Team: Ghana

Debutantes who pack a punch

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Coach: Ratomir Dujkovic
Captain: Stephen Appiah
Winners: Never - this is their first appearance
Pitted against: Italy, Czech Republic, USA
Prospects: Tough group but an upset is on the cards
Odds: 300-1

Probably the most fancied of the African nations, Ghana will appear in the World Cup for the first time in June, but not without their backers and a healthy pool of talent at their disposal, writes Carl O'Malley.

The standard of football in Ghana is best recognised by the fact that they won two World Cups at Under-17 level - 1991 and 1995 - while they have twice reached the final and finished third at that level.

The West African country also featured strongly at the World Youth Championships to finish runners-up twice in 1993 and 2001.

They have won the African Nations Cup on four occasions in 1963, 1965, 1978 and 1982, which makes their absence from a World Cup until this year all the more surprising.

The Black Stars lost their coach midway through qualification when Mariano Barreto left to join Portugese club Maritimo. A stand-in was found in the shape of Sam Arday before Serbian Ratomir Dujkovic took charge in late 2004.

Dujkovic steadied a faltering campaign and Ghana qualified in style with wins over South Africa, Uganda and Cape Verde.

They face a big ask in Germany however, with a resurgent Italian side, an ageing but capable Czech team and the USA, who are ranked fourth in the world and can no longer be underestimated.

But with players like Michael Essien, Stephen Appiah, Matthew Amoah, Sulley Ali Muntari and Asamoah Gyan there is no dearth of talent for the Black Stars, and their cultured approach to the game has earned them the nickname ‘The Brazil of Africa’.

Despite the lofty comparisons, Dijkovic is not setting his sights too high. "I don’t think we can get into first position, but naturally we will try to maybe surprise somebody. The favourites in our group are the Italians and the Czech Republic as they are both very, very strong," he said recently.

"We will fight until the last minute to try to get past the first stage and if we manage that, it will be like becoming World Cup winners."

World Cup Squad

Goalkeepers: Sammy Adjei (Moadan Sport Ashdod, Israel), Richard Kingston (Ankaraspor, Turkey), George Owu (AsantiGold)
Defenders: Eric Addo (PSV Eindhoven, Netherlands), Issah Ahmed (Randers, Denmark), Sheila Illiasu (Asante Kotoko), Samuel Osei Kuffour (AS Roma, Italy), John Mensah (Stade Rennes, France), Habib Mohammed (King Faisal Babes, Ghana), John Painstil (Hapoel Tel Aviv, Israel), Emmanuel Pappoe (Hapoel Kfar Saba, Israel), Daniel Quaye (Hearts of Oak), Hans Sarpei (VfL Wolfsburg, Germany)
Midfielders: Otto Addo (FSV Mainz, Germany), Stephen Appiah (Fenerbahce, Turkey), Derek Boateng (AIK Stockholm, Sweden), Haminu Dramani (Red Star Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro), Michael Essien (Chelsea, England), Sulley Ali Muntari (Udinese, Italy)
Strikers: Matthew Amoah (Borussia Dortmund, Germany), Asamoah Gyan (Modena, Italy), Razak Pimpong (FC Copenhagen, Denmark), Alex Tachie-Mensah (St. Gallen, Switzerland)