 Miroslav STOCH
17 Marek HAMSIK
19 Juraj KUCKA
20 Kamil KOPUNEK

Forwards
9 Stanislav SESTAK
11 Robert VITTEK
13 Filip HOLOSKO
14 Martin JAKUBKO
18 Erik JENDRISEK

Cote d'Ivoire

Goalkeepers
1 Boubacar BARRY
16 Aristide ZOGBO
23 Daniel YEBOAH

Defenders
2 Brou ANGOUA
3 Arthur BOKA
4 Kolo TOURE
6 Steve GOHOURI
17 Siaka TIENE
20 Guy DEMEL
21 Emmanuel EBOUE
22 Souleymane BAMBA

Midfielders
5 Didier ZOKORA
9 Ismael TIOTE
12 Jean Jacques GOSSO
13 ROMARIC
14 Emmanuel KONE
19 Yaya TOURE

Forwards
7 Seydou DOUMBIA
8 Salomon KALOU
10 GERVINHO
11 Didier DROGBA
15 Aruna DINDANE
18 Kader KEITA

Ghana

Goalkeepers
1 Daniel AGYEI
16 Stephen AHORLU
22 Richard KINGSON

Defenders
2 Hans SARPEI
4 John PANTSIL
5 John MENSAH
7 Samuel INKOOM
8 Jonathan MENSAH
15 Isaac VORSAH
17 Ibrahim AYEW
19 Lee ADDY

Midfielders
6 Anthony ANNAN
9 Derek BOATENG
10 Stephen APPIAH
11 Sulley MUNTARI
13 Andre AYEW
21 Kwadwo ASAMOAH

Forwards
3 Asamoah GYAN
12 Prince TAGOE
14 Matthew AMOAH
18 Dominic ADIYIAH
20 Quincy OWUSU-ABEYIE
23 Kevin Prince BOATENG

South African squad

Goalkeepers
1 Moneeb JOSEPHS
16 Itumeleng KHUNE
22 Shu-Aib WALTERS

Defenders
2 Siboniso GAXA
3 Tsepo MASILELA
4 Aaron MOKOENA
5 Anele NGCONGCA
14 Matthew BOOTH
15 Lucas THWALA
20 Bongani KHUMALO
21 Siyabonga SANGWENI

Midfielders
6 MacBeth SIBAYA
7 Lance DAVIDS
8 Siphiwe TSHABALALA
10 Steven PIENAAR
11 Teko MODISE
12 Reneilwe LETSHOLONYANE
13 Kagisho DIKGACOI
19 Surprise MORIRI
23 Thanduyise KHUBONI

Forwards
9 Katlego MPHELA
17 Bernard PARKER
18 Siyabonga NOMVETHE

Squads

Going to have to learn who's who in the various squads...



Goalkeepers
1 David JAMES
12 Robert GREEN
23 Joe HART

Defenders
2 Glen JOHNSON
3 Ashley COLE
5 Rio FERDINAND
6 John TERRY
13 Stephen WARNOCK
15 Matt UPSON
18 Jamie CARRAGHER
20 Ledley KING

Midfielders
4 Steven GERRARD
7 Aaron LENNON
8 Frank LAMPARD
11 Joe COLE
14 Gareth BARRY
16 James MILNER
17 Shaun WRIGHT-PHILLIPS
22 Michael CARRICK

Forwards
9 Peter CROUCH
10 Wayne ROONEY
19 Jermain DEFOE
21 Emile HESKEY

Zakumi

When Zakumi first appeared, I was fairly sceptical. He's a weird-looking mascot, I thought. But as more and more Zakumi statues pop up around town, he's worn me down, and now I just love him. At the airport on Monday morning, I even felt compelled to hug him. More and more facebook friends are updating their profile photos to a picture of themselves hugging Zakumi in whichever city they happen to be.

Zakumi’s name is derived from "ZA", which stands South Africa, and "kumi" which menas 10 in a variety of languages.

So proud of Johannesburg

The radio station I listen to, 702, have recorded a World Cup promo. Really ace - so positive, and so exciting.

Go to this link, and click on the audio file "Talk Radio 702 World Cup promo".

Excitement building

I am counting down to the games that I have tickets to:

England v USA
Netherlands v Denmark
Slovenia v USA
Slovakia v Italy
Spain v Honduras
Ghana v Germany
Brazil v Cote d'Ivoire
Argentina v Korea Republic



So all that remains is deciding who to support. The general approach is that we (myself & my partner) are behind Bafana Bafana 100%. But in England matches, we support England. In matches that involve neither England nor Bafana Bafana, we support the African team. If neither team is African, we support the team that has a Chelsea player. If neither team has a Chelsea player, we base it on underdog status. If the underdog has unconscionable politics, we start running out of options... So then it'll be based on whose flag is easier to paint on our faces.

So, at this point, bearing in mind I only really know about Chelsea & England players, and have some reading to do re politics, I'll be painting the following flags on my face:

England - big surprise...
Ivory Coast - Yay Drogba!
Ghana - Yay Essien, even though he's injured. We support his compatriots.
Slovenia
Slovakia
Honduras
Denmark
Korea Republic

The Offside Rule - in shoe terms

I first saw this as a viral email two or three World Cups ago - and I still use it to explain the Offside Rule.

You're in a shoe shop, second in the queue for the till. Behind the shop assistant on the till is a pair of shoes which you have seen and which you must have.

The female shopper in front of you has seen them also and is eyeing them with desire. Both of you have forgotten your purses.

It would be rude to push in front of the first woman if you had no money to pay for the shoes.

The shop assistant remains at the till waiting.

Your friend is trying on another pair of shoes at the back of the shop and sees your dilemma.

She prepares to throw her purse to you. If she does so, you can catch the purse, then walk round the other shopper and buy the shoes. At a pinch she could throw the purse ahead of the other shopper and "whilst it is in flight" you could nip around the other shopper, catch the purse and buy the shoes!

But, you must always remember that until the purse has "actually been thrown", it would be plain wrong for you to be in front of the other shopper and you would be offside!

So whose flags do I need to know?

The teams that qualified (including South Africa, who qualify automatically, thank heavens, due to being the host nation) are:

Algeria
Argentina
Australia
Brazil
Cameroon
Chile
Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
Denmark
England
France
Germany
Ghana
Greece
Honduras
Italy
Japan
Korea DPR (North Korea)
Korea Republic (South Korea)
Mexico
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nigeria
Paraguay
Portugal
Serbia
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Africa
Spain
Switzerland
Uruguay
USA

You'll notice that Ireland is not in the list. Thanks to Thierry's handball...

Jo'burg

The highway both to, and from, O R Tambo International Airport, is awash with flags. It's pretty difficult not to feel at least a little excited when driving on Johannesburg roads lately.

I need to do a little more research, but I suspect that either the Fifa website, or the administrator who approved the flag plans is going to be in trouble. Serbia's flag isn't there, and someone else's is... We'll see.

A week to go...

It's finally here - for the past few years, everyone in South Africa has been counting down to the World Cup. Some have been doing so with excitement, and others in that pessimistic way that so many people are good at. (Why are they usually British?)

The blog's title was a result of Fifa's sledgehammer approach to anyone using their trade marks, so it seemed appropriate to avoid the use of the words "World" and "Cup".

I'm a female South African, with English roots. I follow the English Premier League (Go Chlesea!) but I only understand the offside rule in theory, when it is described in terms of shoes. But not getting totally involved is stupid if you are in the thick of it, so my house is full of flags, my car is covered in them, and I've bought the face paints and themed paraphernalia. I'm going to 8 matches, and have a strategy on who to support when neither Bafana Bafana nor England are playing.

I'm off to learn national anthems, and to find out who's in which squad.

It's going to be a great 5 weeks!