FRENCH WARNED

Only Japan are now still in from Asia.

For Europe, after the embarrassing first-round exits of France and Italy, just six teams remain out of 13 starters.

Upcoming fixtures include a needle match between old rivals Germany and England on Sunday for which police are beefing up security in the central city of Bloemfontein.

Despite his region's triumphs in South Africa, Diego Maradona -- whose Argentina are one of the favourites -- said South America would never eclipse Europe as a soccer power.

"The best prize South America has is to know that we give all the clubs in the world great players," he said.

"And (we ask) that when those players get to the national teams, (the clubs) return them to us with the time and care with which we hand them over to them."

Maradona's all-attacking Argentina, with world footballer of the year Lionel Messi as their heartbeat, take on slick-passing Mexico in Sunday's second highly-attractive fixture.

France's shameful first-round exit bottom of their group, amid a players' revolt over the expulsion of striker Nicolas Anelka for insulting the coach, brought disgust at home and calls from President Nicolas Sarkozy down for a shake-up.

But soccer's world governing body FIFA warned French politicians to keep out of soccer. "There is an autonomy of the sporting movement, and there can't be any political interference," said FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke, himself a Frenchman.