The England national team heads to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa as one of the favourites to win the tournament. The three Lions have won the tournament only, some forty four years ago in 1966! Despite making the knockout stage of every World Cup they have qualified for since 1982 England has only come close to reaching the final for the second time in its history once, in 1990, when a semi finals penalty shootout defeat to eventual World Champions, West Germany. Since then, they have been knocked out at the last 16 stage once (against Argentina in 1998) and in the Quarter Finals twice (against Brazil in 2002 and Portugal in 2006). So what has changed to make people think that things are going to be different this year? That Fabio Capello’s side can go all the way?

In the bookmakers’ odds to win the World Cup, only Spain and Brazil sit ahead of England and it is hard to argue that current European Champions Spain and five times World Champions Brazil aren’t better than England. However, why are England considered more likely winners than International heavyweights such as Argentina, Italy and Germany? Is it that England has got better over the last few years or have previous nemesis’ got worse? It’s possibly a combination of the two but one of the key differences to the England set up at the 2010 World Cup compared to those of other recent tournaments is that of coach, Fabio Capello. The former Real Madrid coach has been a revelation since being appointed by the FA following England’s failure to qualify for Euro2008, guiding England to South Africa with nine wins from ten matches, the best qualification record ever for the Three Lions.

Unlike other recent managers, Capello comes across as quite a disciplinarian, together with an obvious tactical know-how and intricate preparation which all help the cause, one only needs to look at Capello’s banning of ‘WAGS’ from South Africa to realise the changes he has made, compared to the media circus which followed Sven Goran Erikkson’s side around Germany in 2006 after wives and girlfriends were allowed to travel with the team. Another positive is that he has not had his private life hounded by the British media and all of these must be considered contributing factors to England’s improvement.

Only the late Sir Bobby Robson commanded the same respect that Capello clearly demands from the players, press and fans and it was Robson who was the last manager to guide England to within a missed penalty kick of the World Cup final. Could that be where the similarities end? Could Capello be the first ever manager to guide England to a World Cup penalty shootout victory? Something that has long haunted the nation? One can only hope!

The final missing piece to England’s missing World Cup jigsaw could be that of striker, Wayne Rooney. Undoubtedly the most exciting player England has produced for a long time, Rooney is amongst an elite band of players that can be truly defined as ‘World Class’. Lionel Messi of Barcelona and Argentina and Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid and Portugal are perhaps the other two players who can lay claim to such a statement. With Rooney spearheading England’s attack in South Africa on the back of a record goal scoring season for Manchester United, Rooney, together with Capello could be the difference between previous World Cup failures and an overdue World Cup glory for England given the squad is already packed with talent.

Author Bio: Read more about the World cup from the author at his World Cup website. England v USA is the opening match of England’s World Cup campaign on Saturday 12th June before England v Algeria six days later on Friday 18th June.

Category: Sports
Keywords: england, world cup, 2010, south africa, fabio capello, wayne rooney, algeria, USA