Congratulations to Spain - FIFA 2010 World Cup Winners

Spanish skipper Iker Casillas lifts the FIFA World Cup trophy aloft as he celebrates his sides 1-0 extra-time victory over the Netherlands in Johannesburg tonight.

Andres Iniesta (right) struck a dramatic winner four minutes from the end of extra time to give Spain World Cup glory for the first time, and in turn condem the Netherlands to their third defeat in a final, following defeats to the host nations in 1974 and 1978.
European 2008 champions Spain deserved their victory, after gradually taking a grip on a tense and bad-tempered contest which saw referee Howard Webb produce 14 yellow cards, including the dismissal of Dutch defender Johnny Heitinga, sent off for a second bookable offence, seven minutes before Iniesta drilled home the only goal of the game.

Teams:

Spain:
01 Casillas Capt.
03 Pique
05 Puyol (booked)
11 Capdevila (booked)
15 Sergio Ramos (booked)
06 Iniesta (booked)
08 Xavi (booked)
14 Alonso (Fabregas, 87)
16 Busquets
07 Villa (Torres, 105)
18 Pedrito (G Jesus Navas, 60)

Netherlands:

01 Stekelenburg
02 Van Der Wiel (booked)
03 Heitinga (sent-off)
04 Mathijsen (booked)
05 Van Bronckhorst Capt. (booked) (Braafheid, 105)

06 Van Bommel (booked)
08 De Jong (booked) (Van der Vaart, 99)

10 Sneijder
07 Kuyt (Elia, 70)
09 Van Persie (booked)
11 Robben (booked)

Venue: Soccer City, Johannesburg, Referee: Howard Webb, Attendance: 84,490

Argentina set for more World Cup glory - World Cup Betting News with Betfred

VERSUS

You can be sure there will be a huge flood of support across England for Argentina on Saturday as they pray that Diego Maradona's side thrash Germany.

After the Germans swept past England in the last round, fans across the country will be keeping their fingers crossed that Lionel Messi and co. can stop the old enemy from progressing any further. Argentina are priced at World Cup odds of 11/8 to win their quarter-final clash in 90 minutes on Saturday in Cape Town.

One man determined to step up and smack in some goals against the Germans is Carlos Tevez, a striker revered in England for his full-blooded displays in the Premier League for West Ham, and for both of the red and blue halves of Manchester.

The City striker scored two goals, one controversial and one sensational, in the last round and is likely to line-up with Messi and Gonzalo Higuain in an attacking Argentinean line-up.

The form that Tevez and Higuain have shown so far mean they sit at 11/4 and 14/1 respectively to win the World Cup Golden Boot and the 26-year-old Manchester City striker has said that he will "give everything" on Saturday in Cape Town to help his side progress.

"Why not think I can be a champion? Every night, I do," Tevez went on to tell the Clarin Media Group, publishers of the largest newspaper in Argentina.
"I have a hunger for glory so great that I cannot imagine the great sadness there would be without the cup. I could not bear to lose on Saturday."

Tevez certainly sounds like a man who is going to give everything to succeed at the weekend and is 11/2 to score the first goal with Betfred.

However, Messi has done everything but score at the World Cup so far and 4/1 that his luck changes and he scores first could be seen as a good World Cup bet by many football fans.

My Tip Of The Weekend:

I expect it to be a very close game. Four years ago a quarter-final between them went to penalties - and there is every likelihood of it going to extra time this year, so I'm backing Argentina to win over 120 minutes at 8/1.

World Cup 2010 Quarter-Final: Argentina v Germany - Saturday 3rd July, kick-off 3pm GMT

By Drew Swainston
(Guest writer from Betfred on behalf of Beer Footy and Birds!)

Missing! - Has Anyone Seen Zakumi, the Official World Cup Mascot?

For the last four decades the FIFA World Cups have had unique mascots for the different tournaments and the tradition continues this year with Zakumi.

Zakumi is the official mascot for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

The green-haired leopard symbolizes the hopes and dreams of South Africa and the African continent through his self-confidence, pride, hospitality, social skills and warm-heartedness. He is lively, fervent, jovial, and a go-getter. He also loves football.

According to the official International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) website - "one thing is for sure, Zakumi will be first on the dancefloor and last off it at the biggest party in the world - the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa."

How Zakumi Got His Name:
Zakumi’s name comes from ZA, which is the international code for South Africa, and ‘kumi’ which means ‘ten’ in various African languages, making him a truly African mascot who will be the best host to all the fans visiting South Africa for the exciting football event.

The Importance of Zakumi’s Birth Date:
Although Zakumi was presented to the world on 22 September 2008, his birthdate is 16 June 1994, causing him to turn 16 in June 2010. This is an important day for South Africa, now celebrated annually as Youth Day, because it saw the beginning of the Soweto youth uprising as they protested against apartheid. The year 1994 is also an important year as it marks the first democratic vote for all people in the nation. Zakumi, therefore represents South Africa’s hopes and dreams.

However with the tournament into its third week I have yet to speak to anybody who has actually seen this character out and about performing his hosting duties - whether it be in person at a game, on or around the streets of any stadium, on billboards, through the media, or simply on our television screens!

Have YOU seen Zakumi?
Does Zakumi really exist?
Perhaps Zakumi has been abducted or kidnapped, and is being held to ransom!

If you have spotted Zakumi let me know when and where?

Could a Simple Chemistry Lesson be at the Heart of a Winning Formula for England at the World Cup?

=

AIM:

To win a football match, by way of scoring more goals than the opposing side, and in doing so by keeping within the laws of the game.

APPARATUS:

a) 16 players (11 of whom must only be on the field of play at the start of the game)
b) Management team + a bench
c) Matching shirts + shorts + socks (players must provide their own footwear)
d) Seeded grass area with the appropriate markings in white paint
e) Two standard sized goals with netting
f) One official 'Jabulani' adidas ball
g) Flags on sticks
h) One referee + whistle + watch + coloured cards
i) Two assistant referees + flags
j) One further official + display board
k) Crowd of paying spectators (optional)

METHOD:

Manager:

1/ Pick one goalkeeper, 4 defenders, 3 or 4 midfield players and 2 or 3 strikers, up to a maximum of 11 players. There is no limit to how many players you can pick from any one club.

2/ Use a tactical formation familiar to the squad selected for the tournament. We shall call this 'Plan A.'
Do not be afraid to experiment if necessary.

3/ Prepare for different scenarios on the training pitch to accommodate even the unlikeliest of events. Remember practice makes perfect

4/ Have a 'Plan B' in case Plan A is not working.

5/ Name your starting XI more than two hours before kick-off. For example, tell them over breakfast (Continental or English style) on the day of a game that starts at 3pm.

6/ Be open with YOUR players. Express your opinions and thoughts to them, and in turn allow them to convey their views and share with you any underlying issues they may have. Bond with them as if they were your family.

7/ At the end of the day do NOT forget YOU are the boss!

Players:

1/ Once the game has begun, pass the ball to your fellow players (those in the same coloured shirts as yourself), rather than to the opponents.

2/ Move the ball in a forward direction whenever possible.

3/ Continue to play the ball back and forth to your team-mates until the final movement of the ball results in the (whole of the) ball crossing a white line painted between two upright sticks 12 yards apart. This is called a goal!

4/ Do your utmost to stop the opposition from doing likewise (legally of course).

5/ After a goal is scored YOU may then run around and celebrate in whatever fashion floats YOUR boat. Be warned - do NOT remove YOUR shirt in celebration or jump into the crowd. These are law breaking offences and could also result in injury. However YOU may perform acrobatics, themed dance routines, kiss, hug, point, cup your ear and shake your booty if you so wish.

6/ Remember a WAG is NOT for life, so sharing a WAG is at the owners discretion. Do NOT do to someone else what YOU would not like done to yourself. Be polite and always ask (JT) first!

RESULT:

Not known at the time of writing, as kick-off is still some 15 hours away. However the bookmakers odds are as follows:

England to win 4/9
Match Drawn 10/3
Slovenia to win 15/2

(Odds supplied courtesy of Betfred)

CONCLUSION:

An England win and they qualify for a place in the last 16.

Any other result and the express jet will be fuelled and ready to transport the 'prima donnas' to a safe house for their own protection, and a brown envelope containing a document labelled 'P45' will be winging its way to the Italian, Mr. 'not so fabio' Capello, c/o The FA, the governing body of association football in England.


Any questions???

VERSUS

Following England's horror show against the USA, someone needs to step up and carry the flag for the Three Lions and could that man be Wayne Rooney.

Fabio Capello's men face a crucial match against Algeria in Cape Town on Friday.



The World Cup odds make them 2/9 to win the game, while the draw is 11/2 with Betfred and, according to team-mate Matthew Upson, Rooney is the man to fire England to victory.



Upson, who hopes to replace the injured Ledley King in the heart of England's defence, has seen Rooney in training over recent weeks and is confident the goals will come for the Manchester United forward.



Rooney has scored only once in eight internationals over the past year, but remains a 12/1 shot in the World Cup 2010 betting to win the Golden Boot. However, if he wants to be top scorer he will need to start finding the back of the net, starting on Friday.



Upson claimed that despite Rooney's recent disappointing international scoring record, there is no need for the striker to panic and "start thinking" about the problem.



"It will happen. Wayne's movement is great. He is a class player and he is totally gifted," the West Ham defender said.



"He just needs to relax, play his game and the goals will come because he is top draw."



England fans could have received a great boost with the confirmation from Capello that Gareth Barry is back from injury and will start the Algeria clash.



The balance of the England side had looked a little off during the draw with the USA, but the return of Barry could give Frank Lampard more chance to push forward which means 7/4 for him to score at anytime could be a good bet.



My Tip of the Weekend:



England should rediscover their goalscoring boots against a sloppy looking Algeria side, so the 3-0 at 13/2 with Betfred is my pick. Over 2.5 goals also looks attractive at 4/5.



Remaining Group C games:



Slovenia v USA - Friday 18th June, kick-off 3pm, live on the BBC.

England v Algeria - Friday 18th June, kick-off 7.30pm, live on ITV.

England v Slovenia - Wednesday 23rd June, kick-off 3pm, live on the BBC.

USA v Algeria - Wednesday 23rd June, kick-off 3pm, live on the BBC.



By Drew Swainston

(Guest writer from Betfred on behalf of Beer Footy and Birds!)

More Butter Fingers than Green Fingers !

Now I would like to point out that due to work commitments I had to view last night's game intermittently at work on a small screen TV with the sound muted, and as of yet I have not listened to or read any broadcasting opinions, official interviews or press reports made since the final whistle of the England v USA game.

As a result this article is brief and written without any outside influence, so here we go!

England's history of starting major tournaments poorly continued with another rather uninspiring display last night, as they 'let slip' an early lead given to them courtesy of a serene Steven Gerrard strike, to share the spoils in a rather drab 1-1 draw with the United States in their opening group C match, on day two of the 2010 World Cup.

It may sound a bit premature with only five matches completed as I write, but the word 'uninspiring' seems prevalent thus far in football's showpiece event, with adventurous attacking flair playing second fiddle to some rather apathetic tactics, seemingly deployed and installed by managers into their players.
A psychological condition I am going to call for the time being anyway, the 'lose at no costs' syndrome.

Not for the first time last night England fell foul, largely due to yet another goalkeeping 'gaffe' that would rival any other previous goalkeeping faux pas made by the men between the sticks over the years. Is their some kind of goalkeeping style Masonic Club we are unaware of on these shores!

If there is should it read something like this:

"Ultimately, we are the same Freemasons that you have known throughout your life and all of history – a fun-loving Brotherhood of Charity, that is reflected in our works. We are dedicated to promoting good will in our local communities while at the same time promoting fun, unsafe and unreliable English goalkeepers."

Current members of our club include, Mr.Bonetti, Mr.Clemence, Mr.Seamen, Mr.Robinson, Mr.Carson. Now step forward Mr.Green who has himself thrown his own hat into the ring. However, full membership can only be achieved upon that individual being raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason...........

I digress. Moving on swiftly.
Robert Green in my opinion should not bare the sole brunt of the blame for our failure to beat the USA at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium near Rustenburg last night.
There are other candidates who's influence on our national team puts them well and truly in the line of fire! Not least the Football Association's own £6 million a year employee, our very own England manager, be he of Italian descent, Mr.Fabio Capello.

England qualified for the World Cup with aplomb, but since the end of the English domestic season, and the announcement of the provisional 30 man squad, we seem to have lost our way.

Three lacklustre warm-up matches prior to the tournament seem to throw the England circus out of formation.

I find some of Capello's behaviour and decision making of late somewhat unsettling. The manner in which he whittled down his squad of 30 to a final 23, the omission of certain players and the inclusion of others, along with the reported and I feel rather bizarre decision not to tell his squad who would be starting the game against the USA, until something like two hours before kick-off. Football is as much a mental game as a physical one, and I am not sure I agree with the wisdom of his methods of thinking!

Some may argue the phrase there is 'method in the madness,' but on this occasion I am not convinced the boss got it right!

Having said that, it is still early days, but if 'Fabio' wants to live up to his name, then he has some serious thinking and soul searching to do before Friday's must win encounter with Algeria.

Who will wear the goalkeeping jersey?
What formation should he play?
Should Rooney play as a loan striker?
Is there room for a fit Gareth Barry?
Who will make up the best centre-half pairing?
Should Lennon or Wright-Phillips provide the width?

Good luck Fabio, because ' your necky may well be on the blockey ' if the team fails to deliver on Friday!

Should England Fans Really Be Dreaming of World Cup Glory? - World Cup Betting News with Betfred

The World Cup adverts are already proclaiming a possible England win, the songs, good and bad, are flooding the charts and the kick off is drawing ever nearer.

A singing Terry Venables, advertising a leading tabloid newspaper, is claiming England fans should be dreaming of a possible World Cup win this summer. This hype seems to have gone to people's heads and is probably part of the reason why the World Cup football odds make England third favourites at 6/1 to win the World Cup. England are just 3/1 to reach the Final.

Rio Ferdinand, who had been named as England skipper (following John Terry's much publicised unsavoury off-field antics) has been ruled out of the entire tournament, following a knee injury picked up in training. Steven Gerrard has been handed the captain's armband in his absence, with Frank Lampard being appointed the new vice-captain. Gerrard however still believes the side can win the World Cup this summer, despite the loss of Ferdinand and the rather abject England performances in their recent warm-up games against Mexico and Japan.

Speaking to Prince William via a video link, the Liverpool midfielder claimed the team are focused on the task in hand.

"We're very disappointed about Rio, but by the time that first game comes around I'm sure the team will be fit and ready to win," he said.

Prior to his injury, Ferdinand stated that star striker Wayne Rooney will be crucial to England's hopes this summer and the Manchester United forward is 10/1 with Betfred to be top scorer in the World Cup.

England fans will be hoping the rest of the squad remain injury free and it is Gerrard who lifts the trophy in Johannesburg on July 11th.


My England Tip for the Tournament:

I expect England to carry on their recent tradition and exit at the quarter-final stage, an eventuality which is 10/3 with Betfred and possibly a more realistic World Cup bet than them actually winning the tournament.

Group C games:
England v United States - Saturday 12th June, kick-off 7.30pm, live on the ITV.
England v Algeria - Friday 18th June, kick-off 7.30pm, live on the ITV.
England v Slovenia - Wednesday 23rd June, kick-off 3pm, live on the BBC.

By Drew Swainston
(Guest writer from Betfred on behalf of Beer Footy and Birds!)

The Latest World Cup News

Ivory Coast captain Didier Drogba's participation in the World Cup is in serious doubt after he broke a bone close to his elbow.
The Chelsea striker, 32, picked up the injury 16 minutes into his side's 2-0 friendly win over Japan yesterday, in Saitama.
However coach Sven-Goran Eriksson said there was still a chance the talismanic Drogba could feature in South Africa.
"He got a bad injury and may have an operation, but he is not out. The doctors can't say any more than that," he told BBC Radio 5 live - BBC Sport

Nigeria suffered a blow just under a week away from the start of the World Cup as they announced that star midfielder John Obi Mikel had been left out of the squad because he did not want to aggravate a knee injury.
The 23-year-old Chelsea star will be replaced in the Nigeria squad by uncapped Brown Ideye, who plays for Sochaux in France - Fifa.com

Brazil have two injury worries in the shape of goalkeeper Julio Cesar and left-back Michel Bastos.
Cesar, 30, missed training for the second consecutive day on Friday and had intensive physiotherapy on the back injury he suffered in Wednesday's 3-0 win against Zimbabwe.
The 26-year-old Bastos damaged his ankle in training.
However, both players are expected to be fit for Brazil's opening fixture against North Korea on the 15th June - BBC Sport

New Zealand coach Ricki Herbert remains bullish about his side's chances at the World Cup despite going down 3-1 to Slovenia (Group opponents of England) in a warm-up match in Maribor on Friday.
Two excellent free-kicks from star Milivoje Novakovic, and a tap-in from Andraz Kirm was enough to see off the challenge from the All Whites, who saw Rory Fallon drive home their solitary goal - Fifa.com

Italy midfielder Andrea Pirlo faces a race against time to be fit for the finals after suffering a calf injury in Thursday's 2-1 friendly defeat to Mexico.
The 31-year-old will miss the World Cup holders' opener against Paraguay on the 14th June and there are fears he could be ruled out of the whole tournament.
The AC Milan playmaker has left the Azzurri's training camp in the Italian Alps to recover at home but is scheduled to fly to South Africa with the team on the 8th June.
"It's an injury which worries me but there's time," said team doctor Enrico Castellacci - BBC Sport

France suffered a shock 1-0 defeat against China in their final warm-up match on Friday.
China, who are ranked 84th in the world, scored the only goal in the friendly on Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean in the 68th minute.
France play Uruguay in their opening match on the 11th June and are hoping to avoid a repeat of their group-stage exit during Euro 2008 - BBC Sport

Chile striker Humberto Suazo may be forced to sit out the World Cup if he is deemed to have used a banned substance when trying to overcome injury, according to Chilean newspaper El Mercurio.
Having acquired a hamstring problem that threatened to rule him out of the competition in a friendly against Israel last Sunday, the powerful forward underwent a course of platelet injections, which have been proven to speed up the muscle healing process. These injections, however, may be illegal according to revised WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) rules.
The 29-year-old was in prolific form during the qualifying campaign, registering on 10 occasions to send the Chileans through as the second best team from South America.
Chile is appearing in its first World Cup since 1998, and faces Honduras in its opening Group H game on the 16th June - Goal.com

Holland coach Bert van Marwijk fears Arjen Robben may miss the World Cup after the winger suffered a hamstring injury against Hungary.
Robben appeared as a second-half substitute in today's friendly against Hungary and scored twice in the 6-1 romp before hurting his hamstring in the closing stages.
The Bayern Munich ace will undergo a scan on the problem on Sunday, meaning he will not travel with the rest of the Dutch squad to South Africa this evening.
Van Marwijk is hoping that Robben's injury will not prove serious enough to rule him out of the World Cup, but he is braced for the worst - Skysports.com

Denmark's injury problems are mounting.
Thomas Kahlenberg is set to miss Denmark's World Cup warm-up match against South Africa tomorrow.
The Wolfsburg midfielder is struggling with injury while Jon Dahl Tomasson is also doubtful for the match. The Feyenoord striker was absent from yesterday's training session and was to be assessed today.
Goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen, defender Simon Kjaer and striker Nicklas Bendtner are already missing as Denmark complete their preparations for their Group A matches against Holland, Cameroon and Japan - Fifa.com

The Latest World Cup News

Italy coach Marcello Lippi has dropped Juventus defender Fabio Grosso and Udinese midfielder Antonio Candreva from his World Cup squad ahead of a training camp this weekend and two warm up matches.
Grosso, 32 was a pivotal player for Italy in their World Cup success four years ago, while Candreva who made his international debut last November also misses out, after failing to shine in a poor Juventus side - ESPN Soccernet

Marcell Jansen remains on course to shake off a foot injury in time to make Germany's World Cup squad.
The Hamburg defender has been named in Joachim Low's 27-man preliminary party and is making is making encouraging progress, despite having been sidelined with the problem since March - Skysports.com

The Ghana Football Association says German midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng has been cleared to play for them.
This means the 23-year-old Portsmouth midfielder will be available to line up for the Black Stars at this summer's World Cup in South Africa.
Boateng was named in Black Stars coach Milovan Rajevac's 30-man squad for the finals despite the delay in his application to switch nationality - BBC Sport

Netherlands coach Bert van Marwijk has trimmed his provisional World Cup squad from 30 to 27 players.
PSV Eindhoven forward Otman Bakkal and midfielders Wout Brama (FC Twente) and David Mendes Da Silva (AZ Alkmaar) were all omitted.
Earlier in the week, van Marwijk omitted former Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy from his 30-man squad admitting he had doubts over his injuries - BBC Sport

Argentina coach Diego Maradona named a 23-man squad on Wednesday ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, dropping seven players from the provisional list named last week.
The seven men cut from the provisional squad are Newcastle defender Fabricio Coloccini, Newell's Old Boys defender Juan Manuel Insaurralde, Jose Sosa of Estudiantes, Olympiakos midfielder Jesus Datolo, Napoli forward Ezequiel Lavezzi, Lanus' Sebastian Blanco and Juan Mercier of Argentinos Juniors - Fifa.com

Brazil midfielder Kaka claims that he will be ready for the start of the World Cup, having struggled with form and fitness throughout the season for Real Madrid.
Kaka endured a groin problem and a thigh injury through parts of the season and he was the subject of criticism for the length of time it took him to get over the injuries, but now maintains he will be in peak condition for the World Cup - ESPN Soccernet

Gordon Banks believes David James should start in goal for England this summer, even though he has not been the most consistent performer in that position. The goalkeeper for England's World Cup-winning side of 1966 said that while Joe Hart had enjoyed the most impressive season and Robert Green had played well in a struggling side, experience would be a vital asset in South Africa - The Guardian

Danish goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen is confident about winning his fitness race for the World Cup.
The Stoke City shot-stopper thought he had blown his chances of featuring in South Africa after dislocating his elbow in the Premier League loss at Chelsea on 25th April.
But the Dane is now 'very optimistic' he will be ready for his country's opening Group E match against Holland on 14th June - Skysports.com

A History of Idiosyncratic Events in Football – Part Three

--------------World Cup Shock--------------

With the 2010 World Cup Finals in South Africa due to kick-off in less than 100 days, it is somewhat ironic that if we roll the tape back almost exactly 60 years to the day, to the World Cup Finals of 1950, a comparable fixture rears its head again for the England national team.

The opening match in Group C takes place on the 12th June in Rustenburg's Royal Bafokeng Stadium and sees England up against the United States, the first World Cup match-up between the two countries since the 1950 tournament in Brazil.

On the 29th June 1950 in Belo Horizonte, Brazil's third largest city the USA (below) beat England 1-0, and in doing inflicted one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history, then and still to this day !

At the time, the English considered themselves the "Kings of Football", with a post-war record of 23 wins, 4 losses, and 3 draws. Conversely, the Americans had lost their last seven international matches (including the 1934 World Cup and 1948 Summer Olympics).

The USA, who had no professional league to draw upon and whose star player was a Scotsman who had been released by Third Division Wrexham, were certainly not among the pre-tournament favourites!

The American team consisted of semi-professional players, most of whom had other jobs to support their families. Midfielder Walter Bahr was a high school teacher, and others worked as mail carriers or dishwashers.

England were expected to enjoy something akin to shooting practice and an easy victory was apparently assured.
However things did not run to plan. The Americans had not read the script and scored the game's only goal when Joe Gaetjens headed in their only chance.
The English quickly began to complain.........the crowd were too close, the pitch was too hard and bumpy, and the players were still tired from a long domestic season.

But the excuses could not disguise the fact that they had lost in humiliating fashion to a team of part-timers from a country which was largely uninterested in football/soccer.

England lost their next match and failed to qualify for the final round, finishing the first round with a record of one win and two defeats.

The USA also lost their next match versus Chile, ending their own 1950 World Cup run. They would not qualify again for the World Cup for another forty years, until Italia 1990.

Match details:
29th June 1950
18:00 BRT
United States 1 – 0 England, Estádio Independência, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Generoso Datillo (Italy)
Goalscorer: Gaetjens 38'


England Team:
GK: Bert Williams
DF: Alf Ramsey
DF: John Aston
DF: Billy Wright (c)
MF: Laurie Hughes
MF: Jimmy Dickinson
FW: Wilf Mannion
FW: Tom Finney
FW: Jimmy Mullen
FW: Stan Mortensen
FW; Roy Bentley
Manager: Walter Winterbottom

Interest in soccer within the United States has grown rapidly since the 1990's. This has been attributed to the fact that the 1994 FIFA World Cup was played in the United States, the first time the event was held in the U.S. This won the sport more attention from both the media and casual sports fans. As part of the United States' bid to host the World Cup in 1994, U.S. Soccer pledged to create a professional outdoor league for the first time since the collapse of the NASL a decade earlier. That effort culminated in the launch of Major League Soccer in 1996, which helped develop American players in a way that was not possible without a domestic league.

Many of these players competed in the 2002 FIFA World Cup, where the United States did surprisingly well, reaching the quarter-finals after beating arch rivals Mexico 2-0 in the round of 16, before narrowly losing 1-0 to the eventual runners-up Germany in the quarter-finals.

Since the early 1990's, many American men have found opportunities to play soccer at the highest levels of foreign leagues.

The following is a list of Americans playing in the English League's alone.
Others ply their trade in European leagues in the likes of Croatia, Denmark, Germany, France, Norway, Sweeden and Portugal.

In England's Premier League:

Cody Arnoux (Everton)
Landon Donovan (Everton)
Brad Friedel (Aston Villa)
Brad Guzan (Aston Villa)
Marcus Hahnemann (Wolverhampton Wanderers)
Tim Howard (Everton)
Clint Dempsey (Fulham)
Eddie Johnson (Fulham)
Eric Lichaj (Aston Villa)
Anton Peterlin (Everton)
Jonathan Spector (West Ham United)
Jozy Altidore (Hull City)
Stuart Holden (Bolton Wanderers)

In England's Football League Championship:

Jay Demerit (Watford)
Frank Simek (Sheffield Wednesday)

In England's Football League One:

Mike Grella (Leeds United)
Jemal Johnson (Milton Keynes Dons)
Ian Joyce (Southend United)
Jon-Paul Pittman (Wycombe Wanderers)
Zak Whitbread (Norwich City)

I have no doubt that England boss Fabio Capello will have his team primed and ready come the 12th June, and I fully expect England to win a tough opening game against the USA, and avoid a repeat of the events of 60 years ago!