Italy, France, Germany and Portugal. After the high drama of the 2006 FIFA World Cup Final in Berlin's Olympiastadion between the Azzurri and Les Bleus, and the top-class match for third place between the host nation and Luiz Felipe Scolari's Portugal, it does not take a genius to recall the top four sides at this summer's tournament in Germany. But what about those nations who failed to make it into this very select group?
The same criteria used to separate the sides in the group phase at Germany 2006 were used to produce a definitive ranking of every team involved. These were: the number of points obtained; total goal difference; number of goals scored.
View all the results at Germany 2006
It is for this very reason that Luis Aragones's flamboyant Spain side, who failed to make it past the Round of 16, have taken ninth place in the overall tournament classification. La Roja picked up nine points from their group matches, and ended their stay in Germany with a overall goal difference of +5, having scored nine and conceded four. The established criteria have been unable to separate a number of particularly well-matched teams. These include the USA and Iran, who are tied in 25th place.
The results obtained in Germany 2006 have been incorporated into the all-time FIFA World Cup ranking. This ranking can be used to compare the records of every team to have taken part in the greatest competition in world football. The all-time ranking appears in the usual league table format, with points allocated in the same way (three points for a win, one point for a draw and none for a defeat).
The rankings from this summer's tournament have given rise to a number of interesting FIFA World Cup facts. Despite their four world titles, a number only bettered by five-time winners Brazil, Italy are only third in the all-time standings. Beating them to second place are Germany, whose seven matches on home soil brought them level with Brazil's record of 92 matches played at FIFA World Cup finals.
Germany 2006 ranking/ All-time FIFA World Cup ranking in brackets
1- Italy (3)
2- France (6)
3- Germany (2)
4- Portugal (20)
5- Brazil (1)
6- Argentina (4)
7- England (5)
8- Ukraine (46)
9- Spain (7)
10- Switzerland (22)
11- Netherlands (9)
12- Ecuador (40)
13- Ghana (49)
14- Sweden (8)
15- Mexico (15)
16- Australia (52)
17- Korea Republic (30)
18- Paraguay (24)
19- Côte d'Ivoire (56)
20- Czech Republic (16)
21- Poland (13)
22- Croatia (27)
23- Angola (59)
24- Tunisia (48)
25- USA (26)
25- Iran (53)
27- Trinidad and Tobago (63)
28- Japan (44)
28- Saudi Arabia (45)
30- Togo (68)
31- Costa Rica (38)
32- Serbia and Montenegro (11)