Form and Prospects
Chile finished third in the South American qualifiers, behind Argentina and Colombia, and a great spell in the final stages turned them into a respected and sometimes feared team with players such as Arturo Vidal, Alexis Sanchez and Eduardo Vargas all on top form.
Some former players and analysts believe this could be the best Chile side ever, with the likes of Sanchez and Vidal and a tactical discipline not often seen in the team from the far west of the continent.
Chile won 10 of 15 games played in 2013 and lost just two: against Peru in the qualifiers in March and this month in a friendly against their bogey team Brazil.
Among their victories was their excellent 2-0 win over England at Wembley with a stunning two-goal performance from Sanchez.
This campaign has many Chileans dreaming of going beyond the last 16, the stage where they said goodbye to the World Cup in their last two appearances in 1998 and 2010. Chile were third as hosts in 1962.
Chile have outstanding attacking skills with Sanchez and Vargas, but coach Jorge Sampaoli must resolve a recurring problem: an unstable back line that shows fragility when they play against the big guns.
While goalkeeper Claudio Bravo is sure of his place, the defence sometimes shows a vulnerability that is the main aspect Sampaoli must work on if he wants to be the man to take Chile to the later stages of the competition after a 50 year gap.
In midfield, Eugenio Mena is a regular and played 14 times in Chile's 15 matches this year. Juventus player Vidal is another regular and a symbol of the team along with Sanchez.
Coach: Jorge Sampaoli
The 43-year old coach was hired in December 2012 to replace fellow Argentine Claudio Borghi.
A two-year spell in charge of local side Universidad de Chile, winning three league titles and the Copa Sudamericana (South America's Europa League equivalent), earned him the respect of the local fans because of his inalienable attacking game and his confessed admiration for compatriot Marcelo Bielsa, who took Chile to the last 16 at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Sampaoli likes a 3-3-1-3 tactical diagram and his teams have a tradition of stifling pressing and fast progression on the pitch. He is a quiet man who gives few exclusive interviews and has a distant but polite relationship with the press.
His arrival turned Chile from a lopsided team with behaviour problems into a respected side. After he took command, Chile won five matches out of seven in the qualifiers, with one draw and one defeat.
Sampaoli was the mastermind behind the returns to the team of Jorge Valdivia and David Pizarro after a long absence. Valdivia was out for almost two years for indiscipline, while Pizarro came back this year after an eight-year absence.
Key player: Alexis Sanchez
Barcelona forward Sanchez has become a fundamental player for Chile and after a long drought in 2012, has emerged as the key player this year.
"El Nino Maravilla" (Wonder boy) Sanchez, 24, scored eight times this year for Chile, seven in his last eight appearances with the team.
With him Chile have an enviable weapon that guarantees goals, explosive attack and a headache prospect for rival defenders. His attacking skills and vision are a trademark of the Chilean team.
With his double at Wembley, Sanchez leapfrogged fellow forward Humberto Suazo and is now fifth in the list of all time top-scorers for Chile with 22 goals, 15 short of Marcelo Salas.
After the match at Wembley, England forward Wayne Rooney said: "Sanchez is a great player. He's got everything to be one of the best players in the world".
How they qualified
Third, South American zone
World Cup record
Previous appearances: 8 (1930, 1950, 1962, 1966, 1974, 1982, 1998, 2010).
Best performance: Third 1962.
Odds
33-1.