With the world champions and the crowd-pulling Brazilians pitted against each other, Group B offers drama and excitement aplenty. Dunga's South American kings, with their stylish play and dazzling stars, will be expected to ignite the section. But in a group this tough, anything can happen.

Marcello Lippi's often-unstoppable Azzurri will want to prove to everyone that they are still the team that conquered the world in Germany two years ago. These two football giants have not met in over a decade and this game could provide bragging rights for whoever comes out on top between the two teams holding the most FIFA World Cup™ titles (Brazil has five, Italy four).

USA, still riding the wave of their continental triumph over old rivals Mexico, will be determined to earn an appearance in the Confederations Cup Final, no matter who stands in their way.

And then are the Pharaohs. If ever there was an African champion able to go pound-for-pound, punch-for-punch with world football's heavyweights, Egypt are surely that team. Consistent, physical and hungry to become 'champion of champions', the Egyptians are considered well capable of claiming the crown on their home continent.

The favourites
Brazil: For the Brazilians, a successful tournament can only mean victory. A Confederations Cup title may just restore confidence in their erratic qualifying campaign for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Italy: They may carry the title of world champions but this will be Italy's first appearance at the Confederations Cup.

The outsiders
Egypt: The Pharaohs will come to South Africa with two successive CAF Africa Cup of Nations championships and a total of six Cup of Nations titles. Could this be Africa's time to shine brightest?  

USA: In three FIFA Confederations Cup appearances, the USA has finished third on two occasions. Could 2009 be their year to exceed expectations?

Players to watch
Amr Zaki (EGY), Mohamed Aboutrika (EGY), Kaka (BRA), Robinho (BRA), Landon Donovan (USA),  Michael Bradley (USA),  Fabio Cannavaro  (ITA), Gianluigi Buffon (ITA)

The crunch match
Brazil and Italy have not played one another in over a decade and their last match in 1997 ended in a 3-3 draw. Of their 12 encounters, they have each one five games and drawn two. A Confederations Cup meeting could very well be a very special encounter as one of football's greatest statistical stalemates between two of its biggest powers could be broken.

A look back
Brazil and Egypt have squared off four times, all within the period 1960-1963. All games were won by Brazil and played on Egyptian soil.

The USA have only beaten Brazil once in their 13 encounters.

Italy and the USA have met 10 times. Italy has won seven and the remaining three games finished in a draw.

Egypt and the USA have only played each other once, back in 1987. Egypt won the game 3-1.

Did you know?
Italy will attempt to become the third country to hold both the FIFA Confederations Cup and FIFA World Cup titles at the same time; an incredible honour only shared by France and Brazil.

The question
They may have the consistency and discipline needed to go all the way, but Egypt has failed to deliver when the stakes are highest. With their poor record in global tournaments, the question remains: can Africa's champions overcome the best in the world?