Can England win the World Cup? Part 2: The Road to Victory

'If you do not believe you can do it then you have no chance at all.'- Arsène Wenger

Way back in October, I wrote the first part of the cunningly named series titled 'Can England win the World Cup?', and reading it back I realised how rushed this post was. Albeit, this is when I had a job and wasn't deemed to be a disturber of the peace (yeh, I'm not gonna let it go anytime soon), but for a question this serious and important it requires plenty of detail. The mightiest of armchair pundits will soon come together and ferociously debate how England will do in Russia in June and July. By Wednesday 16th May, Gareth Southgate will have named his squad and all the loyal fans will analyse the players that have been entrusted to bring glory to the nation. Tempers will surely flare, and families and friendships are sure to be torn asunder over the glaring issues of such as who should start in goal and whether it's time to bring Emile Heskey out of retirement. Answers: Jordan Pickford and hell freaking yes.

Joking aside, the World Cup is fast approaching and regardless of whether the world will descend into nuclear war before a ball has been even kicked, it should be a great spectacle. The world's best players (most of them anyway) shall battle to the metaphorical death to get their hands on that coveted trophy. Germany will defend it with their lives, and will meet anyone who dares stand in their way of defending their title. France, Belgium and Argentina, to name but a few, are just a few of the teams that dare to stand against the Germans, while Iceland and Egypt dream of upsetting the odds and bringing the whole of the footballing world to their knees. Amongst the chaos stands one nation, who on paper are sure to challenge, yet have been so poor over the last few major tournaments. National expectations are always astronomically high, and not even a last minute winner against Wales at Euro 2016 could save a dire tournament. That nation, obviously, is England... and I think it's time we got that second star.

Will Harry Kane be the hero of the tournament?

At the start of international tournaments, I like to do a bracket and try to predict how the tournament will pan out. I predicted Germany would win the World Cup back in 2014, yet my guess for Euro 2016 fell short as France were defeated in the final by Portugal, who played some of the most boring football I have ever seen played by a winning team. I don't care how good Cristiano Ronaldo is, Portugal didn't serve it. Moving on from ranting, and back to the subject of the bracket, I have tried to accurately guess who will finish where in each group and from there predicted the subsequent knockout phases before ingeniously concluding that Germany will triumph over France in the final, with Argentina beating Brazil to come 3rd. England, inevitably, go out in the Quarter Finals to Germany (probably on penalties as well). But hang on a gosh darn second, let's not throw England aside just yet. If you looked at my brackets for the NHL and NBA playoffs, you can see that my predictions haven't been spot on (my beloved Toronto Raptors didn't even make it out of the second round) so maybe there's a chance...

OF COURSE THERE'S A CHANCE! We are a nation who loves an underdog story, and a World Cup winning campaign is surely the very pinnacle of these sporting miracles. So let's just say that maybe my predictions are wrong again, and England upset all kinds of odds, predictions and hopes of other countries by hoisting the trophy triumphantly above their heads. It would be fitting to show England's route to the latter stages of the tournament, analysing potential opponents and highlighting the possible dangers they pose to our brave boys. There is plenty of talent out there than can scupper our plans, yet by harking back to the likes of Bobby Moore, Gary Linekar and David Beckham, England can be inspired to win the World Cup, no matter how outrageous the task may seem. Have faith my friends, and let's do some analysing. I will talk about the teams that England can potentially face, so not all opponents will be discussed, but when England have won the whole bloody thing, does it even matter who we played?

Just two legends

ENGLAND: PRETTY ON PAPER, PLAIN ON THE PITCH

Let's kick things off with England, the obvious favourites for the World Cup if we forget about around 10 other nations, but that doesn't matter. As of May 17th, England sits in 13th position, a respectable position considering their recent dire records in international tournaments. Unbeaten since a 3-2 loss to France in June 2016, England have gone up against the likes of Germany, Brazil, Italy and the Netherlands and have emerged with three draws and a win, which isn't too bad considering these are formidable opponents. The memories of 1966 live strong in the memory of English football, with The Lightning Seeds singing of 'thirty years of hurt' in their 1994 World Cup song 'Three Lions' not stopping the dream of once again being world champions. Sadly, the Jules Rimet is no longer gleaming, with the old trophy being replaced in 1974 with the design we know today. It agonisingly shows how long England have gone without success, yet 'I still see that tackle by Moore, and when Linekar scored, Bobby belting the ball, and Nobby dancing'. That song is glorious, but it's no 'World In Motion'- that rap by John Barnes is rumoured to have inspired Eminem... or so I hear. You need to check out the song, and the rap starts at 2:29.

Straight fire

A dominant performance in qualifying saw England finish top of the group with 8 win and 2 losses, conceding only three goals throughout the campaign (2 were against Scotland in that epic 2-2 draw) and setting a good precedent of things to come. Even though England weren't made to work hard to secure qualification, the end result was harder to achieve than one would think. Wins were tight, the ball was lumped forward too many times for decent attacks to be strung up, and the games were just boring. With an array of talent to choose from, England should surely be a force to be reckoned with. Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur) finished with 30 Premier League goals this season, finishing two behind Golden Boot winner Mohamed Salah (Liverpool). Jamie Vardy (Leicester) and Raheem Sterling (Manchester City) placed 4th and 5th, with Vardy on 20 and Raheem with 18 goals. It's been a solid showing from the English boys, and that's just the start.

Jordan Pickford has made his claim to being the new starting goalkeeper, being a point of hope in an otherwise dire season for Everton; similar can be said of Jack Butland at Stoke. Joe Hart, having spent his season on loan at West Ham, is not the man he once was, and has been told to stay home this time around. Gary Cahill (Chelsea) is a natural leader, being a rock alongside the likes of Eric Dier (Spurs), Kyle Walker (Manchester City) and Ashley Young (Manchester United). Jack Wilshere (Arsenal) has revived his footballing career by showing his strength and fitness, yet won't be creating beautiful partnerships with Sterling, Dele Alli (Spurs) and perhaps one of the most surprising stars of the season Jesse Lingard (Manchester United). Kane and Vardy will lead the charge, with that young but underused talent Marcus Rashford (Manchester United) determined to show the world how good he really is. Don't turn off your screen, Mr Mourinho. Oh, and Danny Welbeck (Arsenal) is there too.

He is but a boy

There will be a lot of pressure on the English lads. With Liverpool facing Real Madrid in the Champions League Final on 26th May, English football appears to be turning back the years to a period when European finals were contested by English teams, and club success must surely translate to international success (well, in theory at least). Expectations are always high, yet with a team full of talent led by a man who might actually know what he's doing, then maybe this can be our year. The 1990 tournament in Italy saw England finish 4th, and crashing out in the group stages in Brazil four years ago may seem like a point to show that England are going backwards. A lack of triumph in the European Championships (only twice, in Italy 1968 and England 1996, have England reached the semis) is also a cause for concern. Yet teams always go through tough times, and now might be the moment when things turn around. Unfortunately, there are 31 other teams who want that trophy, and it all kicks off against a team that may seem like a pushover, but are not as hopeless as one might think.

TUNISIA (18/6, 19:00): NO PUSH OVERS 

The whole traumatic experience begins against Tunisia, who sit one place behind England in 14th (yeh, not so bad now, are they?). Much like any ranking system though, they should always be taken with a pinch of salt, so don't break down just yet! Nestled between Algeria and Libya, the small North African country is certainly not intimidated by their surroundings. Tunisia, having beaten Mauritania in the second round of qualification (in some cases, you have to go through a knockout stage or two to make it through) also finished top of their group, unbeaten as well, making easy work of Libya, the D.R. of Congo and Guinea. Wins against Iran and Costa Rica in their last two friendlies certainly show a degree of decency, as Costa Rica were on the verge of a place in the Semi-Finals back in 2014, yet fell to the Dutch on that awful tie-breaker that is a penalty shootout. Tunisia, sadly, have never made it out of the group stages, and last qualified for the tournament when Germany hosted in 2006. Their only win, and the first for any African team at a World Cup, came against Mexico in 1978, as a crowd of around 17,000 people in the Estadio Gigante de Arroyito stadium in Rosario, Argentina witnessed Tunisia's triumph. Not a brilliant record, but a new adventure can bring new stories, especially as manager Nabil Maâloul 'knows all about' England's players and has a sneaky feeling that Tunisia might just win.

Top marks if you can name them all

It is their record in continental competitions, however, that shows their credentials as a side worthy of playing in this prestigious tournament. In 2004, in their own country, they won the African Cup of Nations, having finished 2nd in 1965 and 1996. 2011, in the second instalment of the African Nations Championship, saw Tunisia beat Angola 3-0, adding another title to their honours list that also saw them win the inaugural Arab Nations Cup back in 1963. So Tunisia have won three international tournaments compared to England's one, so this might be a bit of struggle then. Amazing as this all seems, I don't think it's surprising to imagine that only a finite amount of people can name the great players that have represented Tunisia both now and in the past. Through my own research, Issam Jemȃa is Tunisia's record goalscorer with 36 goals from 83 appearances. He spent most of his time playing in France, so no surprise that he might be an unfamiliar name.

Currently, only one Tunisian plays in the Premier League; Yohan Benalouane, a defender for Leicester. Tunisia's squad can be found across numerous countries, with some playing in the familiar territory of France (Naïm Sliti plays for Dijon), Saudi Arabia (goalkeeper and captain Aymen Mathlouthi plays for Al-Batin, for example) or spend their time in the CLP- 1 (Championnat de la Ligue Professionelle 1), or the top tier of Tunisian league football, with Anice Badri leading the line for champions Espérance. OK, the squad isn't exactly full of legends of the modern game, but they're still good enough to play for the country, so no judging.

This is Anice Badri, for all you noobs on Tunisian football

England and Tunisia have only met twice, drawing 1-1 in 1990 in a warm-up match for the World Cup and again in 1998 in the group stages of that year's tournament, with England triumphing 2-0. History, and sheer strength in squad, are very much on England' side, but all that matters is what happens on the day. Tunisia may just surprise us all, yet even I feel that there will be no surprises here. England will most likely triumph, which sets us up for our next group game against a side that have never engaged in footballing shenanigans with England.
PANAMA (24/6, 13:00): THEY'RE HERE FOR A REASON 

Ranked at 55 in the world are Panama, the Central American country famed for having a giant canal running right through the middle of it in order to speed up travel times between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Being one of the top sides in the CONCACAF (The Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football; what a mouthful), Panama progressed straight to the later stages of qualifying. In the fourth round, they finished second in their group to Costa Rica to qualify for the final stage, in which only 3 teams qualify. They finished 3rd (much to the shock and annoyance of the USA, who finished 5th), and secured their place in Russia 2018, which will be their debut in the World Cup. No pressure then for manager Hernán Darío Gómez then...

Yes Panama

Much like Tunisia, their continental success outshines England's, winning the CCCF (Football Confederation of Central America and the Caribbean) tournament in 1951, which acted as the precursor to the CONCACAF Championship that began in 1963 following a merger with the North American Football Confederation. Panama never won this tournament, having only competed once in 1963, yet found better results in the CONCACAF Gold Cup, finishing runners-up twice in 2005 and 2013, with a 3rd placed finish in 2015. In the Copa Centroamericana (Central American Cup), Panama triumphed in 2009, and recently reached the final in 2017, in which they were hosts, yet succumbed to Honduras. It certainly appears that, in recent years, Panama have started to become a force to be reckoned with in the region, and won't let those pesky English intimidate them. Yet a 6-0 thrashing by Switzerland in March won't have done their confidence any favours.

Currently, no Panama nationals rub shoulders with the likes of Kane and Salah in the Premier League, yet that shouldn't be a reason to laugh off the Panamanians. The majority of the squad play in the Panamanian Football League, with their season split between two separate tournaments. Only 10 teams compete, and the top four go through to a knockout phase to designate a champion. Chorrillo won the 2017 Apertura (the first tournament of the season), with goalkeeper José Calderón helping Chorrillo win their third title. Outside of Panama, keeper Jaime Penedo plays for Romanian side Dinamo București, and is the second most capped player in Panamanian footballing history with 130 caps. Leading scorers Luis Tejada (Sport Boys, Peru) and Blas Pérez (Municipal, Guatemala) will be hoping to bring woe to the England backline, while defender and captain Román Torres (Seattle Sounders, USA) won't make things easy for the formidable England attack. Panama won't go down easily.

Torres nets the winner against Costa Rica to ensure qualification

It will be the first time that England and Panama have faced each other on the pitch, but England are no strangers to their style of football. They came up against Costa Rica in the 2014 World Cup (a drab 0-0 draw), and usually find themselves drawn against a South American team during the knockout phases, such as in 2006 when David Beckham banged in a free kick against Ecuador. Yet, much like Tunisia, England will hold fast against their opponents and gain their second win of the tournament- hooray! But this is just the calm before the storm, because now comes the BIG one. It will surely be the game that determines who tops the group, and this team won't be so easy.

BELGIUM (28/6, 19:00): THE DARK HORSES

Ah, Belgium. I have a soft spot for this glorious country, with their delicious treats, a ginger boy detective and incredible football team that lights up the Premier League week after week. Sitting just across the Channel next to France and World Cup absentees the Netherlands (they will be missed), Belgium have started to become a force to be reckoned with. Sitting in 3rd in the world rankings, they are not to be mocked. Topping their qualifying group with 28 points, only a 1-1 draw with European champions of 2004 Greece stopping a clean sweep, but were still the first European team to qualify for the tournament, besides the hosts Russia. Under former Swansea, Wigan (where he won the FA Cup in 2013) and Everton boss Roberto Martínez, backed by that gorgeous Arsenal legend Thierry Henry, they hope to build on Belgium's rather mixed World Cup record, with their best performance being in Mexico 1986, finishing 4th in a tournament where Diego Maradona unleashed the infamous 'Hand of God' upon the English. Their European record is also not exemplary, having finished runners-up to West Germany in 1980, and missing out on qualifying for the tournament in 2004, 2008 and 2012. Only a gold medal at the 1920 Antwerp Olympics can be deemed Belgium's finest footballing moment, but their time is coming.

The two men silently plot their plans of global conquest

It is now time for the terrifying analysis of the Belgian squad. Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany sits in a defensive line with Spurs duo Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen, along with former Arsenal player Thomas Vermaelen (Barcelona). Thibaut Courtois (Chelsea) and Simon Mignolet (Liverpool) enforce that backline with their goalkeeping prowess; well, at least when Simon doesn't fumble about with the ball. Attacking wise, it is fearsome. Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City) has been thrust out of the spotlight due to Mo Salah, but was still instrumental in City's record breaking season. Mousa Dembélé (Spurs) and Marouane Fellaini (Manchester United) also add to the pool of Belgian talent, with Radja Nainggolan (Roma) being a thorn in Liverpool's side during their Champions League meetings and the youngster Youri Tielemans (Anderlecht) being one for the future, and a firm favourite during my Football Manager playthroughs. Up top, Romelu Lukaku (Manchester United) is a strong finisher, and will be hard to stop when paired with captain Eden Hazard (Chelsea), who will hope to put a rather disappointing season behind him. Christian Benteke (Crystal Palace) may have had a poor spell at Liverpool, but will provide another attacking option. Keep an eye on May 21st when the final Belgian squad will be announced.

Godly

When Belgium were drawn in England's group, my heart dropped. Not only will I have to fight my temptation to cheer fantastic Belgian football, but their young team is starting to become of age. After being so average in the last few major tournaments, this might be the point where fortunes turn in their favour. Thankfully, the English lads will know the strengths and weaknesses of their Belgian club teammates, and will be looking to exploit said weaknesses. England's record against Belgium is actually pretty decent, with 15 wins from 21 in favour of the English, with 5 draws and 1 solitary win for the Belgians in 1936. A Danny Welbeck (Arsenal) goal gave England the win in their most recent meeting in 2012, but when the two meet in their final group game it is likely that the Belgians will win. This will surely condemn England to finish runners-up in the group, and give us a much tougher draw in the Round of 16. As we are in Group G, we are paired with Group H, which means we will face the winners of that group. According to Ben's bracket, it's another tough game.

POLAND (3/7, 19:00): THE BEAST FROM THE NOT TOO DISTANT EAST

To the east of Germany lies Poland, a nation on the rise in terms of economics and football. Ranked 10th in the world, Poland topped Group E in European qualifying, only losing once to Denmark (4-0) who themselves qualified for Russia 2018 through an emphatic playoff victory against the Republic of Ireland. Having missed out on the last two tournaments, the Polish will be expecting to challenge the best sides on the global stage, especially when drawn in a group with Colombia, Japan and Senegal. It will be a shock if Poland don't top the group, and will certainly ruin my bracket, yet the quality of their three opponents will test Polish resolve. Nevertheless, Poland are in a footballing Renaissance, having hosted Euro 2012 alongside Ukraine, and their third outing in the European Championships of 2016 wielded their best result of reaching the last eight. World Cup wise, Poland's record is more admirable; two 3rd placed finishes in 1974 and 1982 stand as examples of the quality Polish football is built on, and under manager Adam Nawałka it is one that is hoped to bring greater success.

A dark horse?

I mentioned that Poland are in a period of Renaissance, and we can see that through their Premier League representation. Remember Jerzy Dudek, the hero of Liverpool's famous comeback in Istanbul in the Champions League Final of 2005? A proud Pole, earning 60 caps for his country. In recent years, we saw Wojciech Szczęsny (Juventus) play in goal for Arsenal, as has compatriot Łukasz Fabiański (Swansea), who was named Swansea's player of the season in a campaign that saw them relegated to the Championship. Jan Bednarek (Southampton) is a young talent at centre-back, and will undoubtedly learn much under veteran Kamil Glik (Monaco) and the ever reliable right back Łukasz Piszczek (Borussia Dortmund). Jakub Błaszczykowski (Wolfsburg) is one of Poland's most capped players, having earned 97 caps for his country, and is part of a strong midfield lineup alongside Grzegorz Krychowiak (West Brom) and Kamil Grosicki (Hull). Arkadiusz Milik (Napoli) is another young European talent to keep an eye on, yet it is captain Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich) where Poland's main threat lies. Lewandowski scored 16 goals during Poland's qualifying campaign, the highest in Europe and joint highest across all the other continents. With 52 goals for his country, he is Poland's leading scorer, and with 106 goals from 126 appearances for the dominant Bayern Munich shows the threat posed by the one man. Robert will surely be looking to add to his international tally, regardless of the opponent.

Quite seductive by you, Robert

Poland may be deemed a one man team, but the player is so good that you can't write off Poland immediately. Their squad is still talented, and more frequent appearances in international tournaments shows the potential Poland have to challenge not just in Europe, but also amongst the rest of the world. Yet England will get by the Poles, but don't expect the game to remain goalless with Lewandowski lining up the ball towards England's goal. Krychowiak, Fabiański and Bednarek have been part of sides that have been on the receiving end of a Kane or Sterling masterclass, and history is on England's side. From 19 meetings, England have triumphed 11 times, with only one Polish win being a 2-0 win in 1973, with their most recent game ending 2-0 to England in 2013 as part of the World Cup qualification for 2014. It very much appears that England will reach that familiar stage of the final eight. While we can all pat ourselves on the back and be proud of a much better showing when compared with 2014, the next side is by far more terrifying. I mean, they are the world champions...

GERMANY: WORLD CHAMPIONS, AND FOR A DAMN GOOD REASON

Sitting comfortably in the middle of Europe is Germany, a leader in global politics and world football, which is always a terrifying mix. Proudly sitting top of the world rankings, it is a spot they deserve fully. Having breezed through qualifying with 10 straight wins, Germany showed their readiness in defending their title by scoring 43 goals and only conceding 4. They are very much the favourite to top Group F, leaving Mexico, South Korea and Sweden very much in their wake. Ben's bracket predicts Germany, who finish top of Group F, to dispatch Switzerland in the Round of 16, setting up their tie with England. To be fair, any side drawn against the Germans will know that they are not going to be the favourites, especially when the side they are facing have won the World Cup four times (1954, 1974, 1990 and 2014), although 2014 was the first time that a reunified Germany were proclaimed world champions. That won't bother the Germans though, with three European Championships (1972, 1980 and 1996) and a Confederations Cup (2017) adding to their impressive trophy cabinet. Although falling to France in the Semi-Finals of Euro 2016, that won't stop Joachim Löw from dreaming of adding another star to the German badge.

Scccceeeennnnneeeessss

Germany have the honours, the glory and the squad to clinch another World Cup triumph. Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich) may be passed his prime, but is still one of the best goalkeepers to ever grace the game, and will captain Germany next month. Marc-André ter Stegen (Barcelona) is destined to take up the mantle of being Germany's starting keeper, having impressed for the Spanish champions over the last few years. Four Bayern Munich players are part of the German defence, such as Jérôme Boateng, Mats Hummels and Niklas Süle, another young talent for any of you Football Manager lovers out there. Antonio Rudiger (Chelsea) and another young and talented defender, Jonathan Tah (Bayer Leverkusen), are also part of the German defensive line, so already it's pretty clear how good these guys are.

But wait, there's more! Toni Kroos (Real Madrid) is a star in the Spanish La Liga, with the ageing but still magnificent Sami Khedira (Juventus) bringing even more experience to Germany's midfield. The assist king Mesut Özil (Arsenal) will be keen to put Arsenal's frustrating season behind him and add another medal to the collection, with the young German teammates keen to learn from these three maestros. Julian Draxler (Paris Saint-Germain, PSG) is coming into his element with the French champions, and is part of a new wave of talent that also includes Leon Goretzka (Schalke), Julian Brandt (Bayer Leverkusen) and Leroy Sané (Manchester City). With İlkay Gündoğan (Manchester City) also part of the squad, Germany's midfield is awesome, even without Mario Götze (Borussia Dortmund), who scored the winning goal in the final four years ago. Then there's the main offensive power, as Mario Gómez (Stuttgart), Marco Reus (Borussia Dortmund) and Thomas Müller (Bayern Munich) lead the line, backed by a young Timo Werner (RB Leipzig) who will also be a thorn in the side of Germany's opponents. God, these guys are good. That 7-1 thrashing of Brazil in 2014 proved just that.

Hope Mesut doesn't go missing, like he has done for Arsenal at times

OK, so it looks bad, but don't worry! We've beaten them before, and we can damn well do it again. West Germany fell 4-2 to England in 1966, and will be the rallying point for the English lads if facing off against the world champions. A somewhat dull 0-0 draw back in November 2017 (my first England game, as a matter of fact) was our last meeting with the Germans, with the overall record being 6 wins for England, 3 draws and 7 Germany wins. It's really quite close, but this time around I fear that this will be another victory for Germany. In terms of my bracket, this is where England's story ends, but the story can't end there. Penalties may be our downfall here, but let us presume that England triumph and find themselves in the final four, with only two wins needed to be crowned winners. Yet, for some reason, fate seems to be drawing us towards the old enemies of English football- and the next opponent is a doozy.

ARGENTINA: THEY HAVE LIONEL MESSI

Time to depart from European opposition (for the time being, at least) and head over to South America, where Argentina serves as a big player on the continent. They are ranked 5th in the world, but cut it very close when qualifying for the tournament, finishing 3rd in the CONMEBOL (The South American Football Confederation) super group of death, avoiding not just an inter- confederation play-off, but also the humiliation of not qualifying, as Chile found out. For a team to have won two World Cups (1978 and 1986) to not qualify would be a disaster, especially when they reached the final in 2014. Argentina also won the inaugural Confederations Cup in 1992, who qualified having won the Copa América in 1991, a title they defended in 1993. Back to back gold medals in the Olympics of 2004 and 2008, 6 wins in the football tournaments of the Pan American Games and 12 triumphs in the South American Championship (the precursor to the Copa América), Argentina are a side that are no strangers to being champions. Manager Jorge Sampaoli will want to add to the prestigious record of the Argentinians, and will want to top the group that contains Croatia, Iceland and Nigeria. According to the bracket, Argentina navigated their way to the top of Group D and beat Denmark and Spain to set up their match against England. Not a bad run at all.

Diego Maradona and his divinely anointed hand

The expectation for Argentina to succeed will certainly be on the minds of the Argentinian squad, especially as they are still in preliminary stages of picking the final squad. Sergio Romero (Manchester United) might not be getting as much game time at United due to the presence of the Spaniard David de Gea, but is by far the most experienced of the Argentine keepers, with 94 caps compared to Willy Caballero (Chelsea) and his 2 appearances for the national side. In front of them sit a solid defensive line, as Javier Mascherano (Hebei China Fortune) sits at the core as a centre-back, with Nicolás Otamendi (Manchester City) and Marcos Rojo (Manchester United) being two other big names in the side. Their midfield may be lacking in experience, but can still call upon the services of Ángel Di María (PSG) and Éver Banega (Sevilla), and can look at players such as Manuel Lanzini (West Ham) as being the future of Argentine football. Argentina's attack is its main strength, as the Juventus pair of Paulo Dybala and Gonzalo Higuaín join the likes of Mauro Icardi (Inter Milan) and Sergio Agüero (Manchester City), who scored 2 goals for City in the league this season, in the goal of tormenting the defences of the opposition. But there's one man who deserves a whole paragraph to himself, as his greatness cannot be tagged onto the end of this one.

The man in question is Lionel Messi, captain of Argentina and holder of so many records that current players just don't bother to try and break them (unless you're Cristiano Ronaldo, of course). It is hard to perfectly describe the talent that the small Argentine legend has, other than just to sit down and just watch. Every part of his game, except maybe his aerial capacity as he is only 5 ft 7 in, is outstanding. Having won 5 FIFA Ballon d'Ors, 9 La Liga titles and 4 Champions League finals, this is just a small portion of his honours list, as it would take a while to list off all his achievements in both personal and club achievements. It is his international record, however, that actually gives Ronaldo an edge in the Messi vs Ronaldo debate, as Cristiano and his Portuguese friends fluked past France to win Euro 2016. Messi has reached 3 Copa América finals and come up short (no pun intended), and the loss to Germany in 2014 was the closest that the little magician has come to lifting the trophy, which would surely certify his place as a true legend of the game. It would be unfair to cast off Messi just because of a lack of international success, since his triumphs at Barcelona are enough to preserve a legacy. The euphoria surrounding Lionel Messi may be too much for the English to handle, and with so much pride on the line it might just be a bit too overwhelming.

I want to win the World Cup thiiisss much

The passion shown by the Argentinians when they beat England in 1986 on their way to winning the tournament was propelled by the Falklands War (1982) and was seen as revenge for their humiliating defeat. It was only the second time that Argentina had beaten England, and winning a penalty shootout in 1998 was the last time that Argentina defeated England. Their last meeting in 2005 was a 3-2 victory for England, meaning that England had beaten Argentina 6 times, with 6 draws also being played out by both sides. For the English to win, they need to shut down Messi, but not too use all their resources against him since Argentina are still a great side. Memories of 2002 and David Beckham's winning penalty should be fresh in the minds of the England boys, and it will surely propel them to glory. Amazingly enough, here we are. The World Cup Final; Moscow awaits the titanic clash between two great teams. Continuing the trend of facing our fiercest footballing rivals, there is but one left, and all the pressure of a final means this is probably the biggest game between the two sides... ever.

FRANCE: 'LE CRUNCH' 

FINAL SQUAD RELEASED ON 17 MAY

I know 'Le Crunch' is the nickname given between the English and French rugby teams, but this game would likely descend into a rugby match considering the rivalry between the two and the occasion they find themselves in. Just across the English Channel (or La Manche for the Frenchies out there) is the nation of France, who we have a great deal of history with. At 7th in the world, the French find themselves on the brink of greatness under manager Didier Deschamps, yet always seem to find a way to muck it all up. Much like England, France have only won one World Cup when they hosted in 1998, and have enjoyed European success twice in 1984 (again, when they hosted) and 2000. Back to back Confederations Cups in 2001 and 2003 definitely show when French football peaked, so it's no surprise when their recent record in tournaments includes Zinedine Zidane headbutting Italian Marco Materazzi in the World Cup Final of 2006 (France lost, by the way) and a team revolt in 2010 after finishing bottom of their group. Thierry Henry's sneaky handball saw France reach the 2010 finals at the expense of the Republic of Ireland, so no wonder there was a bit of discord amongst the French team.

No fucks given

Yet even though they failed to win the Euros hosted in their own country in 2016, France are coming back into their own. Their qualification record, however, definitely doesn't seem like the form of world champions. Although they finished top, France were beaten 2-1 by Sweden, and did not waltz into the finals like England, Germany and Belgium did. This wouldn't have damaged French confidence though, as the almighty bracket places France top of Group C ahead of Denmark, Australia and Peru. They will get past Croatia, gain their revenge on Portugal (much to the delight of every football fan, apart from the Ronaldo fanboys) and condemn the Brazilians to a third place play-off against Argentina, which would be an awesome game to watch regardless of it being the final or not. While France loses to Germany in the final, in this alternate reality they face up against England, and will fancy their chances.

But how, I hear you cry? The team of the late 90s/ early 2000s are long gone- how the hell are France capable of getting this far? Well, it's funny you should ask that. Captain Hugo Lloris (Spurs) is a world class keeper, and will be a brick wall regardless of who bears down on the French goal. Before him, propping up a strong defensive line will be Raphaël Varane (Real Madrid), Benjamin Mendy (Manchester City) and Lucas (Atlético Madrid); even with the loss of Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal), France have a solid enough defence. Much like Germany, their attacking options in both midfield and attack are enough to make any football fan drool. Paul Pogba (Manchester United) has started to find his feet under Mourinho, and will be joined by the workhorse N'Golo Kanté (Chelsea), Steven N'Zonzi (Sevilla) and Blaise Matuidi (Juventus), to name but a few. Going forward, France's threats just keep coming. At 19 years of age, Kylian Mbappé (PSG), the second most expensive player in history behind Brazilian teammate Neymar (PSG), will be part of Deschamps attacking strike force, with Antoine Griezmann (Atlético Madrid), Ousmane Dembélé (Barcelona) and Thomas Lemar (Monaco) contributing as well. Football's sexiest man Olivier Giroud (Chelsea) just makes France even more of a threat. Eep.

It's a crime to look this good

So it turns out that no matter how well England do, France will make it to the final, and when their squad contains players who have broken numerous transfer records, it's no great surprise. Money shouldn't dictate how well a team should do (OK, Manchester City bought their way to the Premier League title, but my God they played some sweet football), yet France are just so good. The anger of losing the Euro 2016 Final on home soil will be a rallying point for the French, especially when les goddams stand in their way. There have been 31 meetings between England and France, and England find themselves with the better record (17 wins) compared to France's 9. A 3-2 win for France was how the last match ended, but with the World Cup at stake then previous results don't matter. All that matters is that this could be a modern day Agincourt (1415), in which the English beat back the French with superior tactics, longbows and plenty of mud, or maybe even a repeat of Castillon (1453) that decisively ended the Hundred Years' (1337-1453) in favour of France. For England to win, they need to embrace the pressure of the occasion and know that, even if they end up being crushed, the nation will be proud of what they've done. To even get past the Quarter-Finals would be hailed as a great triumph! But how good would it be to beat the French though.

Has to be one of the best photos of all time

SO WILL IT BE A GOOD TOURNAMENT?

Regardless of whether or not England reach the latter stages of the tournament, I am still looking forward to the World Cup. Even though we won't see the likes of Italy, the Netherlands and Chile, there are so many good teams to satisfy the needs of football fans. With Panama and Iceland making their debuts on the world stage, they will be aiming to upset the odds and claim a few scalps on the way, as Iceland actually did at Euro 2016 at the expense of England. Crowd violence may be a concern, but the Confederations Cup last year was pretty successful, and Arsenal fans returned to tell the tale of their trip to Moscow after their tie against CSKA Moscow in the Europa League. Moreover, thanks to FIFA's desire to make money- I mean, 'make football more accessible for everyone', the games are on at pretty good times. Doesn't matter what time they're on really, as I will be watching whatever the time. Even school couldn't stop me watching the Rugby World Cup of 2011 when it was hosted in New Zealand and the games were aired early to mid-morning. Finally, the library came in handy.

England will go to Russia with a good squad, yet without the likes of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who has found his feet at Liverpool, and Joe Gomez, England may seem slightly underpowered. But Harry Kane has had another prolific season in front of goal, Raheem Sterling now appears to be developing into a world class player, and Jordan Henderson has become a rallying point to both his Liverpool teammates and his English compatriots. I have made it quite clear that England's potential opponents are great teams, and are more than likely to rip England a new one, but Gareth Southgate has a plan. He seems far more comfortable in the role compared to Roy Hodgson and the stroppy Fabio Capello. The most important thing to do is to make players forget about their club loyalties, and not let their rivalries distract them from what's at stake. In my opinion, that is why the England of the 2000s kept falling short. Manchester United and Liverpool's rivalry was never forgotten, and when great players like Paul Scholes and Steven Gerrard refused to mould into a solid midfield partnership, it meant England could not reach the promised land of World Cup glory. Perhaps, this time around, friendships can be formed.

Work on the celebrations later, Jesse, there is work to be done

For the non-football fans out there, the World Cup period will be one of great strife. Football will be everywhere, and they are likely to feel suffocated by the amount of talk about whether Harry Kane will be trusted to take corners (no, he should be nowhere near that bloody flag). Some will embrace it, and some will hide away and wait for the whole thing to be over. Of course, if England win, then there will be no escape for a very, very long time. But to be fair, it would be the only good thing to happen this country for years. No Eurovision victory this year surely leaves the door open to a World Cup campaign of immense success. I hope so, at least. Go on England, go out there and do some sportball!

Good luck lads

Ben G 😁 xo

P.S. Next week I will be off on my challenge. The kind folks from Battersea sent me a shirt last week to show how nicely they treat hose willing to put their bodies on the line for them. I am ready to destroy my body for the good of Battersea, and you can still donate! How lucky is that! I'm sure I will give a full report when/ if I return.

Just making sure it fits

'P.P.S. I'm still grinding through all the Marvel films, as I have now made it to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. Captain America: The First Avenger will always be my favourite film from the series. Nothing will ever change that

I will buy all the war bonds you have, Captain Rogers