Whether your country breezed through qualifying unbeaten of squeaked in through a late play-off, every World Cup brings new hope of success... along with a new ball and of course, new kits.
Brazil 2014 will be no different, and with 32 countries eager to look like world beaters in South America in the coming summer, many will elect to bring out a new strip in a bid to claim glory on the grandest stage of all.
With many countries releasing their strips in the run up to the tournament, Sportsmail gives its assessment on each team's kits which you will see during the World Cup finals.
HOME KIT
There is only so much you can do with a striped design, so when in doubt keep it simple.
Luckily that is what exactly Argentina have done with their famous sky blue and white striped shirts, which for the World Cup will be complimented with black trim.
The only change for the summer is likely to be the shorts and socks. Although both black and white versions have been produced, it's the more unfamiliar latter which is set to be used in Brazil.
Depending on if Lionel Messi can improve his international performances - it could become an iconic strip if Argentina lift the World Cup for a third time when they make the short trip across the border.
Verdict: 7/10
Pull your socks up: Lionel Messi will hope he can star in Brazil and lead Argentina to a third World Cup
White over black: Tottenham's Erik Lamela (left)
and Real Madrid's Angel di Maria model the Argentina kit with white
shorts and socks
Pre-World Cup showing: Sergio Aguero helps take on Bosnia in a friendly wearing Argentina's new strip
BRAZIL
HOME KIT
No thrills as usual - it's yellow with green trim. They are colours that only Brazil can pull off (with a doff of the cap to Norwich as well) and that's where the flamboyance ends with the hosts in regards to their home strip.
All the glamour is likely to be on the pitch for Brazil, with Neymar, Paulinho and David Luiz helping reveal the kit made by long time suppliers Nike.
It may even be the final occasion we see the famous yellow and green combination. The last time Brazil hosted the World Cup they lost the final and ended up ditching their all-white strip for their current scheme. A precedent has been set...
Verdict: 7/10
Looking sharp: Neymar takes centre stage with David Luiz (centre right) and Thiago Silva (centre left)
Dapper: The Nike kit comes in the classic yellow with green trim and five stars
Time to shine? Luiz Felipe Scolari believes his Brazil team can win a sixth trophy on home soil
COLOMBIA
HOME KIT
It's been a long time since we saw Colombia appear at the World Cup - in fact we haven't seen them since David Beckham's free-kick helped dump them out at France '98.
But after a 16 year absence, the South Americans are back and with star forward Radamel Falcao, have a World Cup kit that appears to have 'go faster stripes' - scientifically proven to make cars go faster (not actually proven.)
Sadly for Cololmbia, the stripes are not added to make the players run faster, but are instead a reference to the nation's dynamics and speed (apparently) in what is otherwise a very good effort from maker's adidas.
The back of the neck features a hashtag reading #UnidosPorUnPais which translates as united for a nation.
Verdict: 7/10
Hand on heart: James Rodriguez models the Colombia home shirt along with Abel Aguilar
Full design: The Colombia strip will have white shorts and socks with navy blue and yellow trim
Stripes: Colombia's home shirt features stripes on the front but a plain back with a 'united for a nation' hashtag
FRANCE
HOME KIT
Do we detect a touch of arrogance from the French? Despite being 2-0 down after the first leg to Ukraine in a play-off tie, plans were already in place to release France's World Cup strip after the return leg in Paris.
Credit to France is due though as they backed up their optimism. While qualification celebrations were in full swing after coming back to defeat Ukraine, Nike unveiled the strip which Didier Deschamps' team will wear in the summer.
It's likely to go down well with traditionalists. A blue shirt is matched with white shorts and red socks to represent the nation's 'tri-colore'
The new France home shirt features a new 1958 crest which reflects players’ feedback of wanting to 'feel the history of our country'.
Verdict: 8/10
Unveiling: Franck Ribery, Blaise Matuidi, Yohan
Cabaye and Raphael Varane (L-R) model the new France kit for the World
Cup Finals
Back to basics: France's kit features an old style crest and colours taken from the 'tri-colore'
GERMANY
HOME KIT
Clearly smarting over England stealing their basic template for a national team strip, Germany have done what they do best and have just gone ahead and done something better anyway.
Using the likes of Mesut Ozil and Thomas Muller to help model the new kit, adidas have taken a big departure from recent designs by placing a red chevron on the front of the kit which loosely has black and yellow trim to represent the colours of the national flag.
Joachim Low's team are one of the favourites heading into Brazil and whether they win their first World Cup since 1990 or bowl out of the group stage in huge embarrassment they will at least look good doing it
Verdict: 9/10
In control: Arsenal's Mesut Ozil (left) shows off the new Germany kit with Schalke's Julian Draxler
Incoming: Ozil and Draxler combined ball skills in promoting the Germany kit at the Allianz Arena
On the road to Rio: Thomas Muller (centre) Draxler (right) and a Germany fan helped reveal the new strip
New design: Germany's strip is a breakaway from previous kits
IRAN
HOME KIT AND AWAY KIT
Don't expect to see Iran progressing far in the tournament, but even if the team fails to progress beyond the group stage, at least they will be wearing classy kits.
Made by German manufacture Uhlsport, the home and away strips were jointly unveiled at the Olympic Hotel in Tehran and display a unique touch with an image of an Iranian cheetah stitched into the front of the kit.
We haven't seen something like that since the 1990s but it looks great. It's a shame Uhlsport are only supplying Iran for the World Cup, as this unique touch is certainly welcome.
Verdict (both kits): 9/10
Round of applause: Members of the Iran team clap at the unveiling of their World Cup kits
On display: Meysam Joudaki (left) and Mohammad Reza Bazaj hold up the Iran home shirt
Away version: Meysam Joudaki (left) and Mohammad Reza Bazaj hold up the Iran away shirt
JAPAN
HOME KIT
Apart from the hosts, Japan were the first side to qualify for Brazil 2014 back in June so they have had enough time to prepare a half-decent kit for their fifth successive World Cup.
Don't be fooled by the glum look of Shinji Kagawa, who helped unveil the strip, as this is a very decent effort from adidas who have kept the shirt neat and tidy but added unique touches too.
With a country also known as the 'land of the rising sun', it's a nice touch to have the badge having an effect that has a light-like glow emitting from it.
Verdict: 8/10
Cheer up, Shinji! Japan's kit was modelled by Shinji Kagawa, who looked less than pleased with the strip
MEXICO
HOME KIT
One of the last teams to qualify for the World Cup but also one of the first to wear their new strip ahead of the tournament.
Mexico were still trying to qualify for Brazil 2014 when they defeated Panama 2-1 in October. After stumbling through qualification, they may now have a strip which has at least provided a positive omen for the team.
It's just as well it is getting results too as the actual design is not one of adidas' best. The two tone green is a little clumsy while the white and red zig-zag lines would have been out-of-date at USA '94.
Verdict: 5/10
Star man: Manchester United's Javier Hernandez
wears Mexico's new World Cup kit and the Central Americans will hope the
Manchester United striker can spearhead their Brazil 2014 campaign
RUSSIA
HOME KIT
One problem of keeping nearly kit every basic with strict guidelines is you begin to find some countries having kits looking very similar to that of their rivals at the tournament.
It's been hard to keep up with Russia over the years as they have gone from white to light red and now a shade of maroon as their home strip for the World Cup.
The only trouble is that with the gold trim, Russia are going to look very much like Spain during the tournament - although the home strip does feature Moscow’s Kosmonauts Museum on the front in a darker shade of maroon.
It may be the only time Fabio Capello's side look like world beaters judging by the Italian's last attempt at World Cup glory with a certain England side back in South Africa in 2010.
Verdict: 8/10
Similar to Spain? Russia's World Cup kit shares many traits with that of Spain
SPAIN
HOME KIT
Will this kit be the one that sees Spain become double world champions, or just a team that turned up in Brazil looking more like Turkey?
Gone are the navy blue shorts and socks and in comes an all-red number for Spain as they break from a traditional design in an attempt to defend their world crown.
Rivals will be hoping that the team's skill and talent will have been disposed of along with the secondary navy colour but Spain are still going to look the part in Brazil - and that goes for kit design as well as having world class players.
The gold trim looks excellent on the all-red strip - as does the golden badge to mark them as world champions.
Verdict 9/10
All together now: The Spain team show off their new kit at Compac Theatre in Madrid
Andres Iniesta, Xabi Alonso, Pedro Rodriguez (left) and Sergio Ramos (front) and Jesus Navas (right)
Line-up: (top row, left-right) Santi Cazorla, Navas, Jose Reina, Victor Valdes, Iniesta and Pedro. (bottom row,
left-right) Alberto Moreno, Ramos, Iker Casillas, David Villa and
Alonso.
The shirt fits: Spain's new kit features a traditional red shirt, but has ditched the usual blue shorts and socks
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