"The tournament was bittersweet because of the nature of Italy's win over us. To lose because one of their players fell over in the last minute was very tough. Overall, the World Cup has really raised the profile of the game in Australia. There were big screens up in the cities and cars were driving around with Australia flags.

I definitely won't be following Italy in the final. They fall over too much for my liking."

Jeroen Pijpelink (IT staff, Holland):

"Before the tournament I had my doubts if the Netherlands would make it through the first round.

Achieving that, and with a relatively young team, was very good. Robben and Van Persie looked like especially bright prospects. Unfortunately we showed our inexperience versus Portugal. The team should have stuck to playing football instead of getting dragged into a battle of provocation and bad refereeing."

Christina Aguilera (dance instructor, Argentina):

"We had hoped to win the tournament but the team still got a good reception back in Argentina. The Brazilian team got a very bad reception but we believe in supporting our team. I am the only Argentine in Tralee but plenty of people were wearing jerseys.

Everybody in Argentina will be following Italy because there is a big Italian community in Argentina.

Lots of our players are descendants of Italian immigrants . . . Crespo, Cambiasso, even Maradona."

Phil Norton (works in investment, England):

"I enjoyed 60 seconds of the World Cup . . . Gerrard scoring against Trinidad and Tobago . . . but aside from that the entire tournament was hell. We had the potential to do well, even if we don't have any tournament pedigree. I think that if we did have a 'golden generation' of players, Sven ruined it. Sven walking away with £25m after five years in the job is the great football swindle. It's hard to follow England in Ireland because you can't wear your jersey and you can't shout in the pubs, aside from Temple Bar. I think a lot of Irish people wanted England to stay in the tournament until the semis just to keep up interest, but they certainly didn't want us to win it."

Moses Eboigbe (service worker, Ghana):

"It is unbelievable in Ghana at the moment, the World Cup is all people are talking about. The players were given a heroes' welcome when they came home. It was our first ever World Cup and even to get out of the group was a huge achievement. I think we were quite unlucky to go out against Brazil. I think if Essien was not suspended the result might have been different.

The World Cup has really helped football in Ghana; hopefully we can improve with time."

Luda Korol (artist, Ukraine):

"I went back to Ukraine just before the tournament and the atmosphere was crazy. The players are all very famous, especially Shevchenko. I thought we did well, even if everybody was saying that the Ukraine v Switzerland game was the most boring match of the tournament. It was our first World Cup so to get to the quarter-finals was very good."

Lourdes Chasco Albeniz (clerical officer, Spain):

"It finally looked like the Spanish team would live up to our hopes and do something in a World Cup, only to let us down and return home early once again. We were so sure. At least this time, though, it wasn't the same old story . . . Spain tried hard and played well but France simply put in a better performance on the night. Disappointment isn't as deep as other years. We have a talented, young team and are sure to be back."

Ernst Balzli (embassy staff, Switzerland):

"The Swiss are a very young team and they performed very well.

They came top of their group but unfortunately I think the players were too nervous when it came to the Ukraine game. The European Championships are being held in Switzerland and Austria in two years and we hope our team will have matured by then and will do very well. Four languages are spoken in Switzerland and I think people who speak French will follow France and people who speak Italian will follow Italy. " Hugo Camacho (cafe proprietor, Mexico):

"We are a very small community in Ireland and it was wonderful to get all the Mexicans together for the games. Watching the matches was like being at home.

We had around 30 Mexicans in my cafe in Dublin. I thought we played well and were unlucky to go out to Argentina. The cafe was packed for that game, even some Brazilians came in to cheer for Mexico! People were happy to see Argentina go out because the two countries have a football rivalry which goes back to 1986, when Argentina won the World Cup in Mexico. I don't think Mexicans mind who wins today."

Steven Cleary (embassy staff, Ecuador):

"We were very happy with how Ecuador performed.

What was even more surprising was how ill-prepared RTE was.

When we beat Poland all their analysis was about how Poland lost rather than how we won. They didn't know anything about us and hadn't done their homework at all.

I think we played very well in the group games and we were unlucky to go out because England were quite poor."

Fernando Colombo (waiter, Brazil):

"I'm devastated. I can't believe it.

Everybody in Brazil expected to win the tournament. I think what went wrong is that the players are too rich and too famous. We should play younger players who would actually try their best. When the players returned home, everybody in the airport started throwing tomatoes at them and booing. I was so confident that we would win the tournament that I booked flights to Germany three weeks ago. I'll be in Berlin for the final. I hope Italy win because that is twice France have ended our World Cup."

Henrik Le Cleach (IT staff, Sweden):

"The World Cup is like a national party in Sweden, life stands still during the tournament. We had very high expectations for this Swedish team because we have a lot of good players. I thought we played well against England, and all my Irish friends were very happy with that performance. We had hoped for better and we didn't play well against Germany. The referee in that game was very unfair too. I am half French so I'll be hoping that France win. I support Sweden, then France, then Ireland, so at least one of them made the final."

Ingmar Stahl (IT staff, Germany):

"We were disappointed not to be in the final but overall people are still very happy with how Germany performed. People did not expect much from the team but they played very well, so we are all still in a very good mood with them. I was in Germany for a few matches and the atmosphere was incredible.

It was so amazing to see so many people from so many different countries all there to enjoy themselves. People are very happy with how we staged the tournament."

Vasco Pita (embassy staff, Portugal):

"I think we played better than France in the semi-final but unfortunately we couldn't score and they could. Our game against Holland was controversial but I thought the referee was very bad.

People in Portugal love [Phil] Scolari; he is a very strong man and he gives the players confidence."

Final endangers Franco-Italian relations in the workplace

ONE of them is going to have to go. For workmates Erwan Kermarrec and Omar Brunelli, today's World Cup final is not just about national pride, it is about job security.

"I will have to find a new job if Italy win, " laughs Frenchman Kermarrec, as his Italian colleague looks on. "But Italy won't win, Zidane will lift the trophy."

According to Brunelli, his friend may as well start looking for new employment. "Italy will win, there is no doubt in my mind. One nil to Italy."

Fellow Italian Ricardo Langili, who also works in Enoteca Delle Langhe restaurant in Dublin's Italian quarter, is equally as confident: "Italy are too good for France, the World Cup is coming to Italy."

Across the city on Baggot Street, the stakes are just as high. Florence-born Tanya Riccioni, who works in Unicorn restaurant, believes in the Azzurri:

"I didn't think we had a chance before the tournament began, but now I am certain of success."

The French staff of Rubicon, located directly across the road, are having none of it. Guilliaume Arthur, Jean-Romain Beraud and Yoann Blot say the trophy is going to Paris.

PhD student Sandrine Laurand sides with her countrymen: "The players want to win it for Zizou, " she says. "And they will."