Manager: Huh Jung-Moo

Key player: Park Ji-Sung

Best: Fourth (2002)

World ranking: 52

The South Koreans secured a seventh successive World Cup finals place thanks to a 2-0 victory over United Arab Emirates in Dubai. Park Chu-young and Ki Sung-yueng grabbed the goals as Huh Jung-Moo's outfit strolled to a place in Africa's first World Cup. Four wins and four draws, with just four goals conceded in qualifying are a testimony to a well-drilled unit with the determination and ability to get the job done.

Under the leadership of Guus Hiddink, South Korea famously made it to the semi-finals of the 2002 World Cup on home soil, beating Portugal, Italy and Spain on the way. They are unlikely to repeat such a feat in South Africa and will do well to make it beyond the group stages. Manchester United midfielder Park Ji-Sung is their captain and star performer but even his impressive work-rate cannot cover for deficiencies elsewhere in the side.