TRINIDAD and TOBAGO'S "Soca Warriors" face the likes of David Beckham (Real Madrid), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Michael Owen (Newcastle), Henrik Larsen (Barcelona) and Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Juventus) when they take the field for Group B action at the World Cup in June, 2006.
But, many local football experts feel they have a good chance of giving a good account of themselves at the tournament next summer.
Yesterday, the World Cup draw took place in Leipzig, Germany, and saw first- timers T&T being drawn in Group B with England, Sweden and Paraguay.
The "Soca Warriors" begin their first World Cup Finals campaign on the second day of the tournament against Sweden on June 10 in Frankfurt and will also play in the cities of Nuremberg and Kaiserslautern.
Alvin Corneal, a former national player and T&T coach believes that Paraguay may be T&T's most difficult opponents and not England and Sweden as would be expected.
Corneal rates both England and Sweden as being very predictable in what they do and said that with proper planning T&T may be able to contain them. He felt that with the exception of young Wayne Rooney, England do not possess an exceptional player of the calibre of Ronaldinho in their squad.
Rooney, Corneal said yesterday, is in his first World Cup and even the greats like Diego Maradona have not done well in their first tournament. He said that Sweden will play well, but they do things in simple fashion and with planning, can also be contained.
"I don't think this is as difficult a draw for us than could have been expected. We could have been drawn in a group with wither Brazil or Argentina where we would not have had a chance. The team I am worried about is Paraguay, because they have flair and skill. They did well in 2001 and they also did well in '98.
Clayton Morris, captain of the '89 national team said ideally, he would have liked to have played in the group with Brazil. He had hoped for a group with one strong team and three others of equal strength who could battle for the second qualifying spot in to the second round. Still, he is not dismayed by the draw.
"I am optimistic that we can do well. I think in 1989 we played against Paraguay. We also played against Sweden, I cannot remember the score but I think it was close. In the case of England, we have 75 per cent of our team based there. I am not saying that we would beat these teams, but with preparation, I think we can do well.
"At this stage, we know who are the teams we have to play and we just have to buckle down and get ready for them," Morris said.
Also, optimistic about the team's chances of giving a good showing is He said that T&T had not been drawn in a "Group of Death" and may be able to draw on the experience of the professionals, who ply their trade Britain.
"I think it is a very reasonable draw...We will see contrasting styles of play. Our players are based in England and I believe we will be accustomed to that style of football. I think we just have to get to terms with Paraguay and Sweden. I think we are going to give a good account of ourselves. "
Like Morris, Brian Williams was also a member of T&T's 1989 team, which failed to reach the World Cup by a single point. Now coach of local professional club United Petrotrin, Williams described T&T's draw as fairly good.
"I think we are in a pretty reasonable group," Williams said.
"Most of our players play in Europe and they would have been fairly accustomed to that. Paraguay comes out of South America but they would not be considered a superpower in that region....I think we can go reasonably well against them.
"I also rate Sweden somewhere about the same level as England. I think what is most important is that we give a good account of ourselves at the World Cup."
Sedley Joseph, an outstanding former national player and team manager, said that no matter where T&Tobago were drawn, as World Cup first-timers the competition would have been difficult.
"Obviously, England will be the favourites to win the group, and Sweden is an extremely good team as well. I am not prepared to say we will beat anybody, but hopefully we will give a good account of ourselves."