Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
Fans are in for a serious dose of football fever as the wonders of the world will have us all glued to our TV sets from Friday.
In the 19th finals of the FIFA fiesta, hosts South Africa are set to kick off proceedings against the nimble Mexicans.
The World Cup is the most widely-viewed sporting event and every match will be previewed and then dissected as armchair managers of every nation prove the benefit of hindsight.
So what factors should you consider when looking in advance for a winner? The obvious starting point is the class of the current teams. Brazil and Spain will be the selections for most being the highest-ranked nations entering the tournament.
However, to use a clichŽ, while class is permanent, form can be temporary. The World Cup Finals are an intensive month of football with the finalists being required to play seven matches.
This can test a team to the limit and the pre-tournament favourites, certainly in more recent times where there is a media frenzy surrounding every match and training session, frequently fail to last the distance.
If not one of these two, which nation do we turn to?
Statistically 15 of the 18 previous World Cup winners have come from the same continent as the host venue (the other three have been won by Brazil).
Many of the African teams have strong, physical teams filled with stars of European leagues and will be backed by a large following.
Ghana was the first team to qualify for the finals, although they have less strength in depth than other teams and I expect the intensity of the finals to see them fall by the wayside, particularly now they have lost Michael Essien.
Nigeria and the Ivory Coast are the other teams widely tipped for success. The latter, now managed by Sven Goran Erikkson, will have to work hard to escape the 'Group of Death' and will suffer from the loss of talisman Didier Drogba unless Chelsea colleague Kalou can reproduce his end-of-season form.
Nigeria also face a tough group but may encounter an easier knock-out phase should they progress.
That said, I can't see any of the African sides having the strength-in-depth to last the distance.
Of the other continents, Europe can boast the strongest teams. In qualifying for the final three teams had a perfect record; Spain, Holland and England (who only lost a match after they had qualified).
Of these teams, England scored the most goals while Holland conceded the fewest. England possesses a team that can score goals from most positions and will be a threat at set pieces.
Yet I can't see a team with David James in goal showing the consistency to go all the way. However, if Fabio Capello can see his way to select the Premiership's nominated goalkeeper of the season - Joe Hart - and find someone to protect a defence weakened by the loss of captain Rio Ferdinand, I believe they stand a better chance. Their preparation has been well planned and I believe they will do well.
For every team other than the South Africans, each match will be played away from home. Of the European sides, Spain had the best away record. While they are a superb footballing team, I have doubts about their ability to last the pace. They have a number of key players yet to return to full fitness after injury. There will also be a number of unsettling distractions surrounding proposed transfers.
The Dutch boast a fine team and with Inter Milan's European Cup winner Wesley Sneijder pulling their offensive strings for a fluid attack containing Robin van Persie and Arjen Robben (injury nothwithstanding) I expect them to hammer some sides.
The Germans also qualified well, although the loss of captain Michael Ballack will be a major blow. They also have a number of players who are entering the tournament on the back of an extended season (Bayern qualifying for the European final) and I expect fatigue to play a part.
In terms of continents likely to supply the winner, this leaves the South Americans. The much fancied Brazilians appear to have everything required. They have a consistent and well-balanced squad that topped a tough qualifying group. In manager Dunga they have a pragmatist who manages the egos and has succeeded in moulding the likes of Kaka, Fabiano and Maicon into a formidable unit.
There is a saying in football that "while the English invented the game, the Brazilians perfected it".
Yet the one team boasting man-for-man arguably the best team is Argentina who have a stunning array of talent at their disposal, including the world's best player Lionel Messi. Gonzalo Higuain, the Real Madrid hotshot, may top the scoring league by the end of the tournament with a successful run.
Yet, no manager has yet been able to get them playing well as a team. Based upon historical events, South America is due another win and I have a suspicion that, following a slow start, they may find themselves mid-tournament and be unbeatable by the end!
Argentina is therefore my outside prediction (as I'm not allowed to go for Brazil)! However, I do hope I am not proven correct as eccentric manager Diego Maradona has promised to run naked through the streets of Buenos Aries should they claim the Jules Rimet trophy. Expect public support in Jo'burg to turn against them the closer they get!
However, there is always a surprise in store. With six of the 10 venues being at altitude the physical toll on players will be heightened.
If this were not bad enough, FIFA has introduced a new ball (named Jabulani) that, while the 'roundest in history', has been widely criticised as behaving too erratically. Expect players to try their luck from distance, particularly at altitude where the thinner air will accentuate any deviation!
Scoreboards may change direction as fast as the ball!
As for the team least likely to succeed? I'm plumping for New Zealand - surely their luck ran out just in getting there (grrr!).
