Key man Rafik Saifi
Caps 55 Goals 18
Saifi's 18 goals put him sixth on Algeria's all-time goalscoring list and he registered crucial goals in both games against Zambia during qualifying. He joined Qatari side Al-Khor Sports Club in August, but has spent most of his career in the French and Belgian leagues Photograph: Fayez Nureldine/AFP/Getty Images
Key man Lionel Messi
Caps 41 Goals 13
Diego Maradona, the Argentina coach, is not alone in his belief that Messi is the best player in the world. The Barcelona forward already has two Champions League winners' medals, but is hungry for more international honours after claiming Olympic gold in 2008 Photograph: Boris Horvat/AFP/Getty Images
Key man Mark Bresciano
Caps 52 Goals 11
One of a number of Australian stars playing their club football in Italy, Bresciano almost joined Manchester City in January – even training with the team in Carrington – before the £5m deal collapsed and he returned to Palermo. A versatile and industrious midfielder with an eye for goal, he has been an ever-present for Palermo this season – just as he was for Australia at the last World Cup Photograph: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images
Key man Kaká
Caps 73 Goals 26
If Brazil have come to resemble a factory-line of world class footballers, then Kaká is the most elegant model of a generation. There was plenty of pressure to prove himself after a £56m move to Real Madrid in the summer, but so far Kaká has shown no sign of struggling with the levels of expectation Photograph: Alex Livesey/Getty Images
Key man Samuel Eto'o
Caps 87 Goals 42
Since Eto'o's debut for Cameroon at the age of 14, the striker has gone on to help his country achieve gold at the 2000 Olympics and win two African Cup competitions. Eto'o celebrated his country's qualification for next year's World Cup by splashing out on watches worth £29,000 for each member of the squad Photograph: Michael Steele/Getty Images
Key man Matías Fernández
Caps 34 Goals 7
Twenty goals in 30 games for Colo-Colo earned Fernández the nickname Matigol. Voted South America's best player in 2006, this season he is emerging from a Spanish slump, with four goals in international qualification and countless assists for strike partner Humberto Suazo, who hit 10. His vision and technique is often draw-droppingly good. Now at Sporting Lisbon, having departed Villarreal where he got just three in two seasons, he has begun finding the net once again Photograph: Samuel Kubani/AFP/Getty Images
Key man Christian Poulsen
Caps 71 Goals 5
Named Danish player of the year in both 2005 and 2006, Poulsen has struggled to hold down a first-team berth at Juventus over the past season and a half but nevertheless refused to leave the club over the summer – determined as he was to prove himself in Serie A. Poulsen's performances for Denmark have remained impressive through it all, though, and his rugged defensive work as a holding midfielder provides a platform for the rest of the team. His poor disciplinary record remains a concern, however Photograph: Clive Rose/Getty Images
Key man Wayne Rooney
Caps 55 Goals 25
The debate continues over who should be deployed alongside Rooney, but nobody would question the Manchester United striker's importance to England's hopes. The joint-second top scorer in the European qualifying zone with nine goals in 10 games, Rooney has thrived under Fabio Capello and looks ready to make his mark in South Africa Photograph: Ian Kington/AFP/Getty Images
Key man Franck Ribéry
Caps 41 Goals 7
Ribéry has established himself as one of the best players in the world since leaving Marseille for Bayern Munich two summers ago. He scored 11 goals from the wing during his first season in the Bundesliga, then added a further nine – along with 10 assists – last season. The only concern for France is that Ribéry has also missed a number of games due to various persistent niggles – one of which, a knee injury – kept him out of the play-off with Ireland Photograph: Michael Steele/Getty Images
Key man Michael Ballack
Caps 97 Goals 42
Despite being a midfielder, Ballack ranks seventh among Germany's all-time goalscorers, only five behind third-placed Rudi Völler and Jürgen Klinsmann. His goals-to-games ratio (0.43) is just as good as Klinsmann's, too. Best of all, since June 2005, Germany have never lost a game when in which Ballack scores Photograph: Lars Baron/Bongarts/Getty Images
Key man Michael Essien
Caps 45 Goals 8
Essien was the driving force in wins over the Czech Republic and the United States as Ghana became the only African team to reach the second round of the last World Cup. His energetic presence in midfield will be vital once again in South Africa. He has promised fans that he and his team-mates are 'prepared to die' for the cause next summer Photograph: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images
Key man Theofanis Gekas
Caps 45 Goals 20
Gekas has had a rough time at club level recently - managing just one, extremely brief, substitute's appearance when on loan at Portsmouth between February and June last year and scoring just once in eight games for Bayer Leverkusen this season – but on the international stage he continues to excel. He was top scorer in the European qualifying zone, responsible for 10 of Greece's 20 goals in the group stage Photograph: Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP/Getty Images
Key man Wesley Sneijder
Caps 56 Goals 12
'You know the sort of quality that will come your way when you have someone like Sneijder in the team,' says Ruud van Nistelrooy and his Holland team-mate has certainly shown his quality since joining Inter in the summer. In the space of less than three months Sneijder has established himself as one of the most important players in Inter's squad and his creative play between the lines of midfield and attack will be vital for Holland Photograph: Torsten Silz/AFP/Getty Images
Key man Wilson Palacios
Caps 68 Goals 4
Just 25 years of age, Palacios has already accumulated 68 caps for his country and none would have been more appreciated by his nation than the two earned against the USA and El Salvador last June, when he joined up with the Central American country's squad just two days after burying his younger brother, Edwin, who was murdered by kidnappers. He has had a key role in Tottenham's resurgence under Harry Redknapp and was central to Honduras qualifying for their first World Cup since 1982 Photograph: AFP/Getty Images
Key man Gianluigi Buffon
Caps 100 Goals 0
'Superman' is adored by Italy and Juventus fans alike, as much for his loyalty to the Turin giants during the Calciopoli scandal as his pre-eminent goalkeeping ability. While many of the club's big name stars left after The Old Lady were demoted to Serie B for the 2006-07 season 'Gigi' remained loyal and helped the club to gain promotion. He won the Lev Yashin Award in the 2006 World Cup, given to the best goalkeeper of the tournament Photograph: Giuseppe Cacace/AFP/Getty Images
Key man Didier Drogba
Caps 61 Goals 41
Known to most Premier League fans as Chelsea's powerful yet occasionally infuriating centre forward in the west African country Didier Drogba is bordering on deified. He was injured when the White Elephants secured qualification this time round, but few will forget how, four years ago, Drogba helped end the country's three-year civil war by appealing on television to both factions to lay down their arms Photograph: Uriel Sinai/Getty Images
Key man Shunsuke Nakamura
Caps 91 Goals 23
Any side who concede free-kicks around the penalty area in South Africa will be wary of the former Celtic midfielder, who will bring to the World Cup one of the sweetest left feet in football. A previous complaint would have been the Espanyol player's slight frame, but his strength and conditioning have been vastly improved by his time in Europe Photograph: Koen Van Weel/AFP/Getty Images
Key man Rafael Marquez
Caps 87 Goals 10
A two-time Champions League winner in the centre of your defence is never a bad thing and the Barcelona man was key to Mexico overcoming a terrible start to their qualification campaign and once Sven-Göran Eriksson was relieved of his duties the Central American country recovered to finish second behind the USA in the Concacaf group Photograph: Jamie Sabau/Getty Images
Key man Ryan Nelsen
Caps 38 Goals 6
Few captains at the World Cup will have a degree in political science to help inform their handling of dressing room strife, but then, few captains at the World Cup studied at Stanford University before signing professional terms with Blackburn Rovers. A brave and dedicated defender, Nelsen also poses a threat from free-kicks and corners Photograph: Adam Jan/AFP/Getty Images
Key man John Obi Mikel
Caps 24 Goals 2
While he has struggled to break into the Chelsea team this season, the strong and athletic defensive midfielder was key to the Super Eagles' dramatic qualification for South Africa. The 22-year-old broke down in tears once Obafemi Martins' last gasp goal against Kenya edged the West African country into the finals ahead of Tunisia Photograph: Pius Utomi Ekpei/AFP/Getty Images
Key man Hong Yong-Jo
Caps 38 Goals 11
Though he is a peripheral player at Russian Premier League side FC Rostov the striker is the only member of the squad to play outside his Communist motherland. This experience is one of the reasons the 27-year-old captains the side and he is one of the few goal threats in a side based on defensive solidity Photograph: Kcna Kcna/guardian.co.uk
Key man Roque Santa Cruz
Caps 64Goals 20
The ladies of South Africa will be glad to see Paraguay sail through qualification. While the Manchester City striker played a minor role due to injury, the man voted the sexiest footballer at the 2006 World Cup, if fit, will be leading the attack in his inimitable all-action style Photograph: Nelson Almeida/AFP/Getty Images
Key man Cristiano Ronaldo
Caps 67 Goals 22
Injured for the play-off victory over Bosnia, the world's most expensive footballer will be key to Carlos Queiroz's side if they want to follow an underwhelming qualification campaign with a more rewarding finals. The power brokers of the game will be pleased to have the game's most marketable figure at the finals – how happy Wayne Rooney will be should they meet England in the quarter-finals is another matter Photograph: Francisco Leong/AFP/Getty Images
Key man Dejan Stankovic
Caps 85Goals 13
Captained the Serbian side to their first World Cup as an independent nation, following the break-up of Serbia and Montenegro, finishing ahead of favourites France in the group stages. With 83 caps, the Inter midfielder is the most experienced player in the side at both club and country level Photograph: Marcello Paternostro/AFP/Getty Images
Key man Marek Hamsik
Caps 29Goals 8
A dynamic midfielder who likes to get involved in the attack, Hamsik scored twice for Slovakia during qualifying and has been prolific for his club side Napoli this season, with seven goals in 12 games. His pace, work rate and finishing make him a dangerous counter-attacking player. Chelsea are among a number of Champions League teams already said to be chasing his signature Photograph: Phil Cole/Getty Images
Key man Milijove Novakovic
Caps 36 Goals 13 Played in every one of Slovenia’s qualifying matches, top scoring with five goals. He, goalkeeper Samir Handanovic and the captain, West Brom’s Robert Koren, make up the backbone of the side Photograph: Thierry Roge/Reuters
Key man Steven Pienaar
Caps 43 Goals 2
Being the home nation, there will be a lot of pressure on South Africa this summer, not least for Everton midfielder Steven Pienaar, who is the most successful player in a side that many expect to become the first host nation to fail to progress beyond the group stage Photograph: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images
Key man Park Ji Sung
Caps 84 Goals 11
Loved by Manchester United fans for his industry, 'Three Lungs' is the most famous sportsman in his country, thanks in part to his pivotal role in the country's implausible run to the semi-finals in 2002 but also due to acts of kindness, such as the football academy he is building in his home province Photograph: Han Myung-Gu/Getty Images
Key man Xavi
Caps 82 Goals 8
After Spain's victory in Euro 2008, Xavi, (pronounced Zavvi, like the ill-fated retail giant), was voted player of the tournament by Uefa. Epitomising the Spanish style of play, the Barcelona midfielder has remained a crucial cog in the sleek Spanish machine Photograph: Robert Zolles/Reuters
Key man Tranquillo Barnetta
Caps 45 Goals 6
The Bayer Leverkusen midfielder was shortlisted for the 2006 World Cup's best young player award. Without him, the Swiss employ a different game plan, and the recent friendlies, which he missed due to injury, have proven how vital he is Photograph: Jean-Christophe Verhaegen/AFP/Getty Images
Key man Landon Donovan
Caps 120 Goals 42
Life is never dull when the LA Galaxy attacker is about. If he is not beginning a PR war with team-mate David Beckham he is contracting swine flu. However his 120 caps are testament to his importance to a US team that travel to South Africa with expectation, not just hope Photograph: Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images
Key man Diego Forlan
Caps 58 Goals 22
Pilloried at Old Trafford the striker is, in fact, it seems, a goal machine and together with Sebastián Abreu, he fired Uruguay to their third consecutive World Cup play-off Photograph: Juan Barreto/guardian.co.uk
