Every nation in the World Cup has now made its way to South Africa, with final preparations in full flow.
All the conjecture and all the speculation is coming to a close; all the squad lists have been submitted; and the time is fast approaching when the planet can stop talking about this tournament and get on with the job of watching it unfold.
The merits of every squad have been pored over and analyzed for months, leaving us with assumptions of respective strength which – if history is anything to go by – will soon be blown out of the water.
The World Cup wouldn't be the World Cup without a healthy dose of surprises, with underdog teams and unheralded players grasping their moment in the South African sun. That's why ranking the finalists from 1 to 32 could be best described as a fool's errand that is certain to prompt its fair share of sneering I-told-you-so's before the group stage has even ended.
That said, here's our rundown of the teams which clinched their place in soccer's greatest showcase.
1. Brazil – Dunga's squad is packed with quality but, thanks to a tough draw, faces a rocky road to the final.
2. Spain – The Spanish are hungrily chasing another tournament title after a magnificent Euro 2008 victory.
3. Argentina – A sketchy qualifying campaign is now long forgotten with Lionel Messi and other stars in superb form.
4. England – Fabio Capello's hard-line regime has reaped rewards. Wayne Rooney's health is a huge plus too, but captain Rio Ferdinand is out injured.
5. Netherlands – The Dutch head into another big tournament with an awesome squad, but will they lose their nerve again?
6. Germany – The Germans have the experience and organization to cope with the loss of Michael Ballack.
7. Italy – The Azzurri probably won't repeat as champions, yet a favorable draw could take them far.
8. Cameroon – Boosted by plenty of discipline and a determination to become the first African semifinalist.
9. Portugal – It's a squad beset by problems, but the brilliance of Cristiano Ronaldo can't be discounted.
10. France – Coach Raymond Domenech is a dead man walking, and the team might not last long either.
11. Denmark – The Danes enjoyed an excellent qualifying campaign, but can they deliver on the big stage?
12. Serbia – Interesting team that divides opinion … the Serbs could crash early or go deep.
13. United States – With no megastars but lots of courage, the Americans are focused on getting out of Group C.
14. Australia – Fiery and determined, the Socceroos could spring some shocks in Group D.
Yahoo! Sports' World Cup power rankings show the Brazilians are favorites to lift the glittering trophy. 15. Ivory Coast – Didier Drogba's broken arm is a devastating blow to the side's chances of emerging from the Group of Death.
16. Chile – A welcome return to the World Cup after 12 years, thanks to some outstanding qualifying performances.
17. Paraguay – Took a worrying dip toward the end of qualifying but still well-drilled and heavy-scoring.
18. South Africa – The most derided host team in history might not be as bad as everyone expects. Bafana Bafana must maximize their home advantage.
19. Ghana – Would have been ranked far higher if its talisman, Michael Essien, hadn't been ruled out with a knee injury.
20. Mexico – El Tri got their act together under Javier Aguirre, but serious questions about their consistency remain.
21. Greece – No longer just a defensive wall, the Greeks scored 20 goals in 10 games during European qualifiers.
22. Slovakia – This rugged side, lit up by Marek Hamsik's style and craft, could spring some shocks.
23. Switzerland – The Swiss possess a strong backline and a competent midfield, but their weak mentality could be exposed.
24. Slovenia – Banking on a rock-solid defense that has let in just six goals in its past 12 competitive games.
25. Uruguay – Did well to reach the finals but is some ways behind South America's other World Cup representatives.
26. Nigeria – Decent and competitive but lacking the explosiveness of other African nations.
27. Japan – Their speedy strikers could make life interesting. The defense, though, is lightweight and leaky.
28. South Korea – Lacks the firepower to mount any kind of realistic challenge.
29. Honduras – Enterprising and entertaining side will find its Group H opponents too hot to handle.
30. New Zealand – Fast-improving side should avoid embarrassment but not much more.
31. Algeria – Survived an emotional playoff against Egypt but not really of World Cup standard.
32. North Korea – The weakest team + the toughest group = an early exit.
