By Tim Vickery BBC Sport Online

Back in June it looked like being a good year for South American football.

With the continent's support, Sepp Blatter was re-elected as Fifa president.

Then Ronaldo's goals in South Korea and Japan put South America ahead of Europe by nine World Cup wins to eight.

Armed with prestige on the pitch and political influence off it, South America fully expected to be awarded five places in the 2006 World Cup.

Last week they were cut down to four.

It is a cruel blow because it effectively entails the loss of two places.

The one available through a play-off with the champions of Oceania has gone, and holders Brazil will have to fight for a place which would have been freed for someone else.

As South America limped away to lick its wounds, it was forced to admit that size does indeed matter.

Anything the continent does on or off the field is dwarfed by the fact that the South American Federation only has ten members. Even Oceania has more.

The sad truth is that in the game of numbers South America can be ignored. The continent has become a victim of its own success.

The World Cup is a South American creation, brought to life after Uruguay unleashed a wave of enthusiasm with a new, balletic style which took them to Olympic gold in 1924 and 28.

Havelange has been an important figure

On the back of such triumphs Uruguay took it upon itself to organise the inaugural World Cup in 1930.

From that point on the continent's best players have been football's global stars.

From Andrade and Schiaffino, through Garrincha and Pel�, Di Stefano and Maradona all the way to Ronaldo, South American style captivated millions.

Then there is Jo�o Havelange. Whatever his faults, the Brazilian administrator brought an end to the cosy European club when he became Fifa president in 1974.

The World Cup was doubled to include 32 nations, a powerful incentive for the growth of football in Africa, Asia and North America.

South America, then, has done more than any continent to turn football into the global phenomenon it is today.

But in consequence it has just 10 votes in a global assembly of over 200.

In proportional terms it is over-represented on Fifa's Executive Committee. Even so, three votes out of 24 still leaves South America short of political strength.

Qualifying format

Having only 10 countries has other implications. It means that, unlike Europe or Africa or Asia, there is no need for qualifiers for South America's regional tournament, the Copa America.

Therein lies the logic behind the continent's marathon World Cup qualifying format, where all 10 countries play each other home and away.

Despite internal and external pressure for change, South America voted to retain the format earlier this month.

The reason is clear - it is all they have.

Fifa are considering South America's request to start the process next August - six months ahead of the rest of the world.

Should it be turned down it would condemn the continent to over two years without competitive international football.

And that would surely be one blow too many for the unhappy few from South America.