England is coming to South Africa 2010 FIFA World Cup with a lot to prove. With the English Premier League being a dominant football arena, and England itself having some of the most well-known football players in the world, many are eager to see what England can achieve.
England will be cognizant of the fact that they have not won the world cup on colour television despite enjoying generations of dominant teams only to fail to deliver at the big tournaments as we can remember their poor performance at the UEFA EURO 2004 and the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. But they have the kind of squad with the skill and experience to overturn any bad record and South Africa will be the venue for England to show their true soccer credentials.
With an experienced Coach and disciplinarian in Fabio Capello, England have their hopes high, but must overcome USA in the opening game on Saturday June 12 and get good results against Slovenia and Algeria, their other Group C competitors.
Having stormed the South Africa World Cup finals with no fewer than nine wins from ten Group 6 games in their qualifiers, scoring total of 34 goals, England should have good reason to expect to achieve more.
Star players of England at the 2010 World Cup
England are blessed with the services of players like Manchester United forwards Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen, the midfield duo of Chelsea’s Frank Lampard and Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard, as well as inspirational Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe, among others.
Previous England Performance FIFA World Cups
England have appeared at 11 previous editions of the World Cup, including their debut at Brazil 1950. Victors on home soil in 1966, their best performance outside their own shores came under the late Sir Bobby Robson at Italy 1990, when a side featuring the likes of Gary Lineker, Chris Waddle, Paul Gascoigne and David Platt reached the last four only to lose out on penalties to eventual winners West Germany.
Records of England and FIFA World Cup
The 1-0 loss in Ukraine on 10 October 2009 ended a run of ten consecutive victories in FIFA World Cup qualification, which England had begun with a 1-0 win over Austria in Manchester on 8 October 2005.
The Three Lions’ leading scorer in qualifying, Wayne Rooney, was at his most dangerous between the 72nd and 76th minutes of play, during which period he scored no fewer than four times.
England national Football Team Squad at 2010 FIFA World Cup
Goalkeepers
Defenders
- 2 Glen JOHNSON
- 3 Ashley COLE
- 5 Rio FERDINAND
- 6 John TERRY
- 13 Stephen WARNOCK
- 15 Matt UPSON
- 18 Jamie CARRAGHER
- 20 Ledley KING
Midfielders
- 4 Steven GERRARD
- 7 Aaron LENNON
- 8 Frank LAMPARD
- 11 Joe COLE
- 14 Gareth BARRY
- 16 James MILNER
- 17 Shaun WRIGHT-PHILLIPS
- 22 Michael CARRICK
Strikers
Coach
