Spain become the last World Cup giant to flex their muscles when they face modest Switzerland on Wednesday in a Group H Durban showdown.
Bookmakers’ favourites to lift a trophy that symbolises international football supremacy, the ‘Red Fury’ have never won a tournament staged every four years.
Manager Vicente Del Bosque and his galaxy of stars have already learnt a valuable lesson after failing to win the dress-rehearsal Confederations Cup last June in South Africa despite being the team to beat.
The Spaniards came unstuck against the workmanlike United States on a freezing Bloemfontein night and had to settle for third place behind winners Brazil and the Americans.
Drawn with the Swiss, Honduras and Chile in the first round, Spain are hot favourites to advance as table toppers, leaving the other three countries to scrap for the second ticket to the knockout stage.
And it is not difficult to see why the Spanish armada is expected to sail smoothly to a second round clash with the Group G runners-up, probably Ivory Coast or Portugal.
Place goalkeeper Iker Casillas, midfield maestros Xavi and Andres Iniesta and deadly marksmen Fernando Torres and David Villa in the same team and there is a potent mix.
“We are hungry for the title and to show we are the best at this championship,” stressed Arsenal playmaker Cesc Fabregas who struggles to make the starting line-up such is the embarrassment of riches.
Former Arsenal team-mate and Swiss defender Philippe Senderos was philosophical.
“Spain have a good chance of winning the Cup and we will try our best to be at our best. We don’t have much to lose on Wednesday, but Spain has lots to lose,” said Sendros, who signed for Fulham on a free transfer prior to the finals.
Chile and Honduras kick off the day-six schedule in the north-east city of Nelspruit with the South Americans seeking to end a 48-year winless World Cup run since finishing third as 1962 hosts.
A South African team urged on by an expectant nation believe victory over Uruguay in Pretoria will vitually clinch a place in the second round and ease pressure on Brazilian coach Carlos Alberto Parreira.
Given no chance six months ago of surviving the first-round cull, Bafana Bafana (The Boys) held Mexico 1-1 last Friday after a 12-match unbeaten run ahead of the first World Cup staged in Africa.
North Korea scored their first goal at a World Cup for 44 years Tuesday but lost 2-1 to five-time winners Brazil after a spirited performance at chilly Ellis Park in Johannesburg.
Cheered on by 50 red-clad North Korean supporters who had flown in to South Africa the same day, the Koreans held out until Maicon scored from a tight angle on 55 minutes and Elano doubled the lead.
But just as the North Koreans seemed to be tiring, defender Ji Yun Nam burst into the Brazilian penalty area and blasted the ball past goalkeeper Julio Cesar.
Ivory Coast superstar Didier Drogba, who broke his arm in a warm-up match, came on as a substitute with the protection of a cast, prompting accusations from Portugal coach Carlos Queiroz that he was given special FIFA treatment.
“You have players who cannot wear a string bracelet or plaster, yet here is a player who has fractured his arm and who could put our players at risk with his cast,” the former Manchester United assistant manager said.
“Drogba is an African superstar and we want to know if all the rules will be the same for everyone as he was allowed to play with a cast. Perhaps the rules will be changed.”
The high-profile Group G clash ended goalless before a capacity Port Elizabeth crowd with scoring chances scarce despite the presence of superstar and Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo.
“No one wants to lose a game like this. Ronaldo had a good chance for them and we had some opportunities and half chances,” said Ivory Coast coach Sven-Goran Eriksson.
New Zealand defender Winston Reid atoned for a mistake which led to Slovakia taking an early second-half lead when he headed the equaliser three minutes into stoppage-time at Rustenburg for a 1-1 draw in their Group F clash.
Reid, who played for Denmark at under-age level before switching allegiance to the country where he was raised, failed to cut off a Stanislav Sestak cross five minutes into the second half and Robert Vittek headed home.
Slovakia were making their World Cup debut while it was the first point for New Zealand following heavy losses to Scotland, the Soviet Union and Brazil in a previous appearance 28 years ago.