WC 2006 starts here...

... or at least almost.

As the 2006 World Cup is fast approaching, all teams have assembled and are making their final preparations for the big tournament. Switzerland is probably the country currently entertaining the most world-class football players. If Switzerland were to somehow disappear from the face of the earth within the next week, I don't think the FIFA 2006 TM World Cup (is that correct Mr. Blatter?) would be able to take place.

Obviously, the Swiss team is around. They've already suffered an injury blow - striker Johan Vonlanthen, the youngest player to ever score a goal in the European Championship, is out with a hamstring injury.

Hosts Germany are currently residing around Geneva as they prepare to try and top their 2nd place finish from four years ago. Michael Ballack suffered a minor injury in their 12-0 win against a youth team from Servette Geneva.

Most attention has obviously gone to the defending champions Brazil who have been in canton Lucerne since Monday. The papers here have been full with these guys for the past month. The training sessions which are open to the public are all sold out - stadium capacity is 5'000, population of the town the stadium is in is 3'800...

Ivory Coast is coming in to play the Swiss squad on Saturday in Basle. CDI are the ones chosen to simulate the game against Togo. Yeah, they're Africans too...

The day the German squad leaves, the Italian team will be checking into the same hotel that very evening, before they play the Swiss squad in Geneva (simulate France). Bring out the phone-tapping devices...

Argentina, the Ukraine and Iran are also said to be spending a few days training in the country. At least for a few days, Switzerland will be safe from any nuclear threats...

New Zealand and China (simulate South Korea vs Switzerland) are also flying in, but merely as sparring partners for some of the countries actually going to Germany.