'The Iranian team's biggest ever international win was 19-0 against Guam in 2000.'

Every pub goer in the land will have something on the World Cup - so here's your chance to bone up on some useless facts about the 32 countries involved! By Andrew Chapman.

Angola: this is the first year that the country, formerly a Portuguese colony, has qualified for the World Cup.

Argentina: Argentina won the World Cup in 1978 and 1986, but only made the first round last time; Argentina is the eighth largest country in the world.

Australia: the ‘Socceroos’ have only ever qualified once before, in 1974; around 2.2% of the country's 20 million people are of indigenous origin.

Brazil: Brazil is the most successful World Cup nation, having won five times; Brazil borders every South American nation except Ecuador and Chile.

Costa Rica: Costa Rica is the only Central American team to qualify for two consecutive World Cups; it was also the first country in the world to constitutionally abolish its army (in 1948/9), and spends the money on security, culture and education instead.

Croatia: the Croatian team ('Vatreni', the Fiery Ones) came third in the 1998 World Cup; the necktie was invented by Croatian mercenaries in the 17th century (so blame them).

Czech Republic: the national team was only formed in 1994 (it was previously part of Czechoslovakia), and this is their first World Cup; the Czech Republic includes the entire historic regions of Bohemia and Moravia.

Ecuador: Ecuador has risen rapidly up the world rankings in recent years, and is currently at number 39; in 2000 Ecuador adopted the US dollar as its official currency.

England: we've been in 12 World Cups but only won once (you don't need me to tell you when); we've also just won six international games in a row. England accounts for 83% of the UK population.

France: like us, France have played 12 times and won once (1998); France has been a republic since 1792, when Louis XVI had an appointment with Madame Guillotine.

Germany: the Germans have won the cup three times, and have been runners up four times; Germany is made up of 16 federal states.

Ghana: this is the first time the team, the Black Stars, have qualified; 79 different languages are spoken in Ghana.

Holland: the Netherlands were runners up twice in the 1970s but in 2002 didn't qualify for the World Cup; the name ' Holland' only actually comes from two of the country's 12 provinces.

Iran: the Iranian team's biggest ever international win was 19-0 against Guam in 2000; Iran's official currency is the Rial.

Italy: Italy has won three world cups (1934, 1938, 1982), having appeared in 15; Italian territory contains two independent countries - the enclaves of San Marino and Vatican City.

Ivory Coast: the official capital city is Yamoussoukro, the largest city Abidjan, and the team's nickname is The Elephants.

Japan: Japan reached round two in 2002, and has won three of the last four Asian Cups; the country was founded in 660BC by the emperor Jimmu.

Mexico: Mexico (4th best team in the world according to FIFA) have reached the second round for the last three World Cups in a row; the country's official name is in fact the United Mexican States.

Paraguay: Paraguay participated in the first ever World Cup of 1930, and this year is their sixth appearance since.

Poland: 'the White and the Red' have appeared in seven World Cups, the first in 1938; in 1791 Poland adopted the world's second ever constitution (after the US).

Portugal: Portugal came third in 1996's World Cup, but hasn't got beyond round one since - but the country is ranked 7th in the world (three above England); Roman Portugal was called Lusitania.

Saudi Arabia: defeated 8-0 by Germany in the first round of the last World Cup; the largest country of the Arabian Peninsula, less than 2% of its land is suitable for cultivation.

Serbia & Montenegro: the team has only ever qualified in 1998, and in 1994 was banned due to the wars in the former Yugoslavia (also the former team name); the political union of the team's two countries was dissolved on June 5 this year.

South Korea: Asia's most successful team, South Korea came fourth in the last World Cup; the country has the tenth largest economy in the world.

Spain: Spain is ranked fifth in the world, but has only once got beyond the World Cup quarter finals (in 1950); from the early 8th to the 15th century, much of Spain was under Muslim rule.

Sweden: across 11 World Cup appearances, the Swedes have finished second, third (twice) and fourth; like the UK, Sweden is a constitutional monarchy, and has had its own king since 1521.

Switzerland: This year is the first time the Swiss have qualified since 1994 (they've appeared 8 times over the years); Switzerland is a federation divided into 26 cantons.

Togo: this is also the first World Cup appearance for Togo (The Sparrow Hawks), the country became independent from France in 1960.

Trinidad & Tobago: the Soca Warriors this year enjoy their first World Cup qualifying experience; the country (Port-of-Spain) is a republic relying economically on the petrochemical industry.

Tunisia: the Eagles of Carthage were the first African team to win a World Cup match - they beat Mexico 3-1 in 1978 - but they've never got beyond the first round.

Ukraine: Ukraine is another new entry to the World Cup this year, and is fresh from beating Costa Rica 4-0 in May this year; Ukraine was independent (from Russia, later the Soviet Union) briefly from 1917 to 1921, and then again since 1991.

United States: not famed for its football, the US reached the quarter finals in 2002 and is in fact ranked joint fifth in the world; the country was formed in 1776 from 13 former colonies of British North America.

• Fifa World Cup