The readers have spoken: Spain is set to win this year's soccer World Cup in South Africa. (See Reader Poll: Who Will Win the World Cup?)

The Iberian nation has attracted 19.2 percent of your votes so far, some ways ahead of Brazil in second place (14.3 percent) and England (with 10.3 percent of voters showing either poor judgment or a tragic home-nation allegiance that will only end in disappointment).

The Ohio State Buckeyes held up well with an encouraging 2.2 percent.

Cast your vote here.

Backing Spain, though, defies history, according to Tarcisio Ribeiro, the new VP and general manager of Europe, Middle East, and Africa at Tellabs Inc. (Nasdaq: TLAB; Frankfurt: BTLA), who engaged in some World Cup banter with Light Reading this week.

He's Brazilian, so is naturally backing his home nation to win, but he believes the winner will likely come from the rather select group of nations that have previously lifted the trophy. It's nearly always one of a small group that lifts the trophy, and Spain has never won the World Cup before. (He pointed this out after I chose Spain as my favorite.)

Ribeiro's colleague, EMEA senior marketing manager Sonny Waheed, isn't sticking with his home team, though. He's English, but is ignoring his heart and instead going with his head, which tells him Germany will prevail. And he hadn't even been drinking.

Find out which other teams are being backed by industry executives in our Light Reading TV special, 2010 World Cup Predictions.

— Ray Le Maistre, International Managing Editor, Light Reading