Soccer: World Cup

08:58 PM CDT on Monday, June 5, 2006

By STEVE DAVIS / The Dallas Morning News

FIFA rank: 10

Looks good: Steadfast defense, mighty midfield.

Trouble spot: No replacing Wayne Rooney's production at striker.

Overview: England can score enough without Rooney to escape the first round. Besides Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard and Joe Cole, defender John Terry and crossing specialist David Beckham can help manufacture goals off set pieces. The team has a good player at every other position, but Rooney's absence subtracts a dynamic presence and reduces England to a second-tier favorite.

FIFA rank: 16

Looks good: Difference-makers, experience on big stage.

Trouble spots: Slightly aging attackers, so-so defense.

Overview: Henrik Larsson, now 34, still rises in big moments (see Barcelona's Champions League triumph). Flank attacker Freddie Ljungberg will battle through a troublesome foot injury. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, powerful and skillful, must control his temper. More attack-minded than typical Nordic teams, Sweden could be surprise quarterfinalist.

FIFA rank: 33

Looks good: Decent mix of vets and youngsters, recent World Cup experience.

Trouble spot: Few impact players beyond Roque Santa Cruz.

Overview: A stingy defense helped Paraguay into the second round in '98 and '02. But this back line doesn't look quite as concrete, so the team has to score. To that end, Santa Cruz's knee is worrisome. The Bayern Munich striker underwent reconstructive surgery last October and had a setback in late May.

FIFA rank: 47

Looks good: Carefree attitude, team spirit, tactically astute manager Leo Beenhakker.

Trouble spot: World Cup first-timers seldom prosper.

Overview: After 10 failed attempts, the Soca Warriors finally qualified – but as the 32nd team among 32. Regardless, government officials declared a national holiday to celebrate. Unfortunately, captain Dwight Yorke, inspirational as he may be, is 34 and well past his best.

• Roque Santa Cruz, 25, in a race to get fit, has led Paraguay's attack since age 17.

• T&T has 14 British-based players, but most toil in England's lower tiers.

• England's David Beckham isn't the most complete midfielder, but his crossing from the right and free kicks are nearly unmatched.

• T&T is the smallest country at the tournament (population: 1.3 million).

Frank Lampard, England: With England striker Wayne Rooney working overtime to repair that cracked metatarsal bone and probably not available until the second round, the extra burden will fall on midfielder Frank Lampard.

And England’s midfield force seems up for the job.

Lampard would make most top-10 lists when it comes to the world’s current best players. The top scorer among midfielders in England’s Premiership (16 goals) is at the perfect age (27) to have a huge World Cup. He’s a tireless worker with decent size and ability to make the short passes or the connections over distance. All that helped Lampard produce a big performance in the 2004 European Championship.

With Rooney gimpy, Lampard and the A-plus England midfield, which also includes Steven Gerrard and handsome David Beckham, must lead the way.

“We go in firmly believing we can win the World Cup,” Lampard said.

Sweden vs. Paraguay, June 15, 2 p.m.: England has enough muscle to take the group. So Paraguay will lean on young, elegant midfielder Julio Dos Santos to come of age against Sweden and grab that coveted second spot in Berlin.

England's path should be clear through the quarterfinals, assuming the Brits can place first and avoid a second- round date with Germany. They should.