SEPT 7 — The European qualification process for the World Cup Finals in Brazil entered the final straight on Friday night, and at this stage it appears all the familiar old faces will make serene progress into next summer’s South American festivities.

In particular, reigning champions Spain, 2010’s runners-up the Netherlands and perennial challengers Germany and Italy are very well positioned to seal their places.

Spain did the hard work in their group in March, when they gained a hard-fought 1-0 victory against France in Paris, ensuring Vicente Del Bosque’s all-conquerors only need to win their remaining final three games to be certain of their place.

They fulfilled the first stage of that task last night, winning 2-0 in Finland thanks to a lovely goal from Jordi Alba and a late strike from Alvaro Negredo after being set up by Manchester City teammate Jesus Navas. Only next month’s home games against Belarus and Georgia now stand in Spain’s way and it’s hard to see how they will slip up from here.

The Netherlands have probably been the most impressive team so far in the qualification process, starting their campaign by storming to six consecutive victories whilst scoring 20 goals and conceding only two.

Their 100 per cent record came to an end last night as they sneaked a 2-2 draw against Estonia thanks to a last-minute penalty from Robin van Persie, but that minor setback shouldn’t cause any particular problems.

Tuesday night will provide three more points courtesy of a trip to Andorra (which is really a ski resort rather than a country) and a home game against Hungary in October will allow the Dutch to secure their progression.

Across the border, the Netherlands’ old foes Germany are also in an unassailably strong position thanks to a routine 3-0 victory in last night’s “local derby” against Austria courtesy of goals from Miroslav Klose, Toni Kroos and Thomas Muller.

Sweden kept themselves in the hunt with a hard-fought victory against the almost certainly eliminated Republic of Ireland (a loss that could signal the end of Giovanni Trappatoni’s spell in charge of the Irish), but Germany remain five points clear with just three games remaining and the luxury of a trip to the Faroe Islands coming up on Tuesday. It would be a major surprise if Joachim Low’s team fails to win the group now.

Italy did it the Italian way last night, sneaking a 1-0 home win over Bulgaria to put themselves within one more win of guaranteed qualification thanks to the Czech Republic’s shock home defeat against Armenia.

Italy have never looked particularly good despite maintaining an unbeaten record throughout the seven games of their qualification campaign, but they never really start to perform until it matters. Expect them to progress well into the knockout stages once again next summer.

And what of England? Last night’s 4-0 victory over Moldova with goals from Danny Welbeck (2), Ricky Lambert and Steven Gerrard was straightforward enough, but far bigger challenges lie ahead in a tough group also containing Poland, Ukraine and Montenegro, who have further complicated the process for Roy Hodgson’s men by becoming one of the biggest surprise packages in the group stage.

England now face a must-not-lose away trip to Ukraine on Tuesday before finishing off with home games against Montenegro and Poland in October, so plenty of pitfalls lie in wait and it would be no surprise if the Three Lions have to settle for a place in the play-offs.

One thing for certain is that, if they do make it, England will be the only British representatives in Brazil next year.

Wales and Scotland are scrapping it out for last place in Group A after last night’s respective defeats against Macedonia and Belgium, who could well prove to be the competition’s dark horses thanks to the emergence of a glut of gifted youngsters.

And Northern Ireland, having last month caused a minor sensation by beating Russia in Belfast, last night reverted to type by finding themselves on the receiving end of a Cristiano Ronaldo hat-trick in a 4-2 defeat against Portugal.

The only big-name strugglers in Europe are France, whose problems in front of goal continued with a desperately disappointing 0-0 draw against Georgia.

Les Bleus have scored just eight goals in their six qualifying games to date, with star striker Karim Benzema enduring a barren run that stretches back all the way to a friendly victory against Estonia last June — 16 games ago.

The answer to France’s goal-scoring problems could well be right under their noses in the form of highly talented young Real Sociedad striker Antoine Griezmann, who has been one of the most in-form strikers in Europe over the last few months.

There’s only one problem: Griezmann is currently serving an international ban imposed by the French Federation after he broke a curfew whilst on Under 21 duty last season. So unless Benzema perks up soon, France could well fail to make the plane to Brazil.

* This is the personal opinion of the columnist.