Gallows humour after Germany World Cup defeat

Good to see the English have reacted to the latest World Cup defeat in time-honoured fashion – by making fun of ourselves and the team. In a hundred years time, historians assessing the period will conclude that whatever the indignity, however painful the suffering, the English just don’t do revolutions. We find comedy much more useful. It only takes a few minutes to think up a joke and, unlike revolutions or civil disorder, humour is relatively painless. Unless, that is, you’re on the receiving end of stories such as:

“Police are asking for witnesses tonight after an elderly black man had several shots fired at him from close range and was left badly shaken”.

“Several Germans were thought to be responsible and the victim, a Mr David James of Portsmouth, was taken to hospital with mild shock”.

“It is also alleged that at the time of the shootings ten bystanders looked on and did nothing to help Mr James”.

Or...

The England team went out to visit an orphanage on Saturday morning. “It's good to put a smile on the faces of people with no hope, constantly struggling and facing the impossible”, said Jamal Umboto, aged 6.

Or...

Video technology confirms England are very bad at football

And so to today’s final last 16 matches...

Paraguay v Japan (3pm)

Paraguay will definitely win this. Or Japan will. It’s 50/50. WIN for Japan.

Spain v Portugal (7.30pm)

Potentially one of the stand out matches of the tournament so far, which probably means it’ll be less exciting than Swiss Railway Journeys on Sky. Prove me wrong, you Iberian dandies. WIN for Spain.

The World Cup Bafana Bafana 2010 prediction success rate after yesterday’s games: 26/54

England World Cup 2010 special: looking ahead to Germany game

At last, a World Cup 2010 finals performance to be proud of: lots of chances, dynamic forward play, excellent defending, so many positives. England have given themselves a platform but sterner tasks now lie ahead.

And of course it had to be Germany, didn’t it? The old enemy, beaten in 1966 and then triumphant against us in subsequent World Cup matches (1970 and 1990).

Already you can hear the echoes of past defeats – the Germans are a knock out team, they’ll probably take us to penalties again etc etc.

Isn’t it about time we went into a game against Germany thinking more about whether we can win rather than the inevitability of defeat? England may as well go home now if they choose the latter course.

Yes, they are good; Oezil in particular is a major threat, and in Khedira they have unearthed a youthful successor to Michael Ballack. But Lahm aside, is the defence really that sound?

It’s all set up for a gripping Sunday afternoon. I personally can’t wait.

Who will join England in the last 16?

World Cup predictions for today’s final Group E and Group F games featuring Holland, Italy and Denmark

Slovakia v Italy (Johannesburg) 3pm

Prediction: DRAW

Paraguay v New Zealand (Polokwane) 3pm

Prediction: Paraguay WIN

Denmark v Japan (Rustenburg) 7.30pm

Prediction: Denmark WIN

Cameroon v Netherlands (Cape Town) 7.30pm

Prediction: DRAW

The World Cup Bafana Bafana 2010 prediction success rate after yesterday’s games: 20/40 (50%)

England on hunt for another World Cup hero with 21 on his shirt

The consensus at the moment seems to be that Aston Villa’s Emile Heskey will partner Wayne Rooney in attack against the US.

Intriguingly, Heskey will have the number 21 on his back. Another famous forward once wore the very same number for England during our one and, so far, only successful tournament.

Can Emile Heskey do a Roger Hunt and secure a special place in English football history for himself?

Back in 1966 Roger Hunt had just completed one of his most successful seasons. Liverpool were league championship winners for the second time under Bill Shankly. Hunt’s contribution of 30 goals in 37 appearances made the 28-year-old the club’s highest scorer for the eighth successive campaign.

Such was Hunt’s standing that he became only one of three strikers chosen by Alf Ramsey for the 1966 World Cup squad. The others were Jimmy Greaves and Geoff Hurst.

Hunt kept his place in the first XI throughout the tournament, playing all six games and scoring three goals in the group stage (one against Mexico and two against France).

And so to the final itself and Hurst’s still controversial second goal. One player instinctively raises his arm in celebration as the shot bounces down and away from the goal, his body language and demeanour suggesting he immediately believed the strike had crossed the line.

Hunt was a predator, who would eventually amass nearly 300 goals for Liverpool and score 18 in 34 games for England. To this day Hurst maintains Hunt would have followed up were he in any doubt about the ball crossing the line.

From the free-scoring Liverpool forward to the non-scoring Villa man.

Let’s get something out of the way. I like Emile Heskey. I admire his ability to distract defenders and bring faster players into the game, a trait he shares with Hunt.

If you doubt this, watch Heskey pull defenders out of position, much as Hunt does for Bobby Charlton’s long range strike against Mexico.

Sadly Heskey hasn’t had the best of seasons, scoring only five goals in 42 appearances. Looking back even further, he scored a mere 27 goals in the last six seasons, three less than Hunt scored in 1966 alone.

Heskey is also 32 now, four years older than Hunt in 1966, and clearly past his peak, which Hunt was not.

All of this suggests we may not have a hero in waiting with the number 21 on his back this time around.

That said, if England reach the final and a Rooney shot cannons off the bar onto the line before bouncing, a lurking Heskey will probably put the rebound away.

Perhaps this is Capello’s masterplan – Heskey as the ultimate impact player. It’s the best theory I have to explain why Heskey is still in the squad.

The word from South Africa as World Cup 2010 is almost here

My South African collaborator and friend has very kindly sent over some final words before Friday’s opening game. Here’s what Karen Lotter had to say...

“Vuvuzelas, mirror socks, flags all over the place and soccer jerseys on every second person – South Africa is so ready for the 2010 World Cup.

“Most of the teams are here and they seem to be happy with their accommodation. The fans are pouring in. We sent a bunch of football hooligans back to Argentina yesterday – they were on the watch list and thought they could sneak in.

“The South African National team is looking as good as we can hope for – the 1-0 win over Denmark made us realise that Bafana Bafana has a good chance of reaching the second round.

“This wasn’t the case six months ago after Joel Santana had been coaching them. The boys were terrible. Carlos Alberto Parreira stepped into the breach and he has worked wonders, making the boys believe in themselves.

“So what suggestions can I give those going to the Soccer Matches?

• Use public transport or get a friend or cab to drop you as close as you can

• Prepare to walk quite a way. The security is quite efficient, well here in Durban it is, so one doesn’t hang around, it goes quite quickly once you get to the first gate

• No bottles will be allowed in, not even plastic water bottles

• Take a hat/cap and sunscreen – even in winter the sun can be hot

• Always take a jacket or sweater

• If the vuvuzelas really worry you, buy earplugs

• Cash in smaller denominations R20, R50 or R100 is easier at the food and drink stands

Mike, I hope all your readers enjoy the 2010 World Cup South Africa. I know you guys can watch it on HD on Sky – I can’t wait for Friday. I hear the opening ceremony is going to be awesome, so tune in from 2 pm our time".

Visit Karen and her friends now at http://www.vuvuzelasouthafrica.co.za/

(Here’s the blog post Karen put up on her excellent site today)

England ready for World Cup

Hi Karen

It's the final week before the World Cup starts and I have to admit the mood in England isn't quite what I expected. Let me explain.

Here in England we have a history of approaching World Cups with levels of hysteria and hype not seen since the days of Roman bacchanalia.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying we all have a drunken mass orgy; the Daily Mail would have a fit. It's just that we tend to get a bit over-excited.

As a result the UK papers are usually packed to the rafters with hyperbolic statements proclaiming 'this is our year' and so on. For some reason this has yet to happen.

Some of the credit must go to Coach Fabio Capello. He laid down the law on expectations last year. 'Keep them modest and plan to win without shouting too much' seemed to be his strategy.

So far it is working, although the mood may change depending on what happens in the group games against the US, Algeria and Slovenia.

A lot will also depend on how the team copes with the loss of Rio Ferdinand. Opinion is, not surprisingly, divided on the possible impact of the defender's injury. Some say he will be badly missed, others that he was an accident waiting to happen, a weak link.

I'm in the latter camp. Ferdinand has hardly played all season and often struggled to play more than three games before breaking down again. Better that it happened now, rather than in a game.

Besides, his replacement as captain is Steven Gerrard. While the Liverpool midfielder didn't have the best of seasons, and the days when he could inspire famous victories such as the Istanbul Champions League Final in 2005 may be behind him, Gerrard's drive and determination still can turn games.

Gerrard also has an excellent on and off field relationship with Wayne Rooney, England's talismanic striker. Much will depend on how they link up; as striker and midfielder, or as striker supported by Gerrard playing in the hole between the opposition's defence and midfield.

The England squad has plenty of other strong players too; from the Chelsea contingent of Lampard, Terry and the two Coles (Ashley and Joe), to striker Peter Crouch, midfielder James Milner, and winger Aaron Lennon. Don't count us out because one player is injured.

That's the picture from here as we count down towards Friday. Confident but not arrogant, relaxed but not complacent. Let's see if I can say the same after the England - US game in Rustenberg on June 12th.

Best of luck to Bafana Bafana and everyone at Vuvuzela South Africa.

Mike

England - Platinum Stars friendly preview

Today the eleven England players likely to star against the US in Rustenberg next Saturday will take on a South Africa league side. Let’s have a quick look at the build up to the game against the Platinum Stars in the UK press.

"We need to give a competitive match," said assistant manager Vilakazi in The Telegraph.

"We are not going to go there and not play. We know they have a game four days later in the World Cup but we have to give them some competition and we've been told to do that.

"We must not just let them walk over us. I'm sure they have not played many African teams before so we have to push it a little.

"It's to help them prepare and we will give them some stiff competition. But we will try not to injure anybody."

Defender Mbulelo Mabizela is scheduled to mark Rooney and “will give him a good game” according to Vilakazi.

"We don't really stand a chance," said Mabizela. "But we will not go easy on them. It's a proper game for us. We will get stuck in, believe me. The crowd, the people who come to the ground, will expect a game."

The Independent has additional comments from Mabizela: “The way we are taking the game means it will be tough. We have just finished a close-season break so really we don't stand a chance. But going there, rubbing shoulders with some great players, it will be great for us. We will not go easy on them. It's a proper game for us. We will get stuck in, believe me. The crowd will expect a game. They will want entertainment, it will be competitive.”

Goalkeeper Kapini also had words to say to the Daily Mail about Frank Lampard’s penalty taking.

"If there’s a penalty, I hope Lampard takes it. I always know when he takes a penalty where it is going."

Someone please tell me these quotes are just bravado.

The game kicks off at 3pm UK time.

Who will be in England’s World Cup 2010 First XI?

That’s the question being asked following the allocation of squad numbers for this year’s tournament. Apparently Coach Fabio Capello has dropped some very large hints about his preferred first XI, all this by giving players numbers. Is there any evidence that a number from 1 – 11 guarantees a first team place? Let’s have a look at England squads since 1990 (I might go further back tomorrow) and see which players started the first group game.

England World Cup squad numbers in 2010

1 David James
2 Glen Johnson
3 Ashley Cole
4 Steven Gerrard
5 Rio Ferdinand
6 John Terry
7 Aaron Lennon
8 Frank Lampard
9 Peter Crouch
10 Wayne Rooney
11 Joe Cole

12 Robert Green
13 Stephen Warnock
14 Gareth Barry
15 Matthew Upson
16 James Milner
17 Shaun Wright-Phillips
18 Jamie Carragher
19 Jermain Defoe
20 Ledley King
21 Emile Heskey
22 Michael Carrick
23 Joe Hart

England World Cup squad numbers in 2006

*Played in first group game against Paraguay

1 Paul Robinson*
2 Gary Neville*
3 Ashley Cole*
4 Steven Gerrard*
5 Rio Ferdinand*
6 John Terry*
7 David Beckham*
8 Frank Lampard*
9 Wayne Rooney
10 Michael Owen*
11 Joe Cole*

12 Sol Campbell
13 David James
14 Wayne Bridge
15 Jamie Carragher
16 Owen Hargreaves
17 Jermaine Jenas
18 Michael Carrick
19 Aaron Lennon
20 Stewart Downing
21 Peter Crouch*
22 Scott Carson
23 Theo Walcott

England World Cup squad numbers in 2002

*Played in first group game against Sweden

1 David Seaman*
2 Danny Mills*
3 Ashley Cole*
4 Trevor Sinclair
5 Rio Ferdinand*
6 Sol Campbell*
7 David Beckham*
8 Paul Scholes*
9 Robbie Fowler
10 Michael Owen*
11 Emile Heskey*

12 Wes Brown
13 Nigel Martyn
14 Wayne Bridge
15 Martin Keown
16 Gareth Southgate
17 Teddy Sheringham
18 Owen Hargreaves*
19 Joe Cole
20 Darius Vassell*
21 Nicky Butt
22 David James
23 Kieron Dyer

England World Cup squad numbers in 1998

*Played in first group game against Tunisia

1 David Seaman*
2 Sol Campbell*
3 Graeme Le Saux*
4 Paul Ince*
5 Tony Adams*
6 Gareth Southgate*
7 David Beckham
8 David Batty*
9 Alan Shearer*
10 Teddy Sheringham*
11 Steve McManaman

12 Gary Neville
13 Nigel Martyn
14 Darren Anderton*
15 Paul Merson
16 Paul Scholes*
17 Rob Lee
18 Martin Keown
19 Les Ferdinand
20 Michael Owen
21 Rio Ferdinand
22 Tim Flowers

England World Cup squad numbers in 1990

*Played in first group game against the Republic of Ireland

1 Peter Shilton*
2 Gary Stevens*
3 Stuart Pearce*
4 Neil Webb
5 Des Walker*
6 Terry Butcher*
7 Bryan Robson*
8 Chris Waddle*
9 Peter Beardsley*
10 Gary Lineker*
11 John Barnes*

12 Paul Parker
13 Chris Woods
14 Mark Wright
15 Tony Dorigo
16 Steve McMahon
17 David Platt
18 Steve Hodge
19 Paul Gascoigne*
20 Trevor Steven
21 Steve Bull
22 Dave Beasant

There hasn’t been a single tournament from 1990 onwards when every England player given a squad number from 1 – 11 actually started the first group game.

The most to have lost out is two.

Rooney was recovering from injury in 2006, but some just lost out because better players were available (Gascoigne for Webb 1990, Scholes in for Beckham 1998, Hargreaves in for Sinclair 2002 and Vassell in for Fow..., ah, that’s where the theory falls down, I suppose).

Players with a squad number from 1 – 6 tend to be OK, the exceptions being Webb and Sinclair.

The person who should be most worried about missing out on an automatic place in the first game is Peter Crouch. Of the six players who had a squad number from 1 to 11 but weren’t selected in the first game, three were attackers (McManaman 1998, Fowler 2002 and Rooney 2006). All three were also Scousers, meaning Crouchie will hope he’s lost any traces of the local accent he might have picked up during his time at Anfield.

7 days to go.

World Cup 2010 group-by-group review with a twist

In March this year I posted a response to an article by Ryan Thies of the Long Beach Post (California).

Ryan had a problem with England and wasn’t shy about expressing his opinions in a forthright manner.

“Why USA Soccer Fans Need To Start Hating England” pulled no punches. John Terry’s infidelities, the England team’s parade of divers and cheats, English fans and their jingoistic hypocrisy, Princess Diana: few escaped his wrath.

Well he’s at it again, only this time England isn’t the only team in Ryan’s sights.

I read the original article, quickly decided Ryan was trying to be provocative, and penned a response which said the article had rekindled my faith in the land of Woody Allen, Lenny Bruce, Bill Hicks and Saturday Night Live.

Then, in true World Cup competitive spirit, my response was equally forthright and insulting. You know the sort of thing, references to my surprise at the US having to play in the group stages, as they only usually turn up when most of the hard work is over, this absurd habit of calling the US team the USMNT (United States Men’s National Team) etcetc. All characteristically playful, as you would expect.

Ryan has since replied to tell me he thought the comparisons I drew between him, Woody Allen and Lenny Bruce were, as he put it, “hyperbolic”. I’m quite pleased by that, because most people use a different spelling of the world “bolic” to describe my writing.

He also wanted to flag up his latest project, a World Cup group-by-group review with a twist – the twist being Ryan sticks the knife into most of the 32 participating teams. Don’t take it too seriously; he’s only winding you up...

http://www.lbpost.com/sports/general/9780

Reflections on the England - Mexico friendly

3 - 1 flattered England for a while but was fully deserved in the end as Mexico faded in the second half.

Playing against a side which is comfortable in possession and capable of breaking at speed is valuable preparation for any tournament.

Gerrard is better in the centre than out on the wing. Rooney also prefers him in this position.

Glen Johnson would make an excellent midfielder. Strong in the tackle, he's also not afraid to run at defenders. What a goal!

If World Cups were won by 'impact players', England could book the homecoming parade today.

Although not at his best in an unfamiliar anchor role James Milner is on the plane to South Africa. Michael Carrick may be sweating about his squad place now.

Presuming both sides match each other's group stage record and win in the last 16, I'll take Mexico in the quarter finals right now.

Predictions for England - Mexico pre-World Cup friendly

Less than three weeks to go before World Cup 2010 starts and the friendlies are coming thick and fast. Here are my predictions for tonight’s game at Wembley.

England will put a 'really, really strong team' out, but, since none of the Chelsea contingent will be picked, we can be really, really sure the team will not be the best XI.

Rooney will operate as a lone striker supported by Gerrard for some part of the game.

The debate over the state of the Wembley pitch will continue when a mistimed tackle takes out half of Fabio Capello's coaching staff.

Jamie Carragher will be booed, whether he plays or not.

James Milner will cement his place in the first XI.

If selected, Glen Johnson will make a horrible defensive error.

There will be plenty of references to Man Utd’s new foreign signing.

There will be a Mexican Wave.

The clashes between Australia and New Zealand in Melbourne and Japan and South Korea in Saitama will be much more demanding. Watch out for some heartbreaking injuries as the tackles fly in.

World Cup survey of fans gets low marks

I’ve just spotted the results of a survey conducted by a company described as “the exclusive Financial Services partner for all FIFA events”. Apparently this global brand thought talking to fans in the United Arab Emirates about the World Cup would be a convincing marketing ploy. Here are some of their findings.

More than one third of UAE football fans polled predict Brazil will be victorious this year. 16% tipped Argentina to take the top spot, with 11% favouring Spain.

A third of UAE football fans believe a Middle East team will win the World Cup in their lifetime.

UAE football fans are also confident that the FIFA World Cup will be hosted by a Middle Eastern country in the next twenty years with 40% believing that this is definitely likely, and 50% viewing it as probable.

The UAE was also tipped to be the most likely Middle Eastern country to host the World Cup according to 74% of respondents.

15% thought that Qatar would play host in the future followed by 7% who predicted that Saudi Arabia would be the first Middle Eastern country to become a host nation.

Finally, “the most memorable moment in FIFA World Cup history”, as voted for by UAE football fans, “was Maradonas (sic) famous game, as voted by 17% of respondents. This was closely followed by the infamous head-butt by Zinedine Zidane (15%) and the 2006 win by Brazil (11%).”

I really don’t know where to start here.

Maradona’s famous game: I presume this is a reference to the 2 – 1 quarter final victory over England. Let’s forget his other performances and concentrate on the infamous stuff, eh? Speaking as a football fan Maradona’s second goal against England was more than “memorable”; it was breathtaking. He went on to set up the decisive goal in the final with an inch-perfect pass. That was memorable. Besides, a “game” isn’t a “moment”.

Zidane’s head-butt: I’m starting to see a pattern here.

The 2006 win by Brazil: I’m lost for words.

So here’s the state of play – if the UAE ever hosts a World Cup, the locals will want it to be packed full of dodgy handballs and physical violence, because that’s all they can remember. The name of the winning team will also need to be written in prominent places so every UAE resident can see it four years later.

“The exclusive Financial Services partner for all FIFA events” will “continue to hold these global rights to all FIFA World Cup events up until 2014”. Let’s hope this gives them enough time to revamp their research department and avoid this kind of schoolboy nonsense.

It's the last 16 in the World Cup - who should England try to avoid?

Imagine England are about to advance from Group C in first or second position. Whatever happens, Capello's men will still face a tough last 16 clash. Using the power of predictions it's time to look at who England might face and who is best avoided from Group D.

Analysing the 2010 World Cup provisional squad lists

I’ve just been looking through the entire provisional squad lists (yes, they have to do it all again by the June 1st deadline) and spotted some unusual facts and figures. Hope you don’t mind me sharing them with you.

Carragher to play for England at World Cup 2010?

I don’t think anyone saw this coming – Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher could be on the verge of a return to the international scene just in time for World Cup 2010 in South Africa.

Where are the World Cup 2010 celebrity endorsements for England?

Top sporting celebs are getting behind South Africa as the World Cup approaches. Can we look forward to English celebrities doing likewise?

'World Cup Street' to start in June

A unique experiment in broadcasting is to take place during the 2010 World Cup. An entire street of 1966 England World Cup fans and their families goes 'live' during the tournament, giving the modern generation a taste of what life was really like in the Swinging Sixties.

Modelled on 'Blitz Street', the C4 programme which built a 1940s street and then bombed it back to the Stone Age, 'World Cup Street' features reconstructions of life in a typical English street throughout July 1966.

Tony Robinson of Time Team guides viewers through the ninety-minute episodes, each one focusing on England's group and knock out matches in the run up to the memorable final.

Highlights include the episode in which the Atkins family fall out because the baby has colic and Dad can't follow the commentary on the Argentina game.

Don't miss the episode where the local loner has one too many Stouts in the pub and picks a fight with a lamppost on the way home.

And of course there's the final itself, when everyone gets together in the street for a party during which a new family from what older residents of 'World Cup Street' call 'The Empire' is repeatedly snubbed.

'World Cup Street' also features men with handkerchiefs tied to their heads, policemen allo-alloing, two gangster brothers breaking heads, and hushed conversations about birth control.

It was a gentler, more innocent age. Find out for yourself when 'World Cup Street' starts on Channel 4 at 9pm on June 12th and continues until July 11th.

England fans shouting “Cabanga” - somehow I can’t see it

There are plenty of unusual World Cup 2010 stories doing the rounds at the moment but one caught my eye this week and I can’t resist commenting on it. The story involves supposed experts in sports performance choosing a word which they believe can inspire England to glory in South Africa.

World Cup 2010 predictions news

It seems as if everyone is jumping on the World Cup 2010 predictions bandwagon. The latest offering comes from UBS Wealth Management Research, which says Brazil will triumph this year in South Africa.

"Our forecast is based on in-depth quantitative analysis that places great emphasis on a country’s previous performance at World Cup tournaments," which is UBS speak for "we looked at past results and decided to plump for the most successful team in World Cup history."

UBS apparently predicted Italy would win the 2006 World Cup. What isn't known is whether they covered their backs four years ago in this fence sitting manner.

“Germany and defending champions Italy, as multiple world champions, are the two teams alongside record-holders Brazil that are most likely to win the tournament.”

Of course UBS Chief Economist Andreas Hoefert, the architect of this so-called "model", is wise enough to know there is a limit to this forecasting game.

"Successful predictions owe at least as much to luck as to expert knowledge," said Hoefert as he put on a coat made entirely from natural caveats.

One person who could do with a similar garment is Metin Tolan, the University of Dortmund physics professor who recently unveiled his mathematical formula which, he claims, shows Germany will win in South Africa.

Unfortunately for Tolan, he predicted Germany would win in 2006, which doesn't say much for his formula.

It may actually be more instructive to consider Germany as likely finalists rather than the winners. Of seven finals since 1954, Germany has lost five, whereas Brazil has lost only two out of seven finals since 1950.

Neither Hoefert nor Tolan mentions Spain or England. If you feed the word “Spain” into any World Cup model or formula, the answer is the same every time: chokers. England haven’t done much better since you know when. Will 2010 be any different?

A Handy Guide to World Cup 2010 Trouble Spots in London

Metropolitan Police analysts are to scour the World Cup 2010 tournament schedule for potential flashpoints among supporters in London. It’s almost as if a) they don’t know about my handy guide to places where trouble is likely to start b) someone is setting up the overtime rota for June and July.

Teams England face at World Cup should see red, says study

Adding a splash of red to the England goalkeeper’s kit could give the team an advantage during a penalty shoot out. Welcome to the first of what is likely to be a shameless litany of World Cup PR stories claiming tenuous links to the real thing.

Obscure football tournaments from the past

The Taca das Nacoes (“Nations' Cup” in Portuguese) was held in 1964 to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the Brazilian Football Confederation. To my surprise, the hosts and World Cup holders didn’t have everything their own way.

Argentina, Portugal and England joined Brazil for a series of matches held in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo in late May and early June.

The tournament was played on a league basis, which meant Argentina had wrapped things up before Brazil played their last game.

Here are the results and scorers:

30th May 1964

Brazil 5 (Rinaldo 2, Pele, Julinho, Roberto Dias) England 1 (Jimmy Greaves)

31st May 1964

Argentina 2 (Alfredo Rojas, Alberto Rendo) Portugal 0

3rd June 1964

Brazil 0 Argentina 3 (Roberto Telch 2, Ermindo Onega)

4th June 1964

England 1 (Roger Hunt) Portugal 1 (Fernando Peres)

6th June 1964

Argentina 1 (Alfredo Rojas) England 0

7th June 1964

Brazil 4 (Jairzinho 2, Pele, Gerson) Portugal 1 (Mario Coluna)

So Argentina won each of their three games, didn’t concede a goal, and overcame a Brazilian side boasting the likes of Pele, Gerson and Jairzinho in its ranks. No mean feat.

What interested me most were the reports from the England games available at http://www.englandfootballonline.com/.

They’ve done an amazing job in bringing together summaries from hundreds of England games and I was captivated by reports of matches at the Taca das Nacoes.

Pele produced a masterclass to drive Brazil on to the 5-1 victory. He set up the first goal, earned two free kicks “while dancing through the England defence juggling the ball like a circus performer”, scored with a long range effort after nutmegging Bobby Moore, and then set a team mate up for the fifth goal.

Roger Hunt scored and both Jimmy Greaves and Johnny Byrne hit the woodwork in an ill-tempered match against Portugal. Each side also had a goal disallowed, with Portuguese protests ending in striker Torres being sent off for taking a swing at the ref.

England’s final game saw the Argentineans, led by skipper Antonio Rattin, play “strolling possession football to frustrate England and to clinch victory in the ‘Little World Cup’ tournament”. According to the report, England returned home believing Argentina would be the toughest team to beat at the 1966 World Cup.