France, the 1998 champions, and Spain are among those traditional footballing heavyweights scrambling to climb aboard the World Cup bandwagon in the final batch of qualifiers today.
Already swotting up on their German with their World Cup tickets safely in the bag after Saturday's penultimate round of European zone qualifiers are the Netherlands, Italy, Portugal, England, Poland and Croatia.
This sextet joined already qualified Ukraine and hosts Germany, leaving six remaining places from Europe up for grabs.
Group 4 could not be tighter, with any one of four teams -- Israel, Switzerland, France and the Republic of Ireland -- still in with a shout with just two points covering the quartet.
The permutations are multiple but for France, the mission is clear: They must beat Cyprus in Paris to ensure at least a play-off spot.
Ireland, who kept themselves in the hunt with a nervy 1-0 win over Cyprus in Nicosia on Saturday, will be without influential winger Damien Duff.
Goalkeeper Shay Given, who performed heroics saving a penalty, did not train on Monday but is expected to be fully fit.
In Group 1 the Netherlands, missing from the 2002 World Cup, sealed their place with a 2-0 win over the Czech Republic on Saturday. That left the Czechs facing a must-win game against Finland to either take one of the two best runner-up spots or go through to the play-offs.
Turkey, third in the last World Cup, are embroiled in a tense fight for a play-off place behind Ukraine, the first European nation to qualify as Group 2 winners.
The Turks must triumph in Albania to shut out Denmark, only a point behind and up against modest Kazakhstan.
European champions Greece are virtually down and out. Otto Rehhagel's side, languishing in fourth, need a win against Georgia and then pray that Turkey and Denmark slip up.
The stakes are high in Bratislava where second-placed Slovakia and Russia face off for the right to go through to the play-offs behind untouchable Group 3 leaders Portugal.
Russia have risen from the ashes after a disastrous start which included a humiliating 7-1 thrashing in Portugal after which Sports Express lamented: "Dear Readers! Brothers and sisters! The Russian national team passed away in Lisbon."
Group 5 is put to bed with Italy ending up as winners and Norway earning a play-off spot as runners-up.
These are nervous times for Spain who kept themselves in the race with a 2-0 win over Belgium at the weekend.
That left Luis Aragones' side in second place, two points adrift of Group 7 leaders Serbia-Montenegro.
The Serbs have a historically charged fixture against former warring neighbors Bosnia-Hercegovina in Belgrade with a win consigning the Spanish to the play-offs if they see off minnows San Marino.
If the leaders only draw, Spain could claim top spot if they achieve a five-goal winning margin.
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