Your handy World Cup guide

BOSTON — In the soccer world, this is a time of cheers and tears, as the round-robin phase of World Cup qualifying comes to an end in both of the game’s most powerful empires, Europe and South America, as well as in America’s CONCACAF region.

After these concluding games — Saturday and Wednesday — 21 teams, or more than two-thirds of the 32-team field will have qualified for the next June’s World Cup Final in South Africa.

The U.S. team, despite its current lofty rating — 11th in the world — and its occasional stunning upset — 2-0 over then-world number one Spain in the recent Confederations Cup — is not held in quite the same regard as the elite European and South American powers.

Still, the U.S. team has become one of the World Cup perennials (or more accurately a quadrennial) ever since it qualified for the 1990 Cup after a 40-year absence from the competition. It is one of only seven nations — Brazil, Argentina, Germany, Italy, Spain and South Korea are the others — to play in every World Cup since 1990.

Brazil, Spain and South Korea have already qualified for 2010 while Italy only needs a draw with Ireland or a victory over Cyprus to be assured of a spot in South Africa. But the other three nations find themselves in surprisingly precarious positions with their Cup streaks potentially in jeopardy.

Both Germany and Argentina are assured a number one seed if they reach South Africa, and either nation’s absence from the fray would be, arguably, the most stunning failure of the modern World Cup era. A U.S. flop would hardly measure up to that. But it would still be a revenue blow to Cup organizers who would prefer that American and Chinese fans have a rooting and, thus, viewing interest in every World Cup. (China already went out in an early qualification round.)

Here’s a look at the teams at the center of the unfolding drama:

Germany/Europe:

Four years ago Germany hosted the World Cup yet, despite its soccer pedigree, expectations were modest for the young, inexperienced team. German fans appeared genuinely delighted when Jurgen Klinsmann guided the home team to a third-place finish. Now Germany fields a formidable, veteran team, which went to the finals of Euro 2008 before losing to Spain 1-0, and is regarded as a serious contender for the World Cup title.

Germany’s qualification problem doesn’t stem from poor play — it has outscored opponents 22-4 through eight games, and a tie with Finland is the sole blemish on its record — but from the luck of the draw. Only the group winner is assured a World Cup spot. And Germany got stuck in a group with Russia, which has continued the strong play that saw it to the Euros semi-finals, where it too lost to Spain.

Russia’s only misstep was a 2-1 loss to Germany in Munich. But a victory in the rematch Saturday in Moscow would put Russia atop the group, requiring only a clinching victory Wednesday over winless Azerbaijan. That would relegate Germany to a head-to-head, two-match playoff with one of seven other group runner-ups battling for Europe’s four remaining spots in South Africa. While Germany would be favored, there is plenty of worry in a random draw that could pit it against any of five teams — France, Croatia, Greece, Portugal, Czech Republic — ranked in the world Top 20.

Germany has won more World Cup games than any nation but Brazil and its absence — almost unimaginable — from South Africa would add considerable sturm und drang to the already volatile political landscape at home.

Other European highlights include two group leaders hosting the second-place team chasing them: Denmark-Sweden and Slovakia-Slovenia. Victories would not only assure Denmark and Slovakia of World Cup berths, but would give a boost to two of Europe’s most exciting sides, Portugal and Czech Republic, struggling to reach the second-place playoffs.

Argentina/South America:

If Germany has been unlucky, Argentina’s soccer misfortunes are entirely of its own making. The team has been such a shambles that Argentina called upon the greatest player in the country’s history and its ultimate shamble, Diego Maradona, to rescue it. The legendary star joined the team with almost no coaching experience and a very messy personal history, including drinking and drug problems that have placed him at death’s door several times. Maradona appears a metaphor for a team that, unlike its coach, may not survive.

Under the new coach, Argentina has already endured a 6-1 humiliation in Bolivia and last month suffered back-to-back defeats, including a 3-1 humbling at home by archrival Brazil. It now stands fifth among the 10 South American nations, with only four guaranteed World Cup spots. The 5th-place team faces a playoff with CONCACAF’s 4th-place team for a final Cup berth. But with three teams within two points of Argentina, even that consolation prize isn’t assured. Argentina should ease past Peru, the last-place team in the standings, at home Saturday, but will then go on the road to face rugged Uruguay — with the World Cup on the line. In eight away contests, Argentina has won just once and, despite the firepower of superstars Lionel Messi (Barcelona) and Carlos Tevez (Manchester City), scored only five goals.

Brazil and Paraguay are safely in the World Cups and Chile is odds-on to join them. But only three points separate Ecuador, Argentina, Uruguay, Venezuela and Colombia for the final spot. Among the 10 South American competitors, only Ecuador and Venezuela have never reached a World Cup.

United States/North and Central America and Caribbean:

The U.S. qualifying streak has less to do with the team’s prowess than the weakness of its region, other than Mexico. But the group appears both stronger and deeper, as four teams are clustered in a bid for three World Cup spots (and avoidance of a playoff with a South American team like Argentina).

The U.S. team is currently atop the table, but all three challengers — Mexico, Costa Rica, Honduras — are playing at home Saturday, with Honduras hosting the United States. Honduras is undefeated at home — 7-0, including two wins over Mexico.

The United States could clinch a World Cup spot Saturday with a win or a Costa Rican loss. But if all three home favorites triumph, the four teams will be separated by only three points, with the United States slipping into the third and last qualifying position.

The U.S. team would then face Costa Rica at RFK Stadium in Washington D.C. on Wednesday, needing a tie to assure its ticket to South Africa. While the Americans are dominant at home — 17-0-1 in qualifying since their last loss in 2001 (to Honduras, also at RFK Stadium) — a one-match showdown for World Cup 2010 is a far more precarious position than the team or its fans had bargained for.

Mexico was the team expected to find itself on that precarious perch. But after a poor start and three different coaches, Mexico looks to be in the best shape of the contenders. It has won four consecutive games and faces the two weakest teams, El Salvador and Trinidad and Tobago, in its last matches.

(Broadcast note: American fans have seized upon the fact that the Honduras match will not be televised as conclusive proof that the United States isn’t yet and probably never will be a soccer nation. However, Honduras controls the broadcast feed and sold it on a closed-circuit basis only. England of all nations faces a similar situation with its Saturday game in Ukraine available only on the internet. American fans can find a list of pubs carrying the U.S.-Honduras game.)