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New Zealand's Ivan Vicelich (R) battles with Chile's Ismael Fuentes - Source: Reuters -
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Chile play the All Whites in a pre-Cup training match in South Africa on June 9
Chile
CHI
Nickname: La Roja (The Reds)
Coach: Marcelo Bielsa
Qualifying region: South America (CONMEBOL)
Home kit: Red shirt, blue shorts, white
socks
Away kit: white shirt, white shorts, blue
socks
2010 FIFA World Cup Group: H (along with Spain,
Switzerland, and Honduras)
FIFA World Ranking: 15
2010 World Cup qualifying campaign:
Chile qualified second in the closely fort South American region,
one point behind Brazil, on equal points to third ranked Paraguay,
and ahead of Argentina and Uruguay.
World Cup history:
2010 South Africa will be Chile's 8th appearance at a World Cup
They hosted the 1962 FIFA World Cup, where they reached their highest place, making the semi finals, only to be thwarted in a 4-2 loss to Brazil who went on to win the tournament for the second consecutive year.
Chile's most recent World Cup was France 98 where they finished second in their group behind Italy, before being knocked out by Brazil 4-1 in the last 16.
Chile was barred from qualifying for the 1990 and 1994 World Cups following an incident during a 1989 qualifier against Brazil.
The Chileans were 1-0 down and facing elimination when Chilean goal keeper, Roberto Rojas, appeared to be injured after a firework was thrown by a Brazilian fan. The Chilean team refused to finish the game, but it was later revealed that the firework had not touched the keeper and his injury was an attempt to secure a rematch.
Trophy case:
Olympic Bronze - 2002 Sydney
Copa America (South American/ COMEBOL Cup) Runners Up four times
(most recently in 1987), and Third five times (most recently in
1991)
Key Players: Humberto Suazo, Alexis Sanchez, Matias Fernandez, Claudio Bravo (C)
Group Matches (H):
v HON - Jun 16 at 11.30pm in Nelspurit
v SUI - Jun 22 at 2.00am in Port Elizabeth
v ESP - Jun 26 at 6.30am in Pretoria
