Saudi Arabia Soccer Team Profile



Post Ranking: 30
Region: Asia
World Cup History: Fourth appearance, advanced to second round in 1994
Top Player: F Sami Al Jaber
Lowdown: Saudi Arabia is back, and these finals have to go better than 2002, don't they? In Japan, the Saudis went 0-3, allowing 12 goals and scoring none. The team went undefeated in 12 qualifiers for Germany.

Tunisia's Soccer Team Profile

Post Ranking: 28
Region: Africa
World Cup History: Fourth appearance
Top Player: MF Hamed Namouchi
Lowdown: Tunisia had a strong showing at the Confederations Cup in Germany last summer and was clearly one of Africa's best teams in qualifying. The team has won just one game in the finals, however, in its first appearance in 1978. 

Ukraine's Soccer Team Profile

Post Ranking: 18
Region: Europe
World Cup History: First appearance
Top Player: F Andriy Shevchenko
Lowdown: Shevchenko has scored at least 23 goals in four of his six seasons with AC Milan. He is one of the few Ukranian players, however, who plays in a top league in Europe.

Ghana's Profile

Post Ranking: 26
Region: Africa
World Cup History: First appearance
Top Player: MF Michael Essien
Lowdown: Ghana's absence from the World Cup finals has always been puzzling. The Black Stars have traditionally been one of Africa's strongest teams, winning the African Cup of Nations four times and the under-17 world championship twice. Essien (Chelsea), MF Stephen Appiah (Fenerbache) and F Sulley Ali Montari (Udinese) gained valuable experience playing in the Champions League this year.

Angola Profile

Post Ranking: 31
Region: Africa
World Cup History: First appearance
Top Player: MF Akwa
Lowdown: Defeated Nigeria at home and drew with it on the road en route to qualifying. Akwa, the captain, plays in Qatar after having played for Benfica.

World Cup Soccer Results

Iranian Football Federation President talks about terrorism...

The Iranian Football Federation said that the country's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, could attend this summer's World Cup finals in Germany along with 4,000 Iranian fans.

"It is possible because our president loves football," said Mohammad Ali Dadkan, president of the Iranian Football Federation.

"He often watches the national team's matches."

Ahmadinejad sparked worldwide controversy when he suggested the Holocaust was a myth, prompting calls from several leading German politicians for the Islamic republic to be banned from the finals.

Ali Dadkan, who was visiting the Nuremberg stadium where Iran will play their opening match against Mexico on June 11, said fears of terrorist attacks or political demonstrations due to Iran's participation at the World Cup were way off the mark.

"I cannot see the danger of terrorist attacks or political riots," said Dadkan. "The Iranians who come will all be peaceful football fans."

Local police in the southern German city of Friedrichshafen - Iran's World Cup base - confirmed that they would adopt special security measures for Iran's visit.

Dadkan revealed 10 percent of the 8,413 World Cup tickets allocated to Iran had been sold but said he expected around 4,000 supporters for the Mexico match.

"We expect people from various parts of the world to come to the game," he added.

Iran have further Group D matches against Portugal and Angola.

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