Groups of Death in World Cup History

Two countries ranked in the top five in FIFA's world rankings and the second highest-ranked team from Africa make Group G the Group of Death for South Africa 2010. Five-time World Cup champions Brazil will face off against Portugal (ranked fifth in the world), the dangerous attack of Ivory Coast and unenviable underdog North Korea. Storylines abound: Brazil and Portugal will face each other in a colonial clash of Goliaths, while Ivory Coast's bevy of European stars can score in bunches, and you never know what to expect from the ever-enigmatic North Koreans. The bottom line is that at least one of the big three countries will not advance, and the certainty that Kaká, Cristiano Ronaldo or Didier Drogba will be sitting at home after the first round is what makes this the 2010 Group of Death.