FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014 - Road to Brazil kicks off

Uruguay star Diego Forlan is about to throw the ball during a training session in Canelones on Monday. Uruguay will face Bolivia in a 2014 World Cup qualifier on Friday.

The marathon South American World Cup qualifying campaign begins this Friday and the battle to join hosts Brazil in the first finals on the continent since 1978 looks set to be wide open.

Nine teams will face each other home and away over the next two years, with the top four all advancing automatically to the 2014 jamboree, while a fifth nation will take part in a playoff against Asian opposition.

Much of the focus will be on traditional powerhouses Argentina and Uruguay ahead of the opening games, albeit for different reasons.

Argentina are now rebuilding under new coach Alejandro Sabella after their disappointing showing at the recent Copa America on home soil.

The 56-year-old, who led Estudiantes to the Copa Liberatadores title in 2009, replaced Sergio Batista, and must be aware that solving the Lionel Messi conundrum is crucial if he is to be accepted by a passionate public.

Uruguay must be considered the favourites on current form, as coach Oscar Washington Tabarez has done an extraordinary job of making the small nation of only 3.5 million people a footballing force once again.La Celeste were World Cup semifinalists in South Africa in 2010, before confirming that was no fluke by winning the Copa America in July, knocking out Argentina on the way to a final in which they outclassed Paraguay.

However, Tabarez sought to ease the pressure on his squad by dismissing that favourites' tag.

"To think that we are better than other teams because of what we have achieved would be arrogant," he insists."We are going to start these qualifiers better than we have done in the past, with more time to work and with everyone in the squad knowing each other well, but in no way are we favourites."

Of the rest, Paraguay will be out to maintain their fantastic recent record in qualifying under a new coach in Francisco 'Chiqui' Arce, who represented his country in the 1998 and 2002 World Cups.

Argentine Gerardo Martino stepped down after leading his adopted nation to the final of the Copa America despite not winning a single game in open play in Argentina.Chile remain one of the most attractive footballing sides on the international stage, although Claudio Borghi's side must begin their campaign without star man Alexis Sanchez of Barcelona due to injury.All the other nations have reason to believe that they can qualify too, with Colombia -- led by prolific striker Radamel Falcao -- hoping for a fresh start under new coach Leonel Alvarez

He was appointed after predecessor Hernan Dario Gomez resigned in the wake of allegations that he attacked a woman who insulted him in a bar.Peru finished bottom in qualifying for the 2010 finals, but have been galvanised by their impressive run to the Copa semifinals, achieved without injured stars Cladio Pizarro and Jefferson Farfan, while neighbours Ecuador are a pale shadow of the side that reached the last 16 in Germany in 2006.

They will get the chance to avenge a defeat to Venezuela at the Copa America when they host the Vino Tinto at altitude in Quito.Traditionally a footballing backwater, Venezuela have improved rapidly in recent years, and Cesar Farias' team captured the imagination of a nation as they reached the Copa semi-finals for the first time.

Venezuela's strength in depth was proven by Farias' decision to name two separate squads for his side's opening two games.Only nine players are included in both squads as Venezuela first face Ecuador at altitude and then Argentina at home.

And then there is Bolivia, perceived to be the weakest side, but with one big ally: the altitude of La Paz.There Bolivia play their home games 3,650 metres above sea level, and their 6-1 win over Argentina in 2010 qualifying proved just how big an advantage that can be.That means that even the poorest-performing side at the Copa America can dream of reaching the finals, even if away from home their lack of quality is likely to be exposed.