Mexico was the only seeded team from the CONCACAF region, meaning it received a much more favorable draw than its rival, the United States. Portugal wants to make amends for a poor showing in the 2002 World Cup. Angola is a newcomer to the World Cup finals, and Iran is making its third appearance (it exited in the opening round in 1978 and 1998).

MEXICO
After three successive second-round exits in the World Cup, Mexico hopes for more under coach Ricardo Lavolpe. It had to hurt when the U.S. knocked out its rival with a 2-0 decision in the round of 16 in South Korea four years ago. Mexico boasts an array of talent, including 26-year-old winger/forward Francisco Fonseca and 27-year-old central defender Rafael Marquez. Fonseca has 19 goals in 28 international appearances for Mexico, including two goals in a recent friendly against the Democratic Republic of Congo (a 2-1 Mexico victory). The talented Marquez already has lifted the Champions League trophy with his club team, Barcelona. Mexico reached the semifinals of the FIFA Confederations Cup, held in Germany last summer, and it recorded a 1-0 victory over Brazil along the way before falling to Argentina on penalty kicks. Mexico has qualified for the World Cup 12 times and has compiled an overall record of 10-20-11.
FIFA world ranking: No. 4.
Player to watch:
Jared Borgetti, forward. The 32-year-old Borgetti is an aerial wonder and opportunist in front of goal, and he will be the primary target of opposing defenses. He has scored 37 goals in 73 matches for his country, and he will be making his second appearance in the World Cup. He led all goal scorers in World Cup qualifying. After a successful seven-year run with Mexican club Santos, Borgetti played last season with Bolton of the English Premier League.

PORTUGAL
International star Luis Figo will not play for his country after this World Cup, and he would like to go out with a flourish. Portugal also is eager to make amends for 2002, when it was stunned by the U.S. in its opening match and did not advance past the first round. The golden generation of Portuguese players that included Figo and Rui Costa in the 1990s is now giving way to a new generation, led by Manchester United midfielder Cristiano Ronaldo. Striker Pauleta was Europe's top goal scorer in qualifying, netting 11 goals as Portugal outscored its opponents, 35-5.
FIFA world ranking: No. 7.
Player to watch:
Cristiano Ronaldo, midfielder. He played at Sporting Lisbon before signing with Manchester United in 2003, when he was still a teenager. Now at age 21, much will be expected of Ronaldo in this World Cup, after his strong performances for Portugal in the Euro 2004 Championships, when he helped his country reach the finals. "Cristiano has everything needed to be one of the stars of the World Cup," his coach, Luiz Felipe Scolari said in an interview with fifaworldcup.com. "If all goes well, he'll probably be one of the big names of the tournament."

ANGOLA
A former Portuguese colony, Angola has been ravaged by civil war for most of the 30 years since it declared its independence. Reaching the World Cup finals is a major accomplishment for a nation that has seen many of its top players go elsewhere to pursue soccer careers. Angola qualified in stirring fashion, getting a late header goal by Fabrice Maieco to earn a 1-0 victory over Rwanda. A draw would have meant elimination and Nigeria would have qualified instead. The national bank in Angola has announced it will reward $5,000 to any Angolan player who scores a goal in the World Cup, and it will offer $50,000 to the team for each victory during the tournament.
FIFA world ranking: No. 57.
Player to watch:
Pedro Mantorras, forward. Three knee surgeries have slowed down the career of the wonder boy of Angolan soccer, but he still could have a major impact in the World Cup. The 24-year-old plays for Benfica in Portugal, making him the most recognized of any of the Angola players. Mantorras grew up in the slums of Angola's capital city, Luanda, and moved on a fast track to Europe, never playing in Angola's top league.

IRAN
After losing a playoff qualifier to Ireland in 2001 and failing to reach the 2002 World Cup, Iran is back as the second-place finisher in Asia's Group B (to Japan). The team will be counting on four Bundesliga-based players, who should be quite comfortable playing matches in Germany. Veteran forward Ali Daei is still playing for his country at age 37, and he led the Asian Zone with nine goals in qualifying. The highlight of Iran's last World Cup finals appearance was a 2-1 group stage victory over the United States.
FIFA world ranking: No. 23.
Player to watch:
Mehdi Mahdavikia, midfielder. The 28-year-old has starred in recent seasons for Hamburg in the Bundesliga, despite a number of injuries. Mahdavikia is a playmaker with speed, and he has scored some spectacular goals on both the club and international levels. It was his 83rd-minute goal that gave Iran its victory over the U.S. in the 1998 World Cup. In 2003 he became only the second Iranian player to be named Asian player of the year, an honor previously bestowed on Daei.

GROUP SCHEDULE
June 11- Mexico vs. Iran at Nuremberg, 11 a.m. (Milwaukee time); Angola vs. Portugal at Cologne, 2 p.m.

June 16 - Mexico vs. Angola at Hanover, 2 p.m.

June 17 - Portugal vs. Iran at Frankfurt, 8 a.m.

June 21 - Portugal vs. Mexico at Gelsenkirchen, 9 a.m.; Iran vs. Angola at Leipzig, 9 a.m.