Spain has to be the favorite, but its record of World Cup disappointments is legendary. Tunisia played in the last two World Cups, but all it could manage was one goal and one point in six matches. Saudi Arabia was embarrassed by Germany, 8-0, in the last World Cup. Ukraine qualified for its first World Cup, surviving in a European group that included Greece, Turkey and Denmark.

SPAIN
Will this really be the year the Spanish team lives up to its potential? Its path seems paved to at least the quarterfinals, but that probably means something will go wrong. Already, questions are being asked about the absence of striker Fernando Morientes, who was left off the roster. Morientes played at Liverpool last season and recently transferred to La Liga club Valencia for the coming season. Central defender Carlos Puyol was the captain for Barcelona's Champions League winner. Spain is stacked in the midfield with Xavi (Barcelona), Xabi Alonso and Luis Garcia (both with Liverpool). Twenty-five year-old Iker Casillas, who starts for Real Madrid, will be in goal. "We've got to banish the excuse mentality," coach Luis Aragones said recently.
FIFA world ranking: No. 5 (tied with U.S.)
Player to watch:
Raul, forward. The Real Madrid player will try to conquer his demons on the big stage. He did score three goals in four World Cup matches in 2002, but he suffered a groin injury and sat out Spain's quarterfinal ouster by South Korea. In Euro 2000 he missed a critical penalty kick in a quarterfinal loss to France. The 28-year-old is Spain's all-time leading scorer with 42 goals in 92 international appearances.

TUNISIA
Coach Roger Lemerre suffered while leading France in the last World Cup, as the defending champs did not get past the opening round and did not score a goal. He has quietly rebuilt his reputation since taking over with Tunisia in 2002. The Carthage Eagles won the 2004 African Nations Cup, and in World Cup qualifying they averaged nearly 2.5 goals per game. The North African nation finished 6-1-3 in its qualifying group, including a pair of draws against Morocco, which did not advance.
FIFA world ranking: No. 21.
Player to watch:
Francileudo dos Santos, forward. The naturalized Brazilian scored five goals in qualifying, including four in one game against Malawi (a 7-0 victory for Tunisia). Santos figured he could never break into Brazil's team, and in 2003 he became a Tunisian citizen. He also starred in the 2004 African Nations Cup.

SAUDI ARABIA
The Saudis reached the second round in 1994, but they made first-round departures in 1998 and 2002. Brazilian coach Marcos Paqueta was brought in last year to replace Argentine Gabriel Calderon and shake up a team that was being eclipsed by other teams in the Asian region. Forward Sami Al-Jaber is an old hand at age 33 and will be making his fourth World Cup appearance. In his debut in the U.S. in 1994, he struck a penalty kick to help defeat Morocco, and the Saudis won their first-round group.
FIFA world ranking: No. 34.
Player to watch:
Mohammed Al-Deayea, goalkeeper. He allowed 12 goals in three World Cup losses (including eight to Germany) in 2002 and lost his spot on the team. But now the 33-year-old is back in a reshaped squad, installed in goal by Paqueta. Al-Deayea, who has made 181 international appearances for Saudi Arabia, started his career with the national team in 1990.

UKRAINE
Injury woes are threatening to ruin the Ukraine's first trip to a major tournament since the nation gained independence 14 years ago. Striker Andriy Shevchenko of AC Milan is trying to come back from a knee injury, and goalkeeper Oleksandr Shovkovskiy has recently returned from a broken collarbone. Starting defender Serhiy Fedorov (Dynamo Kiev) has been ruled out of the tournament due to a hip injury. "With Shevchenko it is one team, and without him it is quite another team," Ukraine coach Oleg Blokhin told Reuters. Young midfielder Ruslan Rotan could be one of the surprises of the tournament.
FIFA world ranking: No. 45.
Player to watch:
Andriy Shevchenko, forward. He scored 24 goals in Serie A for AC Milan in 2004 and was named the European player of the year. In World Cup qualifying, Ukraine desperately needed Sheva's six goals as it finished first in its group, beating out Euro 2004 champion Greece and Turkey, which finished third in the 2002 World Cup. The 29-year-old believes he will be able to resume training soon and will recover from his injury in time to play.

GROUP SCHEDULE
June 14 - Spain vs. Ukraine at Leipzig, 8 a.m. (Milwaukee time); Tunisia vs. Saudi Arabia at Munich, 11 a.m.

June 19 - Spain vs. Tunisia at Stuttgart, 2 p.m.; Saudi Arabia vs. Ukraine at Hamburg, 11 a.m.

June 23 - Saudi Arabia vs. Spain at Kaiserslautern, 9 a.m.; Ukraine vs. Tunisia at Berlin, 9 a.m.