Hodgson is not perturbed by lack of seeding

Roy Hodgson’s team qualified for the tournament on Tusday by finishing top of their group and have jumped seven places in the rankings to 10th, but it is not enough for them to make Pot One for the finals draw on December 6.

Hosts Brazil, who are 11th in the rankings, are automatically seeded, while Spain (first), Germany (second), Argentina (third), Colombia (fourth), Belgium (fifth) and Switzerland (seventh) are also definitely in the top pot.

Uruguay (sixth) will be the other seeded side if they beat Jordan in a two-legged play-off, but if the South Americans lose, the last seeding place will go to Holland, who are joint-eighth in the rankings with Italy.

Hodgson appears not to mind. “It’s pretty obvious we’re not favourites,” he said.

“The main contenders are Brazil, Argentina, Spain and Germany I guess.

“Is it possible for a European team to win in Brazil? They haven’t done yet but anything is possible, isn’t it?

England will play Chile and Germany at Wembley next month as they begin their World Cup preparations.

The fixtures were confirmed by the Football Association yesterday.

It will be England’s first meeting with Germany since the 2010 World Cup knockout round match in Bloemfontein, which Fabio Capello’s men lost 4-1, but only after Frank Lampard had what should have been awarded as an equalising goal disallowed.

The Germany game will take place on Tuesday, November 19.

Germany were the second visitors to the new Wembley in August 2007 and the fixture will be the final match of the FA’s 150th anniversary year.

Four days earlier, on Friday, November 15, Chile will provide the non-European opposition Hodgson had been hoping for.

With a match against Argentina falling through and Uruguay unavailable as they must face Jordan in their World Cup play-off match, the FA have booked Chile for their first visit since 1998, when two goals by Marcelo Salas gave them victory.

Chile completed a successful World Cup qualifying campaign with a 2-1 win over Ecuador to reach the finals for the ninth time.