Slovenia confident

Previous appearances in finals: One

Best performance: group stage 2002

Coach: Matjaz Kek, played for Slovenian side Maribor and Austrian team GAK Graz. Won two league titles with Maribor as manager and coached the Slovenian under-16 side before taking over the first team in 2007. Failed to qualify for Euro 2008 and then won the hearts of Slovenia's football fans after steering them to the 2010 World Cup finals. Has brought the best out of a modest squad after instilling discipline and the fighting spirit that saw them through.

Key players:

Milivoje Novakovic (Cologne). Age: 30. Forward. Slovenia's top scorer in qualifying with five goals. A robust striker who was his club's top scorer in the 2008-09 season with 16 goals. He also led Cologne's scoring chart in the 2007-08 season in the German second division, steering them back into the top flight. Has plenty of pace and is a clinical finisher who seems to be at the peak of his powers.

Samir Handanovic (Udinese). Age: 25. Goalkeeper. One of Europe's most promising goalkeepers who deserves the lion's share of the credit for Slovenia's progress, having impressed throughout the qualifiers. Was loaned to Lazio, Treviso and Rimini after signing for Udinese in 2004 but has established himself as the first-choice goalkeeper after returning to the Italian first-division side in 2007.

Zlatko Dedic (Vfl Bochum). Age: 25. Forward. The Bosnian-born Dedic scored the goal that put Slovenia through to the World Cup finals. Moved to his present German Bundesliga club after an eight-year spell with clubs in Italy, starting with his 2001 move from Slovenian outfit Domzale to Parma. Also scored in both group-stage qualifiers against Poland.

FIFA world ranking April 2010: 23rd

How they qualified: Pulled off the shock of Europe's two-legged play-offs when they beat Russia on away goals, thanks to a 1-0 home win in the return leg after hauling themselves back into the tie in the dying minutes of a 2-1 first-leg defeat in Moscow. Slovenia had finished behind Slovakia in a tight European Group Three, and above the more-heralded Poland, and Czech Republic as well as Northern Ireland.

Prospects: Slovenia are a fit, disciplined and well-drilled side but lack flair and talent and will need to play above their usual standard to get past the group stage. Could be a stumbling block for a better-ranked team in the group stage.

Bookmakers' odds: 400/1

Expert view: "We have a perfectly balanced team. Almost everyone plays on the same level so we don't have to be afraid of some egoistic 'I'm-better-than-you-so get-lost stuff' and we don't have to be afraid someone standing out with his bad performance and ruining our game. Tim Matavz of Groningen is a surprise call-up and a secret weapon, although with his form anybody would be called up. But is he strong enough to fight defenders who are in this business for so many years already, or will he be too easy to contain? I think he’s strong enough and he could help. Some young legs wouldn't hurt in our attack." Zala, worldcupblog.com

Squad:Goalkeepers: Samir Handanovic (Udinese), Jasmin Handanovic (Mantova), Aleksander Seliga (Sparta Rotterdam), Jan Koprivec (Maribor); Defenders: Bojan Jokic (Chievo Verona), Marko Suler (Ghent), Bostjan Cesar (Grenoble), Branko Ilic (Lokomotiv Moscow), Matej Mavric (Koblenz), Dejan Kelhar (Cercle Brugge), Elvedin Dzinic (Maribor), Miso Brecko (Cologne), Aleksandar Rajcevic (Koper), Suad Filekovic (Maribor); Midfielders: Andraz Kirm (Wisla Krakow), Andrej Komac (Maccabi Tel Aviv), Rene Krhin (Internazionale), Mirnes Sisic (Giannina), Darjan Matic (Rapid Bucharest), Dare Vrsic (Koper), Dalibor Stevanovic (Vitesse Arnhem), Robert Koren (West Bromwich Albion), Aleksander Radosavljevic (Larissa), Valter Birsa (Auxerre).; Forwards: Milivoje Novakovic (Cologne), Zlatko Dedic (VfL Bochum), Zlatan Ljubijankic (Ghent), Nejc Pecnik (Nacional), Miran Burgic (AIK Solna), Tim Matavz (Groningen).