It's not long now.

The row about ticketing policy is over along with an extended series of warm-up matches which have either raised hopes or diminished expectations.

The office sweepstakes have taken shape.

In a few short hours, at 12.30 p.m. Bermuda time, Ronaldo, or perhaps the less globally renowned Kevin Gallacher, Blackburn Rovers' tenacious Scottish striker, will set the ball in motion for the largest and most eagerly anticipated football extravaganza the planet has ever known.

A capacity crowd of 80,000 will watch the opening game of the World Cup between Scotland and Brazil at the Stade de France on the outskirts of Paris; another billion around the globe will be crowded around television sets.

By the end of the tournament, in a little over a month's time, that audience is expected to have swelled to a massive 37 billion for the total of 64 matches.

The amount of arguments that is likely to generate over who will win World Cup 98 -- the 16th and last this millennium -- would need an army of statisticians to estimate. Especially when you consider that some of the most respected pundits themselves can't decide on an outright winner.

Take Pele, for example.

"If I was a god and could decide who would win the World Cup, naturally it would be Brazil,'' said the former striker yesterday.

"But I like the look of Spain who I think have their best team for years.

"Raul is one of the best players in the world right now and I think Spain will do very very well, but I must admit that for the first time I can't decide who I think will be in the final.'' Take Alfredo DiStefano. An international for Argentina, Spain and Colombia over a period of almost 20 years from the 1940s, he admitted: "The World Cup is so open I could name all 32 countries as being in with a chance.'' Forced to narrow his selection down a bit, he opted for France, Brazil, Argentina, Spain, Germany and England.

Veteran of England's 1966 World Cup victory Sir Bobby Charlton, meanwhile, was equally non-commital.

"England, Spain, Germany, France, Holland, Italy, Yugoslavia, Croatia and Argentina are amongst the teams who could lift the title,'' he said, "although Brazil are the favourites. They play together so often they are almost like a club side. However, there may be a European side more organised than Brazil.'' Terry Venables, who led England to within a goalpost's width of the European Championship final in 1996, selects from a list comprising Argentina, Brazil, Germany, England, Spain and Holland.

"If you were going to pick eight teams, England would certainly be in there,'' said Venables who hopped away from Australia's Socceroos yesterday to take over the managerial hotseat at relegated Crystal Palace. "But I do like Argentina -- they look strong -- and Holland, but then I've been a fan of Dutch soccer for a long time.

"Germany I saw recently against Colombia and they look strong, although they do have one or two problem areas.

"And Spain have a very astute coach. He will change his tactics as necessary.'' There are, however, others prepared to stick their neck on the blocks.

One of those is Chelsea's Italian international Roberto Di Matteo. If his country doesn't triumph, he reckons England have every chance despite much publicised indiscipline within the camp involving Teddy Sheringham and the discarded Paul Gascoigne.

"You can't take that into account,'' he reasoned. "The English have always been a bit extravagant. But then they walk onto a football pitch and you see what they can do. They've shown that in the qualifying phase.'' Former Brazil defender Carlos Alberto, who captained his country to victory in the 1970 finals in Mexico, was equally adamant.

"It is simple, I think Brazil will win the World Cup because they are the best team,'' he said.

But a brief and unscientific straw poll of The Royal Gazette office showed no such precision.

Holland, Argentina, France, Nigeria, Jamaica, Brazil, Italy, South Africa and a possible Spain v England final were names thrown into the ring.

It promises to be that kind of tournament.

Enjoy.

More World Cup See Pages 21, 22, 23 PHOTO CUP COUNTDOWN -- Scottish soccer fans in Paris party outside the Eiffel Tower as they await today's World Cup opener between Scotland and defending champions Brazil. -- Reuter