If I've been asked this once, I've been asked 100 times... so here it is:

Who will advance from the group stage at the World Cup?

Here's who I think:

Group A:  Germany, Costa Rica
 
Group B: England,  Sweden
 
Group C: Argentina,  Netherlands
 
Group D: Mexico,  Portugal
 
Group E: United States, Czech Republic
 
Group F: Brazil,  Japan
 
Group G: France, South Korea
 
Group H: Spain,  Saudia Arabia

No big surprises at this point except picking USA over Italy. But I feel it's USA's year to show they really can compete with the big boys, and they must do it now.

One more question, what team failed to qualify that you would have most liked to see at the World Cup?
I'd have to go with Ireland for purely sentimental reasons.