World Cup Group E

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BBC Sport Online looks at the countries drawn in Group E at the 2002 World Cup finals.

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GERMANY
Coach: Rudi Voller
Germany were forced to qualify via the play-offs after losing at home to England and only drawing their final game against Finland.

Rudi Voeller's side restored their credibility with a comfortable play-off win against the Ukraine, and can never be ruled out of contention in any major competition.

But Germany, despite the presence of experience players such Liverpool's Dietmar Hamann, will need to rediscover their habit of rising to the occasion in the World Cup if they are to threaten the favourites this summer.

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SAUDI ARABIA
Coach: Nasser Al-Johar
Saudi Arabia have qualified for their third successive World Cup in a campaign which culminated in the sacking of their Yugoslav coach Slobodan Santrac in August.

Nasser al-Jawher has since taken over the post and much will be expected of him from a success-craving Saudi nation.

Captain Sami Al-Jaber has spent time at English clubs Wolves and Nottingham and will be one to watch for the Saudis at next year's finals.

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REPUBLIC OF IRELAND
Coach: Mick McCarthy
Ireland qualified for their third World Cup Finals after successfully coming through to a play-off from a group that included giants Holland and Portugal.

Mick McCarthy's men recorded the key victory when they beat Holland in Dublin, and then beat Iran in a testing two-leg play-off.

The Republic will rely heavily on inspirational captain Roy Keane and his gifted namesake Robbie in attack - and should never be under-estimated.

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CAMEROON
Coach: Robert Corfu
Cameroon were the first team to qualify for the World Cup by beating Togo 2-0 in July.

They have a proud World Cup record, and go into the tournament under the guidance of new German coach Winfried Schafer.

Schafer has already set his sights on a semi-final place, and will rely heavily on the new breed such as Pierre Njanka and Spartak Moscow defender Jerry-Christian Tchuisse, who made headlines last year when he flirted with playing for the Russian national team, rather than Cameroon, where he was born.

Experienced stars such as West Ham's Rigobert Song and Parma star Patrick Mboma remain to exert their influence.