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World Cup in numbers

With the 32 finalists of next year's World Cup all but decided, Sports Mole looks ahead to the summer spectacular by compiling a selection of facts, figures and odds.

Following Tuesday's World Cup qualifying action, 30 of 32 places at Brazil 2014 have now been filled.

And, carrying respective 5-0 and 5-1 first-leg leads into today's final two playoffs, it is safe to assume that Uruguay and Mexico will complete the lineup with minimal fuss.

With the inevitable confirmation of the contenders just a matter of hours away, Sports Mole has compiled a selection of facts, figures and odds to whet your appetite for what will be the 20th staging of football's grandest competition.

17: The number of previous World Cups that have taken place successfully without an appearance from Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who missed out on a third finals trip when fellow Ballon d'Or nominee Cristiano Ronaldo outshone him in last night's main attraction. The Sweden forward says that a World Cup without him will be "nothing to watch".

Sweden's forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic kicks the ball next to Portugal's defender Bruno Alves during the FIFA 2014 World Cup qualifier play-off first leg football match Portugal vs Sweden at the Luz stadium in Lisbon on November 15, 2013© Getty Images

7/2: The best odds available on hosts and favourites Brazil to win the tournament. Defending champions Spain can be backed at 6/1, while the bookies believe that seven teams have a better chance than England, who are 25/1.

59: The current world ranking of Cameroon, who are the lowest-placed side to have booked their place in the finals. They can be backed at 500/1 to become the World Cup's first African winners.

Zero: The number of previous appearances Bosnia-Herzegovina, who won eight of their 10 qualifying matches in UEFA Group G, have made at World Cup finals. They have only been competing as an independent nation since 1992. The debutants are 150/1 to take beginner's luck to the extreme.

Bosnia-Herzegovina's Ermin Bicakcic in action against Slovakia during their World Cup qualifier on September 10, 2013© Getty Images

+29: The Netherlands' goal difference during qualification. It was higher than that of any other European nation. However, England were close behind with +27.

667,233: The combined capacity of all 12 venues that will be used throughout the tournament. Rio's Maracana, where England drew 2-2 with Brazil in June is the biggest stadium, housing over 76,000 spectators.

48: The number of years that will have passed since England's last, and only, triumph occurred in 1966.

The England players lift Bobby Moore up with the World Cup trophy on July 30, 1966.© Getty Images

64: The number of World Cup matches that will be crammed into the space of just 32 sun-soaked days.

15: The length of time in days until the draw for the finals is made on December 6. The finals themselves are just 204 days away.

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Sweden's forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic kicks the ball next to Portugal's defender Bruno Alves during the FIFA 2014 World Cup qualifier play-off first leg football match Portugal vs Sweden at the Luz stadium in Lisbon on November 15, 2013
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool119112161528
2Manchester CityMan City127232217523
3Chelsea126422314922
4Arsenal126422112922
5Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton126422116522
6Tottenham HotspurSpurs1261527131419
7Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest125431513219
8Aston Villa125431919019
9Newcastle UnitedNewcastle115331311218
10Fulham125341717018
11Brentford125252222017
12Manchester UnitedMan Utd114341212015
13Bournemouth124351617-115
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham113351319-612
15Everton122551017-711
16Leicester CityLeicester122461523-810
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves122372028-89
18Crystal Palace121561017-78
19Ipswich TownIpswich111551222-108
20Southampton11119721-144


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