SPAIN
THE TIME IS RIGHT? Spain, for all its power at the club level, has never done much in the World Cup. Its best showing came in 1950 when it finished fourth – out of four teams in the round-robin group that determined the champion.
This is the year, though, when Spaniards believe Javier Clemente's squad can go far in the tournament.
The team has lost just one game under Clemente, falling to France 1-0 in the Stade de France inaugural this past January. If history holds, that loss is an omen of good things to come. Before each World Cup since 1982, France has beaten either the champion or runner-up.
OLYMPIC SPIRIT. The basis of Clemente's team is the '92 Olympic team that won the gold medal in Barcelona and the Olympic team four years later that was just as talented if not as successful at Atlanta '96.
Clemente's team is as deep as any in the tournament. He has all kinds of options from which to choose in the back and up front.
ROYAL RAUL. Real Madrid star Raul Gonzalez is known to adoring Spanish fans simply as Raul.
He doesn't turn 21 until June 27, but he already has four great seasons under his belt at Real Madrid.
Raul's biggest problem, it seems, is keeping out of the tabloids.
''One day they had me marrying Miss Spain. All I did was say hello at a cocktail party. But why deny it?''
Spain in brief
World Cup appearances: 9. Best finish: fourth place (1950). Record (W-T-L): 15-9-13. How it qualified: Europe – Faeroe Islands 6-2, 3-1, Czech Republic 0-0, 1-0, Slovakia 4-1, 2-1, Yugoslavia 2-0, 1-1, Malta 3-0, 4-0 (Group 6 champion).
NIGERIA
SUPER EAGLES. No team in the tournament is quite as feared as Nigeria.
The Super Eagles showed what kind of potential they have four years ago when they blasted Bulgaria 3-0 in their World Cup debut and came within minutes of ousting eventual runner-up Italy in the second round.
But it was at the '96 Olympics where the Eagles were really super. They pulled off the greatest back-to-back comebacks in recent memory, against powerful opposition. They came from two goals down to beat Brazil 4-3 in the semifinals and then rallied from 2-1 down in the second half to win the gold medal 3-2 against Argentina.
THE BORA FACTOR. There are two schools of thought on the arrival of Bora Milutinovic.
Either he'll lead Nigeria over the top, becoming the first African team to reach at least the final four, or his coaching will prove counterproductive, leading the Eagles nowhere.
In his previous three World Cups, Milutinovic never had the kind of team he has now. He's never faced a harder challenge, though, of harnessing his instincts to control his players.
Defensive tactics got the United States and Costa Rica to the second round; they could get Nigeria no further this time around.
PROBLEM IN GOAL. Goalkeeping was never Milutinovic's worry in 1990 or 1994.
It's one problem area in the '98 Nigerian team.
Four goalies were used in Nigeria's six qualifying matches. Joseph Dosu, the '96 Olympic goalie, was seriously injured in a car accident after Nigeria clinched its bid in the finals. Projected starter Ike Shorunmu went down with an injury playing in Switzerland.
Ademalo Bankole was dropped after getting a shot against Grasshoppers Zurich (4-0 loss), while Abiodun Baruwa had a nightmare against Yugoslavia (3-0 loss).
Nigeria in brief
World Cup appearances: 1. Best finish: second round (1994). Record (W-T-L): 2-0-2. How it qualified: Africa – Burkina Faso 2-0, 2-1, Kenya 1-1, 3-0, Guinea 2-1, 0-1 (Group 1 champion).
PARAGUAY
GOLEADOR CHILAVERT. A team has a problem when its most famous goalscorer happens to be its goalkeeper.
Such is the case with Paraguay and star Jose Luis Chilavert.
He's scores regularly for Paraguay and his Argentine club Velez Sarsfield, not only from the penalty spot but also on free kicks.
His goal against Argentina earned Paraguay a 1-1 tie in Buenos Aires – a key result that boosted the Paraguayans' confidence early in the South American competition.
Chilavert also has a reputation for provocation. He caused an international incident in Argentina when he proclaimed, ''They can't stand the thought of a Paraguayan being the best in their country at something.''
Thousands of Paraguayan immigrants fill menial jobs in Argentina.
THE OTHER BRAZILIAN. Paulo Cesar Carpegiani is the least known of the four Brazilian coaches in the World Cup. He hasn't won a World Cup title like Brazil's Mario Zagallo, Saudi Arabia's Carlos Alberto Parreira, and he isn't a one-person p.r. machine like Jamaica's Rene Simoes, but Carpegiani's career is quite a story.
Unlike Parreira or Simoes, who had very modest playing careers, Carpegiani actually played in the World Cup, figuring as a reserve on the '74 Brazil team.
He's surpassed himself as a coach. He is the only person to win Brazilian titles as a player and coach. And he took over a Paraguayan program in shambles and qualified it quite comfortably for the World Cup for the first time in 12 years.
Paraguay in brief
World Cup appearances: 4. Best finish: second round (1986). Record (W-T-L): 3-4-4. How it qualified: South America – Colombia 1-0, 2-1, Uruguay 2-0, 3-1, Argentina 1-1, 1-2, Chile 2-1, 1-2, Ecuador 1-0, 1-2, Bolivia 0-0, 2-1, Venezuela 2-0, 1-0, Peru 2-1, 0-1.
BULGARIA
ON THE DECLINE. At the draw, this was dubbed the '98 World Cup's ''Group of Death.''
Spain, the seeded team. Nigeria, the reigning Olympic champion. Paraguay, the No. 2 team in South American qualifying. And Bulgaria, fourth at World Cup '94.
But it is hard to imagine that Bulgarians will play the same kind of role in France that they did in the United States, where their upset over Germany propelled them into the final four.
Two factors work against Bulgaria: age and form.
Coach Hristo Bonev has one of the oldest teams in the tournament, having been unable to bring a new generation of players along fast enough. Many key players – Hristo Stoichkov, Emil Kostadinov and Trifon Ivanov – had to return to Sofia to find playing time at CSKA after their careers abroad sputtered.
CLAN WARFARE. When Bulgaria's stars haven't been fighting with Bonev, they've been battling among themselves.
Stoichkov boycotted the first half of qualifying after Bonev replaced popular coach Dimitar Penev.
Bonev lit off a war of words when he dropped Kostadinov and Ivanov for a game against Morocco.
Ivanov and Stoichkov got into it this spring when Stoichkov returned from Barcelona.
Ivanov threw his CSKA captain's armband at Stoichkov when the '94 star entered the field for the first time.
DR. JEKYL AND MR. HYDE. Stoichkov is one of the most complex personalities in soccer, known for his fiery temperament on the field and charming personality off it.
Early in his career, he sparked a brawl at a Bulgarian Cup match and later at Barcelona stomped on a referee's foot, earning a lengthy ban.
He enjoys great relations with the international media, though. He departed one press conference at the '94 World Cup to a standing ovation – out of respect for both his magic left foot and good nature.
Bulgaria will count on both in France.
Bulgaria in brief
World Cup appearances: 7. Best finish: fourth place (1994). Record (W-T-L): 3-7-13. How it qualified: Europe – Israel 1-2, 1-0, Luxembourg 2-1, 4-0, Cyprus 3-1, 4-1, Russia 1-0, 2-4 (Group 5 champion).