As all football (soccer) fans know, on Nov. 16 the last five teams qualified for Germany 2006: Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, Spain, Switzerland and the Czech Republic.

The 32 qualified teams include, along with the usual teams, six teams going to the World Cup for the first time in their history: Ukraine, Angola, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, and Trinidad and Tobago. And it's only the second-ever trip for Australia, and Ecuador. Czechoslovakia has played in 8 World Cups, but this is their first as the Czech Republic alone. Yugoslavia has made the trip 7 times, but this is their first as Serbia & Montenegro.

Since I don't know any better I'll go with conventional wisdom and pick another Brazil-Germany final. Brazil is the most successful World Cup country (five wins, and lots of close calls) and Germany is probably the second most successful.

Also, home countries almost always do really well:

2002 - South Korea gets to the semi-final
1998 - France wins at home
1994 - USA made it to the 2nd round but were eliminated by Brazil, who eventually won the tournament
1990 - Italy finished 3rd, losing a semi-final in a shootout to Argentina
1986 - Mexico lost on a shootout in the quarter final to eventual runner-up Germany
1982 - Spain is a counter-example. They flamed out in the second round.
1978 - Argentina wins at home.
1974 - German wins at home
1970 - Mexico eliminated in the quarter finals against eventual runner-up Italy.
1966 - England wins at home
1962 - Chile finished 3rd, losing the semi-final to eventual winner Brazil
1958 - Sweden loses the final to Brazil 

Anyone else think other wise?