It's almost time. It was a great group stage, and a good win in the round of 16. But that's all in the past now. Now there are eight teams left, and we are one. We are in the elite, alongside our brothers from South America: Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina, and along with European giants Germany, Holland and Spain. We're one of the big boys. And yet, we have been given a draw that has to be thought of as fairly easy.

Uruguay have done it - won Group A and advanced to the Round of 16. As was always expected, winning the group means avoiding Argentina, as the Albiceleste have comfortably won their own group. If anyone hasn't been keeping score at home, South America is dominating this World Cup so far.

You could forgive South African fans feeling slightly deflated after this game, with many even struggling to muster enough enthusiasm to blow on their vuvuzela horns come the end of the game. After such a glorious opening ceremony, with all the excitement and drama that came with it, this felt more like a Sunday league pub game, the morning after a fairly heavy stag do. And knowing Raymond Domenech that is perhaps not out of the question.

The 23 men who will have the honor of wearing the Uruguay shirt in South Africa have been announced, and are preparing for the opener against the French. Striker Jorge Martinez was hoping to impress this summer ahead of a proposed move to Lazio but coach Oscar Tabarez has left him out of the Uruguay squad all together, relying on the in form Diego Forlan and Luis Suarez instead. Surprise call ups to the provisional squad for Jorge Rodriguez and Alvaro Gonzalez also ended in disappointment as both missed out on a final 23 place.