An Impossible Man

[CFuller]

***

 

England were on the cusp of reaching the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Four points against Armenia and Liechtenstein in their final two qualifying matches would surely be enough to ensure that the Three Lions were present and correct in Morocco.

 

Indeed, England's qualification as winners of Group 5 would be secured if they could defeat Armenia at Wembley on 11 November, and Greece - the only team who could catch them - failed to beat Bosnia & Herzegovina on home soil. Such a scenario would reduce England's trip to Vaduz three days later to 'dead-rubber' status.

 

The Three Lions had been infamously profligate against Armenia in Yerevan earlier in the qualifying rounds, but there was little to suggest that the Havakakan could conjure up another surprise result in west London. They were rock-bottom of Group 5 without a win to their name, as some laughable defending had seen their hopes of a debut World Cup appearance disintegrate.

 

Armenia had a FIFA World Ranking of 83rd, which was 16 positions lower than where they were prior to that goalless draw in June. Collecting a solitary point from two matches against the mighty Liechtenstein hadn't helped in that regard, and manager Arthur Petrosyan was expected to be unceremoniously dismissed once this tumultuous campaign was over.

 

Mark Catterall's job as England boss was relatively more secure, though he wasn't going to take any chances when he came to pick his starting line-up for this final home qualifier. Most of his key players featured from the start, though Eric Dier and Michael Keane were left out, having played for Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City respectively in the Premier League just four days beforehand.

 

England were on the attack almost immediately after play kicked off. In the second minute, attacking midfield playmaker Dele Alli sprayed the ball out to Nathan Redmond, who cut into the Armenian penalty area before having a pop at goal. The Southampton forward's shot was charged behind by Armenia captain Taron Voskanyan for a corner, which England skipper Jordan Henderson failed to make the most of.

 

Things didn't get any better for Henderson in the fourth minute. An over-the-top challenge on Armenia's teenage playmaker Vahagn Minasyan saw the Liverpool middleman pick up a very early yellow card. Several England players went into this match one booking away from suspension, but Henderson was not one of them.

 

The Three Lions' vice-skipper Harry Kane then stepped up his attempts to open the scoring. Though the Tottenham forward was off target with efforts in the 7th and 12th minute, a slightly more promising shot in the 10th had to be caught by Arsen Beglaryan. The Armenia goalkeeper was currently enjoying his second season with - of all clubs - Dagenham & Redbridge.

 

By now, Greece had taken the lead against Bosnia & Herzegovina. Dimitris Melikiotis broke the deadlock after 11 minutes in Piraeus, thus putting the Galanolefki level on points with England, though goal difference was heavily in the latter's favour.

 

Five minutes later at Wembley, England reinstated their two-point lead at the summit. Jordon Ibe's right-wing cross was flicked on by Redmond to Kane, whose left-footed volley was too much for Beglaryan. The 28-year-old Londoner had become the sixth man to score 40 international goals for England, and he had drawn level with Michael Owen's final haul.

 

Barely a minute after that, another Tottenham man was looking to double the hosts' advantage. It was an excellent centre from Manchester United left-back Luke Shaw that created the opportunity, which Alli horribly squandered wide from close range.

 

Armenia briefly attacked in the 24th minute, with 22-year-old winger Vahan Bichakchyan winning a corner off Shaw. Bichakchyan also took said corner, but Henderson headed it clear, leaving Jack Butland untroubled in the England goal.

 

Henderson himself had a chance to score from a set-piece on 38 minutes. However, he wouldn't be adding to his four England goals here, as a header from Redmond's floated free-kick drifted well off target.

 

Two minutes later, returning England defender Mason Holgate brilliantly took the ball off Armenia striker Artur Nadiryan's feat and hoofed it up to Kane. The Three Lions frontman skipped past visiting defender Varazdat Haroyan before having a 25-yard pop tipped wide by Beglaryan.

 

England remained only a single goal ahead at the break, when Catterall decided to freshen up his midfield. Henderson and Alli were both rested, with Wolverhampton Wanderers' Neil Campbell and Tottenham's James Ward-Prowse coming on in their places. At just 20 years old, Campbell was making his first appearance in a senior international.

 

Another player who was still relatively inexperienced at the top level was Ibe. The AFC Bournemouth winger - making just his third England appearance - could've registered an assist three minutes into the second half. Ibe burst unchallenged up the right flank after receiving the ball from Campbell, and then crossed to Kane, who horrendously misdirected his header.

 

Wing-back Nathaniel Clyne was also proving to be a handful on the right flank. A tireless run from the Liverpool man in the 56th minute was ended by a trip from Armenia left-back Gaël Andonian, who received the Havakakan's first (and only) yellow card. Kane and Ward-Prowse later missed further opportunities for the Three Lions, who were perhaps kicking themselves that they weren't already miles ahead.

 

Unusually, Catterall made his final substitution with half an hour still to play. Ibe had run himself into the ground, so the winger was replaced with a second striker in Chelsea's Callum Wilson. Though Wilson had scored four goals in his most recent international outing against Greece, this would be a rather less memorable evening for him.

 

England were now firmly pushing for a second goal, which they eventually got in the 65th minute. It came via a clinical finish from a left-wing cross by Campbell... but it was Haroyan who provided it, with a miscued clearance diverting the ball into his own net! Haroyan played his club football in South Korea for Gyeongnam, and at that precise moment, he probably was wishing he was still on that side of the world.

 

Campbell had already contributed to one goal in his short England career thus far. After 69 minutes, he could've followed it up with a dream debut goal. Wilson's shirt was pulled by Armenian anchor man Rumyan Hovsepyan, who gave away a mid-range free-kick that the Three Lions' newest star fired just over the bar.

 

Three minutes after that, Campbell superbly tackled the ball off Nadiryan's feet and fed it first-time to Wilson in the penalty area. Wilson burst up the Armenian half, only to pull up suddenly just when it looked like he would score a sublime solo goal. The forward appeared to have hurt his hamstring, but Catterall told him to play on. England's lead stood at 2-0 was not the most secure, so the manager considered it important that he still had 11 players on the field.

 

England's next chance to build a surely unassailable 3-0 advantage came from Redmond in the 78th minute. A fine run towards the Armenian 'D' ended with the pacey attacker blasting a shot wide.

 

Five minutes from the end, though, the contest really was all over. Wilson summoned enough power in his dodgy hamstring to surge forward and move the ball out left to Kane, who in turn picked out Ward-Prowse's run. As Beglaryan took a couple of steps off his goal line, Ward-Prowse hammered the ball past him to seal the points.

 

Campbell and Redmond arguably deserved to get their names on the scoresheet as well before full-time. It wasn't to be for either of them, though, as two late Beglaryan saves at least prevented Armenia from suffering total embarrassment.

 

So, the Three Lions had won by three goals and maintained their impeccable defensive record. Was it a case of job done? Erm... not quite.

 

Greece had narrowly held onto a 1-0 win over Bosnia & Herzegovina in Piraeus, despite having to finish the match with 10 men after defender Kostas Manolas tore a groin muscle late on. This victory kept alive the Galanolefki slim hopes of winning Group 5, though they would probably have to settle for progressing as one of the best runners-up instead.

 

It would all come down to 14 November, when England travelled to Liechtenstein, and Greece played host to Armenia. Only a shock English defeat and a Greek victory would see the Galanolefki qualify automatically. Anything else, and the Three Lions would be heading to the 2022 World Cup.

 

11 November 2021: FIFA World Cup UEFA Qualifying Group 5 - at Wembley, London

England - 3 (Harry Kane 16, Varazdat Haroyan og65, James Ward-Prowse 85)

Armenia - 0

ENGLAND LINE-UP (4-2-3-1): Jack Butland; Nathaniel Clyne, Mason Holgate, John Stones, Luke Shaw; Jordan Henderson (Neil Campbell), Lewis Cook; Jordon Ibe (Callum Wilson), Dele Alli (James Ward-Prowse), Nathan Redmond; Harry Kane. BOOKED: Henderson 4.

 

Callum Wilson's injury was assessed by the England medical team after the match, and the news was not good for Catterall. Wilson had pulled his hamstring and would have to return to Chelsea for treatment.

 

The 29-year-old's withdrawal left a vacant seat on the flight to Zürich, from where they would progress east across the Switzerland-Liechtenstein border. Although Catterall briefly considered a recall for West Ham United striker Danny Ings, who had won his only England cap in 2015 under Roy Hodgson, that seat would remain empty.

 

Instead, Catts looked to the Under-21s, who had just beaten Austria 3-1 in Wals-Siezenheim to record a fifth straight victory in their European Championship qualifiers. Two of England's goals had come from Liverpool striker Lawrence Warner, who had now scored 14 times in 20 Under-21s internationals.

 

The manager had been so impressed by Warner's performance that he asked the 20-year-old Stoke City loanee to cross the Austrian border into Liechtenstein, rather than return home with the Young Lions for their next qualifier against Serbia. Warner was back in the main England team, and barring any late injury setbacks, he was on course to collect his first senior cap in Vaduz.

[CFuller]

***

 

Mark Catterall and his England team flew out to Zürich in Switzerland early on Friday 12 November. They then travelled east to Liechtenstein - the tiny, double-landlocked principality where their 2022 FIFA World Cup destiny would be determined two days later.

 

The squad checked into a hotel in the town of Vaduz that afternoon. They would soon be joined by their newest member - 20-year-old Stoke City striker Lawrence Warner. The on-loan Liverpool youngster had crossed over from Austria, where he'd just played for the Under-21s side, as injury cover for Callum Wilson.

 

Warner was greeted at the hotel by Catterall, and the Football Association's communications director Ava Leggett, who asked him, "Safe trip, Loz?"

 

As he and another FA official carried three suitcases into the hotel, Warner said, "Yeah, it was, thanks."

 

"I bet you never thought this was happening," Catterall smiled. "But you deserve it. Paul [Ashworth, England Under-21s manager] said you were fantastic last night."

 

"Yeah, two goals! Can't ask for nothing more than that, can you?"

 

"You haven't picked up any knocks, have you? There aren't any hernias or blisters you aren't hiding, are there?"

 

Warner shook his head, "No, boss."

 

"Good. You must be knackered after last night, so how about I help take your suitcases up to your room?"

 

"That'd be great, cheers."

 

As Catterall took one of the suitcases up, Leggett called Warner over and said, "I just wanna ask you a couple of questions, if you don't mind? It's for the website, and for our social media."

 

"Yeah, sure. Fire away."

 

A few minutes later, Catterall waited outside Warner's hotel room with his suitcases lined up. Warner said, "Cheers for that, boss."

 

"You're welcome, Loz," Catterall said as he flexed his fingers. "But why the hell d'you need three suitcases?"

 

"For all my clothes, toiletries, gadgets, what not."

 

"But three? Seriously? I had my first big game abroad with Blackburn Rovers in 1994 when I was not much older than you are now. We were playing Trelleborgs in Sweden in the UEFA Cup, and our manager Kenny Dalglish insisted we took only one suitcase each. To be fair, that was all we needed at the time, 'cos all your fancy electronics of today weren't around."

 

Warner laughed, "You sound like my dad at times!"

 

"I could be your dad-in-law in a few years, so you'd better get used to it," Catterall quipped. "How are you and Ashley getting along by the way?"

 

"We're cool. We're still getting used to living together without our folks, but everything's great at the minute. I'm playing well, Ash is playing well..."

 

"Good to hear. Now you get everything unpacked and get yourself some rest. I want you sharp for training tomorrow."

 

"Of course," Warner nodded. "By the way... Jack Wilshere ain't gonna give me any grief, is he?"

 

"Don't worry about him too much, Loz. It's all a bit of what you kids would call 'banter'. Jack does go a bit far at times, but most of the older lads will look out for you and make sure it don't become too much."

 

"Thanks," Warner smiled. "I'll try not to let it get to me this time."

 

"So I guess I'll leave you to it, then. I'm gonna head off to speak to Ava about summat now..."

 

"I'm not sure that's a good idea, boss," Warner warned. "I think she said something about interviewing Harry Kane, and then heading to her room to get drunk."

 

"Oh. Cheers for the heads-up."

 

Later that evening, Catterall was watching television alone in his room when he heard three knocks on his door. He grouchily got up and growled, "No, Ava, for the FIFTH time, I'm NOT gonna sleep with you!"

 

Catterall had just finished his sentence when he opened the door and saw a red-haired, middle-aged Mancunian woman, who asked, "Oh, sorry to disturb you. Do you know where Lawrence Warner is staying, please?"

 

"Oh yeah, he's four doors down to your ri-" Catterall began, only to pause after taking a good look at the woman, whom he recognised as his first girlfriend. "You're... you're not Hannah Richardson from Salford by any chance, are you?"

 

"Mark Catterall!" Hannah gasped. "Bloomin' hell! We ain't seen each other since we were, what, 16! You've aged terribly, I must say."

 

"Well, that's what getting divorced, losing your parents, and managing England for five years does to you," Catterall shrugged. "But look at you! Still carrying off the Sheena Easton look after all these years!"

 

"Oh yeah. You know... I had 'You Could Have Been With Me' on a loop for a week after you dumped me. I don't think I ever forgave you for that."

 

"Hannah, we were 16 and we were oversexed. My parents would've kicked me out of home if I didn't call the whole thing off! But now I've moved on..."

 

A balding, heavily-built man in his early 50s then came over and asked in a broad Lincolnshire accent, "Who are you speaking to, Hannah?"

 

"And I see you've moved on as well," Catterall muttered under his breath. He then introduced himself to the man, "Mark Catterall. I went to school with Hannah."

 

"Jack Warner," came the reply from Hannah's husband, who shared a name - if nothing else - with a disgraced former FIFA and CONCACAF executive. "We've come over to see our son Lawrence."

 

"Four doors down to your right."

 

"Cheers, Mark. Hang on... you're Ashley's dad, aren't you? Lawrence's girlfriend?"

 

Catterall smiled, "Guilty as charged, your honour."

 

"Ashley came round to ours about three weeks back, didn't she, Hannah?" Jack asked, to which Hannah nodded in affirmation. "She said some nice things about you, like that you're not the bumbling wacko they say you are in the press. She's a lovely girl, and we're proud that Lawrence is with her."

 

"Thank you."

 

"Anyway, it was nice to finally meet you, Mark," Jack said before firmly shaking Catterall's hand. "We should get together some time for a proper chat."

 

"I'd quite like that, Jack," Catterall nodded.

 

As Jack headed off to his son's room, Hannah smiled, "Small world, ain't it?"

 

Catterall half-laughed, "You bet! It's a funny coincidence that we used to be a couple, and now your son and my daughter are! But don't expect me to give Loz any favours on Sunday just 'cos of that."

 

"No, of course we don't," Hannah shook her head. "Jack's got his own construction business back home in Liverpool, and he always told Loz when he was growing up that you won't get anywhere in life unless you work for it."

 

"You've brought him up well. Loz is a good kid - a bit brash and arrogant at time, but then that's much like how I was when I was 20."

 

Hannah then said, "Well, it was nice to meet up again after 33 years, Mark, even if I... never expected to be so far from home. I'd best go and see my little man now."

 

"Yeah, go," Catterall nodded. Hannah offered a kiss on the cheek, but Mark insisted on a police handshake instead, saying, "You never know if the press are watching when you're in my job."

 

Hannah said, "Of course. Maybe I'll catch you again later."

 

As Hannah headed over to join her family, Catterall prepared to close his door. That was when Leggett stumbled out of the adjacent room to the right, clutching a bottle of wine in her hand. She didn't have her glasses or any footwear on and was sporting only a long black tank top.

 

"Come on up, l-lover boy," Leggett slurred at Catterall. "You know you... [hic]... want me."

 

Catterall sighed, "No, Ava. Go to bed."

[CFuller]

***

 

14 November 2021. England were about to find out whether or not they would be heading to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Morocco.

 

The chances were that they would be. Only a shock defeat in their final qualifier against Liechtenstein in Vaduz, coupled by a victory for Greece against Armenia, would see England fail to finish top of Group 5. There would then need to be a host of unfavourable results in other European groups for the Three Lions to not go through anyway as one of the three best runners-up.

 

One point was all England needed at the Rheinpark Stadion, which was home to the Liechtenstein national team as well as the principality's only professional club - Swiss Super League outfit FC Vaduz. Several players in the Blues-Reds' team were drawn from Vaduz, including Swiss-born former Aston Villa goalkeeper Benjamin Siegrist. He had recently taken the Liechtenstein number 1 jersey following Benji Büchel's shock decision to retire from football aged just 32.

 

England boss Mark Catterall named an experimental starting line-up, resting several key men. Jordan Henderson, Harry Kane and John Stones were all benched, which meant that Tottenham Hotspur's defensive midfielder Eric Dier would don the captain's armband.

 

A number of players were left out because they were a yellow card away from potentially being banned from England's opening World Cup group game. Left-back Danny Rose and centre-half Michael Keane were walking that same disciplinary tightrope, but a lack of safe defensive options meant that Catterall had to name them in his backline. They would have to be particularly careful with their tackling.

 

Everton goalkeeper Freddie Woodman played in his first World Cup qualifier and was tasked with keeping the Three Lions' impeccable defensive record intact for 90 more minutes. There was also a maiden start for Wolverhampton Wanderers' 20-year-old midfielder Neil Campbell, who'd made his senior debut against Armenia three days earlier.

 

Campbell's fellow rising star Lawrence Warner, also 20, was given his first England cap after being drafted in from the Under-21s to replace the injured Callum Wilson. Stoke City's on-loan Liverpool striker led the attack alongside Wolves' predatory poacher James Wilson, who was capped for just the second time.

 

As expected, England attacked Liechtenstein from the outset. They won three corners within the opening five minutes, but Tottenham Hotspur midfielder James Ward-Prowse's deliveries were not particularly effective.

 

England registered their first shot at goal after seven minutes. Ward-Prowse intercepted a pass from home captain Marcel Büchel and rolled it forward to namesake Wilson, who then found Jack Wilshere in the penalty area. The Arsenal attacking midfielder had not played in the previous three World Cup qualifiers, and his rustiness showed as he lifted a shot past the far post.

 

Liechtenstein then withstood several more early corners from the visitors. One particularly promising set-piece came in the 11th minute. Michael Keane knocked Ward-Prowse's on to Wilshere, whose half-volley was tipped wide by Siegrist. Ward-Prowse then floated in another corner, which West Ham United defender Reece Oxford headed wide.

 

Liechtenstein were struggling to cope with the intense pressure. Left-back Maximilian Göppel, who was only 24 but was now just one shy of a half-century of international caps, was booked for a trip on Warner in the 13th minute.

 

Meanwhile, Siegrist was doing his utmost to keep the scoreline goalless. He diverted away a dangerous left-wing cross from Danny Rose in the 16th minute, and then kept out another Wilshere volley two minutes later.

 

On 21 minutes, though, the Blues-Reds' resistance was very nearly broken. Their right-back Maurice Brunner could only head a Wilshere corner as far as Wilson, who dribbled the ball into the area and had a pop at goal from a difficult angle. Wilson's strike rebounded off the post before Brunner cleared the danger.

 

Liechtenstein had another scare in the 26th minute, after a clearance from Siegrist was intercepted by Warner. The young England striker nodded the ball ahead of Wilshere, who was once again denied by a great recovery save from Siegrist. Wilshere returned the favour to his colleague moments later, but Warner half-volleyed the experienced playmaker's flick-on wide.

 

England started to tire after going half an hour without breaking the deadlock. That allowed Liechtenstein to launch their first attack in the 31st minute - not that their opening shot got particularly close to Woodman's goal. Keane threw himself in front of a hopeful long-distance drive from Blues-Reds frontman Kevin Hadzipasic before it could even enter the penalty area.

 

Liechtenstein showed similar bravery to prevent England from finally scoring in the 38th minute. Wilshere's free-kick delivery into the box was passed short by Keane to Warner, whose strike was blocked by Hadzipasic. Home defender Daniel Kaufmann then got in the way of a rebound shot from Wilson, diverting it behind for the latest in a growing line of corners.

 

Further opportunities for Ward-Prowse and Oxford came and went before the half-time whistle blew, with the scoreline still standing at Liechtenstein 0, England 0. This had all the hallmarks of being a repeat of the Three Lions' profligate displays in Astana and Yerevan - and an even more embarrassing one at that.

 

Catterall had planned to leave his best assets on the bench and blood fringe players in this match. With victory now in serious doubt, though, he felt that he had to use his most powerful weapons. Wilshere and Warner were substituted, so that Tottenham duo Dele Alli and Harry Kane could enter the fray. Would their quality win the day?

 

Alli's quality would not. Just two minutes into the second period, the attacking midfielder slipped awkwardly on the wet surface and sprained his ankle. Catterall was forced into making his third and final substitution, which saw Henderson come on in the stricken Alli's place.

 

With Henderson now on the pitch, Campbell was given the freedom to play in a more advanced midfield role than the box-to-box role he'd been given for the first half. The youngest player in the England team was also allowed to take a corner after winning one off Göppel in the 52nd minute.

 

Campbell aimed the corner at the near post, hoping to find Oxford. The 22-year-old rose majestically above Brunner to put a lethal header past Siegrist and secure his maiden England goal. The Three Lions had been spared embarrassment by two of their least experienced players.

 

That long-awaited breakthrough goal for England could have been followed by a swift second on 55 minutes. Right-back Calum Chambers put an excellent cross into the box for Kane, whose header came within inches of getting him a 41st international goal.

 

Chambers and Kane linked up for another attack in the 57th minute. Kane got ahead of Liechtenstein centre-half Fabian Eberle to reach the Everton right-back's delivery to the six-yard box. However, he was thwarted by a superb fingertip save from Siegrist, who then caught a couple of his headers over the next five minutes.

 

Kane would not add to his 10 World Cup qualifying goals in this match. Nevertheless, his haul was enough to rank him joint-third amongst the top scorers in the UEFA qualifiers. Only Belgium's Romelu Lukaku and Spain's Álvaro Morata had been more prolific, with 12 goals apiece.

 

Meanwhile, Wilson's tally would remain at zero. His wait for a first England goal continued when he missed the target from a Chambers cross in the 70th minute. Henderson then went close in the 74th minute before Siegrist caught Ward-Prowse's shot a couple of minutes later. There would also be no full-debut goal for Campbell, whose 82nd-minute attempt was saved.

 

Just like in the first half, Liechtenstein would have one single shot at goal during the second period. England fans held their breaths in the 84th minute as a deflected cross from Blues-Reds full-back Manuel Dietsche fell to veteran midfielder Marco Mathys, who put it wide.

 

Then, after 89 minutes, England made absolutely certain that they would be flying out to Morocco in the summer. Kane centred the ball across the Liechtenstein area and found Ward-Prowse, albeit via a slight deflection off Göppel. Ward-Prowse then thundered a shot in off the woodwork to wrap up a 2-0 away win.

 

As unconvincing as England's performance was in Vaduz, and indeed in earlier away matches, they had still done enough. They were into the World Cup finals for the 16th time, as winners of UEFA Qualifying Group 5.

 

Having kept 10 consecutive clean sheets, this was the first time England had negotiated a tournament qualifying campaign without conceding any goals since the 1990 World Cup preliminaries. Their impeccable defensive record had been matched by Portugal, though the European champions only needed to play eight matches on their way to winning Group 7.

 

England's inability to find the net in two of their matches meant that they were not even close to becoming the European qualifiers' top scorers. Their haul of 29 goals put them 3rd on that list, behind Belgium (41) and Spain (32). Belgium had recovered from a shock early defeat in Macedonia to blitz through Group 2 and ensure that they would defend their title.

 

England and Spain were among five unbeaten teams on the continent. France and Poland had also come through their groups without losing, but they'd all been trumped by Italy, whose 100% record in Group 4 marked the Azzurri out as a genuine force to be reckoned with.

 

As for Greece, their 1-0 win over Armenia - courtesy of a first-half goal from Dimitris Kourbelis - was enough to see them through as one of the best runners-up. However, none of the other British Isles teams would join England at Morocco 2022.

 

14 November 2021: FIFA World Cup UEFA Qualifying Group 5 - at Rheinpark Stadion, Vaduz

Liechtenstein - 0

England - 2 (Reece Oxford 52, James Ward-Prowse 89)

ENGLAND LINE-UP (4-4-2 Diamond): Freddie Woodman; Calum Chambers, Reece Oxford, Michael Keane, Danny Rose; Eric Dier; Jack Wilshere (Dele Alli (Jordan Henderson)), Neil Campbell; James Ward-Prowse; Lawrence Warner (Harry Kane), James Wilson.

 

2022 FIFA World Cup UEFA Qualifying Group 5 (Final Standings)

                                   P     W     D     L     F     A     GD    PTS
1.    Q     England                10    8     2     0     29    0     29    26
2.    Q     Greece                 10    8     0     2     20    12    8     24
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3.          Bosnia & Herzegovina   10    4     2     4     16    13    3     14
4.          Kazakhstan             10    4     2     4     10    18    -8    14
5.          Liechtenstein          10    1     1     8     3     24    -21   4
6.          Armenia                10    0     3     7     8     19    -11   3

 

As per usual, Catterall was interviewed by ITV's Gabriel Clarke shortly after the final whistle. Clark said, "Mark, congratulations once again on booking England's place at another World Cup."

 

Catterall raised the briefest of smiles before saying, "Yes, thank you, Gabriel. I was kinda hoping we would've got it all done and dusted before tonight, but I suppose qualifying without conceding a goal is an impressive achievement in itself. It just goes to show that we're very solid at the back and have plenty of depth in defence."

 

"England's strength in depth was no doubt characterised by Reece Oxford, who scored his first senior goal for his country tonight. Just how far do you think he could go?"

 

"I wasn't so much impressed by Reece's goal as by his aerial dominance. He's a strong and spirited young lad who asserted his dominance over the Liechtenstein strikers. I can't remember them even having a shot on target, which shows just how brilliant Reece was tonight. If he can sustain his good club form for West Ham, then he could definitely be part of my World Cup plans and maybe become an England regular for the next 10 years or so."

 

Clarke grew more serious as he asked, "That being said, you can't have been too pleased that your team made such heavy weather of the victory, can you?"

 

"The weather weren't too great, actually, but I'm not going to make any excuses for the lads. They knew and I knew that our first-half performance was a complete and utter let-down to the few thousand England fans who paid good money to see us qualify. I had to remind them of what they would've faced back home had the scoreline stayed at 0-0, and I'd like to think that sent them out for the second half with a more ruthless mentality."

 

"And what will your expectations be at the World Cup, Mark, now that you can finally make some firm plans for the summer?"

 

"Well... we got to the Semi Finals in 2018, and we only just lost the Euros last year. I'm expecting us to get to the business end again, and I'm sure a lot of our fans are as well. When we get to Morocco, we've got to believe that we can stay there for the duration. There's no point in turning up just to make the numbers; we want to stand out from the crowd and show that we can win the World Cup."

 

Clarke nodded, "And on that optimistic note, I think we'll call it there. Thank you, Mark, and we'll see you in Morocco."

[CFuller]

***

 

It was the afternoon following England's 2-0 win over Liechtenstein, which secured their place at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The squad had left the tiny principality and crossed the border to Switzerland, where they boarded a flight from Zürich Airport to Heathrow.

 

Throughout the flight, manager Mark Catterall looked out of the window somewhat wistfully. Catterall's withdrawn behaviour worried his assistant Michael Burke, who gently nudged him in the side with his elbow and asked, "Mark? Mark? What's up, big fella?"

 

Catterall grouchily turned to Burke and muttered, "Don't disturb me."

 

"Seriously, Mark? What's going on? You ain't been yourself today."

 

Catterall sighed and said, "Last night. We were awful."

 

"Yeah, so? We won in the end... and that's what matters, don't it?"

 

"I weren't worried about the result, Mick, if that's what you're trying to get at. I mean, even Scotland on a bad day could beat them lot! It's the performance I ain't too pleased about!"

 

In the seat behind them, coach David Platt said, "I hear you, Mark. I haven't seen England win a match while playing so unconvincingly since 2003, when they beat Serbia & Montenegro 2-1 at what was then called the Walkers' Stadium in Leicester."

 

Catterall growled, "Oh, put a sock in it, Platt!"

 

Burke said, "Well, at least we've got about seven months to work on things before we go off to Morocco."

 

"We've had about seven months already to try and put things right after Kazakhstan, and still we play like s***! At this rate, the only chance we've got of getting out of our group will be if we play Greece three times in a row!"

 

"Where's all this 'we can win the World Cup' talk from last night gone then?"

 

Catterall muttered, "That was just bravado for the TV cameras."

 

"That's not like you at all, Mark. You say things as they are, even if you don't think they're going great."

 

"The thing is, I don't know what I'm like at the moment."

 

Burke patted Catterall on the shoulder, saying, "Hey. It'll all be fine in the end... trust me."

 

"Get off me, you muppet," Catterall grumbled.

 

"Christ," Burke sighed. "You're reminding me of Jules at the minute."

 

After arriving at Heathrow, Catterall drove for two-and-a-half miles back home to Staffordshire. He opened the front door and went through before slamming it behind him, startling his wife Jenny and their son Luke in the kitchen.

 

Mark then walked into the kitchen holding a newspaper in one hand and pulling a suitcase behind him with the other. Jenny greeted him, "Hello, love. How are you?"

 

Mark slammed his newspaper onto the kitchen table and growled, "How do you think I am?"

 

"And good afternoon to you too," Jenny replied rather disappointedly. She picked up the newspaper and queried, "The Daily Mail? I thought you wouldn't be seen dead reading that!"

 

"Just read what those numbskulls have written about me."

 

Luke asked, "If you don't like reading the nasty stuff journalists write about you, Dad, why don't you stop reading it? What are you... a masochist or something?"

 

"Where'd you come across that word, son?"

 

"Dad... I'm 13. I know about that stuff now."

 

Jenny was reading through the Mail's match report, which was far from complimentary about the England manager's tactics. Their reporter wrote, "After previous disastrous performances in Astana and Yerevan, it appeared that Vaduz would be the latest obscure national capital to become inexorably associated with Catterall for the wrong reasons. For 50 minutes, his apparent inability to break down a firmly defensive team had England fans thinking they'd stumbled into a sequel of the Bill Murray film 'Groundhog Day'.

 

"Forget Punxsutawney Phil forecasting six more weeks of winter. Mancunian Mark appears to be predicting eight more months of winter for English football, even during the sweltering Moroccan summer."

 

Jenny looked up to Mark and said, "They've written much worse about you, I'm sure."

 

"You ain't even seen the worst of it. Page 12."

 

Jenny turned to page 12 and came across a cartoon lampooning the England manager and his assistant. It was heavily based on the 1961 oil painting "Look Mickey" by the New York pop artist Roy Lichtenstein. The original painting depicted Walt Disney's most famous creations - Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck - on a fishing trip.

 

In the recreated piece, Catterall was depicted as Donald, raising his fishing rod and declaring, "LOOK MICKEY, I'VE HOOKED A BIG ONE!" Unbeknownst to him, the hook had caught the back of his jacket. Meanwhile, Burke - cast as a red-eared Mickey - covered his mouth to try and disguise his amusement.

 

Jenny let out a laugh, prompting Luke to ask, "What's so funny, Mum?"

 

"Nothing's funny about that, Luke," Mark stated. "First The Sun put me on Garfield's body, and now the Mail have made me out to be Donald Duck! What's next? Are the Telegraph gonna turn me into Scooby Doo?"

 

"I know literally nothing about any of what you've just said, Dad," Luke admitted.

 

Jenny chuckled, "You need to relax, Mark. It's no good for your health if you make too much of little things like these."

 

"Can't you see what they're doing, Jen?" Mark exclaimed. "They're trying to turn me into a laughing stock! A muppet!"

 

"SERIOUSLY?! You think you have it bad? The Prime Minister is mocked by cartoonists every single week!"

 

"And d'you know what happens to them, Jen? THEY GET THROWN IN PRISON, that's what! And frankly, I'd love to see the sick f***er who drew this behind bars as well!"

 

Jenny stood up and exclaimed, "Do you even know what you're saying?"

 

Luke fearfully stuttered, "Dad... you're scaring me."

 

Mark yelled, "OH, SHUT UP, LUKE! And why don't you F***ING GROW UP while you're at it?"

 

Luke was unable to contain his emotions anymore. With his lips trembling, he got off his chair and grabbed hold of his walking stick before leaving the room as hastily as he could.

 

Jenny fumed, "Oh, now you've REALLY done it, Mark! There was no need to take out your anger on your F***ING SON!"

 

Mark's mobile phone then rang, prompting him to pull it out of his pocket and smash it angrily against a wall.

 

Jenny hissed, "For God's sake, Mark..." as she tried to grab Mark by the arms. However, Mark managed to stop her by tightly gripping the top of her right arm with his left hand.

 

Jenny stared into her husband's eyes and growled, "Think very carefully about your next move, Mark Catterall."

 

That was when it hit home for Mark, who loosened his grip and immediately collapsed into a chair. He then placed his face in his hands and sobbed, "Jen... I'm sorry, Jen."

 

"Mark..." Jenny sighed. "What's the matter?"

 

Mark uncovered his face and replied hoarsely, "It's this bloody job, Jen. The pressure's getting on top of me. If I'd known this was how it'd be, I'd never have become England manager in the first place!"

 

"I'm... I'm no psychiatrist, but you seem to be depressed."

 

"I've been trying to keep my real emotions inside for so long. Sometimes I have the odd wobble, as you know... but last night has... it's tipped me over the edge, and it's brought it ALL out."

 

"You can't bottle your emotions up like this. It's like having a computer with loads of bugs and viruses. If you don't sort all that out, then something will eventually go very wrong and you'll lose everything."

 

Mark said, "My Dad was a typical old fella. He didn't have much time for tears - or 'silly stuff', as he called it. The first time I ever saw him cry was when Blackpool won the Play-Off Final in 2007... just before he died."

 

"Christ. I didn't realise."

 

"Actually, when I grabbed your arm just now and you told me to think carefully... I was thinking about Dad," Mark said. His voice then broke again as he continued, "If I... if I'd gone any further, he would never have forgiven me for it. Dad never laid a finger on Mum in 40 years, and he expected all four of us to treat our husbands or wives the same."

 

Jenny nodded, "Your Dad was a good man. I wish I knew him more when he was alive."

 

"Yeah, but there was one big flaw he had. If he'd ever upset any of us kids, accidentally or not, he never really said sorry afterwards. But I'm not gonna be like that, Jen."

 

Mark then got up from his seat and said, "There's a 13-year-old boy crying in his bedroom who needs his dad right now." He then left the kitchen and headed upstairs to apologise to his son.

[Drogba11CFC]

Is Mark exaggerating, or are cartoonists actually being locked up for making fun of the Prime Minister?

[CFuller]

3 minutes ago, Drogba11CFC said:

Is Mark exaggerating, or are cartoonists actually being locked up for making fun of the Prime Minister?

That was probably an exaggeration on Mark's part... but in this universe, with Juno Love as Attorney General, he could well be right. I guess we'll find out soon. 

[CFuller]

Chapter 54 - Six Months To Go

 

The Théâtre National Mohammed V in Rabat, Morocco was a hive of activity on 3 December 2021. The draw for the Group Stage of the 2022 FIFA World Cup was about to take place.

 

32 countries remained in the hunt to take home the biggest prize in world football. 64 matches would take place from 10 June to 10 July in the first World Cup ever to be staged in North Africa, and just the second to be played on the African continent.

 

Belgium would go into this tournament as the holders, having destroyed France 4-0 in Moscow to win the 2018 Final. All the other eight former champions would also be in attendance, including their beaten Semi Final opponents England, who were bidding to end 56 years of hurt.

 

The Football Association once again sent a strong contingent to the draw ceremony. Mark Catterall - who would oversee his third tournament as England manager - was accompanied by FA vice-chairman Dexter Poyner and communications director Ava Leggett.

 

Catterall had first travelled to Morocco two years earlier, when the draw for the qualifying rounds took place in Casablanca. On his second visit to the country, he had taken in the sights of its capital city, which would host both the opening ceremony on 10 June and the Final on 10 July.

 

Catterall relayed his findings to his colleagues, saying, "Rabat is a beautiful city. It's a small and charming seaside resort with a first-class tram service. It kinda reminds me of where I was born in Blackpool."

 

"Yeah, it does have a Blackpool vibe to it," Leggett agreed. "I was actually thinking of having my honeymoon right here... until that arsehole Steve Turner put six years of commitment in the bin for a newer, prettier model."

 

Catterall sighed, "Sakes, Ava. You're not still moping about him, are you?"

 

"Oh, God, no!" Leggett laughed unconvincingly. "I don't need a boyfriend anymore, not now I've just adopted two kittens named Taylor and Halsey. Cats are such great companions, Mark! They always love you unconditionally and will never abandon you... unlike Steve Turncoat."

 

"Taylor and Halsey? You ain't named them after your two favourite referees, have you - Anthony and Mark?"

 

Leggett showed Catterall a look of contempt as Poyner said, "I'm not too keen on cats myself, to be honest. I had one when I was, what, five or six, but he ran away from home. Also, I'm allergic to them."

 

Catterall asked, "What d'you make of dogs, Dexter? My Luke's been wanting a guide dog for a couple of years now."

 

Poyner smiled, "Oh yes, I'm a real canophile - that's a 'dog lover'. Darren and I have a three-year-old Golden Retriever back home. I'm sure you already know this, but they make the most fantastic guide dogs."

 

"I'd probably keep your private life a bit more private around these parts if I were you, Dexter," Leggett warned. "Morocco is... not as liberal as Britain when it comes to its treatment of the LGBT community."

 

"Yes, Ava, I'm very aware of that. In fact, that's why Angela [Ruskin] decided to stay at home. Personally, I've always wanted to visit Morocco and couldn't care less about its politics."

 

Catterall nodded, "The last FA chairman couldn't recommend it enough. Clark Gregory once told me that he and his wife Nancy tend to come here on holiday every two years. If I remember rightly, they went to Casablanca just after the Euros, so..."

 

Leggett said, "So there's a chance you might bump into Clark during the World Cup!"

 

"Maybe, but to be honest, I'd probably cross the street to avoid him," Catterall admitted. He then told Poyner, "Hey, Dexter. You should thank your lucky stars that we're actually in Morocco right now, and not Qatar."

 

Poyner shrugged, "Qatar? What do you mean by that?"

 

In all honesty, England had not enjoyed the smoothest of passages to the finals. They hadn't conceded a single goal in 10 qualifying matches, yet a couple of away goalless draws meant that they had to wait until the final round to secure progression. Having finished 3rd at the 2018 World Cup, and then reached the Final of UEFA Euro 2020, some England supporters were hopeful that they would go another step further in 2022.

 

England had finished the qualifiers with six consecutive victories, which had seen them rise to 5th in the FIFA World Rankings at the end of November 2021. That meant they would be seeded for the Group Stage draw, along with the other six highest teams in the rankings, plus hosts Morocco.

 

The Three Lions would avoid most of the big hitters in the group phase, including Euro nemeses Portugal, holders Belgium... and Brazil, who were ranked world number 1 and looking to end a 20-year wait for global glory. The other seeded nations were Colombia, France and Germany.

 

There were a few remarkable sides amongst the unseeded pots. Pot 2 featured the three CONCACAF and five AFC teams, which included Mexico and the United States. CONMEBOL qualifiers Argentina, Chile and Uruguay were alongside the five CAF representatives in Pot 3. Meanwhile, Pot 4 contained the eight remaining UEFA qualifiers, including former champions Italy and Spain.

 

This World Cup would feature three debutants. Qatar - who'd originally been scheduled to host this tournament before being stripped of their privileges - had earned a maiden appearance by right after successfully negotiating the Asian qualifiers. They would be joined by a couple of African newcomers in Cape Verde and Guinea-Bissau.

 

As per usual, the eight groups would each contain one seeded nation, plus one team apiece from Pots 2, 3 and 4. There could be a maximum of two UEFA nations in any given group, but all other confederations were restricted to having only one team per group.

 

FIFA always liked their draw ceremonies to be long, drawn-out affairs. This one was no different, with King Mohammed VI delivering a somewhat loquacious 10-minute address at the start of the ceremony.

 

That was followed by another wordy speech, this time from FIFA's President Gianni Infantino. A few days earlier, the Swiss-Italian had been re-elected for a third consecutive three-year term in office by the FIFA Council. He had faced opposition from Qatari whistle-blower Phaedra Al-Majid, Dutch innovator Marco van Basten, and Russian favourite Steve Bannon, but ultimately won the election by a landslide.

 

Once all that was out of the way, a host of legendary footballers - headed by former Morocco midfielder and Coventry City icon Mustapha Hadji - took to the stage to conduct the draw:

 

2022 FIFA World Cup Group Stage draw

GROUP A: Morocco (hosts), Qatar, Argentina, Sweden

GROUP B: Colombia, Mexico, Cape Verde, Spain

GROUP C: Germany, Iraq, Uruguay, Serbia

GROUP D: France, South Korea, Chile, Croatia

GROUP E: Belgium (holders), Australia, Egypt, Greece

GROUP F: Portugal, Jamaica, Cameroon, Italy

GROUP G: Brazil, United States, Ghana, Poland

GROUP H: England, Japan, Guinea-Bissau, Netherlands

 

When all was said and done, England could have few complaints about their draw. The big news was that they would get to play the Netherlands at the World Cup for the first time since 1990, when the countries contested a hard-fought goalless draw in Cagliari, Italy.

 

The Netherlands were regarded as the greatest footballing nation never to have won the big prize. Watching local rivals Belgium walk off with the big prize in 2018 had motivated the Oranje to strive for success this time around.

 

As always, the Dutch would be a real threat going forward, with Manchester United winger Memphis Depay and the young Ajax attacking midfielder Wout Duindam particularly dangerous opponents. That being said, Danny Blind's side were likely to be very suspect at the back, even with United's Jairo Riedewald and Real Madrid's Virgil van Dijk at the heart of their defence.

 

FIFA's rankings regarded the Netherlands as the joint-14th-best national team. Japan were 36th on that list, but that didn't necessarily mean the 2019 AFC Asian Cup winners would be pushovers.

 

The Samurai Blue had a nice blend of experience and youth in their ranks. CSKA Moscow playmaker Shinji Kagawa and Everton full-back Gôtoku Sakai were still regarded as indispensable players, even in their 30s. At the other end of the age scale was Arsenal's Shinobu Kodama, who at just 20 years old had already won 50 international caps and established himself as one of the world's most talented goalkeepers.

 

As was the case with England, this was to be Japan's seventh World Cup in a trot. The teams had never faced one another on the biggest stage, though they had met three times previously in minor tournaments and friendlies. Their most recent encounter had come in May 2010 in - of all places - the Austrian city of Graz.

 

England's final group opponents were completely alien to them. Guinea-Bissau were Group H's obvious outsiders, and with good reason. The small West African nation (population 1.8 million) had never even qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations, let alone a World Cup, before topping a competitive group to book their place in Morocco.

 

The undoubted star of this Guinea-Bissau team was Ronaldo Vieira. The Leeds United midfielder had previously been part of the Portugal side that had lost to England in the 2019 UEFA European Under-21s Championship Final. Los Djurtus were also hoping to persuade current Esperanças star Emerson Candé - the 21-year-old Benfica striker on loan from Manchester United - to abandon Portugal and switch his allegiance to his country of birth.

 

England would begin their World Cup adventure in the southern city of Agadir, where they would take on Japan on 15 June. They would then head north to Fès for a mouth-watering meeting with the Netherlands on 20 June, before arriving in Tangier on the Mediterranean coast to play Guinea-Bissau four days later.

 

"That looks like a very good group, I have to say," Poyner told Catterall as they sat down at a bar after the ceremony. "The Dutch will be tough opponents, but the other two teams... they're probably not very good, are they?"

 

Catterall replied, "You're doing Japan a huge disservice there. They've got a few attackers with excellent technique, and their goalkeeper is Arsenal's number 1?"

 

Poyner gasped, "Seriously? David Seaman is Japanese? Well, you could have knocked me down with a feather!"

 

Catterall shook his head, "No, Dexter, Seaman doesn't play for Arsenal no more. And I don't think he'd like to be reminded of the last time he was in Japan!"

 

"Erm... okay. And now I guess you're going to tell me that Dennis Bergkamp isn't at Arsenal anymore! So I brought my 2002 Merlin Premier League sticker album over for no good reason?"

 

"I think you could use some more up-to-date research material. I hear the Internet's got a fair bit of stuff on it nowadays."

 

Leggett then patted Catterall on the back and said, "Right, gents, I'm off. I could do with a drink right about now."

 

Catterall sighed, "I'm not sure you'll have much luck there, Ava. Morocco's a Muslim country, so I doubt there'll be any alcohol on sale."

 

Poyner corrected him, "Actually, Mark, Morocco is slightly laxer on alcohol than most other Arab states. The taxes on alcohol are quite high here, though, Ava, so it will be very expensive."

 

Leggett groaned, "Oh, f**k!"

[CFuller]

***

 

A few days had passed since the draw for the 2022 FIFA World Cup took place. England manager Mark Catterall knew that his team would face Guinea-Bissau, Japan and the Netherlands in the Group Stage. Now he could start making firm plans for his team's preparations for the finals.

 

He travelled down from his Staffordshire base to meet FA chairwoman Angela Ruskin, vice-chairman Dexter Poyner and chief executive David Whiteman at Wembley Stadium. Catterall had hoped to discuss an itinerary for some pre-tournament friendly matches, but Ruskin was one step ahead.

 

"Thank you for joining us, Mark," Ruskin told Catterall at the start of the meeting. "The FA board have been debating who England should play in our four friendly matches before the World Cup. We've come to a consensus, but we would like your input before we confirm the details."

 

Catterall nodded, "I see. Usually, I'm heavily involved in the discussions about these sorts of things."

 

"That might have been the case when Clark Gregory was in this seat, but we do things differently now," Ruskin stated. "Still, I hope you agree with the ideas that we've put forward."

 

Whiteman cooed, "I have known you for quite some time, Mr Catterall, so believe me when I confidently say that you will find this schedule to your liking."

 

Ruskin began, "Let's begin with March. We understand that the senior and Under-21s teams spent some time training together in Switzerland before the 2018 World Cup."

 

Catterall confirmed, "Yes, they did. It really helped me decide who was ready to step up for the finals and who wasn't quite there."

 

"So we're going to do something similar again. Between 21 and 25 March, the England senior and Under-21s teams will be having a week-long training camp in Poland, during which we'll have friendly matches against their national teams."

 

"Poland?" Catterall raised his eyebrows. "How's that going to help us prepare for playing in Morocco, exactly?"

 

Whiteman added, "Mr Catterall, please understand that it is not feasible for the England teams to travel to North Africa in the middle of a league season."

 

"I get that, but I wouldn't have thought of Poland as an ideal training camp. Spain, possibly... but Poland?"

 

"It could be beneficial for both our teams," Ruskin insisted. "The Under-21s lost to Poland in the Euros last summer, and this is a great opportunity for them to challenge themselves against the new European champions on home soil."

 

Poyner added, "And what better way to test the senior England defenders than put them up against one of the pre-eminent strikers in world football - Robert Lewandowski?"

 

Catterall shook his head and exclaimed, "Good grief! Did you do your research, Dexter? Lewandowski retired from international football two years ago!"

 

"Apologies; I thought he was still going, to be completely honest," Poyner admitted. "But they do have some other quality players, don't they?"

 

Whiteman chimed in, "There is a young fellow at Wolfsburg whom you might possibly have encountered him during his recent exploits with Newcastle United, Mr Catterall."

 

"Indeed, I have," Catterall nodded. "Arkadiusz Milik scored six goals in 21 Premier League games, but he left after just over a year. To be fair, he did miss three months of last season after breaking his foot."

 

Ruskin asked, "So do you agree with the idea of travelling to Poland? After all, your defence does need a proper workout after having it so easy in the qualifiers."

 

"Yes, I do."

 

"And what would you think of us playing South Korea at Wembley on 29 March? I take it they would be good warm-up opposition for the Japan game."

 

"They're East Asian. They like to play fast, direct football. They're technically very good on the ball. Sounds perfect to me!"

 

Whiteman smiled as he told Ruskin, "I suspected that he would resoundingly agree to that particular fixture."

 

Ruskin then carried on, "And that leaves us with the two friendlies after you name your final squad, but before the tournament itself. The board agree that we should play against Belgium at Wembley on 31 May..."

 

Catterall interrupted, "Excuse me? Belgium?"

 

Poyner chimed in, "It's obvious, isn't it? As we all know, the Dutch love to play 'Total Football', and the Belgians play much the same way, don't they?"

 

"You wouldn't be saying that if you actually watched their games. The Netherlands play expansive, attacking football like they always have done. Belgium were like that when they won the World Cup under Roberto Martínez, but they've become more methodical since appointing a new coach. Besides, I don't think we'll learn a great deal about playing Belgium when we've already met them twice in the Nations League last year."

 

"Do you have an alternative suggestion, Mr Catterall?" Whiteman asked.

 

Catterall suggested, "We haven't played France for a few years now. They're ranked 3rd in the world and are one of the favourites to win the title."

 

Ruskin replied, "I won't lie and say that we haven't considered France. We talked to the FFF about the idea of playing them, but they've already arranged a couple of away friendlies in Uruguay and Argentina for early June."

 

Catterall remarked somewhat sarcastically, "It sounds like they've got their preparations for an African World Cup spot-on, then."

 

Poyner shook his head, "I'm not sure about that. Uruguay and Argentina are both in South America, which doesn't seem particularly suitable when you're supposed to be playing in North Africa."

 

"Dexter... I was being sarcastic."

 

"Oh, yes, of course. Apologies... again."

 

Ruskin said, "So... Belgium it is. And after we've played them, we've arranged to fly out to a week-long training camp on Cabo Verde."

 

"Excuse me?"

 

Whiteman told the chairwoman, "Ms Ruskin, please forgive Mr Catterall. He seems to be unaware of the native name for the nation that he knows as the Cape Verde Islands."

 

"No, David, I know what Cabo Verde is. I just... I just don't see the logic in travelling to an island nation in the Atlantic when we could be better off acclimatising in North Africa before we go to Morocco. Indeed, why aren't we going straight from England to Morocco?"

 

Ruskin pointed out, "Because spending a few more days in Denmark before Euro 2020 didn't do you much good for the Group Stage."

 

"Why can't we just play in Algeria then? Or Tunisia? Or Egypt?"

 

Ruskin stated, "Neither Algeria nor Tunisia qualified for the World Cup, so there's nothing in it for them, and there's probably nothing in it for us either. As far as we're concerned, there's no point in planning for a major tournament by playing against a team who won't be there as well."

 

Whiteman then pointed out, "And you will be aware if you have read the newspapers that the people of Egypt rose up against their President last week. I hardly think that it would be safe to travel to an unstable country which has undergone several political revolutions over recent years."

 

Ruskin then put forward her case for travelling to Cape Verde. "This training camp in Cabo Verde would kill multiple birds with one stone. For starters, it gives the team a week to get used to the hot and humid conditions they can expect in Morocco. As well as that, the Cabo Verde national team is very similar tactically and culturally to Guinea-Bissau. They're both former Portuguese colonies, aren't they?"

 

"Indeed they are, Ms Ruskin," Whiteman nodded.

 

Poyner added, "And Cape Verde is a stunning holiday resort where you can get your head down for a while. I spent a fortnight there with a couple of university chums 10 years ago, and it was one of the best experiences of my life!"

 

Ruskin said, "So the team will spend six days in Cabo Verde, culminating in a friendly match on 6 June. Then the team will travel to Morocco ahead of the first group match against Japan nine days later. Does that sound like a plan, Mark?"

 

Catterall sighed, "Yeah, I guess that sounds like a plan."

 

Poyner said, "And lastly, I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that the Moroccan FA have allowed us to use their national academy in Salé, which is just a short drive from the capital Rabat. You seemed to really like what you saw when we had a look there just before the draw."

 

"I did, actually. Thanks for getting that sorted. I'm sure the players will be thrilled."

 

That left Ruskin to summarise, "So there we have it - Poland, South Korea, Belgium and Cape Verde. As schedules go, that's not too hard, not too soft... just right."

 

Whiteman nodded, "Indeed so. If one was an enthusiastic fan of Robert Southey's most famous work, one would certainly describe that as a Goldilocks schedule."

 

Ruskin asked, "We'll get those friendlies organised as soon as we can, won't we, David?"

 

"We shall, indeed. Let us not wait another moment!" Whiteman then coughed violently for some time.

 

"You alright there, David?" Catterall asked.

 

"He's been like this all week," Ruskin said. "I've kept telling him to go see a doctor."

 

"Trust me, Ms Ruskin, when I say that I am perfectly healthy," Whiteman stressed.

 

"You're 77 years old, David! At your age, a cough could mean anything - bronchitis, pneumonia, heart failure! I think your body's telling you to retire and enjoy life a little - before it's too late."

 

Whiteman chuckled, "Retirement is a preposterous idea when one enjoys one's job so greatly. [Cough] Mrs Whiteman has been stating for years that I will keel over if I even consider the thought of hanging up my chequebook!"

 

Poyner said, "Angela has a point. You've looked a bit rough lately, if you don't mind me saying so."

 

"Au contraire, Mr Poyner, for I consider myself to be in rude health at this precise moment. However, [cough] if that changes, then my Bupa membership [cough] entitles me to the best healthcare services [cough] available in this country. There is no need for any of you to worry about me."

[CFuller]

***

 

On the face of it, 9 December 2021 looked like being just another Thursday night in the grand scheme of European football. It was the final evening of the UEFA Europa League Group Stage, and there was very little at stake for Manchester City, who had already booked their place in the Last 32 as winners of Group D.

 

City's last group match was a 'Battle of Britain' at the Etihad Stadium against Heart of Midlothian, who needed just a point to secure their own qualification. The big talking point before this match was the potential return of Hearts midfielder Phil Foden to his old stomping ground, where he had once been tipped to become England's next footballing superstar. As it transpired, he wasn't even named in the 18-man matchday squad by Jambos boss Paul Lambert.

 

25 minutes into the match came an incident that everybody who'd witnessed it would be talking about for days and weeks to come. It began with Hearts goalkeeper Arijanet Muric - another former Citizens youth product - catching a left-wing cross from Leroy Sané. The Swiss custodian sprinted forward before volleying the ball into the hosts' half.

 

Hearts forward Cian Killoran - a heavily-built 20-year-old target man on loan from Leeds United - had his eyes firmly on the ball as it dipped towards him just outside the centre circle. He leapt up to try and knock the ball down, only to catch the left leg of the Manchester City defender who was standing just behind him. John Stones immediately collapsed to the floor and screamed in agony.

 

Play continued regardless, and Killoran quickly lost the ball to Benjamin Henrichs. City briefly tried to counter-attack, but it was their winger Gonçalo Guedes who first realised just how seriously hurt Stones. He duly hoofed the ball out of play so that his stricken team-mate could receive some attention.

 

As Manchester City's medical team rushed onto the pitch to treat Stones, BT Sport commentator Darren Fletcher said, "Now you have to say this is a real worry for Manchester City. John Stones took a real hit in the shins from Killoran there - accidental, I might add - and he's clearly not getting up from it."

 

His co-commentator - former England manager Glenn Hoddle - said, "You say it's a real worry for City, Darren. This could be a real worry for Mark Catterall and England as well. That looked like a pretty nasty leg break to me, and if it is, then you have to say he's probably out of the World Cup."

 

"We won't know the full scale of John Stones' injury for a while... but as you say, Glenn, this would be a massive blow for England ahead of next year's World Cup in Morocco. A defender of Stones' quality would be very, very difficult for Catterall to replace if the worst comes to the worst."

 

While Ilkay Gündogan readied himself to prepare the stricken Stones, who was carefully being placed on a stretcher, Citizens manager Zinedine Zidane cut an anxious and concerned figure. Goodness knew how his England counterpart Catterall would have been feeling when he first saw the incident for himself.

 

To Killoran's credit, he had been very quick to apologise to Stones as soon as the gravity of the situation became clear. His clear remorse did not wash with some home supporters, who from that point onwards roundly booed the Jambos' number 16 whenever he touched the ball.

 

The Etihad faithful were silenced after almost exactly 40 minutes. That was when Killoran - having now put the Stones incident at the back of his mind - leapt high in City's six-yard box to head a left-wing cross from strike partner Jack Aitchison in off the underside of the bar. Hearts were 1-0 up, and they didn't finish there.

 

Michael Keane was obviously angered to have lost his centre-back colleague for club and country. Shortly before half-time, Keane appeared to push Killoran as both men went after a throw-in from Hearts right-back Callum Paterson into the penalty area. Taking the resulting spot-kick was another youngster the Scottish Premiership had loaned in from Leeds. England Under-21s midfielder Leon Rowe drove a clinical penalty beyond goalkeeper Gerónimo Rulli, and the Jambos were 2-0 up.

 

City regained their composure for the second half, with Leroy Sané halving their deficit in the 78th minute before Kevin De Bruyne erased it in stoppage time. The 2-2 draw was still enough for Hearts to qualify for the next round alongside their British adversaries, ahead of group rivals Trabzonspor and PSV. However, with one of England's best players now nursing a serious long-term injury, the result didn't seem quite so relevant.

 

The following day, Stones was visited in hospital by his regular central defensive partner Michael Keane, who greeted him, "How you holding up, Stonesy?"

 

"My knee was in bits, and I'm still right groggy after t' surgery, but other 'an that, I'm alright," Stones replied.

 

The defenders then gently bumped their fists before Keane sat down and asked, "What's the prognosis, then?"

 

"I could be done for six months," Stones said. "Five, maybe four if I'm dead lucky."

 

"Blimey. So that might be your season over then?"

 

"No chance. I'll crack on with me rehab as soon as poss, instead of being some mardy bum feeling sorry for mysen. If we get into a cup Final, I'm gonna be out there on t' pitch, not on t' sidelines."

 

"Just be careful, mate. Zidane won't be too happy if you try and rush yourself back. Neither will Catts, for that matter."

 

Stones was adamant, "By 'ook or by Garth Crooks, I will be at t' World Cup, even if you have to wheel me onto t' plane!"

 

"Good to see you're still positive, Stonesy," Keane smiled weakly. "I'm just... I'm not sure what I'd do without you."

 

"Don't you get all soppy on me, Keano. There's some right good centre-halves in the City and England teams you can play with while I'm gone."

 

Keane then mentioned a couple of City's centre-halves as he said, "Saúl and Presnel [Kimpembe] are great, but it won't be the same. You and me have a special bond. While you're out here injured, I'm gonna be like Wise without Morecambe, or Paul Chuckle without Barry... or Fish without Cushion."

 

"Leave off it, you Manc softie!" Stones exclaimed. "Like my old man used to say, if life gives you lemons, then support Barnsley through thick an' thin! And make lemonade an' all."

 

Keane nodded solemnly as Stones continued, "Y'know, Keano... this injury has forced me to make some proper hard choices, even 'arder than th' Loiner who did me knee in."

 

Stones reached for his phone and brought up a photo of his long-term girlfriend and their young daughter.

 

"It's over, Keano," Stones stated matter-of-factly. "I'm dumping Millie. I'm gonna miss seeing our little girl, but things ain't been right between us for a long time.

 

"Her folks and her brother work for me, but I'm gonna sack them an' all. There's no use for 'em while I'm laid up injured."

 

Keane was gobsmacked. "Geez, Stonesy. You're ruthless."

 

"You have to be in this industry, mate. And between you and me, there's a new chuck in me life."

 

Stones swiped to a photo of himself drinking cocktails at a nightclub with a famous adult film actress. Keane gasped, "Apple Samsung? Weren't see the one who had that fling with Jason Manford?"

 

"Yeah, but he ditched her 'cos she weren't dirty enough. I hooked up with Apple about four weeks ago, and let me tell you... she's as much a bobby dazzler off screen as she is on it!"

 

Keane cringed, "F***ing hell! Ain't you heard of 'too much information', mate!"

 

Meanwhile, the growing doubts over Stones' availability for the World Cup was seeing certain sections of the tabloid press declare an unofficial witch-hunt. For the next few days, Killoran was regarded as 'persona non grata'.

 

Killoran was nicknamed 'The Killer' by many colleagues at Leeds and Hearts, and the Daily Mirror used that against him in a story headlined, "SHAME OF STONES KILLER". The Mirror claimed that Killoran had spat in Stones' face while his opponent was lying injured on the turf (which was later disproved by video footage) and that he had gloated about his newfound notoriety to one of his team-mates.

 

Not to be undone, The Sun went even further beyond the pale. They concocted stories about Killoran being a troublemaker at school and at the Leeds youth academy, while also exaggerating claims of his father John Patrick's "criminal past". While they said JP had served a prison sentence for causing actual bodily harm outside a pub in Headingley, they neglected the fact that he had acted in self-defence and was later cleared of such a charge.

 

Perhaps worse still was The Sun's branding of the younger Killoran - on more than one occasion - as "MR POTATO HEAD". That was partly a reference to Cian's plump face and blotchy skin, but also a far-from-subtle racial slur against his Irish roots. This nickname caused such offence that even the Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland publicly declared his disgust and demanded a formal apology.

 

Matters came to a head a week later, when a reporter and a film crew from Sky News showed up outside the guest house in Edinburgh that Killoran was sharing with Rowe. Neither player was in the house at the time, but their landlady - a middle-aged local woman - declared in her impenetrable Scots brogue that the Sky News crew were unequivocally unwelcome.

 

The abuse and intense scrutiny Killoran had received was disturbingly similar to what Aldo Duscher had been subjected to nearly two decades earlier. While playing for Deportivo La Coruna in a UEFA Champions League match against Manchester United, a robust challenge by Duscher broke David Beckham's metatarsal, almost ending the then-England captain's hopes of playing at the 2002 World Cup. Though the Argentinean defensive midfielder quickly apologised, he was branded 'The Butcher' and hounded by certain media outlets for the next few days.

 

The Sky News incident at Killoran's home proved to be the tipping point. That was when the Football Association stepped in, with chairwoman Angela Ruskin stating that enough was enough.

 

In a video message shared on the organisation's social media accounts, Ruskin read out a statement, "All of us at the FA wish to condemn the completely unacceptable abuse shown towards the Hearts player Cian Killoran following last week's Europa League match at the Etihad Stadium. We will take the strongest possible against those who have targeted Mr Killoran because of the part he played in an accidental collision with the Manchester City and England defender John Stones.

 

"No football player, official, fan or other stakeholder should be abused or harassed because of their gender, race or nationality, or because of their religious or political beliefs. Likewise, no one should receive such treatment because of an innocuous incident on the field of play.

 

"On behalf of the football community, we wish to show our support to Mr Killoran, and indeed anyone else who has been in a similar position. Hatred is not welcome in our beautiful game."

[CFuller]

***

 

It was now 2022 - World Cup year. There were just months to go until Mark Catterall and his 23 Lions would have their dates with destiny in Morocco.

 

January was a quiet time for international football, with the club game very much the focus. Catterall would spend much of his time analysing the performances of various English players who were on Premier League duty, with a view to potentially selecting them for the summer's big tournament. However, Thursday 27 January was not to be a typical day for the England boss.

 

Catterall had turned up for work and was about to enter his office when his personal assistant interrupted him, "Mark, can we have a word?"

 

"Of course, Rachel. What is it?"

 

"I've just had a Spanish gentleman on the phone. He and a colleague want to speak to you... and Michael."

 

Just at that moment, Michael Burke showed up, asking, "Did someone say Beetlejuice? Beetlejuice? Beetlejuice?"

 

Rachel said, "Two men have come from Spain to talk to both of you. They didn't say anything about what it was about."

 

"If they're from the Spanish FA, they probably wanna pick our brains about how to beat Mexico in their first Group Game," Burke said. "Not that we know, obviously."

 

Catterall had more of an idea. "I think they want to discuss a job opportunity. Maybe you should phone them back, Rachel, and arrange the meeting away from here."

 

Rachel hesitated, "Are you sure, Mark? I don't think Angela or anyone else will mind you having the meeting here."

 

"We can't take the risk, Rachel," Catterall stated. "If it is what I think it is, and the press get wind of it, then it'll be like Sven-Göran Eriksson and Chelsea all over again."

 

Rachel reluctantly agreed, and so the meeting was moved to a function room in - of all places - Burton Albion's Pirelli Stadium. It was there where Catterall and Burke greeted the two Spanish gentlemen.

 

One of them - a tall, black-haired, 40-something gentleman - introduced himself in English, "Good afternoon, gentlemen. I am Juan Martín Zaragoza, but you can call me Juanma. My friend here is Manel Grau. He does not speak English too good, so I will translate for him."

 

"Nice to meet you two," Burke said, shaking the pair's hands after Catterall had shaken theirs. "And I kinda wish I could speak English half as well as you!"

 

Zaragoza smiled as he and Grau - who was significantly older, greyer and shorter - sat down at a desk opposite Catterall and Burke. Catterall began, "I hear you've got an offer for us."

 

"Si, si," Zaragoza nodded. "I am a director at Valencia Club de Fútbol, and Manel is the managing director."

 

Grau then spoke before Zaragoza translated, "And we have come here on behalf of President Omar Ramos to offer you the positions of head coach and assistant head coach."

 

Valencia were a storied club who had a rich history in Spanish football, winning La Liga six times, though not since Rafa Benítez was at the helm in 2004. Their last major trophy - the 2008 Copa del Rey - had been followed by barren run of over a decade without any meaningful success.

 

The 2021/2022 season had been one of Valencia's worst in recent memory, as they finished 12th in La Liga. 'Los Che' were still underperforming in mid-table when former Tottenham Hotspur boss Mauricio Pochettino was sacked on 16 January, after three years in charge. A subsequent 3-0 away defeat against relegation-threatened Deportivo La Coruna had extended their poor league form to one victory in six matches.

 

Burke turned to Catterall and said, "Valencia's a big club, Catts. And they've got Daniel Sturridge."

 

Catterall replied, "Yeah, but he's not exactly been in great form for them this season."

 

"Yes, Sturridge has not played well, but he is getting old," Zaragoza said of the 32-year-old England striker. "But we think you are the right men to rebuild the team and take Valencia back to the top of Spanish football, and maybe European football one day as well."

 

Grau then asked a question, which Zaragoza translated to, "Youth development is your specialist area, is it not?"

 

Burke nodded, "It's a big part of who we are as coaches. We started off coaching youth teams and then moved up to the England Under-17s before getting where we are today."

 

Catterall added, "Our record speaks for itself, gents. Since 2016, England have won three big tournaments at Under-19s, Under-20s and Under-21s level, and we also got to the Final of Euro 2020, as you know. A lot of the lads who are in the senior England team right now have been developed through the age groups."

 

Zaragoza declared, "And that is just why we have decided that we want you. We have a world-class youth set-up at Valencia, with incredible facilities and coaches that make all our young players the best they can be."

 

Valencia's track record with developing youngsters was indeed impressive. Left-back José Gayà and holding midfielder Carlos Soler had both become first-team mainstays after starting their careers in the Mestalla youth squad. The most recent player to come through the ranks and emerge as a senior regular was the skilful attacking midfield playmaker Sergi Peris, who was poached by Everton for £19.25million in the summer just gone.

 

Another success story was that of winger Eduardo Alonso, who was signed from Sevilla for £5.5million when he was only 18 years old. Just two years later, having become a fully-fledged Spain international, and having bagged 11 goals and 10 assists in the 2020/2021 La Liga season, Alonso was sold for £27million to Atlético Madrid.

 

"But we are not a selling club," Zaragoza insisted. Grau reeled off the names of some of the exceptional players Valencia currently had on their books, including former Barcelona regista Thiago Maia, Brazilian inside-forward Bernard, and Italy striker Manolo Gabbiadini.

 

"That's... that's not a bad squad," Burke admitted. "I'm amazed you're struggling as badly as you are."

 

"So am I," Catterall nodded. He then asked, "But how much do you really want us? In terms of salary?"

 

"Cuatro millones," Grau replied. Zaragoza clarified, "We will offer an annual salary of €4million to Señor Catterall, and €2million to Señor Burke. That will be until the 2024/2025 season."

 

Burke did some calculations on his phone and told Catterall, "You'd be on £70,000 a week, Catts. That's about as much as you're getting in this job, if not a bit more. And it'd be a huge pay rise for me!"

 

Catterall admitted, "Actually, Mick, I'm not fussed about the money. This sounds like an interesting project, but I think we would need to wait until next season before we can start it."

 

Burke agreed, "Of course. We're not bailing on England before the World Cup."

 

Zaragoza asked Grau a question in Spanish, and the managing director shook his head, "No. Deben empezar ahora."

 

Zaragoza insisted, "I'm afraid we cannot let you wait for the new season. In the current situation, our need for a new coach is urgent, so we must insist you start work at Valencia immediately if you accept our offer."

 

Burke whispered, "I don't think we can do this, Mark."

 

"You don't want to negotiate this, do you?" Catterall asked Zaragoza, who confirmed, "We cannot. You either take the job now or you don't. Yes or no."

 

Catterall glanced at Burke for a while before saying, "I'm afraid we'll have to say no."

 

Burke confirmed, "Our loyalty right now is to our country. We'd never forgive ourselves if we walked away now."

 

Grau grumpily muttered, "Gilipollas," but Zaragoza was rather more magnanimous. He said, "I'm sorry that you will not be joining us, but I understand your reasons."

 

Catterall said, "Thank you for the offer, anyway, and good luck for the rest of the season."

 

Accepting Catterall's offer of a handshake, Zaragoza said, "And good luck to you two in Morocco." He then shook hands with Burke before departing. Grau simply snarled at the pair before following his colleague out of the room.

 

Burke laid back in his chair and said, "Y'know, Catts... if they said we could start in the summer, I would've taken it, no further questions. Phil Neville's always going on about how great the weather is in Valencia, compared to what we get over here."

 

"I might have taken it as well," Catterall said. "In fact, I've been thinking about moving on from England anyway, after the World Cup."

 

"Hmm... I had a feeling you'd say that."

 

"All this business with Angela shutting down 'remote management', and all this other messy stuff... I can't be doing with all that stress at my age. I'm nearly 50, for goodness sake!"

 

"I've just hit the big 5-0 myself, and my God, don't I look it? Julia says I look more like Ron Howard than Mick Hucknall now! Every passing week, I'm becoming more and more of a grandad."

 

"At least you haven't nearly attacked your wife," Catterall said. He then sighed before continuing, "A couple of months ago, after the Liechtenstein game, I got so stressed out that I was this close to taking it out on Jenny. That's what the job is doing to me right now, Mick."

 

Burke gasped, "Blimey. I think you could do with a break."

 

"Yeah, but we can't afford to tell Angela about any of this. If she gets even a hint that we're thinking of leaving after the World Cup, don't be surprised if she kicks us out straight away and puts someone else in charge."

 

"Yeah, like Tony Adams, or David Platt... or Frank Lampard."

 

Catterall muttered, "Don't go there, Mick."

[CFuller]

Chapter 55 - Final Auditions

 

Claims that the Premier League was becoming a 'one-team league' gained further traction in the middle of the 2021/2022 season, as Manchester United powered inexorably towards a fifth consecutive title.

 

For a long time, it even looked like José Mourinho's dream team would go through the entire league campaign unbeaten, as game by game passed by with three points being ruthlessly claimed and no goals conceded. Then came the Red Devils' trip to the Emirates Stadium on 5 January.

 

United looked uncharacteristically off-colour against 3rd-placed Arsenal, who won 2-1 to end a record run of 11 consecutive clean sheets, not to mention their unbeaten start. Coupled with another shock loss by the same scoreline to Shanghai SIPG in the FIFA Club World Cup Final a few weeks earlier, that had left many pundits wondering if the champions' increasing vulnerability would see the title race blown wide open.

 

Naturally, Mourinho's men responded by returning to their imperious best. They won their next six games on the trot, that run ending with a 1-1 draw at the Etihad Stadium against Manchester City in early March. While the Red Devils grew stronger, City and Arsenal tripped up frequently.

 

By mid-March, Manchester United were a massive 12 points clear of both Manchester City and Arsenal, and they still had a couple of games in hand. The championship was set to be won at an earlier stage than ever, and various PL records for the most points won, the most goals scored, and the fewest goals conceded in a season were all at risk.

 

Left-back Luke Shaw was proving to be as consistently excellent as ever, even though he had missed several games through injury. Fellow English defenders Brendan Galloway and Axel Tuanzebe were seeing semi-regular action as well and were proving to be just as adept at maintaining clean sheets as their colleagues.

 

The Red Devils also remained on course to claim an unprecedented quadruple. Before progressing to the latter stages of the UEFA Champions League and the FA Cup, they had secured their first EFL Cup triumph under Mourinho's management. All three of their goals against Chelsea at Wembley had come from the feet of underused homegrown players.

 

Attacking midfielder Callum Gribbin - who'd been fielded exclusively in cup competitions this season after returning from a couple of loan spells at Norwich City - scored twice in the first half. United's 'forgotten man' Marcus Rashford then volleyed home after 84 minutes to secure a 3-0 win.

 

Rashford had again been largely limited to substitute appearances and was often utilised as a deep-lying midfield playmaker by Mourinho. The 24-year-old's hopes of establishing himself up front had been dealt a further blow when United signed Atlético Madrid striker Luciano Vietto for an initial £42.5million in the January transfer window.

 

Rashford had stayed put at Old Trafford, but one player who had finally left Manchester United in January after years of neglect was Phil Jones. Mourinho had never really trusted the 30-year-old central defender, who'd seen very little league action since 2019. Jones would finally get the chance to play regular first-team football again upon joining Porto for £3million, but his move to the Primeira Liga had perhaps come too late to save his England career.

 

Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere was still in fine form for the Gunners as winter turned to spring, though his new partner-in-crime Raheem Sterling was now having major injury problems. The enigmatic winger tore his hamstring at home to Crystal Palace in mid-January, thus ruling him out of England's March internationals.

 

Barring any further injuries, Wilshere and Sterling were set to feature at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and a third Gunner was looking increasingly likely to join them in Morocco. Despite having made just nine league appearances for Arsenal thus far this term, young left-back Josh Tymon was now the strong favourite to serve as Shaw's deputy over the summer.

 

Ben Chilwell's career as Liverpool's first-choice left-back had been stalled by various injuries over the past 12 months. With the season nearing its conclusion, Chilwell had only started eight matches in all competitions. By contrast, Nathaniel Clyne shown great spirit to re-establish himself as the Reds' regular starter on the right side of their defence.

 

When England had secured their qualification for the World Cup, Tottenham Hotspur left-back Danny Rose looked almost certain to be on the plane to Morocco. That all changed at the back end of 2021, when the veteran defender lost his regular starting place and was dropped to Spurs' reserves by manager Jaap Stam. To make matters worse, Rose sustained a double hernia on New Year's Day, scuppering a potential January transfer to Leicester City that perhaps would've kept him in England contention.

 

At Manchester City, vice-captain John Stones - who'd broken his leg in December - was winning his battle to return to fitness in time for the World Cup. The hope was that he would be able to play in either of the Citizens' final two league games against Leicester City and Stoke City in May. In the meantime, Stones' club and international colleague Michael Keane had continued to produce strong performances for the Sky Blues, with Presnel Kimpembe or Saúl often partnering him in the centre of their defence.

 

Having threatened to gatecrash the top six through most of the season, AFC Bournemouth had slipped down to 10th. Mind you, their all-too-predictable decline hadn't hurt the World Cup chances of either Lewis Cook or Jordon Ibe. Indeed, Ibe's 10 PL assists from right wing this season had only been surpassed by one player - Ousmane Dembélé of Manchester United (obviously), who had 14.

 

While Bournemouth had fallen away, Newcastle United had snuck up the table, with a lengthy unbeaten run over the winter helping them to move into - and later consolidate - 4th place. Head coach David Wagner didn't have many English players amongst his surprise Champions League contenders. That being said, a couple of young loanees - Arsenal winger Reiss Nelson, and Manchester United midfielder Stuart White - were making cases for a wildcard inclusion in the World Cup squad.

 

Prior to the 2018 World Cup, a 22-year-old Newcastle attacker named Rolando Aarons made a late but timely breakthrough into the England set-up, and then scored three goals in Russia. However, it seemed unlikely that the Jamaican-born winger - now at West Ham United - would be involved in the next global finals. Aarons was another player who'd been ravaged by injuries in recent times, and the blistering form that had thrusted him into the spotlight hadn't yet returned.

 

England manager Mark Catterall now had to decide on his squad for the March internationals - against Poland in Warsaw, and against South Korea at Wembley. Those matches were seen as the 'final auditions' before Catterall submitted his 30-man preliminary World Cup squad in May.

 

ENGLAND squad - for matches vs Poland (A) and South Korea (H)

NAME                      POSITIONS           D.O.B. (AGE)     CLUB            CAPS  GOALS HEIGHT WEIGHT     VALUE
Jack Butland              GK                  10/03/1993 (29)  Stoke           23    0     6'5"   14st 13lbs £8.75M  
Fraser Forster            GK                  17/03/1988 (33)  Southampton     11    0     6'7"   15st 8lbs  £1.8M   
Freddie Woodman           GK                  04/03/1997 (25)  Everton         6     0     6'1"   11st 4lbs  £5.5M   
Calum Chambers            D (RC)              20/01/1995 (27)  Everton         28    0     6'0"   11st 6lbs  £19M    
Michael Keane             D (RC)              11/01/1993 (29)  Man City        42    1     6'1"   13st 3lbs  £25M    
Eric Dier                 D (RC), DM, M (C)   15/01/1994 (28)  Tottenham       68    6     6'2"   13st 7lbs  £33M    
Brendan Galloway          D (LC), DM          17/03/1996 (25)  Man Utd         10    1     6'2"   14st 0lbs  £29.5M  
Axel Tuanzebe             D (C)               14/11/1997 (24)  Man Utd         3     0     6'0"   12st 6lbs  £27.5M  
Reece Oxford              D (C), DM           16/12/1998 (23)  West Ham        2     1     6'3"   11st 13lbs £9M     
Nathaniel Clyne           D/WB (R)            05/04/1991 (30)  Liverpool       54    0     5'9"   10st 7lbs  £8M     
Luke Shaw                 D/WB (L)            12/07/1995 (26)  Man Utd         50    2     6'1"   11st 11lbs £35M    
Josh Tymon                D/M (L)             22/05/1999 (22)  Arsenal         1     0     5'9"   11st 2lbs  £15.5M  
Lewis Cook                DM, M (C)           03/02/1997 (25)  Bournemouth     9     2     5'9"   11st 2lbs  £17.25M 
Jordan Henderson          DM, M (C)           17/06/1990 (31)  Liverpool       89    4     6'0"   10st 7lbs  £6.25M  
Jack Wilshere             DM, M/AM (C)        01/01/1992 (30)  Arsenal         78    12    5'9"   10st 3lbs  £14.75M 
Reiss Nelson              M (L), AM (RL)      10/12/1999 (22)  Newcastle       0     0     5'10"  11st 11lbs £12.25M 
Jordon Ibe                M/AM (RL), ST (C)   08/12/1995 (26)  Bournemouth     3     0     5'9"   10st 12lbs £13.75M 
Nathan Redmond            M/AM (RL), ST (C)   06/03/1994 (28)  Southampton     26    5     5'8"   11st 6lbs  £22M    
James Ward-Prowse         M/AM (RC)           01/11/1994 (27)  Tottenham       28    6     5'8"   10st 5lbs  £21M    
Dele Alli                 M/AM (C)            11/04/1996 (25)  Tottenham       73    7     6'1"   12st 1lb   £38M    
James Wilson              AM (R), ST (C)      01/12/1995 (26)  Wolves          2     0     6'0"   12st 3lbs  £7.75M  
Harry Kane                ST (C)              28/07/1993 (28)  Tottenham       73    40    6'3"   13st 0lbs  £29.5M  
Callum Wilson             ST (C)              27/02/1992 (30)  Chelsea         43    17    5'11"  10st 7lbs  £18.75M 

 

With injury having ruled Raheem Sterling out of contention again, Mark Catterall opted to call up a new wide attacker to his line-up. Despite his lack of senior international experience, 22-year-old Arsenal forward Reiss Nelson had an opportunity to stake his claim for World Cup selection.

 

Nelson was enjoying his third consecutive season on loan at a lower-end Premier League club, and it looked set to be his most productive yet. The fast-paced and creative Londoner had racked up five goals and seven assists in 29 appearances for high-flying Newcastle United.

 

Nelson's Arsenal colleague Josh Tymon was set to add to his maiden senior cap, which he had earned in the 6-0 away win over Greece in October. The left-back, also aged 22, was hoping to take advantage of Danny Rose's recent woes at Tottenham Hotspur and steal his place on the flight to Morocco.

 

Manchester United centre-halves Brendan Galloway and Axel Tuanzebe were also back in the England squad, having re-established themselves as regulars at Old Trafford. This was the first time Congolese-born covering defender Tuanzebe had been in the national set-up since June.

 

Galloway had been left out for the wins over Armenia and Liechtenstein in November, but the spirited 25-year-old's recent form with the Red Devils had won Catterall over again. He'd also emerged as another potential candidate to cover for England's first-choice left-back Luke Shaw, having filled that role at United while his club-mate was out injured on several occasions this term.

 

Galloway and Tuanzebe filled the two defensive slots that had been vacated by Manchester City centre-back John Stones' injury misfortune and Mason Holgate's recent decline at Everton. While Toffees playmaker Ross Barkley's form at Goodison Park had picked up, there was still no sign of him returning to Catterall's line-up.

 

Having missed the narrow victory against Liechtenstein through injury, Chelsea striker Callum Wilson was recalled after regaining both his fitness and his eye for goal. The clinical centre-forward was now on 12 Premier League goals in this campaign, leaving just three shy of matching his previous best haul for the Blues two seasons earlier.

 

Callum's namesake James Wilson was another man in form, having scored four times in his five most recent outings for Wolverhampton Wanderers. Conversely, Tottenham's Harry Kane had not scored for exactly two months when this latest England squad was announced. Kane was experiencing arguably the worst drought of his career, yet Catterall still had faith that his usually deadly vice-captain would soon come good again.

 

Despite impressing on his first two senior outings with England, Wolves midfielder Neil Campbell dropped back into the Under-21s squad. As the Young Lions were joining the senior team at a training camp in Poland, Campbell would still have another opportunity to impress Catts in person before the World Cup.

 

Chelsea right-back Peter Turner and Southampton's still-teenage forward Willie Field were two other players with full caps who were in that Under-21s squad for the forthcoming friendlies against Poland and the Netherlands. Unfortunately, striker Lawrence Warner had to miss out after tearing a groin muscle in Stoke City's FA Cup Round 5 replay victory over Swansea City.

[CFuller]

***

 

Having revealed his England squad for their first two matches of 2022, Mark Catterall could now take some time away from football. He celebrated his 50th birthday on Friday 18 March, but instead of putting on an extravagant party, he marked the milestone by going out for dinner with his family.

 

Mark, his wife Jenny and their son Luke went to a restaurant in Burton-upon-Trent, where they were joined by Ashley - Mark's daughter from his first marriage. She had recently celebrated a significant birthday of her own, turning 21 in February.

 

While they were waiting to be served their main courses, the family discussed recent events. Mark asked Ashley, "So, love, how's your season going?"

 

The Birmingham City midfielder - on a season-long loan from Liverpool - replied, "Yeah, we're doing pretty well at the minute. We're 3rd in the WSL, and we're also through to the Semi Finals of the FA Cup."

 

"Ah, so there's a good chance you'll be playing at Wembley again soon, then?"

 

"Maybe. But you'll never guess who we've got in the Semis."

 

"Liverpool."

 

Ashley sighed, "Surprise, surprise. They're running away with the league, and they've knocked Wolfsburg out of the Champions League as well. Wolfsburg are like the Manchester United of women's football, so that was a huge result. I'm startin' to think they don't need me anymore now."

 

Jenny said, "Try not to get yourself down, Ashley. Just keep putting in good performances for Birmingham and then maybe you'll be starting regularly for Liverpool next season."

 

"Perhaps. It's just... I've only got, like, four goals and five assists this season. I just ain't playing good enough as an individual, but the team's still getting results."

 

Mark asked, "What about England? You still in the squad?"

 

Ashley shook her head. "I ain't been in the England team since September. There's so many good English midfielders, and at the end of the day, I just don't deserve to be there right now. It's up to me to knuckle down and get back in Emma Hayes' plans."

 

"And I'm sure you will if you apply yourself well enough."

 

"And if I manage my diet a lot better. That's why I ain't having nothing too fatty tonight. The Birmingham manager dropped me for a couple of games when I put on some weight over Christmas. She'll be livid if I'm not in shape for when we go to Chelsea on Sunday."

 

"I keep telling Mark to look after his body, especially as he's getting to be an old man now," Jenny said, prompting Mark to open his mouth in mock outrage. "At least Luke listens, don't you, love?"

 

Luke shrugged and murmured uninterestedly. Jenny then suggested, "Why don't you tell Ash how you've been getting on at school?"

 

Luke said, "It's okay, I guess. A little boring, if you ask me. The teachers have got really lame this year, making us do the same lessons over and over again."

 

Ashley nodded, "Yeah, Luke, school sucks, but stick at it. As Mum always told me, them school years are the best years of your life."

 

"Erm... let's change the subject, shall we?" Jenny laughed nervously. "Luke's been performing music on YouTube for a few months now, haven't you?"

 

Luke perked up significantly as he said, "Yeah. I love to cover famous songs for other people to listen to them. They've become really popular."

 

Jenny added, "He's got 5,000 subscribers now, and nearly 100,000 views. Of course, part of that is down to me using some clever SEO - search-engine optimisation - to take advantage of how YouTube's analytics work."

 

Ashley laughed, "I don't know what you was saying just then, Jenny... but of course I'll give Luke's songs a listen. I'm sure he's a great musician."

 

Luke said, "I'm making another video at the weekend. I'm doing 'Cat's In The Cradle' by Harry Chapin." He then turned his head to his father and continued, "It's a lovely song about little kittens."

 

Mark stifled a cough just as a waiter arrived to serve the family their main courses. Mark tucked into a steak, but as he started chewing it, he began to snarl in obvious disgust.

 

"What's the matter, Mark?" Jenny asked.

 

"This bloody steak's not well-done," Mark moaned. "It's medium at best. You know how I'm like with my black toast, and I'm no different with steak."

 

"Well... I'd put in a complaint with the manager."

 

"Yeah, do that," Ashley added. "I was here before with Loz just before Christmas, and the lamb was proper bad."

 

Mark got up from his chair and growled, "I bloomin' well will complain to them amateurs!" He angrily confronted the restaurant manager at the front desk, who promised him a refund and offered another steak on the house.

 

Mark was about to head back to his table when he was confronted by a tall, grey-haired, 60-something man. The man asked him, in an accent that sounded like a peculiar mixture of Russian and Received Pronunciation, "Excuse me. Are you Mark Catterall?"

 

"Yeah, I am. What the hell do you want me for?"

 

The mystery man introduced himself as Michael Love - the deputy editor of The Sun. He then laughed, "Funny we should meet for the first time here! Now, tell me... would you mind if we have a talk?"

 

"Of course I bloomin' mind!" Mark hissed. "For starters, I'd rather rip off my ears than listen to someone like you! More importantly, I'm celebrating my 50th with my family, so I wanna get back to them if you don't..."

 

Love interrupted him, "Mr Catterall, I must insist. There are some things you think you know about me... but you don't really know about me."

 

Mark sighed and reluctantly sat down at a table with Love and his wife, who was talking to a friend on her phone. Love said, "You think I asked my brother to kill that man from the Spanish FA, don't you? Ricardo Arce?"

 

"No, I don't actually," Mark replied. "I think you and your poxy right-wing paper have conducted a six-year vendetta against me, just 'cos I'm a northern socialist."

 

Love chuckled before responding, "Oh, you are naïve, Mr Catterall. Our readers love controversy, and they really love controversy about the England manager. When you say or do something arrogant or silly, our journalists write about it because it sells papers. How do you think print media works?"

 

"I also think that it's ironic that you've hijacked The Sun with your secret communist plans and helped got more than a dozen of your writers arrested!"

 

"You seriously think I'm a communist?"

 

"You went to university with John McDonnell, didn't you?"

 

Love took a swig of red wine before setting the record straight. "I am no communist; I'm not even a socialist like you. Yes, I am friends with the Chancellor, but that is completely personal and has nothing to do with politics."

 

"But your daughter's a..."

 

"A Labour MP, yes, yes. Juno is what I call an ultra-socialist, but she gets that from her mother. Personally, I don't like how she uses her power as Attorney General to arrest those who don't agree with the government."

 

Mark remained unconvinced. "Are you just saying all this to cover your tracks?"

 

Love held his hands up and insisted, "No, no, I have nothing to hide. I am no criminal, and I am not your enemy. In fact, I want to help you."

 

"Help me? What do you mean?"

 

Love leant over the table and said in hushed tones, "Look at me, Mr Catterall. You can trust me."

 

Mark stared back at Love as the journalist said, "That interview you had with Russell Whiteman in 2019 - the one where he called you a racist. Russell did write the article, but knowing him, I believe he did so under duress. Indeed, Russell never wanted to set up the interview in the first place, and I guarantee you that I did not set it up either."

 

"If you didn't think Russell wrote the article wholeheartedly, and you never arranged the interview, why the hell did you publish the story in the first place?" Mark asked.

 

"Controversy sells. You did not hear me the first time, did you?"

 

Love then continued, "Also... Señor Arce. He was ill before the 2030 World Cup vote of three years ago, and then he died after the Euro 2028 vote of last year. It can't be a coincidence."

 

Mark shook his head and said, "I weren't thinking that."

 

"Of course; I did not think you were that stupid," Love smiled, before explaining, "Now, Señor Arce was taken ill when we were all worried about Spanish flu. It turned out that he was poisoned with arsenic. I believe it was to try and... deter FIFA from giving Spain the 2030 World Cup, and perhaps award it to England instead.

 

"Two years later, Arce is suffocated in his hotel room after Spain won the Euro 2028 vote. If you ask me, it looked like revenge for Spain being awarded two big tournaments that England wanted. I have reason to believe the person who wanted to arrange the killing might be English."

 

Mark asked, "But how would you explain Spain winning that vote for the Euros? When the UEFA President invited me to assess the results, Spain had got a huge number of voting slips - far more than there were voters."

 

Love nodded, "In that case, it sounds like the vote could have been rigged by someone on UEFA's Executive Committee."

 

"I don't know anyone who's on the UEFA ExCo. I don't bother myself much with football politics nowadays."

 

"Oh, you are incredible," Love chuckled. "I realised a while ago that someone I thought was my friend was - in fact - not my friend. You should do the same."

 

Mark put his head in his hands and sighed, "Oh, Christ..."

 

"Have a good evening, Mr Catterall," Love said. He then turned to a female waiter and requested, "Another rosé please, Madam."

[CFuller]

***

 

After the latest round of league fixtures, Mark Catterall and a large England contingent 46 players strong made their way to Heathrow Airport. The senior and Under-21s squads had come together ahead of a week-long training camp in Poland, which would culminate in them playing a couple of friendlies against their hosts.

 

At the departure lounge, senior team coach Tony Adams expressed his reservations about the purpose of the training camp. He told Catterall, "I still don't know why we're doing this, Catts."

 

Catterall admitted, "Believe me, I was as surprised as you are when I first heard Angela Ruskin had arranged this. Poland in March is hardly the same as Morocco in June, is it?"

 

Assistant manager Michael Burke nodded, "Exactly. Surely you'd go to Spain or Portugal for warm-weather training! You wouldn't train in the Sahara Desert if the World Cup was being played in an Arctic wasteland... or Scotland!"

 

"I made that exact point to Angela, but she said that warm-weather training weren't the purpose. She wanted to give me one last chance to see the Under-21s first-hand before the World Cup, in case any other youngsters caught my eye. To be fair, I can see where she's coming from."

 

Adams was even more perplexed by this response. "Erm... why? You already tried out something like a dozen Under-21s players during the qualifiers. Who does Ruskin think she is telling you what to do?"

 

"It's never too late for someone to push their way into my plans. Just look at Rolando Aarons in 2018..."

 

"And look at Rolando Aarons now," Burke interrupted. "Over the last two years, he's had God knows how many run-ins with the law, and he's injured more often than he ain't. Remember when he stubbed his toe presenting a BRIT Award to Wolf Alice last month?"

 

Adams replied, "And in all fairness, what chance does someone like [Manchester United striker] Sam Ward have of getting into the World Cup squad, even if he scores five goals against Poland on Thursday?"

 

Catterall stated, "No chance; he's just turned 19 and is only now getting regular loan football with Celtic. For a lot of players like him, this is not so much a final audition for the World Cup... more of a first audition for Euro 2024."

 

Burke said, "Yeah, Ward ain't getting into the seniors just yet... unless something like 20 English strikers get injured in the next two to three months."

 

Catterall glanced in the direction of Neil Campbell - an Under-21s midfielder who was sharing a joke with his Wolverhampton Wanderers club-mate James Wilson. The manager said, "I think Campbell's got a good chance of breaking through if he does well this week. I know we've already seen what he's capable of against Liechtenstein, but he's a dynamic young player with nothing to lose and everything to gain - just like Aarons four years ago."

 

Adams nodded, "Oh yeah, I really like that boy. Rafa [Benítez] needs to do everything he can to bring him to Arsenal in the summer. He's a ready-made replacement for Jack Wilshere, if you ask me."

 

"The way he's going, he could certainly put James Ward-Prowse's place under pressure. At club level, James isn't really playing a lot for Tottenham of late. And aside from that blinder he had against Aston Villa a fortnight ago, he's hardly done a great deal when he has played."

 

"Ward-Prowse shouldn't be going to Morocco anyway, Catts," Adams declared. "He really let his country down in that Euro Final against Portugal. You never duck out of the way of an opposition free-kick, and definitely not if [Cristiano] Ronaldo's taking it!"

 

Catterall sighed, "To be honest, Tony, I've already let that slide. Putting his Tottenham form aside for a moment, James has played alright for England whenever I've needed him, especially in our last two qualifiers. He's the type of player who can get you a crucial goal out of nowhere, whether it's from open play or from a set-piece."

 

"Campbell's much the same, if not better. You could put a blindfold over his eyes and he'd crack a laser into the top bins from 40 yards. And when it comes to free-kicks, I ain't seen an English lad this lethal since David Beckham."

 

Catterall smiled, "Tony, please... you're preaching to the choir."

 

The three men then briefly paused for thought before Adams broke their silence. "I still think that Angela Ruskin's a stubborn old cow who needs her head examining. She's taking a lot of f***ing liberties with all her meddling."

 

"Christ! You really can be like Clark Gregory at times, can't you?"

 

Adams laughed, "Well, you've known me for 25 years, Catts. I'm proper old school, and I say things as I see 'em."

 

"So do I, but at least I don't talk like an out-of-touch UKIP campaigner!"

 

"Except that time you ranted on Sky Sports News 'cos Watford kept signing foreigners from Granada instead of using English players," Burke remembered. "For a moment, I thought you were gonna morph into Tommy Robinson... or, even worse, Neil Warnock!"

 

Catterall said, "To be fair, nobody in their right mind would use any players from Granada, let alone sign them from there."

 

Catterall and Burke looked to former Granada coach Adams, who grumbled, "Cheers for the reminder, fellas."

 

The England squads arrived in Warsaw a few hours later and checked into their hotel. For some players, this was not the first time they had visited Poland for international service.

 

Manchester United striker Mark Leonard, and Arsenal defenders Ted Lapslie and Nick Ward, were among several current Under-21s internationals who had featured at the previous year's FIFA U20 World Cup, hosted in the Eastern European country. They had exited that tournament at the Last 16 to Ghana.

 

Ward-Prowse was one of four senior squad members - the others being Calum Chambers, Brendan Galloway and Nathan Redmond - who had more positive experiences of playing in Poland. They all still had runners-up medals from the Under-21s Euros in 2017, with three of them having started in the 3-0 Final defeat to Portugal.

 

The senior and Under-21s squads would be put through intense training sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday, as well as on Thursday morning. Training was cancelled on Thursday afternoon, as most of the players and staff were instead flown south to visit Oświęcim - a town infamously and inextricably linked with the horrors of World War II.

 

Anyone who visited the defunct Auschwitz concentration camp was sure to be moved by the humbling and harrowing experience. The full scale of the atrocities conducted there by Nazi Germany between 1940 and 1945 was truly unimaginable. Approximately 1.3 million people - predominantly Jews, but also large numbers of Poles, Roma, Soviets and other Europeans - were imprisoned, tortured and killed there during the Holocaust, which claimed over 15 million lives in total.

 

Following the war, the complex was converted into a memorial and museum, which was visited by over 1 million people annually. A few England players - including Ward-Prowse - had already made the sombre journey during previous visits to Poland and shared their experiences.

 

After having a few hours to take in what they had witnessed, the Under-21s made the short trip to the nearby city of Gliwice. It was at the Stadion Piast where manager Paul Ashworth led them out against Poland in a friendly international.

 

The Young Lions were out for revenge, having been dumped out of the last European Under-21s Championship at the Semi Final by eventual winners Poland. After 17 minutes, it looked like history would repeat itself. Legia Warszawa striker Mateusz Szwed got behind the English defence to latch onto attacking midfielder Przemyslaw Sylwestrzak's through-ball and drill the Poles into an early lead.

 

England drew themselves level six minutes before half-time, as Sam Ward laid on Willie Field's 11th goal in just nine caps for the Under-21s. Field could have reached his dozen after 59 minutes, when Ward was upended in the Polish area by right-back Witold Kacprzyk. Alas, the Liverpool striker - who'd struggled to make an impact on loan with Southampton - had a disappointing penalty pushed away by goalkeeper Youn Czekanowicz.

 

A draw looked increasingly likely in a cagey match... until a Campbell set-piece saw England snatch victory in stoppage time. The midfielder's corner delivery to the near post was flicked on by captain Stephen Nugent to his United team-mate Leonard, whose final touch turned the ball into the net.

 

Ashworth's Young Lions had beaten Poland and given Catterall plenty of food for thought. The following evening in Warsaw, it would be up to the big boys to stake their claims for World Cup places.

[CFuller]

***

 

24 hours after England's Under-21s exacted a successful revenge mission on Poland in Gliwice, the time had come for the senior teams to go face to face. Warsaw's national stadium - the Narodowy - was the setting for what was sure to be a hard-fought contest.

 

England boss Mark Catterall would use this match to try out some fringe players who were on the cusp of becoming regular starters in time for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Everton's Freddie Woodman got a seventh outing in goal, as he aimed to show Catterall that he could displace first-choice keeper Jack Butland, who'd worryingly conceded 60 goals in 30 Premier League games for Stoke City this term.

 

There were also starts for Manchester United's central defensive duo Brendan Galloway and Axel Tuanzebe, with Arsenal's Josh Tymon making his full debut at left-back. The Three Lions' attack was fronted by two men whom one squad member had famously dubbed "the long-lost Wilson brothers" - Callum and James.

 

Like England, Poland had qualified for the World Cup with an unbeaten record. Coached by Jacek Magiera, they had pipped the Netherlands to top spot in qualifying Group 9, scoring plenty of goals in the process. Wolfsburg striker Arkadiusz Milik had contributed most in that respect, with four goals and four assists.

 

A couple of players who'd won the 2021 UEFA European Under-21s Championship, beating England in the process, had now established himself as regulars with the senior side. Montpellier's raw but hard-working centre-half Mateusz Zyro was one, and another was Hoffenheim's fast-improving midfield playmaker Sebastian Szymanski.

 

This was the 20th senior international meeting between England and Poland. The Biało-czerwoni had won only one of the previous 19, though their most famous result was a 1-1 away draw in a World Cup qualifier at Wembley in 1973. Brian Clough famously dubbed Jan Tomaszewski "a circus clown in gloves" before the match, only for the Polish goalkeeper to produce some incredible saves, conceding only from a penalty. That result saw Poland qualify for the 1974 finals in West Germany at the expense of England, and spelled the end of Sir Alf Ramsey's historic reign.

 

If the opening stages of this match suggested anything, it was that the Biało-czerwoni fancied their chances of causing an even bigger upset. Former Newcastle United striker Milik's opening shot in the fourth minute drew an early save out of Woodman - another man with Magpies connections.

 

Milik tried his luck again three minutes later, after being fed the ball by Lechia Gdańsk's attacking midfielder Rafal Wolski. The 28-year-old - who'd been Poland's chief goalscoring outlet since Robert Lewandowski retired from international service in 2019 - could only fire it past the far post.

 

England launched one of their first attacks in the 11th minute, only for James Wilson to be brought to ground by a trip from Pawel Olkowski. The aggressive FC Luzern right-back - on loan from Lille - was subsequently issued with what would be Poland's only yellow card of the evening.

 

The Three Lions tried to seriously threaten their hosts from a James Ward-Prowse corner in the 14th minute. Tuanzebe headed it long to Callum Wilson, who tried to dribble it along the byline and then beat Polish keeper Wojciech Szczesny from a tight angle. Unfortunately for him, Udinese's former Manchester United midfielder Piotr Zielinski got in the way, taking the ball off Wilson's feet before hacking it clear.

 

Poland were looking rather strong early on, but a poor throw-in from French-born left-back Timothée Kolodziejczak in the 19th minute would prove costly. Within moments of Alli's excellent interception, Kolodziejczak's opposite number Tymon was surging forward and whipping a cross into the Polish penalty area. The delivery evaded several defenders, but not Callum Wilson, who finished with consummate ease.

 

Within two minutes of one Wilson giving England the lead, though, another would lose it. James' ambitious 20-yard strike was charged down by Zielinski, prompting the Biało-czerwoni to launch an incisive counter-attack as the visitors struggled to rush back. A couple of crossfield passes between Szymanski and Milik later, and the former had emphatically beaten Woodman to draw Poland back level.

 

James Wilson's involvement in the equaliser had not done his chances of making the England World Cup squad much good. Neither did a dreadful miss in the 25th minute, when the Wolverhampton Wanderers striker flicked a Tymon cross beyond the far post. He had still not scored an international goal at senior level.

 

Poland then threatened to take the lead after 26 minutes. Malmö midfielder Konrad Handzlik - another European Under-21s champion in the Polish line-up - poked an excellent ball to Wolski, whose angled effort was caught by Woodman. Another opportunity went begging four minutes later, when Zyro headed Szymanski's corner off target.

 

After surviving a couple more home corners, England came on strong towards the end of the first period. Alli's 34th-minute volley was pushed wide by Szczesny, who then made light work of an optimistic attempt from Callum Wilson in the 41st minute. Shortly before that latter miss, Wilson had floated in an excellent cross that Galloway met with a superb header, which sadly for him came back off the woodwork.

 

After a thrilling and evenly-matched first half, Catterall opted for a change of plan. The 4-4-2 diamond he'd started the match with was replaced by a 4-2-3-1. Callum Wilson was taken off, as were midfielders Eric Dier and Jordan Henderson. AFC Bournemouth team-mates Lewis Cook and Jordon Ibe were introduced alongside Tottenham Hotspur's out-of-form striker Harry Kane, who took the captaincy from Henderson.

 

Kane was in the middle of a goalless streak that had surpassed two months, and his lack of self-belief was clear as early as the first minute of the second half. A centre-forward of his quality would've been expected to at least hit the target from Ward-Prowse's first-time cross, but Kane's header failed to get anywhere near Szczesny in the Polish goal.

 

Poland's first opportunity to take the lead after the restart came on 54 minutes. Olkowski swung in a delivery from the right flank to Szymanski, who emphatically beat England right-back Nathaniel Clyne in their aerial battle. Woodman was also soundly beaten, but he was very relieved to see Szymanski's header miss the target by inches.

 

By the end of the opening hour, England hadn't gone particularly close to going back in front. Catterall was disappointed to see attacking midfielder Alli struggle to assert himself on the international stage yet again, so he hauled him off and gave Arsenal's Jack Wilshere another outing.

 

With Wilshere on the field, the Three Lions immediately started to look more incisive. After 68 minutes, the 30-year-old midfielder lifted an excellent lob over the Poland defence, finding Ibe unmarked in the penalty area. Ibe would surely have scored his first England goal had Szczesny not made himself big and blocked the winger's shot. Polish centre-half Pawel Bochniewicz then cleared it behind to concede the first of two successive away corners, neither of which were particularly effective.

 

England continued to pile on the pressure, but Szczesny came big again when saving a couple of sensational strikes from Cook in the 72nd and 73rd minutes. Though some Arsenal fans were perhaps inclined to disagree about their former number 1, Szczesny was certainly no clown. One does not serve as Juventus' first-choice keeper for more than three years without knowing how to protect their goal.

 

The Three Lions received their only booking of the match after 75 minutes. Ward-Prowse was brought up by the referee and yellow-carded after tripping young Poland substitute David Kopacz - a former Borussia Dortmund youth midfielder who was now playing for Jagiellonia Białystok in the Ekstraklasa.

 

On 77 minutes, Cook unleashed a powerful edge-of-the-area shot that skimmed just past Szczesny's right-hand post. There was little doubt that the Yorkshireman had added some much-needed energy to the England midfield; indeed, many fans of the Three Lions would later question why he did not start.

 

England had come up short in their attempts to win the game. Poland went for the kill after 88 minutes, with star performer Szymanski once again being heavily involved.

 

After his initial corner was cleared by Kane, Szymanski retrieved the ball and centred it to Kopacz, who then lobbed it up to Milik on the edge of the six-yard box. Milik's header looked like looping past Woodman and into the far end of his net, but Galloway intercepted just in the nick of time. A spot of head tennis then ensued before Ward-Prowse eventually dispelled the danger.

 

With the teams still locked at 1-1 after 90 minutes, the spoils were shared. Poland were 16th in the FIFA World Rankings - only 11 places below England - so a stalemate in Warsaw was not necessarily as bad a result for Catterall's Three Lions as some fans made it out to be. That said, they would surely need to beat South Korea at Wembley four days later to appease their more sceptical followers.

 

25 March 2022: International Friendly - at Narodowy, Warsaw

Poland - 1 (Sebastian Szymanski 21)

England - 1 (Callum Wilson 19)

ENGLAND LINE-UP (4-4-2 Diamond): Freddie Woodman; Nathaniel Clyne (Calum Chambers), Axel Tuanzebe, Brendan Galloway, Josh Tymon; Eric Dier (Lewis Cook); James Ward-Prowse, Jordan Henderson (Jordon Ibe); Dele Alli (Jack Wilshere); Callum Wilson (Harry Kane), James Wilson (Nathan Redmond). BOOKED: Ward-Prowse 75.

[CFuller]

***

 

England's football team was once again at the centre of controversy when they returned home from Poland, where they had drawn 1-1 in a friendly international. However, it was not a sub-standard performance against a somewhat mediocre Polish side that had drawn the ire of some sections of the media.

 

After the stalemate, a small group of England players and Football Association employees converged on a Warsaw nightclub. While all the players respected Mark Catterall's curfew that they were all back at the hotel by 1:00am, FA communications director Ava Leggett was seen staggering out of the nightclub - propped up by Catterall's assistant Michael Burke - well over an hour later.

 

A little over 24 hours later, the Daily Mirror posted video footage of Leggett and Burke's exit on their website. A photograph from the scene also appeared on the front page of their newspaper, emblazoned with the headline: "ENGLAND FOOTBALL IN NEW DRINK SHAME: FA spokeswoman in late-night bender at Polish nightclub after game".

 

When other news outlets got wind of the story, it predictably spread like wildfire. The Sun went straight for the obvious "AVA LEGLESS" headline in their online report, while the Daily Telegraph asked, "How low can English football's drinking culture sink?"

 

There were growing calls from some quarters for Leggett to be dismissed from her role at the FA, where the 37-year-old had worked since 2016. Before long, the FA board - chaired by Angela Ruskin - had summoned Leggett to an emergency meeting at Wembley Stadium.

 

An embarrassed Leggett was shown the video clip, where she was seen slurring the chorus to the Fat Les song "Vindaloo". Burke was then heard asking, "Don't you think you've had enough, Ava?"

 

Leggett replied, "I'll tell you when I've [hic] had enough, ginger nut."

 

Back in the FA boardroom, Leggett begged Ruskin to pause the video. She then sat back in her chair and groaned, "I know exactly what you're thinking. To be honest, I wouldn't complain if you just went ahead with it."

 

"Went ahead with what?" Ruskin asked.

 

"With sacking me," Leggett sighed. "I've really screwed up this time, haven't I?"

 

"Why do you think we'd go sack you over this, Ava? You're a young, vulnerable woman who requires support, not punishment."

 

Vice-chairman Dexter Poyner added, "I agree with Angela. It's obvious you need professional help for your alcoholism. There's a world-renowned mental health hospital in Roehampton that has helped many people with addictions like you."

 

"The Priory Hospital," Ruskin nodded. "Many celebrities and footballers have received treatment. Paul Gascoigne has spent some time there to try and sort out his drinking, and so did Michael Johnson when he was struggling with his mental health."

 

Poyner asked, "Michael Johnson? That's the American sprinter, right?"

 

"No, Dexter. The former Manchester City midfielder."

 

Chief executive David Whiteman said, "Miss Leggett, it is obvious to everyone on the Board of Directors that you are an incredibly talented young lady and [cough] a very important employee of the Football Association. It is in all our best interests that we ensure [cough] you remain so."

 

Leggett nodded reluctantly, "I guess you might be right. I've been in a right old state since Steve broke up with me six months ago."

 

"Steve?" Poyner asked.

 

"My ex. We were together for six years... until he hooked up with that f***ing Irish bitch off ESPN."

 

Whiteman said, "While I hardly believe such coarse and [cough] xenophobic language is appropriate for a Football Association representative, as the father of a twice-divorced daughter, I can empathise with your predicament."

 

Leggett groaned, "I loved Steve and really thought I was going to start a family with him. I've always loved kids and wanted some of my own."

 

"That could perhaps explain your broody behaviour of late," Ruskin sympathised. "A couple of our male colleagues have told me you tried to hit on them, particularly when drunk."

 

"Yeah, they probably thought I was a nutter!" Leggett half-laughed, before getting emotional again, "But time's running out for me to have kids. I'm 38 next month, and I don't want to end up childless."

 

Poyner said, "I don't think being childless is such a terrible thing. Look at Kylie Minogue, for example. She always wanted children, but even though she never did, I'd say she's still doing pretty well for herself."

 

"You're hardly helping, Dexter," Ruskin said. She then turned back to Leggett and asked, "So do you agree to go to the Priory?"

 

"Yes," Leggett nodded. "I want to get my head straight again, before the World Cup."

 

"Splendid. Normally, we'd ask you to pay for your own treatment, as we're still trying to cut costs..."

 

Ruskin then invited Whiteman to finish her explanation. He said, "However, in light of your rather extraordinary circumstances, Miss Leggett, all three of us - Ms Ruskin, Mr Poyner and [cough] myself - have agreed to personally pay for four weeks of treatment on your behalf."

 

"Oh, really, there's no need," Leggett blushed.

 

"No, Miss Leggett. We must firmly [cough] but very politely insist."

 

A very grateful Leggett said, "Wow. Thanks for being so generous."

 

"You're welcome, Ava," Ruskin smiled. "Now let's watch the rest of that video - for closure, if nothing else."

 

Ruskin pressed the 'Play' button on the remote control. As the video continued, Leggett put her arms around Burke and slurred, "Come on, ginge. Let's make [hic] love back at the hotel."

 

Burke gently pushed Leggett back and told her, "No, Ava, I really can't. I've got a wife, two kids and a granddaughter back home. I won't let them down."

 

"I'm sure they won't mind," Leggett said innocently. "Anyway, you owe me a huge favour after you and Mark... [hic]... you and Mark gave vodka to that player."

 

Burke appeared to mutter Gary Cahill's name under his breath before saying, "Anyway, we can't talk about that here!"

 

"Oh yeah! Gary! You know them Russians never [hic] screwed Gary up, right? That was all..." Leggett then stopped mid-sentence to vomit up a wall. She continued, "It was [hic]-ark. He brainwashed Gary, but he put it all on the Russians 'cos he REALLY hated them."

 

Burke then looked straight at the camera and ordered, "Excuse me! Can you f***ing turn that off, please?"

 

Back at Wembley, Ruskin immediately stopped the video and asked, "What was all that about, Ava?"

 

Leggett sighed, "About three years ago, after the last World Cup in Russia, Gary Cahill started acting a bit strangely, like a Soviet communist. This went on for a few months until Mark and Mick calmed him down by giving him vodka."

 

"That's not what I could gather, Ava. It sounded like you were admitting Mark Catterall brainwashed Cahill and then deliberately got him drunk! If that's true, then why the hell did the last regime let him get away with it? David?"

 

Whiteman told Ruskin, "Mr Catterall informed me about Mr Cahill and the alcoholic beverages some time after the incident in question. Whilst his actions in that incident were somewhat [cough] questionable, I was inclined to let bygones be bygones. However, I must be completely truthful in stating that I am entirely unaware of the exact circumstances behind Mr Cahill's [cough] sudden change of behaviour five months beforehand. Therefore, I cannot confirm anything with absolute certainty."

 

Leggett said, "Yeah, that behaviour change didn't have anything to do with Mark. Now, if you'd let me finish..."

 

Ruskin interrupted, "No, Ava. We on the FA board need to get to the bottom of this scandal once and for all. In the meantime, I'm afraid we have no choice but to suspend you without pay until you have completed your addiction treatment at the Priory. And if you speak any more of this to anyone without telling us first, then please do not bother coming back. Is that understood?"

 

"Yes, Angela."

 

"Good. Now get out."

[CFuller]

***

 

England continued their preparations for the FIFA World Cup when they welcomed South Korea to Wembley for the first time. The sides' only previous meeting had come in 2002, when Guus Hiddink's Korean team held the Three Lions to a 1-1 draw in a pre-World Cup friendly in Seogwipo.

 

These days, South Korea were coached by former striker Seo Jung-Won. After surprisingly failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, the Taegeuk Warriors had only just scraped into the 2022 finals in Morocco. They needed to beat Panama on penalties in an Intercontinental Playoff to reach the Group Stage, where they would take on Chile, Croatia and France.

 

Seo had recently started to blood an exciting new generation of Warriors into his team. Keeping goal would be Ryoo Yo-Han - the new 20-year-old understudy to David De Gea at Manchester United. 21-year-old Kim Young-Jun was a talented if temperamental midfield player on loan at Wolverhampton Wanderers from Liverpool.

 

Another player who was familiar to Premier League aficionados was PSV striker Ji Dong-Won. Now aged 30, Ji had come a long way since enduring a rather mediocre spell at Sunderland early in his career.

 

Mark Catterall's England line-up also contained a good mixture of youth and experience, particularly in the attack. While Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane captained the Three Lions on the night of his 75th cap, Arsenal's 22-year-old inside-forward Reiss Nelson was winning his first. Nelson had impressed Catterall while on loan at Newcastle United this season, and a strong debut showing would surely help his chances of making the World Cup squad.

 

Catterall saw this match as ideal preparation for England's opening World Cup group game, which would be against South Korea's traditional rivals Japan in Agadir on 15 June. The Three Lions boss was expecting the visitors to play some expansive, high-tempo football from the outset, much like the Samurai Blue.

 

South Korea did indeed make a positive start to proceedings. In the third minute, left-back Kim Jin-Su snuck behind the English defence to run onto a weighted pass from Schalke 04 forward Son Heung-Min and have a shot from the edge of the six-yard box. As some of his team-mates raised their hands hoping for an offside call, Three Lions goalkeeper Jack Butland remained focussed, deflecting the shot clear.

 

England would survive another scare after eight minutes. Kim Young-Jun sliced the ball through England's left side and picked out midfielder Lee Jae-Sung, who then centred the ball to Ji in a dangerous position. The former Mackem unleashed a vicious volley, which rattled the crossbar before being cleared by home defender Brendan Galloway.

 

The Three Lions put together their first attack four minutes later. Newcomer Nelson surged ahead of South Korea right-back Ryu Joo-Sung to reach a fantastic through-ball from Kane. Had it not been for a last-ditch fingertip save from Ryoo, the London-born youngster would surely have been celebrating a debut goal.

 

That aside, England's early attacks didn't give the Koreans much to worry about. The home team had a couple of corners cleared, while crosses from Nelson and Jordon Ibe were often ineffective. Attacking midfielder Jack Wilshere did threaten the target when he got to Kane's 25th-minute through-ball, but an acrobatic save from Ryoo saw it tipped wide.

 

South Korea next pushed for a goal in the 32nd minute. Lee drove an excellent shot through the legs of England's right-back Calum Chambers from the edge of the box, though he didn't quite flummox Butland, who caught with ease. It wasn't hard to see why Catterall still regarded Butland as his first-choice goalkeeper, despite his worrisome recent form for Stoke City.

 

Nelson had another shot saved by Ryoo on 35 minutes, though his next effort on the stroke of half-time was hooked well over the crossbar. There was also an injury-time miss from Wilshere, who failed to make the most of a close-range free-kick after Korean centre-half Koo Ja-Ryong had tripped Kane.

 

With the deadlock still intact at half-time, Catterall made major changes to his line-up. Manchester City defender Michael Keane, who'd bruised his head when attempting to clear Park Jong-Woo's free-kick in the 36th minute, was one of three players to be substituted. The game was also up for both Dele Alli, who like Kane was making his 75th England appearance, and the rather less experienced Ibe.

 

Reece Oxford, Jordan Henderson and James Ward-Prowse all came on to slot into an England team that would kick off the second half playing in a 4-4-2 diamond. Nelson was now up front alongside Kane, and he caused the Taegeuk Warriors problems within seconds. The fresh-faced rising star latched onto a lovely lofted ball from Arsenal colleague Wilshere, and his attempted centre to Kane ricocheted behind off Koo.

 

Then, after 51 minutes, came a sight England fans most certainly did not want to see, as left-back Luke Shaw pulled up in agony while off the ball during an attacking move. As the Manchester United defender let out a sharp cry of agony, a disconcerted England team lost the ball and became vulnerable to a Korean counter-attack. It wasn't until Oxford retook the ball and booted it out of play that Shaw could receive urgent medical attention.

 

At first glance, it looked as if Shaw had twisted sharply on his ankle. The Wembley medical team eased him onto a stretcher, and he was carried off to a standing ovation from both sets of supporters. His misfortune led to another opportunity for Arsenal's emerging talent Josh Tymon, who won just his third senior cap.

 

England took a while to get back in full flow after Shaw's exit. AFC Bournemouth midfielder Lewis Cook did have a piledriver caught by Ryoo in the 57th minute, but with South Korea now playing very defensively and putting men behind the ball, home chances were becoming scarce.

 

Catterall changed formation again after an hour. Wilshere was replaced by Nathan Redmond as the Three Lions switched to a 4-1-2-2-1, with inside-forwards Nelson and Redmond now accompanying lone striker Kane. The aim was to stretch the Taegeuk Warriors out a bit more and create gaps for the midfield playmakers to exploit.

 

England's first opportunity to strike after Catterall's latest reshuffle came from a Ward-Prowse corner on 65 minutes. Ward-Prowse's hanging ball found Henderson, who didn't normally attack the goal with his head. Unsurprisingly, the Liverpool skipper's effort was easily secured by Ryoo.

 

Catterall's decision to throw Redmond on was soon looking like a shrewd move. Two minutes later, the Southampton forward drew a trip out of Kim Jin-Su, who received the first and only yellow card of the match.

 

Redmond would cause more problems for South Korea after 72 minutes. When Kim Jin-Su strayed from Redmond, Ward-Prowse punished his mistake by feeding the ball through to the unmarked Brummie speedster. Within seconds, he had drilled the ball across the Korean area for Kane to thrash in his first goal for two-and-a-half months!

 

Kane received the adulations of his Three Lions team-mates after a typically powerful finish, which brought him his 41st international goal, one more than Michael Owen managed. Only four men - Wayne Rooney, Sir Bobby Charlton, Gary Lineker and Jimmy Greaves - had found the net more often in England colours.

 

Six minutes after cementing his status as one of England's top international scorers, Kane was substituted to rapturous applause. James Wilson of Wolverhampton Wanderers now had a little over 12 minutes in which to break his Three Lions duck and move a step closer to earning a World Cup spot.

 

Wilson's one and only opportunity to beat Ryoo came in the 80th minute, just a couple of minutes after he set foot on the pitch. The 26-year-old rose above a crowd of South Korean defenders to head Tymon's floating delivery at goal, but the ball comfortably cleared the crossbar.

 

There was to be no maiden goal for Nelson, either. The Magpies loanee was in full flight in the 84th minute after intercepting a clearance from Park, but Ryoo palmed his swerving shot behind. Nelson had missed a fair few opportunities on his first England outing, though Catterall thought that he was more unfortunate than genuinely disappointing.

 

South Korea then broke out of their shell and put together one final attack in injury time. The Taegeuk Warriors' captain - Dijon midfielder Kwon Chang-Hoon - played a pass to the 'D' for substitute Lee Seung-Woo. The 24-year-old from La Liga side Almería unleashed a dangerous shot, but Butland got across his goal to divert it away and maintain a clean sheet.

 

In the end, a narrow 1-0 victory over South Korea was generally regarded as a positive step forward for England. The Three Lions' backline had looked well-organised, with Chambers and Galloway impressing in particular. The attack had also managed to break through a stubborn defence, which had been an old problem of theirs. While it was still too early to say that England looked like serious World Cup contenders, the signs were promising.

 

29 March 2022: International Friendly - at Wembley, London

England - 1 (Harry Kane 72)

South Korea - 0

ENGLAND LINE-UP (4-2-3-1): Jack Butland; Calum Chambers, Michael Keane (Reece Oxford), Brendan Galloway, Luke Shaw (Josh Tymon); Lewis Cook, Dele Alli (James Ward-Prowse); Jordon Ibe (Jordan Henderson), Jack Wilshere (Nathan Redmond), Reiss Nelson; Harry Kane (James Wilson).

[CFuller]

***

 

Not even on the morning after a hard-fought Wembley win did England manager Mark Catterall take a rest. Within 12 hours of the final whistle blowing on the Three Lions' 1-0 victory over South Korea, Catterall was back working at St George's Park, having travelled back from London to Staffordshire overnight.

 

Catterall spent his Monday morning reviewing the match footage with his coaches, including assistant manager Michael Burke. They were especially keen on working out why the team had only managed to score a single goal. As Catts saw it, he needed his team to be more penetrative against defensive sides, else they would struggle to mount a serious challenge at the FIFA World Cup.

 

The coaches took a lunch break at midday. Catterall and Burke were sat at one table with defensive coach Phil Neville. They were discussing the exploits of England's Under-19s team, who had just completed the Elite Round stage of their European Championship qualifiers.

 

"I tell you what, the kids have done alright, haven't they?" Neville asked. "That's, like, five years in a row they've qualified for the Euros, ain't it?"

 

Burke nodded, "You're not wrong there. That ain't half bad for a team who lost at home to Slovenia in September!"

 

Catterall was rather more reserved. "They did okay, I guess. A couple of 1-0 wins over Croatia and Bosnia & Herzegovina, but they almost threw it away against Belgium at Ewood Park. We were 1-0 up again until Belgium equalised in the 87th minute. If Belgium had scored again, they'd have gone through instead."

 

Neville replied, "Still... good ol' Frankie Lamps has done a fine job with the kids, ain't he? He's kept their good run going, and now he's got the finals to look forward to in July."

 

"The jury's still out on Frank Lampard for me," Catterall said. "I've observed him regularly in training, and he seems to mollycoddle those kids. There's no real hunger or determination in them. They're not gonna do very well in Switzerland without that."

 

Neville insisted, "You never know, Catts. That Sumner guy who scored twice in the Elite Round looks like he could fire England all the way."

 

"Stephen Sumner," Catterall nodded. "He's that Liverpool lad who's on loan at Middlesbrough. Mancunian born and bred. I think he might even be related to Barney Sumner - the singer from New Order."

 

"Liverpool have produced a lot of good strikers lately, ain't they?" Burke observed. "They've given us Loz Warner and Willie Field, obviously, but Ben Harvey and Ollie Elmes are coming through as well. Then there's Ben Woodburn and [Callum] Howcroft-Jones in the Wales team."

 

"They're not all Liverpool youth products, though, are they? Harvey came from Derby County, and Elmes was signed from Milton Keynes Dons."

 

"Ah, right. Got ya."

 

England's head physio David Fevre then came over to the table, with a stunned look etched across his face.

 

"What's up, Dave?" Burke asked. "You look like you're about to tell a little girl her cat's been run over by a lorry."

 

"It's worse than that, lads," Fevre sighed. "I've just been on the phone with the medical staff at Manchester United."

 

Catterall groaned, "It's about Luke Shaw, isn't it?"

 

Fevre nodded reluctantly, "It's not good. He's just had a scan on that injury he suffered last night. Turns out he's torn his Achilles tendon."

 

"Oh, God," Burke gasped in horror. He then turned to Catterall and said, "That's just like the injury your daughter got last season, ain't it? And Mason Holgate tore his Achilles an' all, didn't he?"

 

"Bloody hell," Catterall moaned as he took his glasses off and buried his head in his hands.

 

Neville asked, "So that's it? He's out of the World Cup?"

 

"Afraid so," Fevre conceded. "He'll need surgery, and at least five months out, maybe six."

 

Neville let out a sigh and said, "Well... that's a real bummer."

 

Fevre added, "And sorry to pile some more bad news on you lads, but I think the physio room's been burgled. I'm missing a load of bandages."

 

Burke suggested, "Have a word with David Platt. Apparently, he's sent a load of stuff to the National First Aid Museum in Beaconsfield, for their grand opening next month."

 

Fevre nodded, "Alright. Cheers for the heads-up, Mick." He then walked away, cursing under his breath, "I knew it was f***ing Platt again!"

 

Catterall then recomposed himself and put his glasses back on, before saying, "We've got a real crisis at left-back now, ain't we? Danny Rose is rotting in Tottenham's reserves, and now Shaw's f***ed!"

 

Neville suggested, "Brendan Galloway can fill in for them. He played at left-back for United when Shaw was injured last time, and I'd imagine José Mourinho will play him out there 'til the end of the season now."

 

"That's a good shout, Phil," Burke said. "He's probably the most experienced left-back we've got playing regularly right now. Josh Tymon is making progress at Arsenal, as we've seen in them last two England games, but he's nowhere near ready to be a regular starter for us."

 

"Looks like Galloway and Tymon are the only lads we have," Catterall shrugged. "Doesn't fill me with a huge amount of confidence, to be brutally honest."

 

"What about Ben Chilwell at Liverpool?" Burke asked.

 

"I don't think he's had a consistent run starting in the Liverpool team since he knackered his Achilles last year."

 

"Matthew Targett at Southampton? They've had a great season so far."

 

"Targett's not even a regular starter, though is he? Carlo Cudicini has always preferred to play Ryan Bertrand in that left-back slot. And no, I'm not picking Bertrand! For starters, he's 32 years old, and I've never called him up for England before."

 

"I've got one more name for you, Catts," Burke said. "Ted Lapslie. He's only 19, but he's got two Premier League seasons on his CV already, and he's made some huge strides just down the road at Stoke City."

 

Catterall dismissed Burke's final suggestion, saying, "He won't be anywhere near ready for the World Cup. Besides, have you seen how many goals Stoke have conceded this season? If it hadn't been for [Jack] Butland, lord knows they'd already be down!"

 

"Jeez, you don't have much to choose from, do you?" Neville sighed. "Anyway, if things get any worse, I'd be more than happy to step up instead."

 

Catterall shook his head. "I know you've offered your services before, Phil, but the answer's still no."

 

"What? Because I'm 45 years old and haven't played for a decade? Age is just a number, Catts! I'd be willing to register myself as a player at Salford City and get some games under my belt first, if that'll make you feel any better."

 

"Since when have you had any influence at Salford City?" Burke asked. "Didn't you and the other 'Class of 92' sell up to that fish-and-chips salesman a few years back?"

 

"Yeah, but I'm sure they'll let me play out the final few games. They're mid-table in the National League North, so it ain't as if they've got a lot to play for!"

 

Catterall erred, "I'm still not sure..."

 

"Give me a chance, Catts! It's like the old saying goes: form is temporary..."

 

"...but class stops you from giving away penalties in Euro group matches," Burke interrupted.

 

Neville appeared taken aback by Burke's retort. He replied meekly, "I was gonna say that class is permanent."

 

"Take my advice, Phil," Catterall said. "Give up the dream. You can't keep on playing forever. It's not 1965, and your name's not Stanley Matthews."

 

Catterall's phone then rang, as he received a call from FA chairwoman Angela Ruskin. He answered, "Hello, Angela? What's up?"

 

"What's Angela want him for this time?" Neville whispered to Burke.

 

Burke shrugged before whispering in response, "Dunno. Maybe she ain't happy with last night's performance. Or maybe she's heard about that interview we had a few months back - with Valencia. Obviously, we turned them down, but..."

 

"You two are thinking about leaving England after the World Cup, then?"

 

"We... we'll weigh up our options when it's all over."

 

"Fair enough. And by the way, you should be flattered that Valencia spoke to you in the first place. They're a fantastic club to work at. I reckon Gary has a different opinion on them, mind you!"

 

Catterall then finished his phone call with Ruskin. "Okay, Angela. Thanks for letting me know. I'll let Michael know straight away. Thanks, bye."

 

After Catterall hung up, Burke exclaimed, "Michael? I can't even remember the last time you called me Michael!"

 

"What was that about, Catts?" Neville asked.

 

"The board want me and Mick to attend a meeting at Wembley next week," Catterall explained. "They're apparently investigating an incident that happened with Gary Cahill about three years ago."

 

Burke groaned, "F***'s sake, Ava! What have you done?"

 

"What was that, Mick?" Catterall asked.

 

Burke sighed, "Nothing, Catts. Don't worry 'bout it."

[CFuller]

Chapter 56 - Cape Of Good Hope?

 

As expected, Manchester United swept to victory in a one-horse Premier League title race in 2021/2022. They officially won an incredible fifth consecutive league championship under José Mourinho on 16 April, as a 3-0 win over Aston Villa at Old Trafford saw them across the line with five rounds to spare.

 

Despite losing Luke Shaw for the season when the left-back damaged his Achilles tendon on England duty in late March, the Red Devils were still rock-solid in defence. Brendan Galloway filled in marvellously for the stricken Shaw, while backup centre-half Axel Tuanzebe often excelled whenever he featured.

 

Manchester United set a new record Premier League points tally of 97, despite losing a couple of away games at Norwich City and Southampton late in the campaign. They finished with a goal difference of +80 - also a new record in English top-flight history. One existing record remained intact, as their final 14-point lead on runners-up Manchester City didn't quite beat the 18-point mark Sir Alex Ferguson's Red Devils had won the league by in 1999/2000.

 

In terms of trophies, though, this wasn't United's most successful season. They might have won the league, the EFL Cup and the Community Shield, but the other big prizes had slipped from their grasps.

 

Marcus Rashford missed a fateful penalty in a UEFA Champions League Semi Final shoot-out defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, who denied United the chance to win a third successive European Cup. That heartache had come a week-and-a-half after the Red Devils lost at the same stage of the FA Cup. A mistake from Tuanzebe in the 10th minute allowed Stoke City loanee Lawrence Warner to burst behind him and fire the Potters into a Wembley showdown with AFC Bournemouth.

 

Though Shaw would definitely miss the World Cup, his fellow defenders Galloway and Tuanzebe were likely to represent the champions in Mark Catterall's England squad for the finals. One-time wonderkid Rashford - who'd scored 13 goals in 25 matches this season, but had made only three appearances since the start of April - was considered an outside bet for selection.

 

Manchester City's central defensive duo of Michael Keane and John Stones were also set to fly out to Morocco with the Three Lions. Stones completed his recovery from a broken leg in late April and started the Citizens' final six matches of the season, which culminated in them lifting the UEFA Europa League. Keane scored the second goal in a 2-0 victory over Ajax at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig.

 

Newcastle United had gone unbeaten in their last six games to secure a top-three finish, and automatic qualification for next season's Champions League. That was despite on-loan Arsenal winger Reiss Nelson's productivity wilting after his first international call-up in March. Attacking midfielder Stuart White - on loan from Manchester United - had also been somewhat disappointing in recent weeks, with this dip in form perhaps ending his slim chances of making the World Cup squad.

 

Arsenal endured their worst season under Rafa Benítez and dropped to 4th, even though Argentine ace Paulo Dybala easily won the Golden Boot with 29 goals. As far as England players were concerned, Gunners playmaker Jack Wilshere and winger Raheem Sterling were certainties for World Cup selection, barring any late injuries. Young left-back Josh Tymon looked set to join them after his promising displays against Poland and South Korea in March.

 

Liverpool finished in 5th place, narrowly beating out Tottenham Hotspur and Southampton on goal difference. The Reds' injury-hit left-back Ben Chilwell had returned to something resembling his best form during a strong climax to their season, boosting his chances of re-joining club-mates Nathaniel Clyne and Jordan Henderson in the national team.

 

Tottenham captain Harry Kane was also enjoying a resurgence of sorts, having scored in each of Spurs' four league matches in April. Along with Dele Alli, Eric Dier and James Ward-Prowse, he was set to be part of the largest contingent from one club in Catterall's squad. However, left-back Danny Rose had not returned to the first-team since March, and his careers at New White Hart Lane and with the England team were surely over.

 

Though Southampton enjoyed their highest PL finish in six seasons, forward Nathan Redmond - who'd contributed three goals and 10 assists this campaign - was expected to be their lone soldier in the England ranks. Left-back Matthew Targett, left-winger Josh Sims and striker Willie Field had all shown glimpses of the talent that had earned them international caps in the past, but perhaps hadn't done so consistently enough for Catterall's liking.

 

Chelsea striker Callum Wilson had scored 15 PL goals - the most by any English player this term - but he too was likely to be without any club-mates in the Three Lions squad. What many pundits had tipped to be Peter Turner's breakout season at Stamford Bridge ended with the 21-year-old right-back only making nine league appearances for the Blues. Roger Schmidt was sacked as manager after Chelsea finished 8th and missed out on Europe completely, and Turner would surely be hoping that his predecessor gave him more first-team opportunities.

 

Everton goalkeeper Freddie Woodman and defender Calum Chambers had each enjoyed fine seasons, and attacking midfielder Ross Barkley had made a late case for England selection. Sadly, centre-half Mason Holgate would have to sit out the World Cup after sustaining a hip injury in the final week of the season.

 

Like Shaw and Holgate, Neil Campbell's dream of gracing the big stage had been dashed by injury. The 21-year-old midfielder damaged his right kneecap in Wolverhampton Wanderers' final home game of the season - a 3-1 win over AFC Bournemouth that effectively secured their top-flight survival. Though Campbell was hopeful of recovering from that injury in time for the World Cup, Catterall didn't want to take any undue risks on an inexperienced and unfit player.

 

So, then, who did make Catts' 30-man preliminary squad?

 

ENGLAND provisional squad - for 2022 FIFA World Cup

NAME                      POSITIONS           D.O.B. (AGE)     CLUB            CAPS  GOALS HEIGHT WEIGHT     VALUE
Jack Butland              GK                  10/03/1993 (29)  Stoke           24    0     6'5"   15st 1lb   £13M    
Fraser Forster            GK                  17/03/1988 (34)  Southampton     11    0     6'7"   15st 8lbs  £1.4M   
Freddie Woodman           GK                  04/03/1997 (25)  Everton         7     0     6'1"   11st 4lbs  £6M     
Nathaniel Clyne           D (RL), WB (R)      05/04/1991 (31)  Liverpool       55    0     5'9"   10st 7lbs  £6.75M  
Calum Chambers            D (RC)              20/01/1995 (27)  Everton         30    0     6'0"   11st 6lbs  £19.25M 
Michael Keane             D (RC)              11/01/1993 (29)  Man City        43    1     6'1"   13st 3lbs  £24M    
John Stones               D (RC)              28/05/1994 (27)  Man City        58    1     6'2"   12st 3lbs  £35.5M  
Phil Jones                D (RC), DM          21/02/1992 (30)  Porto           31    0     6'1"   11st 4lbs  £5.75M  
Eric Dier                 D (RC), DM, M (C)   15/01/1994 (28)  Tottenham       69    6     6'2"   13st 7lbs  £32.5M  
Ben Chilwell              D (LC), WB (L)      21/12/1996 (25)  Liverpool       2     0     5'10"  12st 3lbs  £22.5M  
Brendan Galloway          D (LC), DM          17/03/1996 (26)  Man Utd         12    1     6'2"   14st 0lbs  £29.5M  
Axel Tuanzebe             D (C)               14/11/1997 (24)  Man Utd         4     0     6'0"   12st 6lbs  £29.5M  
Reece Oxford              D (C), DM           16/12/1998 (23)  West Ham        3     1     6'3"   11st 13lbs £9.25M  
Josh Tymon                D/M (L)             22/05/1999 (22)  Arsenal         3     0     5'9"   11st 2lbs  £18.25M 
Lewis Cook                DM, M (C)           03/02/1997 (25)  Bournemouth     11    2     5'9"   11st 2lbs  £19.75M 
Jordan Henderson          DM, M (C)           17/06/1990 (31)  Liverpool       91    4     6'0"   10st 7lbs  £5.25M  
Jack Wilshere             DM, M/AM (C)        01/01/1992 (30)  Arsenal         80    12    5'9"   10st 3lbs  £12.25M 
Raheem Sterling           M (RL), AM (RLC)    08/12/1994 (27)  Arsenal         39    4     5'7"   10st 12lbs £30M    
Reiss Nelson              M (L), AM (RL)      10/12/1999 (22)  Newcastle       1     0     5'10"  11st 11lbs £12.75M 
Marcus Rashford           M (C), ST (C)       31/10/1997 (24)  Man Utd         17    6     5'11"  11st 11lbs £35M    
Jordon Ibe                M/AM (RL), ST (C)   08/12/1995 (26)  Bournemouth     5     0     5'9"   10st 12lbs £14M    
Nathan Redmond            M/AM (RL), ST (C)   06/03/1994 (28)  Southampton     28    5     5'8"   11st 6lbs  £20M    
James Ward-Prowse         M/AM (RC)           01/11/1994 (27)  Tottenham       30    6     5'8"   10st 5lbs  £21M    
Dele Alli                 M/AM (C)            11/04/1996 (26)  Tottenham       75    7     6'1"   12st 1lb   £38M    
Ross Barkley              M/AM (C)            05/12/1993 (28)  Everton         43    5     6'2"   11st 13lbs £19.25M 
James Wilson              AM (R), ST (C)      01/12/1995 (26)  Wolves          4     0     6'0"   12st 3lbs  £6.5M   
Lawrence Warner           AM (RC), ST (C)     28/12/2000 (21)  Stoke           1     0     6'0"   12st 8lbs  £13.75M 
Harry Kane                AM (C), ST (C)      28/07/1993 (28)  Tottenham       75    41    6'3"   13st 0lbs  £29M    
Ben Brereton              ST (C)              18/04/1999 (23)  Huddersfield    0     0     6'1"   13st 3lbs  £13.5M  
Callum Wilson             ST (C)              27/02/1992 (30)  Chelsea         44    18    5'11"  10st 7lbs  £16.25M 

 

Mark Catterall brought back a couple of familiar faces for England's pre-World Cup training camp. The selection that arguably raised most eyebrows was that of Porto's former Manchester United defender Phil Jones.

 

Jones had not pulled on a Three Lions jersey since October 2019, after which he was effectively dumped into United's reserve team. It wasn't until his £3million transfer to Porto in January that the strong Lancastrian demonstrated why he was once considered one of England's pre-eminent defenders. Jones made 11 appearances in his first half-season with the Dragões, who went on to win the Primeira Liga for the fourth year in a row.

 

Catterall had also offered a chance at redemption to current United backup Marcus Rashford. Though Mourinho seemingly did not trust the 24-year-old Mancunian as much as other star attackers, his scoring record whenever called upon was arguably too impressive to ignore.

 

Rashford hadn't played for England since September 2021, while one had to go back another three months to find Ross Barkley's most recent international outing. The Everton attacking midfielder had started the 2021/2022 season terribly, but an upturn in form after Christmas had perhaps convinced Catterall to give him another shot.

 

Liverpool left-back Ben Chilwell was also in the squad, vying to add to the two caps he'd collected late in 2020. Injuries had set him back just when it appeared he would usurp Danny Rose as a regular Three Lions squad member. Now finally back to full fitness, Chilwell would soon battle it out with Manchester United's Brendan Galloway and Arsenal's Josh Tymon for a place at Morocco 2022.

 

The potential wildcard pick in this provisional England squad was Huddersfield Town's new target forward Ben Brereton. Since joining the Terriers from Nottingham Forest for £10.25million in January, Brereton had scored 10 goals in his first 13 Premier League outings. The two-footed 23-year-old now had a week to convince Catts that his lack of senior international experience would not be a barrier to him being picked for the World Cup.

 

A second Huddersfield player - 24-year-old goalkeeper Will Mannion - was placed on standby, in case of any tournament-ending injuries to any of England's three custodians.

 

Newcastle United's inside-forward Reiss Nelson and Stoke City's striker Lawrence Warner - each with a solitary cap to their name - were the youngest players in the preliminary squad. Warner was set to become the first player born in the 2000s to feature in a major tournament for England. Neil Campbell would perhaps have joined him but for injury, while Willie Field and Peter Turner were left out due to inconsistency and limited first-team opportunities respectively.

 

Once the Premier League season came to an end on 15 May, the 30 players named in the England squad would head to St George's Park for a fortnight-long training camp, culminating in a friendly against Belgium at Wembley on 31 May. The squad would be trimmed to a final 23-man selection at the midway point.

 

Two players from Stoke (Warner and goalkeeper Jack Butland) and AFC Bournemouth winger Jordon Ibe were given permission to skip that first week of training, so that they could prepare for the FA Cup Final. Ibe's Cherries team-mate Lewis Cook was forced to miss that match through suspension, so he would link up with the England squad from the start.

 

Manchester City defenders Michael Keane and John Stones would each miss the first three days of the training camp, due to their involvement in the UEFA Europa League Final.

[Drogba11CFC]

That's pretty ironic...

[CFuller]

7 minutes ago, Drogba11CFC said:

That's pretty ironic...

What is? Is this another Chelsea comment?

[Drogba11CFC]

Rashford missing the penalty against PSG.

[CFuller]

1 minute ago, Drogba11CFC said:

Rashford missing the penalty against PSG.

Ah, I get it now. I can't help thinking he wouldn't have missed it had Mourinho not been his manager. 

[Drogba11CFC]

Mind you, at least in real life under Sarri Chelsea are challenging for top four...

[CFuller]

***

 

As another Premier League season reached its conclusion, 25 England players descended on St George's Park in Burton-upon-Trent to start a national team training camp. England boss Mark Catterall and his coaches would run the rule over the players for a week before deciding who would make their final line-up for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Morocco.

 

Five players from Catterall's 30-man preliminary selection had been exempted from the first few days of training. Manchester City defenders Michael Keane and John Stones began their World Cup preparations on Thursday, having returned from winning the UEFA Europa League in Leipzig.

 

The three players involved in the FA Cup Final were also allowed to skip England duties for the first week. Stoke City goalkeeper Jack Butland and striker Lawrence Warner would each finish the week with cup medals around their necks, having helped the Potters defeat AFC Bournemouth 3-2 at Wembley. The Cherries' first major cup Final was a bittersweet experience for winger Jordon Ibe, who started the match but never came close to adding to his 15-assist haul for the season.

 

Once the first week of England training had been completed, the time came for Catterall to cut his squad down from 30 players to 23. He had to submit his final World Cup selection to FIFA by the afternoon of Monday 23 May.

 

Catterall initially discussed his plans in private with assistant manager Michael Burke on the previous Sunday afternoon. Then, when the bulk of his squad had been rubber-stamped, he summoned his other England coaches to get their thoughts as to who should and shouldn't be on the plane to Morocco.

 

Catterall began, "I'm almost there, lads. There are about six or seven spots that still need to be filled, and I'd like to pick your brains to help me decide who goes in."

 

Goalkeeping coach Tim Flowers suggested, "I think you sh-," but Burke interrupted him, "Yes, Terry. All three goalkeepers are in - Butland, Forster, Woodman."

 

Catterall looked at his list and continued, "We've got three definites in defence - Keane, Stones, and Nat Clyne. They've been to major tournaments before and are established starters. I'm pretty certain about bringing Calum Chambers along as well to deputise for Clyne at right-back."

 

"What about on the left?" Phil Neville asked.

 

"I'm leaning towards taking Brendan Galloway as our first-choice left-back," Catterall said somewhat hesitantly. "Unless you've got a better idea, Phil?"

 

Neville shook his head. "No, Catts. I actually think left-back is Brendan's best position. I know you normally play him in the middle, but Brendan loves to bomb forward and give us a presence out wide. He's proven that while filling in for Luke Shaw at Manchester United."

 

Warren Joyce added, "Galloway's a no-brainer, Mark. I'd keep his mate Tuanzebe around as well. Axel's still a bit wet behind the ears when it comes to international football, but he's proven this year that he's a very strong centre-half with few weaknesses."

 

"That's exactly what I was thinking, Warren," Catterall nodded. "I'd trust Tuanzebe more than Reece Oxford at this point in time, that's for sure."

 

Burke then said, "Now... we need someone who can cover for Galloway at left-back. Who's it gonna be, lads? Josh Tymon or Ben Chilwell?"

 

"Easiest decision in the world, ain't it?" Tony Adams scoffed. "Josh Tymon all day long! He's popular with the lads in the dressing room, and he'll work his socks off for you on the pitch."

 

A somewhat sceptical Burke asked, "You're not just saying that 'cos he's an Arsenal man, are you?"

 

"Personally, I'd pick Chilly," Neville stated. "Okay, so he's been injured for a lot of the season, but just look at some of his last few games for Liverpool. There's a left-back who's got himself back to fitness and has come on strong at just the right time. And for me, he's got more of a winning mentality than Tymon."

 

"Chilwell has also been a Premier League regular for five seasons," David Platt added. "You can't say that Tymon's a regular starter for Arsenal, not with Kieran Tierney ahead of him. You don't normally select players who don't start most matches for their clubs, do you, Mark?"

 

Catterall soon made up his mind. "If he'd been fit for most of the season, Chilwell would've been selected hands-down. Like you say, Phil, he's had a tough time with injuries. Tymon's still very raw, but he's that little bit sharper than Chilwell right now, so I think I'll take him to Morocco instead. Now let's discuss the midfield."

 

Burke intervened, "Hang on a minute, Catts. You've only picked seven defenders. Aren't you even gonna consider Phil Jones?"

 

Adams said, "Now there's a man who'll throw his body and his face on the line for his team! He reminds me an awful lot of myself, when I was still playing for Arsenal and England!"

 

"I'll come back to Jones a bit later," Catterall sighed. "Anyway... midfield. Henderson, Dier, Alli and Wilshere are all in, no further questions."

 

"Don't forget Lewis Cook," Burke added.

 

"Yeah, and Cook as well. Let's not forget Jordon Ibe, either. He, Redmond and Sterling can be our men out wide."

 

Adams exclaimed, "What? You're not picking Reiss Nelson? He's the English Ronaldo, for crying out loud! The kid could be a future Arsenal legend... so long as Rafa Benítez doesn't sell him to Stoke in a couple of years!"

 

"I'm picking the World Cup squad on ability and temperament, not potential," Catterall categorically stated. "Nelson's a gifted young player, for sure, but he's not ready for a big tournament at this stage in his career. Besides, he's not had a great end to the season with Newcastle United."

 

Joyce then chimed in, "You need JWP in your midfield, Mark. Any team could do with a Jimmy Wardy-Prowsey. He's a tireless workhorse who can play pretty much everywhere, except maybe goalkeeper or striker."

 

"And that's without mentioning his free-kick abilities," Platt said. "For my money, he's the fourth-best taker of a set-piece England have had in the last 25 years - after David Beckham, Steven Gerrard and Harry Kane."

 

"I'd have him in over Barkley, for sure," Burke agreed.

 

Catterall concurred, "Yeah, there's no way I'm leaving James Ward-Prowse at home. Now... I've got Harry Kane and Callum Wilson as striker options, but I need another one or two alongside them. Can you help me out here?"

 

"It's Loz Warner for me, Catts," Adams said. "He's been banging in the goals for the Under-21s, ain't he? We should be bringing in players with that proven quality to big tournaments as early as possible."

 

Joyce argued the case for Marcus Rashford. "Marcus is a real big-game player. Ignore the fact he's not started many games for United. In terms of pace and technical ability, you could do a lot worse."

 

"I quite fancy James Wilson, to be honest," Neville said. "Aside from Harry and Callum, he's scored the most goals out of our strikers this season. He's in a real purple patch as well, so you should bear that in mind."

 

Platt shuffled through some papers on the desk before saying, "James Wilson has scored 11 goals in 29 Premier League games this season, with 50% of his shots on goal being on target. Lawrence Warner has 9 goals in 20 games, and 49% on target. Marcus Rashford's got 5 goals in 11, but only 48% on target. However, Ben Brereton has scored 10 times in only 13 matches for Huddersfield, and three in five of his shots were on target. On that basis, I would select Brereton."

 

Burke asked, "Yeah, but how many times has he played for England?"

 

"Oh."

 

Catterall explained, "I named Brereton in the provisional squad to see if he was cut out for international football, even considering his lack of experience. Ben has had a great record with Huddersfield since signing for them in January, and he's given everything in training over this past week... but on balance, I don't think he's worth the risk."

 

"So who are you picking?" Adams asked.

 

"I'll actually go along with what you suggested, Tony. Warner's the best young striker in the country, and he's not the sort of lad who'll be overawed by big occasions. Going to the World Cup would be a great learning experience for him."

 

Burke said, "So I guess that's it, then..."

 

"No, no, that's only 22 players selected. I need one more. I'm torn between having Phil Jones in as an extra defender, or taking Marcus Rashford as a fourth striker/winger. Gents?"

 

"I suggested Rashford just now, so I'll say him again," Joyce said.

 

Neville asked, "If anything happens to Keane or Stones while we're in Morocco, where's your defensive experience coming from? Clyne? I think you have to take Phil Jones, just in case."

 

"Jonesy gets my pick as well," Adams said. "Passion, aggression, character - that's what this England team needs! He has all that, but Rashford don't! And besides, Jonesy's never missed a penalty in a Champions League Semi Final!"

 

Platt cast his vote, "Based largely on the basis that Phil Jones last played in an England international 951 days ago, I have to prefer Marcus Rashford."

 

Catterall grumbled sarcastically, "Gee, you're a great help, lads. That was conclusive."

 

Flowers tried to chime in, "If I was mak-," but Burke cut him off again, "And I can't make my mind up, so I guess we're deadlocked at two votes each. You get the casting vote, Mark. It's your call."

[CFuller]

***

 

The finalised England squad for the FIFA World Cup had been decided. 30 players now waited anxiously at St George's Park to be told if they would be among the 23-man team in Morocco.

 

The coaching staff had divided the players into 10 groups of three. Five groups would be sent to manager Mark Catterall's office, and another five to that of his assistant Michael Burke, to be informed of where they stood.

 

The 15 players who were sent to Burke were all given the good news that they had made the cut. For example, Burke told the three goalkeepers, "Have you got any holiday plans, lads? Well, I'd cancel them if I were you, 'cos you're all off to Morocco!"

 

Elsewhere at St George's, Catterall had a more difficult job. The main man would personally tell eight players that they had been selected, though he would also give the heart-breaking news to seven players that they had not.

 

The first three men into Catts' office were the left-backs - Ben Chilwell, Brendan Galloway and Josh Tymon. As the trio sat down, Galloway - who had been cut from the initial 2018 World Cup squad when he was just 22 - said, "I hope it's good news this time, boss."

 

Catterall nodded, "Well, I'm delighted to tell you, Brendan, that you will be joining us in Morocco."

 

The Manchester United defender clenched his fists and let out a restrained, "Get in!" He was then congratulated by Chilwell and Tymon before Catterall explained, "I think you've come of age over the last 18 months or so, Brendan. Your athleticism and your versatility will be very useful to us at this coming World Cup."

 

Catterall then told Tymon, "It's also good news for you, Josh, because you've been picked as well. I know you're not a regular starter with Arsenal yet, but from what I've seen of you so far, I reckon you're ready for a big tournament. Crucially, you've also been fit for pretty much the whole season, which is - unfortunately - why I've decided not to select you, Ben."

 

Chilwell had already had his heart broken by the England manager before UEFA Euro 2020, when the then-uncapped Liverpool left-back was selected for the 30-man preliminary squad but failed to make the final 23. He made his first two England appearances later that year before injuries restricted him to only 19 competitive appearances for Liverpool in the 2021/2022 season.

 

There was to be disappointment for another Merseyside-based player. Everton midfielder Ross Barkley had featured at Euro 2020 - scoring in the 4-0 Quarter Final win over Germany - but inconsistent form meant he would not feature at the World Cup. Also in his group were Toffees team-mate Calum Chambers and Liverpool rival Nathaniel Clyne, who had been selected as England's right-backs.

 

As those three men left the room, another trio came in to be informed of their fates. Ben Brereton, Reiss Nelson and Lawrence Warner - all aged 23 or under - were told by Catterall, "Before I cut to the chase, I just want to let you know that you are three of the most talented attackers England has to offer. If I could take you all with me, then believe me, I would. Unfortunately, there was only room for one of you in my squad... and I've decided to pick Loz."

 

Warner was visibly emotional as he said, "Wow. Thank you, gaffer! I... I can't believe it!"

 

"You're gonna be the youngest player in my team, Loz, but I see a bit of a Michael Owen 'wildcard' in you. You're rapid, you're enthusiastic, and you showed in the FA Cup Final that you can handle big games like a seasoned professional."

 

Catterall then turned to Brereton and consoled him, "Don't think you weren't good enough, Ben, because I thought you were fantastic in training, and your record with Huddersfield speaks for itself. I'm just not sure I can take the risk on an uncapped player at this time. Just keep doing what you're doing right now, and I'm sure you'll be playing for England at a major tournament before too long."

 

Brereton acknowledged the manager's words, and Nelson added, "I'm sure your time will come mate... and I know mine will come soon as well."

 

"The way you've conducted yourself over the last few years, Reiss, I have no doubt about it," Catterall told Nelson. "A couple of months ago, I thought you had a great chance of getting in. It's just that Jordon Ibe's had the season of his life, while Raheem [Sterling] and Nathan [Redmond] are two quality widemen that I can trust on a regular basis. You just need a little extra consistency to be up there with them, 'cos at the minute, you're a bit naïve and a bit... flaky, if you get what I mean."

 

Nelson said, "Yeah, I guess that's fair enough. I'll work extra-hard on that next season and show you what I'm all about."

 

Two more players were then cut from the next group. Reece Oxford's impressive qualifying performances against Kazakhstan in September and Liechtenstein in November were not quite enough to get the West Ham United regular a place amongst the centre-backs. Wolverhampton Wanderers striker James Wilson could also consider himself unlucky not to have been selected after scoring 31 goals in the past two Premier League seasons. His Chelsea namesake Callum was, however, chosen for a third consecutive tournament.

 

And then came the final group, consisting of Manchester United duo Marcus Rashford and Axel Tuanzebe, and their former Red Devils colleague Phil Jones. Catterall swiftly told Tuanzebe that he would be making his tournament debut, thanks in part to some impressive late-season performances for United.

 

That left Jones and Rashford fighting for that final place amongst the 23. The England coaching staff had been split evenly on whether to go for Porto centre-back Jones' defensive experience, or Rashford's mercurial attacking talents. Catterall was therefore left with the casting vote.

 

Catterall began to explain his decision to the players in question, "As you know full well, lads, I don't select players simply on reputation. You need to be playing and performing consistently in a big league if you want to stay in the England squad for the long haul.

 

"With your obvious abilities, both of you should have at least 50 caps by now. Unfortunately, José Mourinho has wasted your careers, either by playing you in United's reserves or out of position. If you had realised that sooner, maybe you would have been in my England squad on a more consistent basis.

 

"Marcus, I still believe you should've looked for a permanent move after your loan spell at Wolfsburg a couple of years back. Once José started bringing in [Ousmane] Dembélé to challenge [Robert] Lewandowski, [Alexander] Isak, Memphis [Depay] and Bernardo Silva, you should've taken the hint that you weren't wanted."

 

"I'm a fighter, boss," Rashford stated. "And United's my club, so I'm not gonna leave it until it leaves me."

 

"But now you've got [Kylian] Mbappé and [Luciano] Vietto in your natural positions as well, and even young Ross Moan is coming through on the right wing, so you're having to play in midfield. I've seen you play in midfield, Marcus; you're wasted out there! You should be creating chances and banging in goals, not sitting deep and playing long balls from the middle of the park!"

 

Turning to Jones, Catterall said, "At least you eventually got out, Phil, and have started to rebuild your career in Portugal. You're 30 now, and you should be in your prime, but I can tell those lost years on the United bench and the Under-23s have taken their toll."

 

He then sighed before continuing, "The truth of the matter is that you haven't played for England since 2019. I don't think it'd be fair on anyone else if I just parachuted you into the World Cup when you've had no part to play in getting us to Morocco. That's why - with regret - I've decided to cut you from the final squad."

 

Jones said, "Okay, gaffer. Thanks for giving me the opportunity anyway. But if you do ever need someone's head smashed in... just give me the word, and I'll be right there."

 

"Of course," Catterall said, before informing Rashford, "And that means, Marcus, that you will be going to the World Cup, with Axel."

 

"Oh, that is brilliant!" Rashford beamed. "Playing at the World Cup is a dream come true!"

 

Catterall congratulated him, "Well done, Marcus. I have to say you deserve it after all the effort you've put in on the training ground over this past week. It was a very close call, though, so you're gonna have to keep sharpening up if you want to get some game time."

 

"I'm on it, gaffer. I'll prove that you were right to take me to Morocco."

 

Those unlucky seven players to be axed from the squad - Barkley, Brereton, Chilwell, Jones, Nelson, Oxford and James Wilson - were all put on standby, alongside fourth-choice goalkeeper Will Mannion. Should any of the 23 players in the final squad withdraw before their opening match against Japan on 15 June, someone would be drafted in from that standby list. As such, their World Cup dream wasn't quite over for definite.

 

All 30 preliminary players would continue to train with the squad until England's Wembley send-off against Belgium on 31 May. The final squad would then leave the others behind for a week-long training camp in Cape Verde, before arriving in Morocco for the tournament itself.

[CFuller]

***

 

There were just 10 days to go until the start of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. It would soon be time for England to leave home and head for Africa. Before then, Mark Catterall's Three Lions had one final home fixture, which saw them come up against a familiar foe.

 

Catterall's record against Belgium was not a particularly impressive one. His England team had won once and lost four times in their previous five encounters, with the most painful defeat coming in extra-time at the 2018 World Cup Semi Final. The Red Devils went on to thrash France 4-0 in the Final, and they would head to Morocco as the defending champions, not to mention the top team in the FIFA World Rankings.

 

Mircea Rednic's team had scored more goals than other European team during the qualifiers, recovering from a shock early defeat against Macedonia to easily top their group. They were also likely to have things relatively straightforward in the opening phase of the finals themselves, having been paired with Australia, Egypt and Greece in Group E.

 

Heading the Belgian attack in this friendly international at Wembley would be 20-year-old Chelsea wonderkid Hicham Bennouna, whose parents were originally from Morocco. His tally of 17 goals in the Premier League season just passed had been bettered only by four other strikers.

 

Paris Saint-Germain's diminutive magician Eden Hazard would captain the Red Devils, with Manchester City duo Kevin De Bruyne and Yannick Carrasco also making up a frightening attacking midfield line just behind Bennouna. Carrasco in particular was expected to cause problems for England's 23-year-old left-back Josh Tymon, who started a senior international for just the second time.

 

Tymon aside, Catterall's starting line-up was arguably the strongest he had available. Tottenham Hotspur's midfield playmaker Dele Alli was under pressure to put in a strong display after some recent poor performances on England duty. There would also be plenty of intrigue about Manchester City defender John Stones and Arsenal forward Raheem Sterling, who were back in action for the Three Lions following their injury nightmares.

 

Stones almost endured a nightmare start to this match after a little over a minute. Belgium right-back Toby Alderweireld's attempted cross to Bennouna in the English six-yard box was blocked by Stones and would've deflected into the net had Jack Butland not produced a quick fingertip save. Butland survived another scare a couple of minutes later, when Red Devils midfielder Dennis Praet's ambitious drive drifted inches wide.

 

England launched their first attack through Alli after six minutes. The Tottenham Hotspur midfielder tried to lob the ball up to Harry Kane, only for Belgian defender Björn Engels to make a great interception. Alli's next attempt did clear the backline, but Kane scuffed a weak left-footer off target after successfully running onto it.

 

The deadlock would be broken in the eighth minute, as one Manchester City superstar capitalised on another's mistake. Stones' clumsy foul on Hazard gifted Belgium a free-kick in the England 'D'. Up stepped Carrasco, who hadn't scored in 14 competitive appearances for the Citizens this season but displayed no rustiness in curling the set-piece into Butland's top-left corner.

 

Four minutes after scoring Belgium's opening goal, Carrasco was hoping to set up a second. Benfica's skilful midfielder Youri Tielemans - who was coveted by several Premier League giants - fed a lovely ball to Carrasco, who then laid it off to Bennouna close to goal. The youngster turned past England defender Michael Keane before powering his shot well off target.

 

Southampton forward Nathan Redmond - who was on City's summer transfer shortlist - then had several chances to catch Zinedine Zidane's eye by scoring an England equaliser. His first effort on the 13th minute failed to trouble Thibaut Courtois. His next attempt a minute later was caught by the Red Devils goalkeeper. In the 18th minute, though, it was third time lucky for Redmond.

 

As England captain Jordan Henderson flicked a header into Belgian territory, his vice-skipper Kane fearlessly scrapped with Praet to take the ball. He then passed left-back Jordan Lukaku and dribbled to the right flank before crossing to the far post, where Redmond stabbed it home. A loud roar went up across Wembley, as the Three Lions were level!

 

England's next attack in the 22nd minute also had a heavy Tottenham influence. From the right flank, Alli centred the ball to Eric Dier, who then brought Kane into play on the edge of the box. Kane's vicious shot was blocked by Engels - a burly 27-year-old centre-half from Club Brugge.

 

Another poor tackle from Stones in the 24th minute - this time on Bennouna - saw Carrasco handed another opportunity to put Belgium ahead from a free-kick. He successfully lifted this set-piece over the England wall, but he wasn't getting the better of Butland on this occasion. Carrasco then had an attempt from open play five minutes later, but completely missed the target.

 

England were holding firm at the back, but for how much longer remained to be seen. When Keane went down hurt in the 34th minute and signalled that he'd pulled a hamstring, there was obvious concern on Catterall's face. The Three Lions manager reluctantly kept Keane on until half-time, but he would soon be regretting not subbing the Mancunian off there and then.

 

Tymon's inexperience clearly showed in the 37th minute, when he left Alderweireld criminally unmarked on England's left. The Spurs veteran latched onto a crossfield ball from De Bruyne and got to the byline, where he crossed into the danger zone. Keane's dodgy hamstring clearly hampered his attempts to intercept the cross, which Bennouna flicked past Butland for a 2-1 Belgium lead. That was his 15th goal in just 19 caps for the Red Devils.

 

Courtois caught an attempt from Kane to quickly draw England back level in the 39th minute. As the end of the first half drew near, though, the Three Lions were at increasing risk of falling further behind. It took a couple of strong saves by Butland to prevent either Hazard or Bennouna from making it 3-1 to the visitors.

 

Catterall rang the changes at the interval, switching from a conservative 4-1-2-2-1 formation to a more ambitious 4-2-3-1. Tymon and Keane were replaced by Manchester United defenders Brendan Galloway and Axel Tuanzebe, while an almost anonymous Sterling saw AFC Bournemouth winger Jordon Ibe take his spot out wide.

 

Ibe won England a free-kick in a promising position in the 47th minute after being fouled by Alderweireld. Dier dispatched the free-kick goalwards, but cleared the bar by a considerable distance. Belgium countered just a minute later, but a mazy run by Bennouna ended with his shot being easily caught by Butland.

 

In the 50th minute, Ibe cut from the left flank and moved the ball inside to Alli, who surged past Praet before weighting a ball to the edge of the Belgian box. His target was Kane, who thrashed the ball goalwards with his weaker left peg and left Courtois soundly beaten. Kane's 42nd international goal was certainly one of his more breathtaking England strikes.

 

The scoreline was now 2-2, but neither team looked like changing that over the next 10 minutes. Only after the hour mark had been passed did Rednic make his first substitution for Belgium, sending Chelsea midfielder Charly Musonda on for De Bruyne. At the same time, Catterall opted to give Dier a rest and hand James Ward-Prowse some much-needed gametime.

 

The next couple of minutes saw Henderson and Carrasco blaze over free-kicks for their respective sides. After 64 minutes, though, another thrilling encounter between these European giants would see its fifth goal scored.

 

If England's starting left-back Tymon had endured a poor first half, Belgian counterpart Lukaku was not faring any better in the second. The Wolverhampton Wanderers defender's lack of acceleration was apparent when Redmond surged past him and then attempted to cross to Kane in the middle of the Red Devils' penalty area. The delivery didn't find Kane, but it did deflect into Courtois' net off the heel of visiting defender Leander Dendoncker!

 

Rednic immediately brought on three substitutes in one fell swoop. Jordan Lukaku was one of those Belgium players who exited the stage, with elder brother Romelu amongst the trio who came on. Paris Saint-Germain's target man could've equalised in the 72nd minute, but he volleyed Tielemans' lobbed pass over the crossbar after getting behind the English defence.

 

By now, Catterall had already used up his final two substitutions. Alli was subbed off, with Marcus Rashford given a chance to show if he could fulfil midfield duties for England. Up front, Kane was rested in favour of Stoke City's on-loan Liverpool youngster Lawrence Warner, who was making his home debut for the Three Lions.

 

Benching two of their star assets had left England significantly weakened, and that encouraged Belgium to attack them with all their might in the closing stages. In the 78th minute, Hazard tried to pump the ball up to Bennouna just inside the hosts' box. Stones' clearance only went as far as Carrasco, whose audacious strike went well over.

 

Some Belgian mastery would see the Red Devils secure their third goal two minutes later. Bennouna's incisive first-time ball to Alderweireld was returned to him with a delicious cross into the penalty area. Bennouna got above Stones to plant a header to the back post, where captain Hazard made it 3-3.

 

Both teams had late chances to win the match, but that sixth goal was to be the final one. Butland's 89th-minute catch from Belgian substitute Andreas Pereira's long-range drive ensured that both teams would be reasonably satisfied with the outcome. While England's defence perhaps needed some extra attention before the World Cup, they had still done brilliantly to hold the world champions to a draw.

 

31 May 2022: Friendly International - at Wembley, London

England - 3 (Nathan Redmond 18, Harry Kane 50, Leander Dendoncker og64)

Belgium - 3 (Yannick Carrasco 8, Hicham Bennouna 37, Eden Hazard 80)

ENGLAND LINE-UP (4-1-2-2-1): Jack Butland; Nathaniel Clyne, Michael Keane (Axel Tuanzebe), John Stones, Josh Tymon (Brendan Galloway); Jordan Henderson; Dele Alli (Marcus Rashford), Eric Dier (James Ward-Prowse); Raheem Sterling (Jordon Ibe), Nathan Redmond; Harry Kane (Lawrence Warner).

[CFuller]

***

 

It was Wednesday 1 June, and it was almost time for England to kick-start their latest African adventure. 12 years after a dismal Last 16 exit to Germany at the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals in South Africa, the Three Lions would soon head to the very north of the continent. In less than a week's time, they would be in Morocco to contest the 2022 tournament.

 

On the morning after drawing 3-3 with Belgium in their Wembley send-off, the England team were driven north-west to Manchester Airport. From there, they would board an eight-hour flight to the Atlantic island nation of Cape Verde, where they would stay for a training camp and one final warm-up friendly before moving on to Morocco.

 

Whenever travelling abroad, England tended to depart from Heathrow Airport in London. The decision to use Manchester as their final port-of-call before Africa was the decision of FA chairwoman Angela Ruskin, who'd felt that the national team needed to be less capital-centric and more accessible to fans in other parts of the country.

 

When Mark Catterall and his team checked in at Manchester Airport, they were greeted by their friends and family, whom they would not see again for at least three weeks.

 

Manchester City defender John Stones had done remarkably well to recover from a serious injury that almost jeopardised his hopes of playing for England at this World Cup. He held his girlfriend - the adult film actress Apple Samsung - tightly in his arms before letting go and telling her, "I'm really gonna miss you bucketloads, duck. I'll really miss your big, bright eyes an' all."

 

Apple sighed and gestured, "John... my eyes are up here."

 

The proverbial baby of the squad - 21-year-old striker Lawrence Warner - bade farewell to his girlfriend Ashley, who held up her gold medal from UEFA Women's Euro 2021 and said, "I got this last year; now it's your turn."

 

Loz replied, "I won the FA Cup, didn't I? Don't that make us even already?"

 

"The FA Cup don't really matter. And don't you DARE tell the lads about what I got to at Wembley!"

 

Ashley had also participated in an FA Cup Final the previous month, with her Birmingham City side facing Manchester City for the women's title a week before Loz's Stoke City won the men's equivalent. Unlike her first Wembley outing, this had been an afternoon to forget for Ashley, whose sloppily-overhit pass gifted Manchester City their first goal in a resounding 4-1 win.

 

"Course, I won't," Loz promised. "I'm hardly gonna upset your dad at my first World Cup, am I?"

 

As for the England manager himself, Mark was seen off by his wife Jenny and their now 14-year-old son Luke, who'd been allowed the day off from school to say farewell to his father in person.

 

Mark gave his first hug to Luke, who told him, "Good luck, dad. I know you're gonna kill it."

 

"I'm not sure about 'killing it', but we'll damn well give it a good go," Mark smiled.

 

"But it's, like, natural progression, ain't it? England came 3rd in your first tournament, and then they came 2nd, so you're obviously gonna win this one."

 

"You never know, son. We've got to be at our very best from the first game, else we could be going out to Ghana on penalties in the Last 16, if not worse."

 

Jenny gently admonished her husband, saying, "Don't be such a pessimist, Mark Catterall." She then hugged him and kissed him on the cheek before continuing, "You and your team will have a brilliant tournament and make all of us proud."

 

"We'll do everything we can, Jen. But I don't want you coming down to Morocco if it starts to go belly-up."

 

"Of course, I won't. I've got my own life, and Luke needs me more than ever, don't you?"

 

Luke shrugged, "I guess so."

 

Luke's parents chuckled awkwardly before Mark ruffled his hair and said, "You'll be fine, son. Just keep working hard at school for me. I don't want to come back and find your grades have slipped 'cos you've been doing too much YouTubing and what-not."

 

"I will, dad," Luke replied, rather grumpily. "It's not as if I'm obsessed with music."

 

"Good... and I'd like it if you cut out the typical teenager crap for Mum, alright?" Mark then smiled and told Luke, "Love ya, son," before kissing him on the forehead.

 

Mark and Jenny then locked lips in a lengthy farewell embrace. Afterwards, Jenny whispered, "Good luck, love," before Mark replied, "Cheers, Jen. See you soon."

 

Mark then left his family behind and met up with a couple of his FA colleagues at a nearby café. Ruskin was sitting at a table drinking coffee with the FA's communications director Ava Leggett, who'd recently spent a month at the Priory clinic to receive treatment for alcohol addiction.

 

Catterall sat down next to Leggett and said, "Afternoon, ladies. How are things?"

 

"We're doing great, thanks, Mark," Leggett nodded.

 

Catterall asked Ruskin, "Are we still fine, Angela? After that meeting we had last month?"

 

Ruskin sighed, "Yes, we're still fine. I can't condone your actions in that incident, obviously, but you deserve to at least finish the job you started. If the FA board believes there is just cause for disciplinary action, we will inform you after the World Cup."

 

She then took a sip of coffee before saying, "Anyway, to change the subject, we've just talking about Ava's time at the Priory, haven't we?"

 

Leggett smiled, "Oh, yeah. The therapy's worked a treat, Mark. I haven't touched a drink for two months now. Unless you count caffeine. Man, I love Costa coffee!"

 

"That's great stuff. And you don't miss it."

 

Leggett shook her head. "Not at all. I'm in a much better place now... and I've got a new man in my life as well. He's 35 and he's called Marios."

 

"Oh yeah? That name's a bit... unusual, ain't it?"

 

"Well, his mum's a Greek Cypriot, so that's where it comes from. Anyway, he's a musician; he plays bass for an indie electronica band. Oh yeah, and he loves cats, and he supports Blackburn Rovers - just like my dad!"

 

Catterall raised his eyebrows at the mention of the club where he enjoyed the best years of his footballing career in the mid-1990s. "Blackburn, eh? What's he think of me, then?"

 

"He says you were a good player in your day, but you're no Jason Lowe."

 

Catterall sighed, "Of course not." He then turned to Ruskin and asked, "What about you, Angela?"

 

Ruskin responded, "I'm doing as fine as you'd expect. I'm still annoyed that they chose Ben Whishaw to be the next James Bond instead of Idris Elba or Olivia Colman... but I suppose you've got to keep some things the preserve of white men, haven't you?"

 

"And how's Dexter?"

 

Ruskin explained the absence of FA vice-chairman Dexter Poyner, "Dexter's fine, but I'm afraid he won't be joining you. He and Darren have booked a holiday in Thailand for the final week of this month."

 

"Couldn't they have arranged their holiday around the World Cup if Dexter really wanted to go?"

 

"That was what I told him. It just never crossed his mind at the time. Still, I was hoping he would at least come here to see you off in person like I am."

 

"You still ain't changed your mind about not travelling to Morocco?"

 

Ruskin stated, "You know I'm not comfortable with Morocco's human rights record. I'm actually making a stand, unlike my predecessor, who apparently didn't go to the last World Cup in Russia because of their architecture, as opposed to their persecution of LGBT people."

 

"Yeah, Clark never seemed to have much time for the Russians," Leggett said.

 

"But you know what? I don't want to be seen by the public to be stooping as low as Clark Gregory when it comes to boycotting the World Cup. So here's the deal, Mark... I'll travel to Morocco to support the boys IF they get to the knockout stages. How does that sound?"

 

Catterall nodded, "We should be able to manage that. And personally, I think having the head honcho around for the final stages will give the lads a little extra motivation."

 

As Ruskin and Catterall shook hands to confirm the agreement, the FA's elderly chief executive David Whiteman entered the café and started coughing. Leggett gasped, "David? We weren't expecting you here!"

 

Whiteman said, "You were seriously not expecting Daphne and myself to be accompanying you fine ladies and gentlemen in Morocco? Where ever could you have come to that conclusion?"

 

Ruskin replied, "Because you're almost 80, you're clearly not a well man... and the furthest you've ever been out of the country was a day trip to Lens."

 

"Well, as it so happens, [cough] my wondrous wife has always desired to visit Morocco while she still has the opportunity. I will therefore fulfil her express wishes while simul-[cough]-taneously showing my support for England at what could - in the worst-case scenario - be the final World Cup of my lifetime."

 

Ruskin warned, "It will be your last World Cup if you go, David! Your body just isn't used to the heat and humidity!"

 

Catterall intervened, "Look, if David wants to join us in Morocco, then we shouldn't stand in his way."

 

"Thank you very much for your [cough] sincere understanding, Mr Catterall," Whiteman nodded.

 

Ruskin reluctantly nodded, "Well... I suppose we can't actually stop you from going, David. Let's just hope we don't come to regret this."

 

Leggett asked Whiteman, "How would you feel about taking part in our photo-call, David?"

 

Whiteman responded, "I would be incredibly exhilarated to participate, Miss Leggett."

 

And so it was that Whiteman posed with Catterall and the England playing and coaching staff in front of their plane about 20 minutes before take-off. They then boarded their flight, which left Manchester at 1:30pm and arrived in Cape Verde later that evening. Accompanying them were the hopes and dreams of over 50 million compatriots, who had waited so long and (im)patiently to see their football team deliver a major trophy.

[CFuller]

***

 

England's footballers had now spent nearly a week in the African island nation of Cape Verde. Mark Catterall's team had based themselves on Santiago island near the capital city of Praia, where they could fine-tune their preparations for the 2022 FIFA World Cup before heading off to Morocco.

 

It was perhaps no exaggeration to say that the Three Lions would be in for a culture shock when they played their final warm-up match against Cape Verde. World-renowned players who were used to entertaining thousands of supporters at premier arenas would be taking to the field at the rather modest Estadio da Varzea in Praia. That ground could hold a maximum of 8,000 spectators, but it was barely three-quarters full at kick-off.

 

Catterall would use this match as a dress rehearsal for England's final group game against Guinea-Bissau. Like Los Djurtus, Cape Verde were an up-and-coming footballing nation who had played some attractive football on the road to qualifying for their first World Cup. Los Tubarões Azuis had been drawn into a nightmarish Group B with Colombia, Mexico and Spain, and would do well to come away with even a solitary point.

 

England's hosts were anything but whipping boys. They had some quality operators, including Rúben Vezo, who'd been at the centre of a Sunderland defence that had won the Championship Play-Off Final against Fulham the previous week. Goalkeeper Bruno Varela - who was first-choice at Dynamo Kiev - was protected by a defence that was arguably stronger than it looked on paper.

 

West Ham United's Edimilson Fernandes would run the midfield for the hosts. The Swiss-born playmaker scored for Portugal against England in the 2017 UEFA European Under-21s Championship Final, but then switched his nationality to Cape Verde the following year. Then there was the nation's record scorer Zé Luís - a spirited 31-year-old striker who'd found the net 38 times for Lille in Ligue 1 over the past three seasons.

 

As for England, Catterall opted to rest most of his key men and instead give opportunities to some fringe players. Calum Chambers, Lewis Cook, Jack Wilshere and Callum Wilson all started after being unused substitutes in the 3-3 home draw against Belgium. Goalkeepers Freddie Woodman and Fraser Forster would get 45 minutes apiece as they looked to put first-choice Jack Butland under some pressure.

 

Manchester City's John Stones would captain the Three Lions as part of a defence that had a strong north-western influence, with Manchester United duo Brendan Galloway and Axel Tuanzebe. The starting XI was completed by a third United player in midfielder Marcus Rashford, as well as Stoke City striker Lawrence Warner.

 

Surprisingly, it was Cape Verde's attack who enjoyed the better of the opening skirmishes. Zé Luís kept Woodman on his toes with a couple of excellent shots in the first three minutes, but the Everton goalkeeper confidently denied him on each occasion. Woodman would be called into action again in the 10th minute, when he came off his line to claim an audacious strike from Galatasaray winger Garry Rodrigues.

 

Those early attacks had left home fans wondering if they would see their team take the lead. As time went by, though, England started to play a lot more like a team ranked 5th in the world - 33 places above their hosts.

 

Warner had the Three Lions' first shot after 11 minutes, but it was well blocked by Cape Verde left-back Ulisses Garcia. When Warner's strike partner Wilson tried his luck three minutes later, it took a quick reaction save from Bruno Varela to push the Chelsea man's blistering effort behind. Varela's save was all the more impressive, considering he was still nursing a groin injury sustained on club duty a fortnight earlier.

 

Varela would soon receive a painful proverbial kick in the groin area. In the 18th minute, a deep whipped cross from Cook was knocked down by Warner to Wilshere, and the Arsenal attacking midfielder half-volleyed it in for England's opening goal. There were a few questions raised as to whether Warner was in an offside position when Cook crossed to him, but the officials seemed satisfied that the 21-year-old hadn't been.

 

Cape Verde - perhaps a little aggrieved at having fallen behind in questionable circumstances - sought a quick leveller. The match was officially still in the 18th minute when home midfielder David Tavares had a vicious drive parried away from the England goal by Woodman. Five minutes later, Varela made a similarly difficult save to stop Cook from driving the Three Lions into a 2-0 lead.

 

Woodman would be tested again in the 29th minute. Crystal Palace's young midfielder Deroy Duarte - who'd spent most of his five years at Selhurst Park out on loan - sent an inswinging corner to Fernandes, who outjumped England centre-half Tuanzebe but couldn't quite direct his header past Woodman.

 

A minute later, as the first half-hour neared its end, England got themselves into a more comfortable position. Cook looked ahead to Warner, who dribbled past Garcia before driving home an angled shot that just evaded Varela. 'Loz' had scored his maiden England goal in just his third cap, and in doing so, he'd also become the first Three Lions player born in the 2000s to find the net in a senior international.

 

Warner wasn't one to simply relax and bask in the glory, though. This young forward had a professional attitude, and he still knew there was work to do if England were to win this match comfortably. In the 37th minute, his selfless square ball almost set up a goal for Rashford, who burst through from midfield but wasn't able to drive his shot beyond Varela.

 

There was little doubt that Warner was the outstanding England player in this first half. He would again go close to racking up a second assist in the 44th minute. After Rashford had been tackled just outside the Cape Verdean area by Tavares, Warner got to the loose ball and crossed it to Cook, whose audacious volley from the 'D' sailed over the bar.

 

The looks on the managers' faces at the half-time whistle said a lot. Catterall wore a somewhat understated smile, like a man who was cautiously optimistic about holding onto - if not building on - a 2-0 lead. In contrast, Cape Verde boss Lúcio Antunes was rather less cheerful, and seemingly ready to launch a dressing-room tirade at his players.

 

During the half-time break, ITV pundits Gary Neville and Ian Wright had each expressed their concerns that Catterall's smile might have displayed overconfidence. In the 58th minute, their fears that complacency would slip into England's game appeared to be coming true.

 

Cook brilliantly won the ball with a tackle on Fernandes just inside the England box. The AFC Bournemouth midfielder then nonchalantly tried to sidefoot the ball inside to Wilshere without looking, only for his arrogance to backfire when Cape Verde's attacking midfielder Arnaud Lusamba intercepted it instead.

 

Lusamba sent the ball across to Rodrigues on the opposite flank as Cape Verde pushed forward on the counter. Rodrigues returned the ball to Lusamba via go-between Zé Luís, and the Nice midfielder then tried his luck from 30 yards out. When the shot whistled past England's substitute goalkeeper Forster, the home fans celebrated wildly, as if Los Tubarões Azuis had won the match instead of simply cutting the deficit down to 2-1.

 

The smile on Catterall's face was no more. He shook his head furiously and then gestured for Cook to come off, so that team captain Jordan Henderson could offer a calmer presence in the England midfield. A disappointed Cook apologised profusely to the England boss as he trudged off.

 

Having reduced England's two-goal lead, Lusamba then prevented the Three Lions from restoring their cushion in the 63rd minute. The French-born 25-year-old brilliantly blocked a free-kick from James Ward-Prowse - Catterall's other half-time substitute, who'd replaced Warner so that Rashford could have a spell in a more natural attacking role.

 

When England next won a free-kick a minute later, Wilshere opted to take it. The Arsenal man was not as renowned from set-pieces as Tottenham Hotspur rival Ward-Prowse, and it showed, as the ball sailed hopelessly wide. Wilshere's next shot also failed to find the target shortly afterwards.

 

Cape Verde already had one injury doubt before the World Cup, and Antunes would develop another concern in the 68th minute. Duarte sustained a dead leg in a poor challenge from Henderson and was swiftly taken off as a precaution. Meanwhile, Catterall gave Arsenal duo Josh Tymon and Raheem Sterling 20 minutes to stake late claims for starting places in England's Group H opener against Japan nine days later.

 

Unfortunately, Rashford appeared to have fluffed his lines in this final audition. In the 72nd minute, Rashford ran onto a poor clearance from Félix Mathaus and then dribbled through the Cape Verde defence before powering a shot over. He would soon be subbed off for Bournemouth winger Jordon Ibe, though not before Kasımpaşa forward Rudy came very close to drawing Los Tubarões Azuis back level on 76 minutes.

 

Rudy's late miss was Cape Verde's last chance to deny England a narrow 2-1 victory. They had to spend the closing minutes on the defensive, desperately battling to stop the Three Lions from going further ahead. That wouldn't be too big an ask, as Wilson, Henderson and Wilshere all spurned late opportunities for the visitors.

 

6 June 2022: Friendly International - at Estadio da Varzea, Praia

Cape Verde - 1 (Arnaud Lusamba 58)

England - 2 (Jack Wilshere 18, Lawrence Warner 30)

ENGLAND LINE-UP (4-4-2 Diamond): Freddie Woodman (Fraser Forster); Calum Chambers, Axel Tuanzebe, John Stones (Josh Tymon); Eric Dier (Raheem Sterling); Marcus Rashford (Jordon Ibe), Lewis Cook (Jordan Henderson); Jack Wilshere; Lawrence Warner (James Ward-Prowse), Callum Wilson.

 

The England players kept their celebrations very low-key at the final whistle, and understandably so after such a disappointing performance. While would head into the World Cup unbeaten in 12 matches since losing the 2021 UEFA Nations League Semi Final against Germany, they had not resembled a team with genuine championship aspirations.

 

The atmosphere was similarly subdued amongst the small group of England supporters who had travelled so far to see such an unimpressive performance. As far as many Three Lions fans were concerned, this victory was genuine cause for alarm.

 

For starters, England had registered only seven shots on target - just one more than Cape Verde, who had enjoyed 56% of possession. Catterall would argue that the quality of his team's possession mattered more than the quantity. That being said, England gifting most of the ball to a team who hadn't yet made their World Cup debut would surely leave some fans worried - if not downright frightened - about what would lie ahead at Morocco 2022.

[CFuller]

Chapter 57 - The Western Kingdom

 

Clouds of uncertainty were looming over England as the summer of 2022 neared. The Three Lions' narrow victory over Cape Verde in their final warm-up match for the FIFA World Cup had certainly not inspired much optimism back home.

 

"CAPE FEAR" was the somewhat predictable headline on The Sun's back pages. England's players were accused of "running scared" against a team that was perceived by many to be the weakest in the upcoming global finals.

 

In the Daily Mirror, Mark Owens wrote, "England expects every man to do their duty, but we shouldn't be expecting these 23 talented young men to come home from Morocco before the postcards. After such an unconvincing performance in Praia, that prospect sadly looks like a real possibility."

 

Over 2,000 miles away in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, the growing concerns amongst their compatriots back home were not on the minds of Mark Catterall and his charges. They were up early on Tuesday morning, ready to board their flight from the curiously-named Nelson Mandela International Airport in Praia.

 

A little over four hours after departing Cape Verde, the England team touched down in Rabat - Morocco's capital city, and its seventh-largest in terms of population, housing over 550,000 people. It was also home to the Stade du Prince Moulay Abdallah, which would stage the World Cup's opening match on 10 June, and the Final exactly a month later. England wouldn't have to set foot in that venue until at least the Semi Final stage - and even then, they would need to have won their group for the right to play their last-four match there.

 

From Rabat, it was a short 15-minute drive that took the Three Lions to their home for the forthcoming weeks. Salé - situated on the banks of the Bou Regreg river - served as a commuter town to Rabat and actually had a larger population than its more famous neighbour, at almost 900,000.

 

Salé was where one would find the Académie Mohammed VI de Football. Opened in 2010 by the King of Morocco, for whom it was named, the academy had been established to nurture some of the country's top footballing talents. Wolfsburg forward Youssef En Nesyri and Lille forward Hamza Mendyl were amongst those who had emerged from the academy and would now feature for the host nation at this World Cup.

 

England's Football Association had struck a deal with their Moroccan counterparts - the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football - which would see them borrow their facilities for the duration of the finals. At a major tournament, it was unusual for the home team to not have exclusive usage of their training ground, so this was considered quite the coup for the FA.

 

The England playing and coaching staff used their new facilities for the first time the following morning. Assistant manager Michael Burke was noticeably impressed, remarking to Catterall in the canteen at lunchtime, "You've hit it out of the ground with this, Catts. To tell you the truth, I was expecting these facilities to be a bit more... primitive."

 

Catterall said, "The Moroccan FA and the Government have poured millions into improving training grounds over the last few years, especially since getting this World Cup. They've really gone all out to not only give all the World Cup teams the best possible preparation, but also to leave a lasting legacy for Morocco's youth."

 

"They've done that for sure. No disrespect to the FA back home, but this makes St George's look like... our old training ground at Manchester City."

 

"I'd hardly call a public park in Carrington a 'training ground'."

 

"That's exactly what I meant."

 

Tactical coach Tony Adams remarked, "Well, well, well! Now we've found something we can actually thank Angela Ruskin for!"

 

Catterall clarified, "That was a collective decision made by the board, not by Angela herself."

 

"Yeah, so? It's just about the only good thing that's come out of her becoming chairlady. At least Clark Gregory actually got loads of things done without riling a load of folks up."

 

"I don't think you would be saying that if he'd gone ahead and sold Wembley to Saoud Hussein a few years back."

 

Adams - who made more appearances at the original Wembley stadium than any other player - readjusted his glasses and said, "I never would've forgiven him if he'd done that. Sure, all that money could've built another 10 St George's Parks across England, but Clark knows that you can't go stamping on tradition. On the other hand, if that Qatari fella came back and offered Angela £1billion for Wembley tomorrow, she'd probably snap his hand off."

 

Burke muttered, "Her voice can crack bones by itself, that's for sure."

 

Warren Joyce changed the subject by suggesting, "I think I'm gonna do some sight-seeing in the city this afternoon. Would any of you care to join me?"

 

Catterall nodded, "I'll come along with you, Warren."

 

Burke told his fellow Mancunians, "I don't know what you've read, lads, but Salé sure ain't nothing like Sale."

 

"Exactly," Catterall smiled. "For example, it's got no poxy rugby union, and no poxy David Gray singing about Babylon. And personally, I've always wanted to see where they filmed some of the scenes from 'Black Hawk Down'."

 

Burke shrugged, "Fair enough. As for me, I'm meeting David Platt to decide which players should go in which teams for our penalty practice sessions." He then added sarcastically, "That'll be fun."

 

Adams asked, "Penalty practice? You aren't seriously prepping for spot-kicks already, are you?"

 

"England being England, it's almost inevitable that we'll have to win a penalty shoot-out if we want to go deep into this tournament. Yes, we got a bit lucky at the last World Cup, and then we beat Denmark on penalties in the Euro Semi Final, but that don't mean we can afford to get complacent."

 

Catterall nodded, "Exactly, Mick. And this is more than just penalty practice; we'll be training the lads to stay more composed under pressure in general. The fact of the matter is that we've not won any of our last three knockout matches in 120 minutes, let alone 90."

 

Adams countered, "But don't that make it more important than ever that we spur the lads on to get results within 90 minutes? After all, I doubt anyone's ever won a big tournament on penalties alone."

 

"I have to side with Tony on this one, Catts," Joyce added. "It just seems a bit... defeatist that we'd already be practicing penalties before the first group game. At least get Japan and Holland out of the way first, and then think about spot-kicks."

 

Burke said, "Believe in us, lads. We know what we're doing. And besides, this penalty-saving practice will actually get our money's worth out of our goalkeeping coach. What's his name again?"

 

Adams shrugged, "No idea. It can't be Gerry Peyton, else Jack Butland would be leaking goals all over the place."

 

Joyce thought aloud, "David Watson? No. Martyn Margetson? Can't be him either. He ain't Welsh, for starters."

 

Burke then realised, "Ah, I know! It's Tim something. Tim... TIM DITTMER! That's him!"

 

Goalkeeping coach Tim Flowers came to his colleagues' table and asked, "Did you want me for something, fellas?"

 

Burke shook his head and said, "No, thanks, Ray. We're good."

 

Flowers walked away, muttering, "Nobody ever wants me for anything these days."

 

Joyce then said, "I reckon the lads could do with some extra endurance training as well. The heat here is bound to take a huge physical toll on them. If you ask me, this World Cup will be as much about 'survival of the fittest' as a test of technical and tactical skill."

 

"I'm way ahead of you there, Warren," Catterall smiled. "Like Mick said, you need to trust in us. We've got everything all planned out."

[CFuller]

***

 

The 2022 FIFA World Cup had been fraught by scandal for more than a decade before it even took place. Back in 2010, Qatar were originally awarded the hosting rights, only to be engulfed by accusations of corruption and human rights abuses. FIFA stripped Qatar of the privilege in 2016 and opened up a second bidding process, which resulted in Morocco being chosen to host the finals instead.

 

Controversy off the pitch would soon make way for a month of intense, top-level action on it. 31 teams had arrived in Morocco for the 22nd World Cup finals, and England were determined that they would be the last to leave.

 

For the first time in decades, the Three Lions had become a team which had staying power in major tournaments. Under Mark Catterall's management, they finished 3rd at the 2018 World Cup, and then lost in the Final of UEFA Euro 2020. However, if they were to shake off their 'underachievers' tag for good, they would surely need to lift a trophy.

 

Catterall had retained 15 of the 23 players who were involved in the last European Championship, though only 12 had participated at Russia 2018. Josh Tymon - who could already call himself a world champion after winning the 2019 FIFA U20 World Cup - was among six senior tournament debutants.

 

England were without three veteran campaigners in Gary Cahill, Joe Hart and Daniel Sturridge, while superstar left-back Luke Shaw was out injured. Could they yet go the distance, and end a 56-year wait for glory?

 

1. Jack Butland

POSITIONS: Goalkeeper. CLUB: Stoke City. ESTIMATED VALUE: £17.75million.

AGE: 29. BORN: 10 March 1993 in Bristol. HEIGHT: 6ft 5in. WEIGHT: 15st 1lb.

ENGLAND RECORD: 25 caps, 0 goals. MAJOR TOURNAMENTS: Euro 2012, WC 2018, Euro 2020.

Butland's fourth major tournament would be his first as England's number 1. Though he had conceded 65 goals in 34 games for Stoke this season, the agile custodian had also won the FA Cup and proven himself worthy of filling Joe Hart's international gloves.

 

2. Nathaniel Clyne

POSITIONS: Defender/Wing-Back (Right). CLUB: Liverpool. ESTIMATED VALUE: £6.5million.

AGE: 31. BORN: 5 April 1991 in Stockwell, London. HEIGHT: 5ft 9in. WEIGHT: 10st 7lb.

ENGLAND RECORD: 56 caps, 0 goals. MAJOR TOURNAMENTS: Euro 2016, WC 2018, Euro 2020.

The most experienced full-back in this England squad, Clyne was also one of its most spirited members. The Londoner always gave his all for the Three Lions whenever on international duty and would often provide a strong creative outlet out wide.

 

3. Josh Tymon

POSITIONS: Defender (Left). CLUB: Arsenal. ESTIMATED VALUE: £17.5million.

AGE: 23. BORN: 22 May 1999 in Hull, East Yorkshire. HEIGHT: 5ft 9in. WEIGHT: 11st 2lb.

ENGLAND RECORD: 5 caps, 0 goals. MAJOR TOURNAMENTS: none.

Tymon's promotion to the senior England team might have come earlier than anticipated, but he was taking things in his stride. The jovial Humbersider had developed a liking for big matches while honing his craft at Arsenal and read games so well for such a young man.

 

4. Michael Keane

POSITIONS: Defender (Centre). CLUB: Manchester City. ESTIMATED VALUE: £25.5million.

AGE: 29. BORN: 11 January 1993 in Stockport, Greater Manchester. HEIGHT: 6ft 1in. WEIGHT: 13st 3lb.

ENGLAND RECORD: 44 caps, 1 goal. MAJOR TOURNAMENTS: WC 2018, Euro 2020.

Keane had become an exceptional ball-playing defender who thrived in high-pressure situations at City, most significantly scoring in the UEFA Europa League Final. He had also become a consistent England starter since making his international debut early in Mark Catterall's reign.

 

5. Calum Chambers

POSITIONS: Defender (Right/Centre). CLUB: Everton. ESTIMATED VALUE: £19.25million.

AGE: 27. BORN: 20 January 1995 in Portsmouth, Hampshire. HEIGHT: 6ft 0in. WEIGHT: 11st 6lb.

ENGLAND RECORD: 31 caps, 0 goals. MAJOR TOURNAMENTS: Euro 2020.

Chambers had been an extremely consistent performer in four seasons at Everton and was now a firm favourite with England. Catterall was particularly impressed with his work rate and stamina, though his technical abilities - particularly regarding his crossing - remained a concern.

 

6. John Stones

POSITIONS: Defender (Centre). CLUB: Manchester City. ESTIMATED VALUE: £38.5million.

AGE: 28. BORN: 28 May 1994 in Barnsley, South Yorkshire. HEIGHT: 6ft 2in. WEIGHT: 12st 3lb.

ENGLAND RECORD: 60 caps, 1 goal. MAJOR TOURNAMENTS: Euro 2016, WC 2018, Euro 2020.

Having been named as vice-captain at the Etihad Stadium the previous summer, Stones had since skippered England on a number of occasions. He was now seen as a truly world-class centre-half, with supreme physical fitness and exceptional man-marking abilities.

 

7. James Ward-Prowse

POSITIONS: Midfielder, Attacking Midfielder (Centre). CLUB: Tottenham Hotspur. ESTIMATED VALUE: £22.5million.

AGE: 27. BORN: 1 November 1994 in Portsmouth, Hampshire. HEIGHT: 5ft 8in. WEIGHT: 10st 5lb.

ENGLAND RECORD: 32 caps, 6 goals. MAJOR TOURNAMENTS: Euro 2020.

Despite not starting regularly at Tottenham, Ward-Prowse had recently become an important midfielder for England. Some fans hadn't forgiven him for dodging Cristiano Ronaldo's free-kick in the Euro 2020 Final, but his versatility and set-piece process was still admired by Catterall.

 

8. Dele Alli

POSITIONS: Midfielder/Attacking Midfielder (Centre). CLUB: Tottenham Hotspur. ESTIMATED VALUE: £38.5million.

AGE: 26. BORN: 11 April 1996 in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire. HEIGHT: 6ft 1in. WEIGHT: 12st 1lb.

ENGLAND RECORD: 76 caps, 7 goals. MAJOR TOURNAMENTS: Euro 2016, WC 2018, Euro 2020.

Cultured attacking midfielder Alli was generally considered to be an enigmatic player who should've achieved a lot more than he had. His professionalism and natural talent had never been questioned, but some pundits doubted whether he had the drive to become an elite player.

 

9. Harry Kane

POSITIONS: Striker (Centre). CLUB: Tottenham Hotspur. ESTIMATED VALUE: £28.5million.

AGE: 28. BORN: 28 July 1993 in Chingford, London. HEIGHT: 6ft 3in. WEIGHT: 13st 0lb.

ENGLAND RECORD: 76 caps, 42 goals. MAJOR TOURNAMENTS: Euro 2016, WC 2018, Euro 2020.

Though Kane was now amongst the top five scorers in England's international history, the Tottenham captain was also experiencing his leanest spell at club level. He'd only found the net 18 times for Spurs this term, but perhaps this often-clinical finisher would roar back to life in Morocco.

 

10. Callum Wilson

POSITIONS: Striker (Centre). CLUB: Chelsea. ESTIMATED VALUE: £14.5million.

AGE: 30. BORN: 27 February 1992 in Coventry, West Midlands. HEIGHT: 5ft 11in. WEIGHT: 10st 7lb.

ENGLAND RECORD: 45 caps, 18 goals. MAJOR TOURNAMENTS: WC 2018, Euro 2020.

Wilson was a well-rounded, hard-working centre-forward with excellent pace, not to mention a lethal record from close range. He also had a tendency to come back into form whenever his long-term prospects with either England or Chelsea were being questioned.

 

11. Nathan Redmond

POSITIONS: Midfielder/Attacking Midfielder (Right/Left). CLUB: Southampton. ESTIMATED VALUE: £21million.

AGE: 28. BORN: 6 March 1994 in Birmingham. HEIGHT: 5ft 8in. WEIGHT: 11st 6lb.

ENGLAND RECORD: 29 caps, 6 goals. MAJOR TOURNAMENTS: WC 2018.

One of England's star players at Russia 2018, Redmond had bounced back from the disappointment of missing Euro 2020 to become an international regular again. The inside-forward had impressive technical abilities and had provided 10 Premier League assists for Southampton this season.

 

12. Raheem Sterling

POSITIONS: Attacking Midfielder (Right/Left/Centre). CLUB: Arsenal. ESTIMATED VALUE: £30million.

AGE: 27. BORN: 8 December 1994 in Kingston, Jamaica. HEIGHT: 5ft 7in. WEIGHT: 10st 12lb.

ENGLAND RECORD: 41 caps, 4 goals. MAJOR TOURNAMENTS: WC 2014, Euro 2016, Euro 2020.

Enigmatic forward Sterling had enjoyed a fine start to his Arsenal career before injuries snuffed out much of his momentum. Though the former Manchester City outcast was perhaps now on his fifth chance with Catterall's England, he would be determined to come good at this World Cup.

 

13. Freddie Woodman

POSITIONS: Goalkeeper. CLUB: Everton. ESTIMATED VALUE: £6.5million.

AGE: 25. BORN: 4 March 1997 in London. HEIGHT: 6ft 1in. WEIGHT: 11st 4lb.

ENGLAND RECORD: 8 caps, 0 goals. MAJOR TOURNAMENTS: Euro 2020.

Though Woodman was not widely appreciated by many in the British press, it was more significant that England's manager was a big fan of the consistent Everton goalie. A haul of 14 Premier League clean sheets had seen him put together a compelling case for the number 1 jersey.

 

14. Jordan Henderson

POSITIONS: Defensive Midfielder/Midfielder (Centre). CLUB: Liverpool. ESTIMATED VALUE: £4.5million.

AGE: 31. BORN: 17 June 1990 in Sunderland, Tyne & Wear. HEIGHT: 6ft 0in. WEIGHT: 10st 7lb.

ENGLAND RECORD: 93 caps, 4 goals. MAJOR TOURNAMENTS: Euro 2012, WC 2014, Euro 2016, WC 2018, Euro 2020.

Tenacious box-to-box midfielder Henderson was heading to his sixth tournament with the Three Lions, and his third as captain. The aggressive Liverpool stalwart was an unflappable character and a model professional who was fast closing in on a century of international caps.

 

15. Eric Dier

POSITIONS: Defender/Defensive Midfielder (Centre). CLUB: Tottenham Hotspur. ESTIMATED VALUE: £32.5million.

AGE: 28. BORN: 15 January 1994 in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. HEIGHT: 6ft 2in. WEIGHT: 13st 7lb.

ENGLAND RECORD: 71 caps, 6 goals. MAJOR TOURNAMENTS: Euro 2016, WC 2018, Euro 2020.

Dier was a real difference-maker for both Tottenham and England, often giving them some much-needed bite in the middle of the park. He revelled in diving into fearless challenges and not only claiming the ball, but also keeping it in England's possession.

 

16. Lewis Cook

POSITIONS: Defensive Midfielder/Midfielder (Centre). CLUB: AFC Bournemouth. ESTIMATED VALUE: £22million.

AGE: 25. BORN: 3 February 1997 in York, North Yorkshire. HEIGHT: 5ft 9in. WEIGHT: 11st 2lb.

ENGLAND RECORD: 12 caps, 2 goals. MAJOR TOURNAMENTS: none.

Cook had been one of England's breakthrough stars in this tournament cycle, blooming from an enigmatic Championship playmaker into a Three Lions regular within two years. A strong showing at his maiden World Cup would perhaps earn him a lucrative move to a top club.

 

17. Jordon Ibe

POSITIONS: Attacking Midfielder (Right/Left). CLUB: AFC Bournemouth. ESTIMATED VALUE: £17million.

AGE: 26. BORN: 8 December 1995 in Bermondsey, London. HEIGHT: 5ft 9in. WEIGHT: 10st 12lb.

ENGLAND RECORD: 7 caps, 0 goals. MAJOR TOURNAMENTS: none.

Ibe was another player who had recently emerged on the international scene after showing impressive club form with Bournemouth. The explosive former Liverpool winger had scored or assisted for 18 league goals this term, though he'd not yet sparked into life with England.

 

18. Jack Wilshere

POSITIONS: Midfielder/Attacking Midfielder (Centre). CLUB: Arsenal. ESTIMATED VALUE: £12.75million.

AGE: 30. BORN: 1 January 1992 in Stevenage, Hertfordshire. HEIGHT: 5ft 9in. WEIGHT: 10st 3lb.

ENGLAND RECORD: 81 caps, 13 goals. MAJOR TOURNAMENTS: WC 2014, Euro 2016, WC 2018, Euro 2020.

For someone who'd once been branded a wasted talent, Wilshere's record with England was not one to be sniffed at. The left-footed midfield playmaker was an important component in the Three Lions' build-up play and would now be heading to his fifth consecutive tournament.

 

19. Brendan Galloway

POSITIONS: Defender (Left/Centre). CLUB: Manchester United. ESTIMATED VALUE: £29.5million.

AGE: 26. BORN: 17 March 1996 in Harare, Zimbabwe. HEIGHT: 6ft 2in. WEIGHT: 14st 0lb.

ENGLAND RECORD: 14 caps, 1 goal. MAJOR TOURNAMENTS: none.

After a somewhat turbulent start to life at United, Galloway was now becoming an important player for both club and country. Though Catterall mainly used him as a centre-back with England, he was expected to fill in for his injured club-mate Luke Shaw on the left.

 

20. Marcus Rashford

POSITIONS: Attacking Midfielder (Left), Striker (Centre). CLUB: Manchester United. ESTIMATED VALUE: £35million.

AGE: 24. BORN: 31 October 1997 in Manchester. HEIGHT: 5ft 11in. WEIGHT: 11st 11lb.

ENGLAND RECORD: 19 caps, 6 goals. MAJOR TOURNAMENTS: Euro 2016, Euro 2020.

Had Rashford fulfilled his exceptional potential at Old Trafford, he would likely have been more than a last-minute selection for this England squad. This pacey forward was a great impact substitute whose obvious talent José Mourinho was arguably wasting in midfield.

 

21. Axel Tuanzebe

POSITIONS: Defender (Centre). CLUB: Manchester United. ESTIMATED VALUE: £29.5million.

AGE: 24. BORN: 14 November 1997 in Bunia, DR Congo. HEIGHT: 6ft 0in. WEIGHT: 12st 6lb.

ENGLAND RECORD: 6 caps, 0 goals. MAJOR TOURNAMENTS: none.

Patience and consistency had seen Tuanzebe emerge as a semi-regular presence in the Red Devils defence over the previous two seasons. The Congolese-born Mancunian was a gifted ball-playing centre-half, though he was still a little raw when it came to his tactical understanding.

 

22. Fraser Forster

POSITIONS: Goalkeeper. CLUB: Southampton. ESTIMATED VALUE: £1.2million.

AGE: 34. BORN: 17 March 1988 in Hexham, Northumberland. HEIGHT: 6ft 7in. WEIGHT: 15st 8lb.

ENGLAND RECORD: 12 caps, 0 goals. MAJOR TOURNAMENTS: WC 2014, Euro 2016, WC 2018.

Saints giant Forster was a bench-warmer at the past two World Cups, but few expected him to make it to a third. Having knuckled down late in his career to halt a sharp decline, he'd now regained his England place and would offer a calming presence for the younger players.

 

23. Lawrence Warner

POSITIONS: Striker (Centre). CLUB: Stoke City. ESTIMATED VALUE: £23million.

AGE: 21. BORN: 28 December 2000 in Winterton, Lincolnshire. HEIGHT: 6ft 0in. WEIGHT: 12st 8lb.

ENGLAND RECORD: 3 caps, 1 goal. MAJOR TOURNAMENTS: none.

Resilient striker Warner was the first of the FA's 'newgens' to be chosen for a major senior tournament. The Liverpool youngster had scored nine Premier League goals on loan at Stoke this term, often showing great vision as well as immense physical abilities.

[CFuller]

And here are the squads for all 32 teams at the 2022 World Cup. You can find them hidden under the spoilers.

GROUP A: Morocco, Qatar, Argentina, Sweden

Spoiler

MOROCCO

NO.    NAME                        POSITIONS             D.O.B. (AGE)     CLUB                 CAPS   GOALS  HEIGHT WEIGHT     VALUE
1      Munir                       GK                    10/05/1989 (33)  Middlesbrough        38     0      6'3"   12st 8lbs  £26.5K 
2      Oualid El Hajjam            D/WB (R), DM, M (C)   19/02/1991 (31)  Amiens               21     1      5'11"  11st 13lbs £350K  
3      Hamza Mendyl                D/WB (L)              21/10/1997 (24)  Lille                20     1      5'11"  12st 1lb   £4.6M  
4      Nabil El Khayari            D (C)                 04/12/2001 (20)  RB Leipzig           28     2      6'4"   13st 12lbs £18.25M
5      Yacine Lahlou               D (C)                 26/07/2000 (21)  Raja Casablanca      15     0      6'2"   14st 0lbs  £130K  
6      Abdelaziz Barrada           M/AM (C)              19/06/1989 (32)  Al-Nasr (UAE)        50     4      5'10"  11st 4lbs  £325K  
7      Mohamed Rabbas              M (C), AM (RLC)       29/09/1999 (22)  Pescara              10     2      5'11"  10st 12lbs £2.1M  
8      Hakim Ziyech                M/AM (RLC)            19/03/1993 (29)  Liverpool            65     12     6'0"   10st 7lbs  £24M   
9      Nabil Alioui                AM (L), ST (C)        18/02/1999 (23)  Leicester            2      2      5'10"  12st 1lb   £9M    
10     Abderrazak Hamedallah       AM (C), ST (C)        17/12/1990 (31)  El-Jaish (QAT)       62     20     5'10"  12st 8lbs  £1.8M  
11     Abdelilah Malki             ST (C)                11/02/2001 (21)  Adana D.S.           6      2      6'0"   12st 6lbs  £2.2M  
12     Issam Chebake               D/WB/M (R)            12/10/1989 (32)  Ufa                  25     0      5'9"   11st 2lbs  £185K  
13     Yassine Bounou              GK                    05/04/1991 (31)  Girona               7      0      6'3"   12st 8lbs  £500K  
14     Abdelhak Nouri              M (C), AM (RLC)       02/04/1997 (25)  Monaco               12     3      5'7"   9st 12lbs  £5.25M 
15     Youssef En Nesyri           M/AM (L), ST (C)      01/06/1997 (25)  Wolfsburg            41     17     6'3"   12st 1lb   £7.25M 
16     Aymen Barkok                M/AM (C)              21/05/1998 (24)  Köln                 21     2      6'2"   12st 1lb   £12M   
17     Youssef Aït Bennasser       M (C)                 07/07/1996 (25)  Toulouse             46     5      6'0"   11st 4lbs  £5.75M 
18     Anouar Sbaï                 GK                    24/11/2000 (21)  Raja Casablanca      1      0      6'1"   12st 12lbs £68K   
19     Oussama Tannane             M/AM (R)              23/03/1994 (28)  PSV                  29     7      5'10"  13st 5lbs  £7.5M  
20     Mimoun Mahi                 AM (RL), ST (C)       13/03/1994 (28)  Wil                  40     9      5'9"   10st 12lbs £6M    
21     Amir Rami                   D (C)                 17/02/2001 (21)  OC Khouribga         11     0      6'3"   13st 7lbs  £86K   
22     Lahcen Sadiki               D (C)                 26/06/2001 (20)  OC Khouribga         1      0      6'6"   14st 13lbs £46K   
23     Anas Lemrabat               D/WB (L)              13/07/1993 (28)  Wydad Casablanca     8      0      5'7"   10st 3lbs  £120K  

QATAR

NO.    NAME                        POSITIONS             D.O.B. (AGE)     CLUB                 CAPS   GOALS  HEIGHT WEIGHT     VALUE
1      Mohammed Jasser             GK                    21/03/1992 (30)  Al-Fateh             70     0      6'0"   11st 11lbs £675K  
2      Tameem Al-Muhaza            D (R)                 21/07/1996 (25)  Brest                39     1      5'9"   10st 9lbs  £325K  
3      Khalifa Khalifa             D (L)                 14/01/2001 (21)  Al-Rayyan            13     0      5'7"   10st 9lbs  £99K   
4      Yousef Al-Shammari          D (C)                 10/07/2001 (20)  Al-Rayyan            4      0      6'3"   13st 5lbs  £73K   
5      Lucas Mendes                D (LC), WB (L)        03/09/1990 (31)  El-Jaish (QAT)       27     1      6'0"   12st 8lbs  £550K  
6      Mohammed Al-Shammari        D (R)                 04/02/2003 (19)  Al-Rayyan            4      0      5'10"  11st 4lbs  £66K   
7      Romarinho                   AM (RC), ST (C)       12/12/1990 (31)  El-Jaish (QAT)       25     9      5'9"   11st 2lbs  £1.3M  
8      Daniel Goumou               DM, M (C)             10/04/1990 (32)  Al-Rayyan            68     20     5'7"   10st 1lb   £180K  
9      Arabo Bakary                ST (C)                20/05/1994 (28)  Estudiantes Mérida   6      0      5'10"  10st 3lbs  £37.5K 
10     Mohammed Muntari            ST (C)                20/12/1993 (28)  Lekhwiya             61     44     6'4"   13st 9lbs  £875K  
11     Ali Al-Yazidi               AM (C)                04/04/2002 (20)  Umm-Salal            9      0      5'4"   9st 4lbs   £135K  
12     Abdelrahman Khalfan         M (C)                 21/01/2001 (21)  Al-Wakrah            16     0      6'1"   12st 10lbs £105K  
13     Abdulrahman Mohammadi       GK                    03/06/2001 (21)  Granada B            0      0      6'0"   12st 6lbs  £105K  
14     Salem Al-Marri              AM (R)                31/07/2002 (19)  Al-Wakrah            9      0      6'4"   13st 0lbs  £210K  
15     Amine Lecomte               GK                    26/04/1990 (32)  Trofense             16     0      6'4"   14st 6lbs  £1K    
16     Karim Boudiaf               D (C), DM, M (C)      16/09/1990 (31)  Ulsan                83     2      6'2"   13st 12lbs £170K  
17     Akram Afif                  M (L), AM (LC)        18/11/1996 (25)  Bursaspor            62     5      5'10"  10st 12lbs £425K  
18     Welinton                    D (C)                 10/04/1989 (33)  Al-Khor              1      0      6'2"   12st 12lbs £125K  
19     Abdulaziz Abdulla Ballan    DM, M (C)             18/04/2001 (21)  Al-Sadd              9      0      5'8"   11st 4lbs  £140K  
20     Tarik Salman                M (C)                 16/09/1997 (24)  Cultural Leonesa     37     1      6'0"   11st 6lbs  £180K  
21     Ahmed Abdulla               D (C)                 12/04/2000 (22)  Al-Gharrafa          11     0      6'2"   13st 5lbs  £625K  
22     Ayman Al-Khater             ST (C)                23/07/2000 (21)  Springfield Synergy  17     4      5'11"  11st 11lbs £0     
23     Abdulaziz Al-Shammari       ST (C)                02/09/2001 (20)  Umm-Salal            10     1      5'10"  11st 9lbs  £120K  

ARGENTINA

NO.    NAME                        POSITIONS             D.O.B. (AGE)     CLUB                 CAPS   GOALS  HEIGHT WEIGHT     VALUE
1      Damián Galván               GK                    23/10/1999 (22)  Liverpool            6      0      6'1"   13st 7lbs  £21.5M 
2      Antonio Albarracín          D (R)                 07/06/2000 (22)  Anderlecht           2      0      5'7"   11st 2lbs  £9.75M 
3      Santiago Alderete           D (RL)                29/06/1998 (23)  Man Utd              9      0      5'8"   11st 2lbs  £19.75M
4      Martín Nervo                D (RC)                06/01/1991 (31)  Porto                33     1      6'0"   12st 6lbs  £7.5M  
5      Nicolás Luciano Bacolla     D (C)                 30/08/1999 (22)  Tigres               4      0      5'11"  12st 3lbs  £8.25M 
6      Gonzalo Martínez            M (L), AM (LC)        13/06/1993 (28)  Tigres               2      0      5'9"   11st 11lbs £7.75M 
7      Matías Sarue                DM, M (C)             12/11/2000 (21)  Newell's             1      0      6'0"   12st 8lbs  £2.4M  
8      Cristian Pavón              M/AM (RL), ST (C)     21/01/1996 (26)  Atlético             19     3      5'7"   10st 12lbs £29M   
9      Mauro Icardi                ST (C)                19/02/1993 (29)  Real Madrid          38     24     5'11"  11st 11lbs £36.5M 
10     Erik Lamela                 M (R), AM (RLC)       04/03/1992 (30)  Tottenham            56     11     6'0"   12st 8lbs  £17.5M 
11     Jonathan Calleri            AM (R), ST (C)        23/09/1993 (28)  Juventus             3      2      5'9"   10st 12lbs £26M   
12     Luciano Vietto              ST (C)                05/12/1993 (28)  Man Utd              3      0      5'8"   10st 9lbs  £32.5M 
13     Gerónimo Rulli              GK                    10/04/1992 (30)  Man City             59     0      6'2"   12st 8lbs  £22.5M 
14     Leonel Aglietti             GK                    19/04/2000 (22)  Inter                0      0      6'2"   13st 5lbs  £14.75M
15     Matías Kranevitter          DM, M (C)             21/05/1993 (29)  Atlético             63     2      5'10"  11st 9lbs  £23.5M 
16     Leandro Paredes             DM, M (C)             29/06/1994 (27)  Benfica              33     2      5'11"  11st 11lbs £26.5M 
17     Jonathan Silva              D/WB (L)              29/06/1994 (27)  Sporting             52     0      5'10"  10st 12lbs £19.5M 
18     Santiago Ascacibar          DM, M (C)             25/02/1997 (25)  Atlético             14     1      5'10"  12st 1lb   £17.5M 
19     Miguel Benavídez            D (C)                 15/07/1998 (23)  Porto                9      0      6'2"   13st 12lbs £18.25M
20     Marcos Rojo                 D (LC)                20/03/1990 (32)  Marseille            76     2      6'2"   12st 8lbs  £3.7M  
21     Paulo Dybala                AM (RC), ST (C)       15/11/1993 (28)  Arsenal              49     19     5'9"   11st 6lbs  £52M   
22     Facundo Cardozo             D (LC)                06/04/1995 (27)  Inter                10     0      5'10"  11st 13lbs £20.5M 
23     Juan Bautista Cascini       DM, M (C)             04/06/1997 (25)  Boca                 3      0      5'7"   10st 12lbs £3.5M  

SWEDEN

NO.    NAME                        POSITIONS             D.O.B. (AGE)     CLUB                 CAPS   GOALS  HEIGHT WEIGHT     VALUE
1      Robin Olsen                 GK                    08/01/1990 (32)  FC København         35     0      6'6"   13st 9lbs  £425K  
2      Noah Sonko Sundberg         D (C)                 06/06/1996 (26)  AIK                  0      0      6'1"   12st 6lbs  £1.2M  
3      Ludwig Augustinsson         D/WB/M (L)            21/04/1994 (28)  Roma                 51     1      5'11"  11st 13lbs £11.75M
4      Lennart Jonsson             D (C)                 16/07/1999 (22)  PSG                  28     0      6'5"   14st 9lbs  £25.5M 
5      Victor Lindelöf             D (RC), DM            17/07/1994 (27)  PSG                  57     0      6'2"   12st 12lbs £33.5M 
6      Emil Forsberg               M/AM (RLC)            23/10/1991 (30)  Liverpool            72     9      5'10"  11st 11lbs £13M   
7      Pontus Almqvist             M (RC), AM (R)        10/07/1999 (22)  Akhisar Bld.         16     0      5'11"  11st 9lbs  £2.2M  
8      Simon Gustafson             M/AM (C)              11/01/1995 (27)  Feyenoord            20     2      6'1"   12st 8lbs  £4.2M  
9      Zackarias Faour             ST (C)                19/03/1998 (24)  IF Elfsborg          1      0      6'2"   13st 5lbs  £1.5M  
10     John Guidetti               ST (C)                15/04/1992 (30)  Benfica              61     28     6'1"   11st 9lbs  £12M   
11     Alexander Isak              ST (C)                21/09/1999 (22)  Man Utd              45     25     6'4"   13st 0lbs  £43M   
12     Linus Wahlqvist             D (RC)                11/11/1996 (25)  Leverkusen           44     0      6'0"   12st 8lbs  £11.25M
13     Pontus Dahlberg             GK                    21/01/1999 (23)  IFK Göteborg         1      0      6'4"   14st 6lbs  £750K  
14     Patrik Carlgren             GK                    08/01/1992 (30)  Legia                8      0      6'2"   13st 3lbs  £1M    
15     Tommy Mårtensson            D (C)                 21/07/2001 (20)  Espanyol             4      0      6'5"   14st 9lbs  £9M    
16     Oscar Hiljemark             DM, M/AM (C)          28/06/1992 (29)  Milan                60     5      6'0"   11st 11lbs £7M    
17     Simon Tibbling              DM, M (RLC)           07/09/1994 (27)  Wil                  15     2      5'7"   10st 7lbs  £3.4M  
18     Filip Helander              D (C)                 22/04/1993 (29)  Bologna              17     0      6'4"   13st 3lbs  £6.75M 
19     Oscar Lewicki               DM, M (C)             14/07/1992 (29)  Rangers              30     3      5'9"   11st 2lbs  £800K  
20     Adam Lundqvist              D/WB (L)              20/03/1994 (28)  Everton              19     1      5'9"   10st 3lbs  £9M    
21     Joel Asoro                  AM (R), ST (C)        27/04/1999 (23)  Swansea              13     3      5'10"  11st 4lbs  £9.25M 
22     Viktor Claesson             M (RC), AM (C)        02/01/1992 (30)  Krasnodar            11     1      6'0"   12st 3lbs  £2M    
23     Eric Smith                  M (C)                 08/01/1997 (25)  IFK Norrköping       5      1      6'4"   13st 12lbs £1.5M  

 

GROUP B: Colombia, Mexico, Cape Verde, Spain

Spoiler

COLOMBIA

NO.    NAME                        POSITIONS             D.O.B. (AGE)     CLUB                 CAPS   GOALS  HEIGHT WEIGHT     VALUE
1      Sherman Jaramillo           GK                    15/02/2001 (21)  Tolima               7      0      6'0"   12st 10lbs £210K  
2      Santiago Arias              D/M (R)               13/01/1992 (30)  Inter                63     0      5'10"  10st 9lbs  £5.75M 
3      Frank Fabra                 D/WB (L)              22/02/1991 (31)  Villarreal           56     1      5'8"   11st 4lbs  £1.6M  
4      Stefan Medina               D (RC), DM            14/06/1992 (29)  Monterrey            22     0      5'10"  11st 2lbs  £2.7M  
5      Éder Álvarez Balanta        D (LC)                28/02/1993 (29)  Basel                20     0      6'0"   11st 13lbs £6M    
6      James Rodríguez             M/AM (RLC)            12/07/1991 (30)  Real Madrid          97     37     5'11"  12st 1lb   £14.5M 
7      Andrés Roa                  M/AM (C)              25/05/1993 (29)  Toluca               24     1      5'9"   10st 7lbs  £4.5M  
8      Sebastián Pérez             DM, M (C)             29/03/1993 (29)  Lazio                55     4      5'9"   11st 2lbs  £10M   
9      Jhon Córdoba                ST (C)                10/05/1993 (29)  Mainz                8      1      6'2"   13st 5lbs  £12.25M
10     Marlos Moreno               AM (RLC), ST (C)      20/09/1996 (25)  Freiburg             10     1      5'8"   10st 12lbs £15.25M
11     Miguel Borja                ST (C)                26/01/1993 (29)  Leverkusen           46     30     6'0"   11st 13lbs £23M   
12     Carlos José Cabezas         D (C)                 12/06/2000 (21)  PSG                  17     1      6'2"   13st 3lbs  £50M   
13     Luis Hurtado                GK                    24/01/1994 (28)  Santa Fe             1      0      6'1"   12st 3lbs  £200K  
14     Cristian Bonilla            GK                    02/06/1993 (29)  Slavia Praha         4      0      6'2"   13st 3lbs  £11K   
15     Davinson Sánchez            D (C), DM             12/06/1996 (25)  Real Madrid          40     0      6'2"   12st 3lbs  £33M   
16     Andrés Romero               M/AM (R)              08/07/2000 (21)  Porto                16     0      5'8"   10st 7lbs  £9.75M 
17     Edwin Cardona               M (C), AM (RLC)       08/12/1992 (29)  Hebei CFFC           18     2      6'0"   12st 8lbs  £20M   
18     Jeison Murillo              D (C)                 27/05/1992 (30)  Inter                65     1      6'0"   11st 6lbs  £9.5M  
19     Andrés Alba                 ST (C)                05/01/2000 (22)  Paços Ferreira       4      1      5'11"  12st 10lbs £7.75M 
20     Roger Martínez              ST (C)                23/06/1994 (27)  Fenerbahçe           18     6      5'11"  11st 13lbs £8.75M 
21     Jefferson Lerma             DM, M (RC)            20/10/1994 (27)  Norwich              30     2      5'10"  11st 0lbs  £11M   
22     Juan Lozano                 D (C)                 01/11/2000 (21)  Fluminense           0      0      6'4"   13st 7lbs  £4M    
23     John Bermúdez               M/AM (R)              09/06/2002 (20)  Guimarães            2      0      5'8"   10st 9lbs  £600K  

MEXICO

NO.    NAME                        POSITIONS             D.O.B. (AGE)     CLUB                 CAPS   GOALS  HEIGHT WEIGHT     VALUE
1      Marco Herrera               GK                    03/02/2000 (22)  Chivas               8      0      6'3"   13st 7lbs  £2M    
2      Santiago Rosales            D (R)                 12/04/2001 (21)  Morelia              11     0      6'0"   12st 3lbs  £3.1M  
3      Miguel Layún                D/WB (RL)             25/06/1988 (33)  Porto                95     5      5'10"  11st 6lbs  £825K  
4      César Montes                D (C)                 24/02/1997 (25)  Sporting             39     1      6'3"   11st 9lbs  £14.25M
5      José Juan Chávez            D (C)                 03/12/2001 (20)  Tigres               2      0      6'3"   13st 5lbs  £3.7M  
6      Héctor Herrera              DM, M (C)             19/04/1990 (32)  Porto                95     8      5'10"  11st 4lbs  £3.6M  
7      Hirving Lozano              M (L), AM (RL)        30/07/1995 (26)  Porto                57     7      5'10"  11st 0lbs  £27.5M 
8      Roberto Alvarado            AM (L)                07/09/1998 (23)  Pachuca              4      0      5'9"   10st 3lbs  £6.5M  
9      Raúl Jiménez                ST (C)                05/05/1991 (31)  Shakhtar             98     28     6'3"   13st 5lbs  £6.5M  
10     Lucas Zelarrayán            M/AM (LC)             20/06/1992 (29)  Tigres               16     2      5'8"   11st 2lbs  £6.5M  
11     Carlos Fierro               AM (R), ST (C)        24/07/1994 (27)  Chivas               3      0      5'9"   10st 3lbs  £4.8M  
12     Orbelín Pineda              M (C)                 24/03/1996 (26)  Porto                54     5      5'6"   9st 8lbs   £22M   
13     Diego Reyes                 D (C)                 19/09/1992 (29)  Hoffenheim           79     2      6'2"   10st 12lbs £4.7M  
14     Javier Hernández            ST (C)                01/06/1988 (34)  Espanyol             139    71     5'9"   11st 6lbs  £1.4M  
15     José Antonio Rodríguez      GK                    04/07/1992 (29)  Chivas               5      0      6'0"   12st 8lbs  £2.6M  
16     José Ruíz                   GK                    01/03/2000 (22)  Pumas                1      0      6'2"   13st 3lbs  £550K  
17     José Martín Ortiz           ST (C)                15/02/2000 (22)  Pachuca              21     3      5'9"   11st 2lbs  £4.9M  
18     Jesús Corona                M (RL), AM (RLC)      06/01/1993 (29)  Hebei CFFC           64     8      5'8"   10st 5lbs  £28M   
19     Jaime Chan                  DM, M (C)             25/10/2000 (21)  América (MEX)        18     0      5'9"   11st 4lbs  £4.1M  
20     Luis Alberto Hernández Lash D (C)                 08/06/2000 (22)  Chivas               11     0      6'5"   14st 4lbs  £3M    
21     Jürgen Damm                 M/AM (R)              07/11/1992 (29)  Chivas               19     4      5'11"  11st 2lbs  £5M    
22     Néstor Araujo               D (C)                 29/08/1991 (30)  Santos Laguna        30     1      6'2"   13st 3lbs  £1.6M  
23     Omar Govea                  DM, M (C)             18/01/1996 (26)  América (MEX)        19     1      5'9"   11st 4lbs  £5.5M  

CAPE VERDE

NO.    NAME                        POSITIONS             D.O.B. (AGE)     CLUB                 CAPS   GOALS  HEIGHT WEIGHT     VALUE
1      Bruno Varela                GK                    04/11/1994 (27)  Dynamo Kyiv          42     0      6'3"   13st 9lbs  £6.25M 
2      Stopira                     D (L)                 20/05/1988 (34)  Videoton             65     3      5'11"  11st 11lbs £1.5K  
3      Steven Moreira              D (RL), WB (R)        13/08/1994 (27)  Lorient              39     1      5'10"  11st 4lbs  £4.7M  
4      Varela                      D (RC)                26/11/1987 (34)  FK Austria Wien      66     4      6'0"   13st 3lbs  £190K  
5      Rúben Vezo                  D (RC)                25/04/1994 (28)  Sunderland           32     2      6'0"   11st 13lbs £7.75M 
6      Pedro Delgado               M/AM (RC)             07/04/1997 (25)  Adana D.S.           19     1      6'1"   12st 6lbs  £1.4M  
7      Edimilson Fernandes         M (RLC), AM (RC)      15/04/1996 (26)  Beşiktaş             32     7      6'3"   11st 0lbs  £7M    
8      Arnaud Lusamba              M (LC), AM (RLC)      04/01/1997 (25)  Nice                 27     7      5'11"  10st 7lbs  £275K  
9      Rudy                        AM (RL), ST (C)       22/05/1996 (26)  Kasımpaşa            10     2      5'11"  11st 13lbs £1.6M  
10     Nuno Rocha                  AM (L), ST (C)        25/03/1992 (30)  Middlesbrough        36     3      6'0"   11st 13lbs £2.2M  
11     Kévin Oliveira              M/AM (C)              08/06/1996 (26)  Swope Park           16     3      5'7"   10st 3lbs  £205K  
12     Ponck                       D (C), DM             13/01/1995 (27)  Braga                50     3      6'0"   13st 3lbs  £4.9M  
13     Filipe Semedo               GK                    22/01/2000 (22)  Estarreja            3      0      6'3"   12st 12lbs £7K    
14     Ivan Cruz                   GK                    03/05/1996 (26)  Aguiar da Beira      2      0      5'11"  11st 11lbs £425   
15     Ulisses Garcia              D (L), M (C)          11/01/1996 (26)  Vitesse              19     0      6'0"   11st 11lbs £3.3M  
16     Dabney dos Santos Souza     M/AM (RLC)            31/07/1996 (25)  Las Palmas           28     6      5'11"  11st 2lbs  £4.4M  
17     Garry Rodrigues             M/AM (RL)             27/11/1990 (31)  Galatasaray          56     5      5'8"   11st 0lbs  £750K  
18     David Tavares               M/AM (LC)             19/03/1999 (23)  Lens                 7      0      6'3"   11st 13lbs £575K  
19     Félix Mathaus               D (C)                 15/01/1995 (27)  Metz                 7      0      6'0"   12st 6lbs  £925K  
20     Zé Luís                     AM (C), ST (C)        24/01/1991 (31)  Lille                61     39     6'0"   13st 3lbs  £1.8M  
21     Ivanildo Fernandes          D (C)                 26/03/1996 (26)  Atlanta United       2      0      6'4"   11st 13lbs £1.3M  
22     Steven Fortes               D (C)                 17/04/1992 (30)  Auxerre              9      0      6'4"   13st 5lbs  £195K  
23     Deroy Duarte                M (C)                 04/07/1999 (22)  PEC Zwolle           5      2      5'9"   10st 9lbs  £350K  

SPAIN

NO.    NAME                        POSITIONS             D.O.B. (AGE)     CLUB                 CAPS   GOALS  HEIGHT WEIGHT     VALUE
1      Kepa                        GK                    03/10/1994 (27)  Athletic             1      0      6'1"   13st 9lbs  £7.75M 
2      Héctor Bellerín             D (R)                 19/03/1995 (27)  Arsenal              22     1      5'10"  11st 9lbs  £28.5M 
3      Álex Grimaldo               D/WB/M (L)            20/09/1995 (26)  PSG                  38     0      5'7"   9st 12lbs  £27M   
4      Sergio Ramos                D (RC)                30/03/1986 (36)  Real Madrid          184    14     6'0"   12st 12lbs £2.5M  
5      Jorge Meré                  D (C)                 17/04/1997 (25)  PSG                  45     2      6'0"   12st 1lb   £41M   
6      Javi Martínez               D (C), DM, M (C)      02/09/1988 (33)  Monaco               35     0      6'3"   13st 7lbs  £2.5M  
7      Eduardo Alonso              M (RC), AM (RL)       15/04/2001 (21)  Atlético             15     5      6'2"   13st 5lbs  £35.5M 
8      Koke                        DM, M (RLC)           08/01/1992 (30)  PSG                  89     3      5'10"  11st 4lbs  £26.5M 
9      Kuki                        AM (RLC), ST (C)      05/06/1998 (24)  Man City             10     2      5'9"   12st 1lb   £38M   
10     Álvaro Morata               ST (C)                23/10/1992 (29)  Real Madrid          69     40     6'2"   12st 8lbs  £48M   
11     Léo Baptistão               AM (RLC), ST (C)      26/08/1992 (29)  Sevilla              12     1      6'0"   11st 4lbs  £15.5M 
12     Sergio Busquets             D (C), DM, M (C)      16/07/1988 (33)  Barcelona            137    4      6'2"   11st 9lbs  £3M    
13     David De Gea                GK                    07/11/1990 (31)  Man Utd              80     0      6'4"   11st 13lbs £28.5M 
14     Sergio Rico                 GK                    01/09/1993 (28)  Napoli               2      0      6'4"   14st 2lbs  £15.25M
15     Isco                        M/AM (RLC)            21/04/1992 (30)  Juventus             69     18     5'9"   11st 9lbs  £26.5M 
16     Jesús Vallejo               D (RC)                05/01/1997 (25)  Porto                22     0      6'0"   11st 11lbs £24.5M 
17     Saúl                        D (C), DM, M/AM (C)   21/11/1994 (27)  Man City             54     8      6'0"   11st 0lbs  £39M   
18     Marco Asensio               M/AM (RLC)            21/01/1996 (26)  PSG                  41     10     5'11"  11st 0lbs  £46.5M 
19     César Azpilicueta           D (RLC), WB (RL)      28/08/1989 (32)  FC Bayern            68     1      5'10"  12st 6lbs  £3.6M  
20     Sergi Darder                DM, M (C)             22/12/1993 (28)  Real Madrid          6      0      5'11"  12st 8lbs  £31M   
21     Dani Carvajal               D (RL), WB (R)        11/01/1992 (30)  PSG                  43     3      5'8"   11st 2lbs  £16.5M 
22     Jacob Castro                M (L), AM (LC)        06/01/2002 (20)  Milan                3      1      5'9"   11st 0lbs  £16.25M
23     Sergi Roberto               D/WB (R), DM, M (C)   07/02/1992 (30)  Barcelona            22     0      5'10"  11st 0lbs  £12M   

 

GROUP C: Germany, Iraq, Uruguay, Serbia

Spoiler

GERMANY

NO.    NAME                        POSITIONS             D.O.B. (AGE)     CLUB                 CAPS   GOALS  HEIGHT WEIGHT     VALUE
1      Bernd Leno                  GK                    04/03/1992 (30)  Leverkusen           1      0      6'3"   12st 6lbs  £23.5M 
2      Mitchell Weiser             D/WB/M/AM (R)         21/04/1994 (28)  RB Leipzig           4      0      5'9"   10st 7lbs  £13.5M 
3      Yannick Gerhardt            D/WB (L), DM, M (C)   13/03/1994 (28)  Wolfsburg            40     0      6'0"   12st 12lbs £25M   
4      Antonio Rüdiger             D (RC)                03/03/1993 (29)  Man Utd              15     0      6'3"   13st 5lbs  £24.5M 
5      Joshua Kimmich              D (RC), WB (R), DM    08/02/1995 (27)  FC Bayern            55     1      5'9"   11st 0lbs  £47M   
6      Leroy Sané                  M (RL), AM (RLC)      11/01/1996 (26)  Man City             64     11     6'0"   12st 1lb   £49M   
7      Kai Havertz                 M/AM (RC)             11/06/1999 (22)  Chelsea              22     1      6'2"   13st 7lbs  £42.5M 
8      Leon Goretzka               DM, M/AM (LC)         06/02/1995 (27)  Leverkusen           38     2      6'2"   12st 6lbs  £46.5M 
9      Albi Brahimi                M/AM (C), ST (C)      07/06/2002 (20)  RB Leipzig           8      2      6'1"   12st 12lbs £46M   
10     Toni Kroos                  DM, M (C)             04/01/1990 (32)  Real Madrid          129    12     6'0"   12st 3lbs  £5.75M 
11     Benjamin Henrichs           D (RL), WB (R), M (C) 23/02/1997 (25)  Man City             56     2      6'0"   11st 13lbs £36.5M 
12     Mario Götze                 M/AM (RLC), ST (C)    03/06/1992 (30)  Dortmund             96     26     5'9"   11st 6lbs  £20M   
13     Marc-André ter Stegen       GK                    30/04/1992 (30)  Barcelona            28     0      6'2"   13st 7lbs  £25M   
14     Christian Früchtl           GK                    28/01/2000 (22)  Dortmund             1      0      6'4"   14st 6lbs  £31M   
15     Mats Hummels                D (C)                 16/12/1988 (33)  FC Bayern            102    5      6'3"   14st 6lbs  £3.6M  
16     Kevin Volland               M/AM (R), ST (C)      30/07/1992 (29)  Leverkusen           46     18     5'10"  12st 12lbs £23.5M 
17     Jérôme Boateng              D (C)                 03/09/1988 (33)  FC Bayern            117    1      6'4"   14st 0lbs  £3.9M  
18     Felix Passlack              D/WB/M/AM (R)         29/05/1998 (24)  FC Bayern            20     1      5'7"   11st 11lbs £38.5M 
19     Thomas Müller               M/AM (RC), ST (C)     13/09/1989 (32)  FC Bayern            139    87     6'1"   11st 6lbs  £4.4M  
20     Jonathan Tah                D (RC)                11/02/1996 (26)  Leverkusen           20     0      6'4"   14st 2lbs  £41.5M 
21     Julian Weigl                DM, M (C)             08/09/1995 (26)  FC Bayern            17     0      6'1"   11st 4lbs  £42M   
22     Julian Brandt               M (RL), AM (RLC)      02/05/1996 (26)  FC Bayern            45     8      6'1"   13st 0lbs  £54M   
23     Timo Werner                 M/AM (L), ST (C)      06/03/1996 (26)  FC Bayern            27     8      5'11"  11st 11lbs £35.5M 

IRAQ

NO.    NAME                        POSITIONS             D.O.B. (AGE)     CLUB                 CAPS   GOALS  HEIGHT WEIGHT     VALUE
1      Mohammed Hameed             GK                    24/01/1993 (29)  Al-Shorta (IRQ)      53     0      6'1"   11st 13lbs £77K   
2      Haidar Khalil               D (R)                 28/05/2002 (20)  Amana Baghdad        2      0      5'8"   10st 12lbs £37K   
3      Ali Adnan                   D/WB/M (L)            19/12/1993 (28)  Sevilla              81     11     6'1"   12st 3lbs  £2.4M  
4      Mahdi Kamel                 D (C), DM, M (C)      06/01/1995 (27)  Al-Shorta (IRQ)      32     4      5'5"   9st 6lbs   £91K   
5      Mustafa Nadhim              D (C)                 23/09/1993 (28)  Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya    34     3      5'9"   10st 12lbs £46K   
6      Ali Husni                   M/AM (L)              23/05/1994 (28)  Al-Arabi (KUW)       44     8      5'10"  10st 12lbs £1.2M  
7      Humam Tariq                 M (C), AM (LC)        10/02/1996 (26)  Seoul                83     23     5'6"   10st 1lb   £800K  
8      Hussein Kamel               M/AM (C)              23/04/2002 (20)  Al-Zawra'a           2      2      5'11"  12st 3lbs  £55K   
9      Alaa Al-Mamoori             ST (C)                08/01/2002 (20)  Amana Baghdad        0      0      6'1"   12st 12lbs £29.5K 
10     Noor Sabri Ali Dad          DM, M (C)             28/11/2000 (21)  Al-Zawra'a           3      0      5'9"   11st 6lbs  £71K   
11     Ali Qasem                   ST (C)                20/01/1994 (28)  Al-Naft              14     1      5'8"   10st 9lbs  £90K   
12     Dhurgham Ismail             D/WB/M/AM (L)         23/05/1994 (28)  Frankfurt            76     6      5'10"  10st 9lbs  £1.2M  
13     Yadollah Karimi             GK                    30/12/2001 (20)  Erbil                0      0      6'2"   13st 3lbs  £49.5K 
14     Haidar Faisal               GK                    23/10/1996 (25)  Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya    0      0      6'6"   14st 11lbs £9K    
15     Haidar Saleh                M (R)                 25/08/2001 (20)  Al-Zawra'a           6      1      5'8"   10st 9lbs  £69K   
16     Ali Bahjat                  D (C)                 03/03/1992 (30)  Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya    68     2      6'0"   11st 13lbs £73K   
17     Sherko Gubari               ST (C)                25/05/1996 (26)  Neuchâtel Xamax      13     3      5'9"   10st 12lbs £110K  
18     Ayman Hussein               ST (C)                22/03/1996 (26)  Al-Naft              12     1      6'2"   13st 5lbs  £84K   
19     Ahmed Ibrahim               D (C)                 25/02/1992 (30)  Al-Shorta (IRQ)      104    2      6'1"   12st 3lbs  £83K   
20     Wahap Al-Bairawi            DM, M (C)             19/11/2000 (21)  Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya    4      0      5'10"  11st 6lbs  £41.5K 
21     Mohammed Juma               ST (C)                30/06/1992 (29)  Al-Zawra'a           4      0      5'11"  11st 11lbs £27K   
22     Ali Nasser                  M (C)                 04/10/2001 (20)  Al-Zawra'a           11     1      5'8"   11st 2lbs  £105K  
23     Rebin Sulaka                D (RC)                12/04/1992 (30)  Mjøndalen            10     0      6'4"   12st 12lbs £7.75K 

URUGUAY

NO.    NAME                        POSITIONS             D.O.B. (AGE)     CLUB                 CAPS   GOALS  HEIGHT WEIGHT     VALUE
1      Gastón Guruceaga            GK                    15/03/1995 (27)  Atlético             4      0      6'2"   14st 0lbs  £2.1M  
2      Kevin Ramírez               AM (L), ST (C)        01/04/1994 (28)  León                 4      2      5'11"  11st 2lbs  £4.2M  
3      Federico Ricca              D/M (L)               01/12/1994 (27)  Gladbach             37     0      5'10"  11st 9lbs  £12.75M
4      Diego Godín                 D (C)                 16/02/1986 (36)  Atlético             138    4      6'1"   11st 6lbs  £83K   
5      Maximiliano Olivera         D (LC)                05/03/1992 (30)  Cruz Azul            10     0      5'11"  11st 4lbs  £2.4M  
6      Diego Laxalt                M (LC), AM (L)        07/02/1993 (29)  Stoke                40     6      5'10"  10st 5lbs  £18.25M
7      Diego Poyet                 DM, M (C)             08/04/1995 (27)  América (MEX)        6      1      6'2"   11st 9lbs  £5.25M 
8      Rodrigo Bentancur           DM, M (RLC)           25/06/1997 (24)  Sporting             51     10     6'0"   11st 11lbs £27M   
9      Giorgian De Arrascaeta      AM (LC), ST (C)       01/06/1994 (28)  Cruzeiro             59     5      5'8"   10st 7lbs  £10M   
10     Nicolás López               AM (LC), ST (C)       01/10/1993 (28)  Jiangsu              25     5      5'9"   10st 7lbs  £24M   
11     Marcel Ramírez              ST (C)                13/03/2002 (20)  Young Boys           1      0      6'2"   13st 7lbs  £375K  
12     José Giménez                D (RC)                20/01/1995 (27)  Atlético             85     4      6'1"   12st 8lbs  £24M   
13     Luis Rodríguez              M/AM (R)              13/11/2001 (20)  Eibar                6      1      5'9"   10st 12lbs £2.4M  
14     Emiliano Denis              GK                    16/12/1991 (30)  Gamba                0      0      6'1"   11st 4lbs  £625K  
15     Martín Campaña              GK                    29/05/1989 (33)  Atlas                1      0      6'1"   13st 0lbs  £1.2M  
16     Matías Vecino               DM, M (C)             24/08/1991 (30)  Jiangsu              61     5      6'2"   12st 10lbs £6.75M 
17     Mauricio Lemos              D (C)                 28/12/1995 (26)  Milan                30     1      6'1"   12st 10lbs £21.5M 
18     Erick Cabaco                D (C)                 19/04/1995 (27)  Boca                 1      0      6'1"   11st 11lbs £2.4M  
19     Guillermo Varela            D (RL), WB (R)        24/03/1993 (29)  Norwich              26     0      5'9"   11st 2lbs  £5.25M 
20     Emiliano Velázquez          D (C)                 30/04/1994 (28)  Freiburg             2      0      6'1"   12st 6lbs  £2.7M  
21     Nahitan Nández              DM, M (C)             28/12/1995 (26)  Estudiantes (LP)     8      0      5'8"   11st 0lbs  £2.2M  
22     Federico Valverde           DM, M (C)             22/07/1998 (23)  Konyaspor            10     0      5'11"  10st 12lbs £2.2M  
23     Brian Lozano                AM (RLC)              23/02/1994 (28)  Pachuca              15     2      5'5"   10st 1lb   £4.3M  

SERBIA

NO.    NAME                        POSITIONS             D.O.B. (AGE)     CLUB                 CAPS   GOALS  HEIGHT WEIGHT     VALUE
1      Predrag Rajkovic            GK                    31/10/1995 (26)  Bournemouth          61     0      6'3"   13st 7lbs  £8.5M  
2      Milan Gajic                 D/WB/M (R)            28/01/1996 (26)  Sevilla              39     1      5'10"  11st 9lbs  £5.5M  
3      Nemanja Antonov             D/WB (L)              06/05/1995 (27)  Grasshoppers         25     0      6'0"   11st 11lbs £4.6M  
4      Sreten Dikovic              D (C)                 28/02/2001 (21)  Fenerbahçe           0      0      6'2"   13st 3lbs  £2.2M  
5      Branislav Terzic            D (C)                 03/01/2001 (21)  Krasnodar            17     0      6'5"   13st 12lbs £10M   
6      Lazar Markovic              WB/M (R), AM (RLC)    02/03/1994 (28)  Fenerbahçe           31     3      5'9"   10st 5lbs  £525K  
7      Sergej Milinkovic Savic     M/AM (C)              27/02/1995 (27)  Dortmund             55     24     6'4"   12st 12lbs £38M   
8      Marko Grujic                DM, M/AM (C)          13/04/1996 (26)  Sporting             41     5      6'3"   12st 12lbs £8M    
9      Luka Jovic                  ST (C)                23/12/1997 (24)  Dortmund             16     2      6'0"   12st 8lbs  £34.5M 
10     Aleksandar Mitrovic         ST (C)                16/09/1994 (27)  Newcastle            57     22     6'2"   12st 12lbs £17.5M 
11     Adem Ljajic                 AM (RLC), ST (C)      29/09/1991 (30)  Torino               60     12     6'0"   11st 9lbs  £6M    
12     Uros Spajic                 D (RC)                13/02/1993 (29)  Toulouse             15     0      6'1"   13st 0lbs  £3.9M  
13     Filip Manojlovic            GK                    25/04/1996 (26)  Crvena Zvezda        0      0      6'6"   13st 9lbs  £550K  
14     Ljubodrag Vukosavljevic     M/AM (C), ST (C)      14/02/2000 (22)  Club Brugge          2      0      6'3"   13st 12lbs £7.75M 
15     Radomir Mitrovic            GK                    24/11/2000 (21)  Aktobe               0      0      6'0"   11st 13lbs £1.4M  
16     Mihailo Ristic              D/WB (L), M (LC)      31/10/1995 (26)  AA Gent              33     1      6'0"   11st 6lbs  £11.5M 
17     Srdjan Plavsic              M/AM (RLC), ST (C)    01/12/1995 (26)  Panathinaikos        26     4      5'6"   8st 13lbs  £4M    
18     Srdjan Babic                D (LC)                22/04/1996 (26)  Paços Ferreira       14     1      6'4"   13st 5lbs  £6.5M  
19     Nemanja Radoja              D (C), DM, M (C)      06/02/1993 (29)  Tottenham            33     0      5'11"  11st 4lbs  £16.5M 
20     Matija Nastasic             D (C)                 28/03/1993 (29)  Everton              56     0      6'2"   13st 3lbs  £18M   
21     Djordje Jovanovic           ST (C)                15/02/1999 (23)  Southampton          7      2      6'1"   12st 3lbs  £15.5M 
22     Nemanja Matic               D (C), DM, M (C)      01/08/1988 (33)  Huddersfield         73     3      6'4"   13st 3lbs  £775K  
23     Nikola Maksimovic           D (RLC)               25/11/1991 (30)  Napoli               57     0      6'4"   12st 12lbs £4.1M  

 

GROUP D: France, South Korea, Chile, Croatia

Spoiler

FRANCE

NO.    NAME                        POSITIONS             D.O.B. (AGE)     CLUB                 CAPS   GOALS  HEIGHT WEIGHT     VALUE
1      Hugo Lloris                 GK                    26/12/1986 (35)  Tottenham            146    0      6'2"   12st 3lbs  £1.8M  
2      Corentin Tolisso            D/WB (R), DM, M (C)   03/08/1994 (27)  Man Utd              53     0      5'11"  12st 3lbs  £38.5M 
3      Lucas Digne                 D/WB (L)              20/07/1993 (28)  Barcelona            72     5      5'10"  11st 9lbs  £20.5M 
4      Aymeric Laporte             D (LC)                27/05/1994 (28)  Athletic             42     0      6'2"   13st 7lbs  £33M   
5      Raphaël Varane              D (C)                 25/04/1993 (29)  Real Madrid          86     3      6'3"   13st 3lbs  £39.5M 
6      Antoine Griezmann           AM (RLC), ST (C)      21/03/1991 (31)  Man City             92     40     5'9"   11st 4lbs  £14M   
7      Ousmane Dembélé             M (RL), AM (RLC)      15/05/1997 (25)  Man Utd              49     11     5'10"  10st 7lbs  £61M   
8      Paul Pogba                  M/AM (C)              15/03/1993 (29)  Man Utd              94     19     6'3"   12st 12lbs £45.5M 
9      Moussa Dembélé              ST (C)                12/07/1996 (25)  PSG                  35     26     6'0"   11st 9lbs  £42.5M 
10     Geoffrey Kondogbia          DM, M (C)             15/02/1993 (29)  Celta                17     1      6'2"   11st 11lbs £13.5M 
11     Vincent Marchetti           DM, M (C)             04/07/1997 (24)  Wolfsburg            3      0      6'0"   11st 6lbs  £14.5M 
12     Dayot Upamecano             D (C), DM, M (C)      27/10/1998 (23)  RB Leipzig           19     0      6'1"   13st 12lbs £33.5M 
13     Alphonse Areola             GK                    27/02/1993 (29)  Newcastle            1      0      6'4"   13st 12lbs £16M   
14     Alban Lafont                GK                    23/01/1999 (23)  Hertha BSC           0      0      6'4"   13st 9lbs  £7.5M  
15     Anthony Martial             AM (RL), ST (C)       05/12/1995 (26)  Man Utd              52     11     5'11"  11st 13lbs £38M   
16     Kurt Zouma                  D (RC)                27/10/1994 (27)  Chelsea              16     0      6'3"   14st 13lbs £30.5M 
17     Djibril Sidibé              D (RL)                29/07/1992 (29)  Monaco               56     2      6'0"   11st 0lbs  £11.75M
18     Thomas Lemar                M/AM (RLC)            12/11/1995 (26)  Real Madrid          33     13     5'7"   9st 1lb    £54M   
19     N'Golo Kanté                DM, M (C)             29/03/1991 (31)  Chelsea              62     4      5'7"   10st 9lbs  £10.75M
20     Kylian Mbappé               M/AM (RL)             20/12/1998 (23)  Man Utd              18     6      5'11"  11st 11lbs £44.5M 
21     Samuel Umtiti               D (LC)                14/11/1993 (28)  Barcelona            43     0      6'0"   11st 11lbs £22M   
22     Theo Hernández              D/WB/M/AM (L)         06/10/1997 (24)  FC Bayern            12     0      6'0"   11st 9lbs  £34.5M 
23     Adrien Rabiot               DM, M (C)             03/04/1995 (27)  PSG                  28     3      6'2"   11st 9lbs  £31M   

SOUTH KOREA

NO.    NAME                        POSITIONS             D.O.B. (AGE)     CLUB                 CAPS   GOALS  HEIGHT WEIGHT     VALUE
1      Kim Dong-Soo                GK                    20/08/2000 (21)  Seoul                7      0      6'7"   15st 1lb   £425K  
2      Ryu Joo-Sung                D (R)                 11/01/2001 (21)  Seoul                4      0      6'0"   12st 6lbs  £350K  
3      Choi Dae-Hee                D (C)                 02/09/2000 (21)  Seoul                7      0      6'1"   12st 10lbs £325K  
4      Jang Hyun-Soo               D (C)                 28/09/1991 (30)  Guangzhou R&F        30     0      6'1"   12st 6lbs  £825K  
5      Yang Hong-Chul              D (C)                 10/07/2002 (19)  Suwon                5      0      6'2"   13st 0lbs  £205K  
6      Park Jong-Woo               DM, M (C)             10/03/1989 (33)  Al-Jazira (UAE)      52     2      5'11"  11st 9lbs  £275K  
7      Choi Kyoung-Rok             M/AM (RLC)            15/03/1995 (27)  Montpellier          41     8      5'9"   10st 9lbs  £3.7M  
8      Son Heung-Min               M/AM (RL), ST (C)     08/07/1992 (29)  Schalke              126    28     6'0"   12st 1lb   £11.5M 
9      Suk Hyun-Jun                AM (C), ST (C)        29/06/1991 (30)  Stuttgart            54     14     6'3"   13st 0lbs  £1.3M  
10     Park Eun-Sung               ST (C)                27/03/2001 (21)  Ulsan                3      2      6'0"   12st 3lbs  £300K  
11     Kim Geon-Woong              DM, M (C)             29/08/1997 (24)  Ulsan                10     0      6'0"   12st 6lbs  £525K  
12     Lee Ki-Je                   D/WB (L)              09/07/1991 (30)  Seoul                12     0      5'6"   10st 7lbs  £205K  
13     Ryoo Yo-Han                 GK                    04/09/2001 (20)  Man Utd              5      0      6'3"   13st 7lbs  £5M    
14     Yoo Hyun-Jin                GK                    07/03/2000 (22)  Jeonbuk              3      0      6'2"   13st 0lbs  £525K  
15     Kim Young-Jun               M (C)                 20/11/2000 (21)  Wolves               19     1      5'11"  12st 1lb   £8M    
16     Lee Seung-Woo               AM (LC)               06/01/1998 (24)  Almería              3      0      5'8"   10st 9lbs  £1.2M  
17     Ji Dong-Won                 AM (LC), ST (C)       28/05/1991 (31)  PSV                  105    36     6'2"   12st 1lb   £2.3M  
18     Kim Jin-Su                  D/WB (L)              13/06/1992 (29)  Jeonbuk              72     0      5'9"   10st 7lbs  £375K  
19     Nam Tae-Hee                 M/AM (RC)             03/07/1991 (30)  Lekhwiya             52     10     5'9"   11st 4lbs  £2.4M  
20     Kwon Chang-Hoon             M/AM (C)              30/06/1994 (27)  Dijon                26     5      5'9"   10st 9lbs  £9.75M 
21     Koo Ja-Ryong                D (C)                 06/04/1992 (30)  Suwon                16     0      5'11"  11st 4lbs  £325K  
22     Yoo Ju-Ahn                  M (C)                 01/10/1998 (23)  Suwon                2      0      5'7"   10st 12lbs £300K  
23     Kim Won-Kwan                D (R)                 25/07/2000 (21)  Jeonnam              10     0      5'7"   10st 12lbs £300K  

CHILE

NO.    NAME                        POSITIONS             D.O.B. (AGE)     CLUB                 CAPS   GOALS  HEIGHT WEIGHT     VALUE
1      Darío Melo                  GK                    24/03/1993 (29)  Palestino            8      0      5'10"  11st 9lbs  £150K  
2      Stefano Magnasco            D/WB/M (R)            28/09/1992 (29)  Cerro Porteño        18     0      5'9"   11st 4lbs  £350K  
3      Christián Gutiérrez         D/WB (L)              18/02/1997 (25)  Watford              15     0      5'9"   11st 4lbs  £7.25M 
4      Abraham Martínez            D (C)                 22/03/2002 (20)  O'Higgins            2      0      6'1"   13st 5lbs  £195K  
5      Pablo Carvallo              D (C)                 15/08/2000 (21)  Universidad de Chile 4      0      5'9"   11st 11lbs £2.4M  
6      César Fuentes               DM                    12/04/1993 (29)  Universidad Católica 21     1      5'8"   11st 0lbs  £2.8M  
7      Alexis Sánchez              AM (RLC), ST (C)      19/12/1988 (33)  Arsenal              143    51     5'7"   10st 12lbs £3M    
8      Guillermo Varas             M/AM (L)              18/07/2000 (21)  Valencia             12     0      5'7"   10st 7lbs  £6.5M  
9      Jeisson Vargas              AM (RLC), ST (C)      15/09/1997 (24)  Boca                 25     7      5'8"   11st 2lbs  £3.6M  
10     Felipe Mora                 ST (C)                02/08/1993 (28)  PSV                  14     2      5'9"   11st 13lbs £4.8M  
11     Marco Bolados               AM (RLC), ST (C)      28/02/1996 (26)  Colo Colo            13     2      5'7"   10st 3lbs  £3.2M  
12     Enzo Roco                   SW, D (C)             16/08/1992 (29)  Cruz Azul            59     3      6'3"   12st 8lbs  £2.6M  
13     Matías Salgado              GK                    14/09/2000 (21)  Nàstic               1      0      6'3"   13st 5lbs  £350K  
14     Alfredo Soto                GK                    31/10/2000 (21)  Universidad de Chile 8      0      6'0"   12st 8lbs  £2.1M  
15     Camilo Cereceda             M/AM (R)              20/05/2001 (21)  Liverpool            2      0      5'6"   10st 7lbs  £8M    
16     Claudio Baeza               D (C), DM, M (C)      23/12/1993 (28)  River                10     0      5'7"   9st 12lbs  £3M    
17     Juan Cornejo                D (LC), WB/M (L)      27/09/1990 (31)  León                 54     2      5'9"   12st 3lbs  £1M    
18     Jaime Carreño               DM, M (C)             03/03/1997 (25)  Botafogo             4      1      5'6"   10st 7lbs  £3.4M  
19     Benjamín Kuscevic           D (C)                 02/05/1996 (26)  Universidad Católica 7      0      6'1"   12st 8lbs  £1.4M  
20     Charles Aránguiz            DM, M (C)             17/04/1989 (33)  Gladbach             90     7      5'8"   10st 7lbs  £2.2M  
21     Diego Rubio                 AM (L), ST (C)        15/05/1993 (29)  San Jose             9      0      5'11"  12st 3lbs  £3.4M  
22     Simón Ramírez               D (R)                 03/11/1998 (23)  Hannover             13     0      5'11"  11st 2lbs  £1.7M  
23     Arturo Vidal                D (C), DM, M (C)      22/05/1987 (35)  FC Bayern            139    18     5'11"  11st 6lbs  £2.2M  

CROATIA

NO.    NAME                        POSITIONS             D.O.B. (AGE)     CLUB                 CAPS   GOALS  HEIGHT WEIGHT     VALUE
1      Lovre Kalinic               GK                    03/04/1990 (32)  AA Gent              37     0      6'7"   15st 1lb   £2.3M  
2      Anton Kresic                D (C)                 29/01/1996 (26)  Genoa                0      0      6'6"   13st 3lbs  £2.3M  
3      Sime Vrsaljko               D (RL), WB/M (R)      10/01/1992 (30)  Guangzhou Evergrande 85     2      6'0"   11st 11lbs £10.75M
4      Dejan Lovren                D (C)                 05/07/1989 (32)  Udinese              88     3      6'3"   13st 3lbs  £850K  
5      Domagoj Vida                D (RLC)               29/04/1989 (33)  Napoli               98     2      6'0"   11st 4lbs  £62K   
6      Ante Coric                  M (C), AM (LC)        14/04/1997 (25)  Lazio                40     4      5'8"   11st 9lbs  £18.5M 
7      Josip Brekalo               M/AM (RL)             23/06/1998 (23)  Man City             30     7      5'9"   11st 2lbs  £23.5M 
8      Andrej Kramaric             AM (LC), ST (C)       19/06/1991 (30)  Hoffenheim           58     10     5'10"  11st 6lbs  £3.9M  
9      Danijel Marcec              DM, M (C)             24/02/2000 (22)  Man City             20     1      5'10"  11st 9lbs  £12.5M 
10     Mateo Kovacic               DM, M/AM (C)          06/05/1994 (28)  Real Madrid          91     9      5'10"  12st 1lb   £32M   
11     Stipe Perica                ST (C)                07/07/1995 (26)  Udinese              7      3      6'4"   12st 3lbs  £13.5M 
12     Marcelo Brozovic            DM, M/AM (C)          16/11/1992 (29)  Inter                80     8      5'11"  10st 9lbs  £16.25M
13     Josip Posavec               GK                    10/03/1996 (26)  Palermo              2      0      6'3"   13st 3lbs  £6.75M 
14     Dominik Livakovic           GK                    09/01/1995 (27)  Crystal Palace       1      0      6'2"   12st 6lbs  £5.5M  
15     Mario Pasalic               DM, M/AM (C)          09/02/1995 (27)  Burnley              10     0      6'1"   12st 3lbs  £7.25M 
16     Tin Jedvaj                  D (RLC), WB (R)       28/11/1995 (26)  Milan                45     3      6'0"   12st 8lbs  £11M   
17     Marko Pjaca                 M/AM (RL), ST (C)     06/05/1995 (27)  Monaco               40     23     6'1"   12st 10lbs £34M   
18     Marko Rog                   M (C), AM (LC)        19/07/1995 (26)  Napoli               28     5      5'11"  11st 13lbs £11.75M
19     Jeremy Toljan               D/WB (RL)             08/08/1994 (27)  Hoffenheim           33     0      6'0"   12st 3lbs  £6M    
20     Nikola Vlasic               M/AM (RLC), ST (C)    04/10/1997 (24)  Málaga               7      0      5'10"  12st 8lbs  £6M    
21     Ivan Mocinic                DM, M (C)             30/04/1993 (29)  Club Brugge          11     0      5'11"  11st 4lbs  £6.25M 
22     Sandro Kulenovic            ST (C)                04/12/1999 (22)  Olympiacos           1      0      6'3"   13st 5lbs  £2.9M  
23     Duje Caleta-Car             D (C)                 17/09/1996 (25)  Vitesse              2      0      6'2"   13st 3lbs  £3.3M  

 

GROUP E: Belgium, Australia, Egypt, Greece

Spoiler

BELGIUM

NO.    NAME                        POSITIONS             D.O.B. (AGE)     CLUB                 CAPS   GOALS  HEIGHT WEIGHT     VALUE
1      Mile Svilar                 GK                    27/08/1999 (22)  Anderlecht           1      0      6'4"   15st 12lbs £12M   
2      Thomas Meunier              D/WB (R), M (RC)      12/09/1991 (30)  Fiorentina           70     2      6'3"   12st 12lbs £8.75M 
3      Jordan Lukaku               D (RL), WB/M (L)      25/07/1994 (27)  Wolves               62     0      5'10"  12st 10lbs £4.8M  
4      Radja Nainggolan            DM, M/AM (C)          04/05/1988 (34)  Roma                 80     12     5'9"   10st 1lb   £2.4M  
5      Björn Engels                D (C), DM             15/09/1994 (27)  Club Brugge          7      1      6'4"   12st 6lbs  £14.25M
6      Yannick Carrasco            M (L), AM (RL)        04/09/1993 (28)  Man City             55     12     5'11"  10st 5lbs  £33.5M 
7      Youri Tielemans             DM, M/AM (C)          07/05/1997 (25)  Benfica              47     2      5'10"  12st 1lb   £28.5M 
8      Charly Musonda              DM, M (C), AM (RLC)   15/10/1996 (25)  Chelsea              30     7      5'9"   9st 1lb    £32.5M 
9      Hicham Bennouna             ST (C)                23/07/2001 (20)  Chelsea              19     15     5'9"   11st 4lbs  £30.5M 
10     Eden Hazard                 M/AM (RLC)            07/01/1991 (31)  PSG                  135    44     5'8"   11st 13lbs £21M   
11     Zakaria Bakkali             M (L), AM (RL)        26/01/1996 (26)  Lyon                 15     3      5'5"   9st 4lbs   £23.5M 
12     Toby Alderweireld           D (RC)                02/03/1989 (33)  Tottenham            122    3      6'1"   12st 10lbs £1.9M  
13     Thibaut Courtois            GK                    11/05/1992 (30)  Chelsea              115    0      6'6"   14st 13lbs £21.5M 
14     Kevin De Bruyne             M/AM (RLC)            28/06/1991 (30)  Man City             114    29     5'11"  11st 13lbs £20.5M 
15     Koen Casteels               GK                    25/06/1992 (29)  Bologna              0      0      6'5"   13st 3lbs  £2.6M  
16     Romelu Lukaku               ST (C)                13/05/1993 (29)  PSG                  111    54     6'3"   14st 11lbs £30.5M 
17     Roel Mertens                ST (C)                18/12/2001 (20)  FC Bayern            2      0      6'1"   12st 8lbs  £25.5M 
18     Leander Dendoncker          D (C), DM, M (C)      15/04/1995 (27)  Milan                53     0      6'2"   13st 0lbs  £22.5M 
19     Jason Denayer               D (RC), DM            28/06/1995 (26)  Norwich              44     0      6'0"   11st 11lbs £24.5M 
20     Andreas Pereira             M/AM (LC)             01/01/1996 (26)  Bournemouth          2      0      5'9"   10st 12lbs £11.75M
21     Wout Faes                   D (C), DM             03/04/1998 (24)  Anderlecht           4      0      6'1"   13st 12lbs £13.5M 
22     Dennis Praet                M/AM (LC)             14/05/1994 (28)  Milan                41     5      5'11"  12st 3lbs  £20.5M 
23     Laurens De Bock             D (LC), WB/M (L)      07/11/1992 (29)  Metz                 2      0      5'10"  11st 11lbs £2.7M  

AUSTRALIA

NO.    NAME                        POSITIONS             D.O.B. (AGE)     CLUB                 CAPS   GOALS  HEIGHT WEIGHT     VALUE
1      Mitchell Langerak           GK                    22/08/1988 (33)  Stuttgart            16     0      6'4"   12st 10lbs £2M    
2      Brandon Wilson              D (R), M (C)          28/01/1997 (25)  Perth Glory          42     2      6'0"   11st 4lbs  £1.5M  
3      Alex Gersbach               D/WB (L)              08/05/1997 (25)  Las Palmas           48     0      6'0"   11st 4lbs  £4.7M  
4      Nick Ansell                 D (C)                 02/02/1994 (28)  Melbourne Victory    7      0      6'1"   12st 10lbs £500K  
5      Jonathan Irwin              D (C)                 29/01/2001 (21)  Melbourne Victory    2      0      6'0"   12st 8lbs  £875K  
6      Jackson Irvine              DM, M (C)             07/03/1993 (29)  Brighton             51     7      6'2"   12st 12lbs £4.2M  
7      Mathew Leckie               M/AM (RL)             04/02/1991 (31)  Sunderland           95     13     5'11"  12st 12lbs £4.1M  
8      Daniel De Silva             M/AM (LC)             06/03/1997 (25)  Perth Glory          17     1      5'7"   9st 6lbs   £1.6M  
9      Charis Komiotis             AM (R), ST (C)        14/10/2000 (21)  Vitesse              36     22     5'10"  11st 9lbs  £9M    
10     Zois Antonopoulos           ST (C)                27/01/2001 (21)  Perth Glory          7      4      5'10"  11st 13lbs £1M    
11     Tomi Juric                  ST (C)                22/07/1991 (30)  SV Mattersburg       51     25     6'2"   13st 0lbs  £225K  
12     Aaron Mooy                  DM, M (RC), AM (C)    15/09/1990 (31)  Gladbach             85     10     5'11"  10st 9lbs  £2.2M  
13     Mathew Ryan                 GK                    08/04/1992 (30)  Roma                 85     0      6'0"   12st 12lbs £6M    
14     Mark Birighitti             GK                    17/04/1991 (31)  Perth Glory          1      0      6'2"   13st 3lbs  £475K  
15     Tom Rogic                   DM, M/AM (C)          16/12/1992 (29)  Lille                45     2      6'2"   14st 0lbs  £6.75M 
16     James Palmer                M/AM (R)              03/09/2001 (20)  Feyenoord            19     2      5'9"   10st 12lbs £2.7M  
17     Alex Grant                  D (C)                 23/01/1994 (28)  AZ                   24     1      6'3"   13st 12lbs £5M    
18     Trent Sainsbury             D (RC)                05/01/1992 (30)  Seoul                67     1      6'0"   11st 13lbs £300K  
19     Tommy Oar                   M (RLC), AM (RL)      10/12/1991 (30)  FC Utrecht           53     7      5'7"   11st 6lbs  £1.7M  
20     Gethin Jones                D (RL), WB (R)        13/10/1995 (26)  Melbourne City       14     0      6'1"   10st 3lbs  £750K  
21     Jason Davidson              D (LC)                29/06/1991 (30)  FC Utrecht           77     1      5'11"  11st 6lbs  £1.2M  
22     Jamie Maclaren              M/AM (R), ST (C)      29/07/1993 (28)  Brisbane Roar        57     19     5'10"  11st 6lbs  £850K  
23     Josh Brillante              M (C)                 25/03/1993 (29)  Sydney FC            11     0      5'10"  11st 6lbs  £875K  

EGYPT

NO.    NAME                        POSITIONS             D.O.B. (AGE)     CLUB                 CAPS   GOALS  HEIGHT WEIGHT     VALUE
1      Mohamed Hamdy               GK                    24/05/2001 (21)  Petrojet             0      0      6'1"   12st 12lbs £51K   
2      Sam Morsy                   D (R), DM, M (C)      10/09/1991 (30)  QPR                  25     1      5'9"   12st 6lbs  £1M    
3      Sherif Fathi                ST (C)                08/09/2001 (20)  Wadi Degla           2      0      5'10"  11st 4lbs  £54K   
4      Hassan Mahmoud              D (L)                 09/11/2001 (20)  AA Gent              23     0      5'9"   11st 4lbs  £6.75M 
5      Mohamed Magdy               SW, D (C)             07/07/1993 (28)  Primeiro de Agosto   1      0      6'3"   13st 9lbs  £160K  
6      Ramadan Sobhi               AM (RLC), ST (C)      23/01/1997 (25)  Stoke                64     17     6'0"   12st 8lbs  £22.5M 
7      Mostafa Fathy               M (R), AM (RL)        11/05/1994 (28)  Zamalek              24     0      5'3"   8st 9lbs   £325K  
8      Islam Alaa                  M (C)                 29/08/2000 (21)  Nacional da Madeira  12     1      6'1"   12st 8lbs  £250K  
9      Hassan                      ST (C)                05/03/1993 (29)  Gladbach             67     51     6'3"   13st 5lbs  £10M   
10     Mohamed Salah               AM (RL), ST (C)       15/06/1992 (29)  Roma                 97     39     5'9"   11st 4lbs  £19.75M
11     Marwan Mohsen               ST (C)                26/02/1989 (33)  Al-Ahly              74     40     6'2"   12st 12lbs £57K   
12     Omar Gaber                  D/WB (R), DM, M (RC)  30/01/1992 (30)  AaB                  41     0      5'9"   10st 1lb   £240K  
13     Ahmed Mostafa               GK                    23/05/2000 (22)  HSV                  36     0      6'2"   13st 0lbs  £2.5M  
14     Ahmed El Shennawy           GK                    14/05/1991 (31)  Zamalek              47     0      6'0"   13st 0lbs  £150K  
15     Mohamed Elneny              DM, M (C)             11/07/1992 (29)  Shanghai SIPG        98     7      5'11"  12st 1lb   £16M   
16     Trezeguet                   M (RC), AM (RL)       01/10/1994 (27)  Anderlecht           60     4      5'10"  10st 7lbs  £12.25M
17     Rami Rabia                  D (C), DM, M (C)      20/05/1993 (29)  Al-Ahly              48     6      6'1"   12st 12lbs £425K  
18     Magid Suleiman              D (LC)                01/03/2000 (22)  Karabükspor          1      0      6'0"   12st 8lbs  £800K  
19     Aly Ghazal                  D (C), DM, M (C)      01/02/1992 (30)  Zamalek              8      0      6'2"   13st 3lbs  £140K  
20     Ahmed Hegazy                D (C)                 25/01/1991 (31)  Lorient              79     3      6'5"   13st 0lbs  £1.2M  
21     Saleh Ramzy                 ST (C)                19/04/2003 (19)  Zamalek              3      0      5'10"  11st 2lbs  £125K  
22     Ahmed Ref'at                M (L), AM (RL)        20/06/1993 (28)  Zamalek              8      0      5'10"  11st 4lbs  £275K  
23     Saad Samir                  D (C)                 01/04/1989 (33)  Zamalek              44     0      6'0"   11st 9lbs  £30K   

GREECE

NO.    NAME                        POSITIONS             D.O.B. (AGE)     CLUB                 CAPS   GOALS  HEIGHT WEIGHT     VALUE
1      Kyriakos Pagonas            GK                    26/02/1999 (23)  Ajax                 11     0      6'5"   14st 4lbs  £7.5M  
2      Kostas Rougalas             D (R)                 24/07/2000 (21)  Málaga               5      0      5'10"  11st 13lbs £750K  
3      Kostas Stafylidis           D/WB (L)              02/12/1993 (28)  West Ham             64     4      5'10"  11st 9lbs  £5.25M 
4      Kostas Manolas              D (C)                 14/06/1991 (30)  Chelsea              76     0      6'1"   12st 6lbs  £9M    
5      Panagiotis Retsos           D (RLC), DM           09/08/1998 (23)  Fiorentina           15     1      6'2"   12st 10lbs £2.3M  
6      Marios Oikonomou            D (LC)                06/10/1992 (29)  Lazio                12     0      6'2"   13st 5lbs  £5.25M 
7      Giorgos Manthatis           M/AM (RL)             11/05/1997 (25)  Angers               30     4      5'10"  12st 3lbs  £7.25M 
8      Giannis Mystakidis          M (L), AM (RL)        07/12/1994 (27)  PAOK                 41     5      5'11"  11st 13lbs £3.3M  
9      Antonis Sofianis            ST (C)                14/01/2003 (19)  Standard             2      1      6'4"   13st 5lbs  £1.1M  
10     Nikos Vergos                AM (C), ST (C)        13/01/1996 (26)  Granada              4      0      6'1"   12st 6lbs  £8.25M 
11     Dimitris Kolovos            AM (RLC)              27/04/1993 (29)  Iraklis              10     0      6'0"   12st 10lbs £62K   
12     Kostas Fortounis            M (C), AM (RLC)       16/10/1992 (29)  Olympiacos           72     18     6'0"   11st 0lbs  £3M    
13     Stefanos Kapino             GK                    18/03/1994 (28)  Wolves               30     0      6'5"   12st 6lbs  £5.25M 
14     Vasilis Barkas              GK                    30/05/1994 (28)  AEK                  11     0      6'5"   14st 9lbs  £2.9M  
15     Charis Charisis             DM, M (C)             12/01/1995 (27)  sc Heerenveen        25     3      5'10"  10st 7lbs  £2.9M  
16     Dimitris Kourbelis          D (C), DM, M (C)      02/11/1993 (28)  Panathinaikos        33     3      6'0"   11st 9lbs  £2.4M  
17     Petros Mantalos             M/AM (C)              31/08/1991 (30)  AEK                  35     7      5'9"   11st 6lbs  £1.1M  
18     Thanos Petsos               DM, M (C)             05/06/1991 (31)  Nürnberg             12     0      6'0"   12st 8lbs  £1.5M  
19     Stefanos Evangelou          D (C)                 12/05/1998 (24)  Gladbach             17     0      6'1"   11st 13lbs £17.25M
20     Dimitris Diamantakos        M/AM (L), ST (C)      05/03/1993 (29)  Hertha BSC           47     17     6'1"   11st 9lbs  £7.5M  
21     Adam Tzanetopoulos          D (C), DM             10/02/1995 (27)  HSV                  15     0      6'4"   13st 5lbs  £4.9M  
22     Tasos Bakasetas             AM (C), ST (C)        28/06/1993 (28)  Angers               15     0      5'11"  12st 3lbs  £4.2M  
23     Tasos Chatzigiovanis        M (R), AM (RLC)       31/05/1997 (25)  Panathinaikos        7      0      5'9"   9st 10lbs  £1.8M  

 

GROUP F: Portugal, Jamaica, Cameroon, Italy

Spoiler

PORTUGAL

NO.    NAME                        POSITIONS             D.O.B. (AGE)     CLUB                 CAPS   GOALS  HEIGHT WEIGHT     VALUE
1      Anthony Lopes               GK                    01/10/1990 (31)  Lyon                 11     0      6'0"   12st 10lbs £8.25M 
2      Nélson Semedo               D/WB (R)              16/11/1993 (28)  Man City             63     1      5'10"  10st 12lbs £25M   
3      Pedro Pereira               D (RL), WB (R)        22/01/1998 (24)  Leverkusen           12     0      6'0"   11st 2lbs  £21M   
4      Gonçalo Figueiredo          D (C)                 06/01/2001 (21)  Sampdoria            2      0      6'2"   13st 5lbs  £9.75M 
5      Diogo Queirós               D (C)                 05/01/1999 (23)  West Ham             4      0      6'1"   13st 7lbs  £12.25M
6      Adrien Silva                DM, M (C)             15/03/1989 (33)  Sporting             86     9      5'9"   11st 6lbs  £125K  
7      Gil Dias                    M/AM (LC), ST (C)     28/09/1996 (25)  Milan                10     3      6'2"   12st 10lbs £24M   
8      Bernardo Silva              M (RC), AM (RLC)      10/08/1994 (27)  Man Utd              69     9      5'8"   10st 1lb   £56M   
9      Aníbal Soares               ST (C)                14/03/2003 (19)  Porto                5      3      5'9"   11st 2lbs  £9.75M 
10     Joao Santos                 ST (C)                11/09/2000 (21)  Benfica              13     2      6'2"   13st 7lbs  £27M   
11     Diogo Jota                  AM (LC), ST (C)       04/12/1996 (25)  PSG                  36     3      5'10"  11st 0lbs  £42M   
12     João Mário                  M/AM (RC)             19/01/1993 (29)  Man Utd              98     13     5'10"  11st 4lbs  £35M   
13     Diogo Costa                 GK                    19/09/1999 (22)  Porto                4      0      6'2"   14st 4lbs  £600K  
14     André Moreira               GK                    02/12/1995 (26)  Celta                1      0      6'5"   13st 12lbs £3.9M  
15     Gelson Martins              M (R), AM (RL)        11/05/1995 (27)  Real Madrid          6      1      5'8"   10st 3lbs  £51M   
16     Renato Sanches              DM, M/AM (C)          18/08/1997 (24)  PSG                  78     8      5'10"  12st 3lbs  £57M   
17     Rúben Neves                 DM, M (C)             13/03/1997 (25)  Barcelona            48     1      5'11"  11st 11lbs £42.5M 
18     Gonçalo Guedes              M/AM (RL), ST (C)     29/11/1996 (25)  Man City             61     24     5'10"  11st 9lbs  £46M   
19     André Silva                 ST (C)                06/11/1995 (26)  Milan                61     31     6'1"   12st 6lbs  £27.5M 
20     Rúben Semedo                D (C), DM             04/04/1994 (28)  Sporting             46     0      6'2"   13st 5lbs  £21.5M 
21     Rúben Dias                  D (C)                 14/05/1997 (25)  Benfica              29     1      6'2"   13st 7lbs  £23M   
22     Raphaël Guerreiro           D/WB (L), M (LC)      22/12/1993 (28)  Man City             83     3      5'7"   11st 2lbs  £34.5M 
23     Diogo Dalot                 D/WB (R)              18/03/1999 (23)  Porto                3      0      6'0"   12st 8lbs  £8.5M  

JAMAICA

NO.    NAME                        POSITIONS             D.O.B. (AGE)     CLUB                 CAPS   GOALS  HEIGHT WEIGHT     VALUE
1      Duwayne Kerr                GK                    16/01/1987 (35)  Chennai              15     0      6'6"   14st 0lbs  £11.75K
2      Alvas Powell                D (R)                 18/07/1994 (27)  Montreal Impact      74     3      6'0"   11st 13lbs £2.7M  
3      Kemar Lawrence              D/WB (L)              17/09/1992 (29)  NY Red Bulls         85     3      5'10"  11st 0lbs  £1.1M  
4      Andre Wisdom                D (RC)                09/05/1993 (29)  Swansea              20     0      6'1"   12st 1lb   £5.5M  
5      Michael Hector              D/M (C)               19/07/1992 (29)  Hull                 72     4      6'4"   12st 12lbs £1.7M  
6      Leon Bailey                 M/AM (RL)             09/08/1997 (24)  Leverkusen           80     14     6'0"   12st 8lbs  £38M   
7      Daniel Johnson              M/AM (C)              08/10/1992 (29)  Rubin                68     5      5'9"   10st 7lbs  £875K  
8      Alwin Barrino               M (C)                 21/12/2003 (18)  Bastia               2      0      5'8"   10st 5lbs  £105K  
9      Kemar Roofe                 AM (RL), ST (C)       06/01/1993 (29)  Minnesota            44     17     5'10"  11st 2lbs  £2.4M  
10     Cory Burke                  ST (C)                28/12/1991 (30)  Bethlehem            5      1      6'3"   12st 3lbs  £66K   
11     Kerith Brown                M/AM (L)              03/02/2001 (21)  Bastia               21     2      6'0"   12st 3lbs  £1.1M  
12     Liam Moore                  D (RC)                31/01/1993 (29)  Crystal Palace       26     1      6'1"   13st 7lbs  £4.2M  
13     Andre Blake                 GK                    21/11/1990 (31)  Philadelphia         98     0      6'1"   12st 3lbs  £1.3M  
14     Reice Charles-Cook          GK                    08/04/1994 (28)  Hull                 2      0      6'1"   12st 8lbs  £125K  
15     Roydel Kennedy              M (C)                 31/08/2000 (21)  Chicago              26     5      6'2"   13st 5lbs  £650K  
16     Marc Abbey                  M/AM (R)              15/03/2001 (21)  Strasbourg           8      0      6'1"   12st 6lbs  £475K  
17     Remie Streete               D (C)                 02/11/1994 (27)  Port Vale            2      0      6'2"   13st 3lbs  £575K  
18     Jorginho James              DM, M (C)             07/07/1994 (27)  Rio Grande Valley    24     2      5'11"  11st 9lbs  £62K   
19     Omar Holness                M/AM (RC)             13/03/1994 (28)  Oklahoma City        23     3      6'0"   12st 6lbs  £375K  
20     Jermaine Woozencroft        D (C), DM, M (C)      19/08/1992 (29)  Montego Bay Utd      5      0      6'1"   12st 3lbs  £400   
21     Junior Flemmings            ST (C)                16/01/1996 (26)  Puerto Rico          4      4      5'10"  11st 6lbs  £400K  
22     Dwight Gayle                AM (C), ST (C)        17/10/1989 (32)  Randers FC           60     56     5'10"  11st 4lbs  £2.7K  
23     Themba Muata-Marlow         D (C)                 30/04/1994 (28)  Hume City            0      0      6'1"   13st 9lbs  £6.5K  

CAMEROON

NO.    NAME                        POSITIONS             D.O.B. (AGE)     CLUB                 CAPS   GOALS  HEIGHT WEIGHT     VALUE
1      André Onana                 GK                    02/04/1996 (26)  Monaco               37     0      6'3"   13st 3lbs  £10.25M
2      Prisse Kenne                D/WB (R)              25/03/1994 (28)  Eupen                2      0      5'7"   10st 1lb   £325K  
3      Collins Fai                 D/WB (RL)             13/08/1992 (29)  Standard             48     0      5'4"   11st 4lbs  £2.6M  
4      Joël Matip                  D (C)                 08/08/1991 (30)  Liverpool            80     1      6'5"   14st 2lbs  £5.25M 
5      Michael Ngadeu-Ngadjui      D (C), DM             23/11/1990 (31)  Slavia Praha         4      0      6'3"   13st 5lbs  £625K  
6      Félix Djoubairou            M (C)                 10/03/1998 (24)  Coton Sport          29     4      6'5"   14st 2lbs  £61K   
7      Paul-Georges Ntep           M/AM (RL)             29/07/1992 (29)  Aston Villa          34     4      5'11"  12st 12lbs £2.4M  
8      Frank Boya                  DM, M (C)             01/07/1996 (25)  1860 München         22     2      6'3"   12st 3lbs  £1.2M  
9      Vincent Aboubakar           AM (R), ST (C)        22/01/1992 (30)  Southampton          95     50     6'0"   13st 0lbs  £11.5M 
10     Félix Chenkam               ST (C)                28/12/1998 (23)  Başakşehir           10     2      5'11"  11st 11lbs £5M    
11     Clinton N'Jié               AM (RL), ST (C)       15/08/1993 (28)  Marseille            54     20     5'9"   10st 9lbs  £375K  
12     Stephen Sama                D (C)                 05/03/1993 (29)  Fürth                6      0      6'2"   13st 12lbs £1.5M  
13     Axel Ngando                 M/AM (C)              13/07/1993 (28)  Sporting Gijón       37     0      5'10"  11st 2lbs  £3.5M  
14     Chris Atangana              GK                    02/03/2000 (22)  Real Madrid          2      0      6'1"   13st 0lbs  £7.25M 
15     Stanislas Lebongo           GK                    21/09/1997 (24)  Bourg-Péronnas       0      0      5'10"  11st 2lbs  £215K  
16     Jérôme Onguéné              D (C)                 22/12/1997 (24)  Southampton          17     1      6'2"   12st 6lbs  £11M   
17     Ibrahim Amadou              D (C), DM, M (C)      06/04/1993 (29)  Lille                17     0      6'0"   12st 10lbs £2.3M  
18     Christian Bassogog          M/AM (L), ST (C)      18/10/1995 (26)  FC Utrecht           11     1      5'10"  11st 9lbs  £6.25M 
19     Edgar Salli                 M (RL), AM (RLC)      17/08/1992 (29)  Nürnberg             55     5      5'7"   11st 2lbs  £2.6M  
20     Allan Nyom                  D (RC)                10/05/1988 (34)  West Brom            61     1      6'2"   12st 1lb   £3.3K  
21     Souleymanou Moussa          D/WB/M (L)            12/10/1994 (27)  Pandurii Tg. Jiu     13     0      5'11"  11st 6lbs  £350K  
22     Kevin Soni                  M (C), AM (RC)        17/04/1998 (24)  Estoril              1      0      6'0"   12st 1lb   £145K  
23     Yan                         DM, M (C)             26/08/1997 (24)  Crvena Zvezda        6      0      5'11"  12st 3lbs  £185K  

ITALY

NO.    NAME                        POSITIONS             D.O.B. (AGE)     CLUB                 CAPS   GOALS  HEIGHT WEIGHT     VALUE
1      Alex Meret                  GK                    22/03/1997 (25)  Atlético             8      0      6'2"   12st 12lbs £21.5M 
2      Alessandro Florenzi         D/WB (R), DM, M (RC)  11/03/1991 (31)  Barcelona            85     12     5'8"   10st 7lbs  £10.5M 
3      Alex Telles                 D/WB/M (L)            15/12/1992 (29)  Porto                32     0      5'11"  11st 6lbs  £12.5M 
4      Gianluca Mancini            D (C)                 17/04/1996 (26)  Roma                 2      0      6'3"   13st 7lbs  £19.25M
5      Simone Zaza                 ST (C)                25/06/1991 (30)  Roma                 31     3      6'1"   13st 0lbs  £7.75M 
6      Daniele Rugani              D (C)                 29/07/1994 (27)  Barcelona            52     3      6'3"   13st 0lbs  £33.5M 
7      Lorenzo Insigne             AM (LC), ST (C)       04/06/1991 (31)  Napoli               51     11     5'4"   9st 1lb    £12.25M
8      Federico Bernardeschi       M (R), AM (RLC)       16/02/1994 (28)  PSG                  56     20     6'0"   11st 13lbs £44.5M 
9      Moise Kean                  AM (L), ST (C)        28/02/2000 (22)  Dortmund             13     9      6'0"   13st 5lbs  £35.5M 
10     Manuel Lanzini              M (LC), AM (RLC)      15/02/1993 (29)  Liverpool            14     5      5'6"   9st 12lbs  £17M   
11     Andrea Belotti              ST (C)                20/12/1993 (28)  Liverpool            53     27     5'11"  11st 4lbs  £28M   
12     Jorginho                    DM, M (C)             20/12/1991 (30)  Napoli               55     3      5'11"  10st 3lbs  £15M   
13     Alessio Romagnoli           D (C)                 12/01/1995 (27)  Chelsea              40     0      6'2"   12st 6lbs  £35M   
14     Gianluigi Donnarumma        GK                    25/02/1999 (23)  Milan                53     0      6'6"   15st 6lbs  £17M   
15     Leandro Chichizola          GK                    27/03/1990 (32)  Udinese              0      0      6'0"   12st 8lbs  £4.5M  
16     Marco Benassi               DM, M (C)             08/09/1994 (27)  Southampton          33     3      6'0"   12st 6lbs  £30.5M 
17     Filippo Melegoni            M/AM (C)              18/02/1999 (23)  Marseille            32     5      6'1"   10st 12lbs £38M   
18     Marco Verratti              DM, M (C)             05/11/1992 (29)  Real Madrid          76     8      5'5"   9st 4lbs   £19.75M
19     Leonardo Bonucci            SW, D (C)             01/05/1987 (35)  Juventus             121    4      6'3"   13st 7lbs  £2.4M  
20     Roberto Gagliardini         DM, M (RC)            07/04/1994 (28)  Inter                33     1      6'2"   12st 1lb   £18.75M
21     Marcello Saia               M/AM (C)              14/05/2001 (21)  Monaco               2      0      5'9"   11st 4lbs  £3.5M  
22     Davide Calabria             D (RL), M (R)         06/12/1996 (25)  Atlético             7      0      5'10"  11st 4lbs  £11.25M
23     Federico Dimarco            D/WB/M (L)            10/11/1997 (24)  Liverpool            12     1      5'9"   11st 0lbs  £25M   

 

GROUP G: Brazil, United States, Ghana, Poland

Spoiler

BRAZIL

NO.    NAME                        POSITIONS             D.O.B. (AGE)     CLUB                 CAPS   GOALS  HEIGHT WEIGHT     VALUE
1      Ederson                     GK                    17/08/1993 (28)  Benfica              19     0      6'1"   13st 0lbs  £19.25M
2      Fabinho                     D (R), DM, M (C)      23/10/1993 (28)  Monaco               48     6      6'2"   12st 3lbs  £33M   
3      Marquinhos                  D (RC)                14/05/1994 (28)  PSG                  65     2      6'0"   11st 4lbs  £35M   
4      Jemerson                    D (C)                 24/08/1992 (29)  Monaco               35     1      6'0"   12st 1lb   £17.5M 
5      Marlon                      D (C), DM             07/09/1995 (26)  Arsenal              5      0      6'1"   12st 10lbs £31M   
6      Walace                      DM, M (C)             04/04/1995 (27)  FC Bayern            12     0      6'2"   11st 11lbs £23M   
7      Gustavo Scarpa              M (LC), AM (RLC)      05/01/1994 (28)  Tottenham            32     13     5'10"  10st 3lbs  £31.5M 
8      Philippe Coutinho           M/AM (LC)             12/06/1992 (29)  Real Madrid          49     12     5'8"   11st 2lbs  £25.5M 
9      Gabriel Jesus               AM (RL), ST (C)       03/04/1997 (25)  Man City             50     19     5'10"  11st 6lbs  £37.5M 
10     Oscar                       M (C), AM (RC)        09/09/1991 (30)  Shanghai SIPG        49     12     5'10"  11st 0lbs  £19.75M
11     Neymar                      AM (RLC), ST (C)      05/02/1992 (30)  Barcelona            128    66     5'9"   10st 9lbs  £38M   
12     Rafinha                     M (C), AM (RLC)       12/02/1993 (29)  PSG                  58     21     5'9"   11st 0lbs  £30.5M 
13     Alex                        GK                    05/12/1998 (23)  Porto                1      0      6'2"   13st 9lbs  £18.75M
14     Alex Muralha                GK                    10/11/1989 (32)  Flamengo             8      0      6'2"   13st 9lbs  £4.1M  
15     Alex Sandro                 D/WB/M (L)            26/01/1991 (31)  Juventus             53     0      5'11"  12st 3lbs  £13M   
16     Luan                        AM (RLC), ST (C)      27/03/1993 (29)  Grêmio               21     5      5'11"  11st 2lbs  £9.5M  
17     Ramón                       ST (C)                19/08/1998 (23)  Crystal Palace       1      1      5'8"   10st 7lbs  £25.5M 
18     Jorge                       D/WB/M (L)            28/03/1996 (26)  Monaco               7      0      6'0"   11st 4lbs  £18.75M
19     Fred                        DM, M (C)             05/03/1993 (29)  Man Utd              45     4      5'7"   10st 1lb   £24.5M 
20     Diego Lemos                 D (R)                 10/10/1999 (22)  Tottenham            14     0      5'9"   11st 11lbs £26M   
21     Danilo                      DM, M (C)             28/02/1996 (26)  Juventus             9      0      6'0"   12st 3lbs  £21M   
22     Emerson Santos              D (RC)                05/04/1995 (27)  Benfica              2      0      6'0"   12st 8lbs  £19.5M 
23     William                     D/WB/AM (R)           03/04/1995 (27)  Dortmund             15     0      5'9"   11st 2lbs  £16.25M

UNITED STATES

NO.    NAME                        POSITIONS             D.O.B. (AGE)     CLUB                 CAPS   GOALS  HEIGHT WEIGHT     VALUE
1      Bill Hamid                  GK                    25/11/1990 (31)  D.C. United          4      0      6'3"   16st 3lbs  £1.4M  
2      Adrian Klute                D (R)                 30/08/1998 (23)  Stoke                22     0      6'2"   13st 3lbs  £11M   
3      Kellyn Acosta               D (RL), DM            24/07/1995 (26)  FC Dallas            12     0      5'10"  10st 12lbs £2M    
4      Michael Bradley             D (C), DM, M (C)      31/07/1987 (34)  Toronto FC           183    25     6'2"   12st 8lbs  £450K  
5      Ralph Smith                 D (C)                 10/05/1998 (24)  New York City        0      0      6'0"   12st 12lbs £3.5M  
6      Julian Green                M (L), AM (LC)        06/06/1995 (27)  Union Berlin         13     1      5'8"   11st 0lbs  £350K  
7      Wil Trapp                   DM, M (C)             15/01/1993 (29)  Columbus             20     0      5'8"   10st 12lbs £2.9M  
8      McKinze Gaines              M/AM (RL), ST (C)     02/03/1998 (24)  LA Galaxy            11     2      5'10"  11st 0lbs  £4.3M  
9      Rubio Rubin                 AM (RLC), ST (C)      01/03/1996 (26)  Silkeborg IF         14     1      5'10"  12st 1lb   £475K  
10     Christian Pulisic           M (RL), AM (RLC)      18/09/1998 (23)  Tottenham            75     16     5'9"   11st 9lbs  £31M   
11     Jamie Sattler               ST (C)                24/06/2001 (20)  Columbus             1      1      6'0"   12st 10lbs £700K  
12     Phillip Foose               D (C)                 17/10/2000 (21)  Hannover             11     0      5'10"  12st 3lbs  £3.1M  
13     Sean Johnson                GK                    31/05/1989 (33)  New York City        16     0      6'3"   15st 8lbs  £1.2M  
14     William Yarbrough           GK                    20/03/1989 (33)  León                 51     0      5'11"  12st 3lbs  £1.1M  
15     Cameron Carter-Vickers      D (C)                 31/12/1997 (24)  Tottenham            13     0      6'0"   11st 0lbs  £10.75M
16     John Brooks                 D (C)                 28/01/1993 (29)  Everton              87     5      6'4"   12st 3lbs  £15.25M
17     DeAndre Yedlin              D/WB (R)              09/07/1993 (28)  Sporting Kansas City 47     0      5'8"   11st 6lbs  £3.2M  
18     Gyasi Zardes                M/AM (RL), ST (C)     02/09/1991 (30)  LA Galaxy            78     12     6'2"   12st 8lbs  £1.4M  
19     Russell Canouse             DM, M (C)             11/06/1995 (26)  AA Gent              13     2      5'10"  11st 13lbs £4.2M  
20     Lou Huezo                   M/AM (C)              08/04/1999 (23)  Toronto FC           4      1      6'1"   12st 10lbs £2.9M  
21     Sebastian Lletget           M/AM (RLC), ST (C)    03/09/1992 (29)  New York City        30     8      5'10"  10st 12lbs £2.8M  
22     Alfredo Morales             DM, M (C), AM (R)     12/05/1990 (32)  Burnley              44     1      6'0"   12st 1lb   £1.7M  
23     Fabian Johnson              D/WB (RL), M (RLC)    11/12/1987 (34)  Houston              107    3      6'0"   11st 0lbs  £140K  

GHANA

NO.    NAME                        POSITIONS             D.O.B. (AGE)     CLUB                 CAPS   GOALS  HEIGHT WEIGHT     VALUE
1      Ernest Sowah                GK                    31/03/1988 (34)  CS Don Bosco         8      0      5'11"  11st 6lbs  £41.5K 
2      Bright Allotey              D (RC)                14/09/1991 (30)  Al-Hilal Omdurman    6      0      6'2"   12st 8lbs  £5.5K  
3      Andy Yiadom                 D (RL), WB (R)        09/12/1991 (30)  Barnsley             11     0      5'11"  11st 11lbs £475K  
4      Jonathan Mensah             D (RC)                13/07/1990 (31)  Columbus             88     1      6'2"   13st 3lbs  £325K  
5      Yaw Mensah                  D (L)                 16/04/1999 (23)  Mainz                2      0      5'10"  11st 6lbs  £1.3M  
6      Ebenezer Ofori              DM, M (C)             01/07/1995 (26)  Stuttgart            42     3      5'8"   11st 0lbs  £16M   
7      Alfred Duncan               DM, M (C)             10/03/1993 (29)  Napoli               50     11     5'10"  12st 3lbs  £21.5M 
8      Bernard Mensah              M/AM (C)              17/10/1994 (27)  Valencia             25     3      5'11"  11st 11lbs £11.5M 
9      Eddie Nketiah               ST (C)                30/05/1999 (23)  Cardiff              7      1      5'10"  11st 6lbs  £9.75M 
10     Mahatma Otoo                ST (C)                06/02/1992 (30)  Swansea              39     12     5'11"  12st 8lbs  £4.3M  
11     Jordan Ayew                 AM (R), ST (C)        11/09/1991 (30)  Roma                 97     53     6'0"   12st 10lbs £10.75M
12     Christian Atsu              M (L), AM (RL)        10/01/1992 (30)  Betis                64     9      5'8"   10st 9lbs  £2.7M  
13     Samuel Boafo                GK                    25/04/2000 (22)  Berekum Chelsea      0      0      6'1"   12st 12lbs £105K  
14     Daniel Agyei                GK                    10/11/1989 (32)  Wadi Degla           15     0      6'0"   12st 1lb   £17.75K
15     Thomas Partey               DM, M (C)             13/06/1993 (28)  Espanyol             20     2      6'1"   11st 6lbs  £5.75M 
16     Daniel Amartey              D (C), DM, M (C)      21/12/1994 (27)  Watford              46     1      6'0"   11st 11lbs £7.25M 
17     Afriyie Acquah              DM, M (C)             05/01/1992 (30)  Torino               42     2      5'10"  11st 0lbs  £1.2M  
18     Gideon Jung                 D (C), DM, M (C)      12/09/1994 (27)  Palermo              14     0      6'2"   12st 1lb   £2.5M  
19     Raphael Dwamena             AM (L), ST (C)        12/09/1995 (26)  Celtic               30     6      6'0"   12st 8lbs  £3.8M  
20     Dauda Mohammed              AM (C), ST (C)        18/02/1998 (24)  Anderlecht           13     3      6'0"   11st 11lbs £5.25M 
21     Majeed Waris                AM (L), ST (C)        19/09/1991 (30)  Pescara              63     13     5'8"   11st 4lbs  £1M    
22     Daniel Amoako               D (C)                 27/08/1998 (23)  FC Nordsjælland      5      0      5'10"  12st 3lbs  £425K  
23     Godfried Frimpong           AM (RL), ST (C)       21/04/1999 (23)  VVV                  2      0      6'0"   12st 6lbs  £1.2M  

POLAND

NO.    NAME                        POSITIONS             D.O.B. (AGE)     CLUB                 CAPS   GOALS  HEIGHT WEIGHT     VALUE
1      Wojciech Szczesny           GK                    18/04/1990 (32)  Juventus             73     0      6'5"   11st 11lbs £8M    
2      Adrian Iwanicki             D/WB (R)              24/03/1999 (23)  HSV                  25     0      5'7"   10st 9lbs  £11M   
3      Maciej Rybus                D/WB (L), M/AM (RL)   19/08/1989 (32)  Minnesota            67     2      5'8"   11st 2lbs  £165K  
4      Marcin Kaminski             D (C)                 15/01/1992 (30)  Ingolstadt           10     0      6'4"   13st 3lbs  £1.3M  
5      Grzegorz Krychowiak         D (C), DM, M (C)      29/01/1990 (32)  Valencia             78     4      6'1"   12st 12lbs £1.9M  
6      Karol Linetty               DM, M/AM (C)          02/02/1995 (27)  Sampdoria            53     4      5'9"   11st 6lbs  £19.5M 
7      Piotr Zielinski             M/AM (C)              20/05/1994 (28)  Udinese              63     11     5'11"  11st 13lbs £21M   
8      Rafal Wolski                M/AM (C)              10/11/1992 (29)  Lechia               25     3      5'11"  11st 0lbs  £1.1M  
9      Arkadiusz Milik             ST (C)                28/02/1994 (28)  Wolfsburg            76     35     6'1"   12st 3lbs  £21.5M 
10     Sebastian Szymanski         DM, M/AM (C)          10/05/1999 (23)  Hoffenheim           30     7      5'10"  9st 10lbs  £15.5M 
11     Marcin Kaczmarczyk          AM (L)                29/08/1998 (23)  Reading              5      0      5'9"   11st 0lbs  £6M    
12     Timothée Kolodziejczak      D (LC), WB (L)        01/10/1991 (30)  Ajaccio              39     0      6'1"   11st 11lbs £4.6M  
13     Bartlomiej Dragowski        GK                    19/08/1997 (24)  Fiorentina           0      0      6'3"   13st 12lbs £3.3M  
14     Dominik Reimann             GK                    18/06/1997 (24)  Frankfurt            0      0      6'1"   13st 0lbs  £1.4M  
15     Pawel Bochniewicz           D (C)                 30/01/1996 (26)  Dortmund             16     0      6'2"   13st 0lbs  £5.75M 
16     Krystian Bielik             D (C), DM             04/01/1998 (24)  Brighton             16     0      6'2"   12st 8lbs  £4.8M  
17     Robert Bartczak             M (R), AM (RLC)       12/03/1996 (26)  Legia                13     0      5'10"  10st 9lbs  £2M    
18     Konrad Handzlik             M/AM (C)              13/02/1998 (24)  Malmö FF             13     5      5'7"   10st 5lbs  £1.8M  
19     Mateusz Zyro                D (LC)                28/10/1998 (23)  Montpellier          10     1      6'0"   11st 0lbs  £1.4M  
20     Mariusz Stepinski           ST (C)                12/05/1995 (27)  Nantes               7      2      6'0"   11st 4lbs  £9.25M 
21     Kacper Przybylko            ST (C)                25/03/1993 (29)  Kaiserslautern       8      0      6'4"   13st 7lbs  £1.7M  
22     Pawel Olkowski              D/WB/M/AM (R)         13/02/1990 (32)  Luzern               32     1      6'0"   11st 9lbs  £300K  
23     David Kopacz                M/AM (LC)             29/05/1999 (23)  Jagiellonia          5      0      5'9"   10st 12lbs £825K  

 

GROUP H: England, Japan, Guinea-Bissau, Netherlands

Spoiler

ENGLAND

NO.    NAME                        POSITIONS             D.O.B. (AGE)     CLUB                 CAPS   GOALS  HEIGHT WEIGHT     VALUE
1      Jack Butland                GK                    10/03/1993 (29)  Stoke                25     0      6'5"   15st 1lb   £19.75M
2      Nathaniel Clyne             D (RL), WB (R)        05/04/1991 (31)  Liverpool            56     0      5'9"   10st 7lbs  £6.5M  
3      Josh Tymon                  D/M (L)               22/05/1999 (23)  Arsenal              5      0      5'9"   11st 2lbs  £17.5M 
4      Michael Keane               D (RC)                11/01/1993 (29)  Man City             44     1      6'1"   13st 3lbs  £25.5M 
5      Calum Chambers              D (RC)                20/01/1995 (27)  Everton              31     0      6'0"   11st 6lbs  £19.25M
6      John Stones                 D (RC)                28/05/1994 (28)  Man City             60     1      6'2"   12st 3lbs  £38.5M 
7      James Ward-Prowse           M/AM (RC)             01/11/1994 (27)  Tottenham            32     6      5'8"   10st 5lbs  £22.5M 
8      Dele Alli                   M/AM (C)              11/04/1996 (26)  Tottenham            76     7      6'1"   12st 1lb   £38.5M 
9      Harry Kane                  AM (C), ST (C)        28/07/1993 (28)  Tottenham            76     42     6'3"   13st 0lbs  £28.5M 
10     Callum Wilson               ST (C)                27/02/1992 (30)  Chelsea              45     18     5'11"  10st 7lbs  £14.5M 
11     Nathan Redmond              M/AM (RL), ST (C)     06/03/1994 (28)  Southampton          29     6      5'8"   11st 6lbs  £21M   
12     Raheem Sterling             M (RL), AM (RLC)      08/12/1994 (27)  Arsenal              41     4      5'7"   10st 12lbs £30M   
13     Freddie Woodman             GK                    04/03/1997 (25)  Everton              8      0      6'1"   11st 4lbs  £6.5M  
14     Jordan Henderson            DM, M (C)             17/06/1990 (31)  Liverpool            93     4      6'0"   10st 7lbs  £4.5M  
15     Eric Dier                   D (RC), DM, M (C)     15/01/1994 (28)  Tottenham            71     6      6'2"   13st 7lbs  £32.5M 
16     Lewis Cook                  DM, M (C)             03/02/1997 (25)  Bournemouth          12     2      5'9"   11st 2lbs  £22M   
17     Jordon Ibe                  M/AM (RL), ST (C)     08/12/1995 (26)  Bournemouth          7      0      5'9"   10st 12lbs £17M   
18     Jack Wilshere               DM, M/AM (C)          01/01/1992 (30)  Arsenal              81     13     5'9"   10st 3lbs  £12.75M
19     Brendan Galloway            D (LC), DM            17/03/1996 (26)  Man Utd              14     1      6'2"   14st 0lbs  £29.5M 
20     Marcus Rashford             M (C), ST (C)         31/10/1997 (24)  Man Utd              19     6      5'11"  11st 11lbs £35M   
21     Axel Tuanzebe               D (C)                 14/11/1997 (24)  Man Utd              6      0      6'0"   12st 6lbs  £29.5M 
22     Fraser Forster              GK                    17/03/1988 (34)  Southampton          12     0      6'7"   15st 8lbs  £1.2M  
23     Lawrence Warner             AM (RC), ST (C)       28/12/2000 (21)  Stoke                3      1      6'0"   12st 8lbs  £23M   

JAPAN

NO.    NAME                        POSITIONS             D.O.B. (AGE)     CLUB                 CAPS   GOALS  HEIGHT WEIGHT     VALUE
1      Shinobu Kodama              GK                    22/05/2001 (21)  Arsenal              55     0      6'4"   14st 4lbs  £4.2M  
3      Nao Ozawa                   D (L)                 07/09/2001 (20)  Urawa Reds           3      0      5'4"   9st 12lbs  £375K  
4      Hiroki Sakai                D (RC), WB (R)        12/04/1990 (32)  Oviedo               98     3      6'0"   11st 0lbs  £375K  
5      Motoki Kanai                D (C)                 14/01/2002 (20)  Frontale             7      0      5'8"   10st 12lbs £575K  
6      Takashi Usami               M (RL), AM (RLC)      06/05/1992 (30)  Burnley              100    22     5'10"  10st 12lbs £5.25M 
7      Seiji Mori                  M (R), AM (RL)        23/11/2000 (21)  PSG                  32     3      5'11"  12st 1lb   £11.25M
8      Yoshinori Mutô              M/AM (L), ST (C)      15/07/1992 (29)  Marseille            95     58     5'10"  11st 4lbs  £13.75M
9      Yûya Ôsako                  AM (C), ST (C)        18/05/1990 (32)  Lekhwiya             67     16     6'0"   11st 6lbs  £1.6M  
10     Takuma Asano                M/AM (L), ST (C)      10/11/1994 (27)  West Brom            31     7      5'8"   11st 6lbs  £5M    
11     Kazuyuki Yamashita          M (LC)                26/03/2000 (22)  Antlers              12     2      5'6"   10st 5lbs  £550K  
12     Takafumi Hagiwara           AM (L)                29/04/2001 (21)  Málaga               12     2      5'9"   10st 12lbs £3.3M  
13     Kazuo Mishima               GK                    22/05/2001 (21)  Ardija               3      0      6'0"   12st 3lbs  £475K  
14     Takumi Minamino             M (RL), AM (RLC)      16/01/1995 (27)  Stuttgart            59     6      5'9"   10st 5lbs  £14.5M 
15     Gôtoku Sakai                D/WB (RL)             14/03/1991 (31)  Everton              109    3      5'9"   11st 4lbs  £5.25M 
16     Shinji Kagawa               M (C), AM (LC)        17/03/1989 (33)  CSKA Moscow          160    38     5'9"   10st 7lbs  £1.3M  
17     Han Myong-Song              D (C)                 27/02/2001 (21)  Hannover             21     1      5'7"   10st 12lbs £2.4M  
18     Ryô Hirota                  D (C)                 14/12/2000 (21)  FC Tokyo             37     0      5'10"  12st 1lb   £950K  
19     Ryôta Morioka               M (C), AM (RC)        12/04/1991 (31)  Śląsk                25     0      5'11"  11st 0lbs  £125K  
20     Kôta Yamaguchi              D (C), DM, M (C)      27/06/2000 (21)  Frontale             14     0      6'3"   13st 7lbs  £1.6M  
21     Yûto Nagatomo               D/WB/M (RL)           12/09/1986 (35)  Barnsley             163    5      5'7"   10st 9lbs  £36.5K 
22     Shô Kiyama                  D (L)                 01/09/2002 (19)  Sanfrecce            1      0      5'3"   9st 8lbs   £180K  
23     Daiki Maeda                 DM, M (C)             18/03/2003 (19)  Urawa Reds           2      0      5'9"   11st 0lbs  £115K  

GUINEA-BISSAU

NO.    NAME                        POSITIONS             D.O.B. (AGE)     CLUB                 CAPS   GOALS  HEIGHT WEIGHT     VALUE
1      Edouard Mendy               GK                    01/03/1992 (30)  Stade Reims          27     0      6'6"   13st 7lbs  £205K  
2      Wilson Manafá               D/M (R), AM (RL)      23/07/1994 (27)  Santa Clara          28     0      5'8"   11st 0lbs  £120K  
3      Mamadu Candé                D (L)                 29/08/1990 (31)  Seongnam             50     1      5'11"  11st 13lbs £88K   
4      Sambinha                    D (C)                 23/09/1992 (29)  ACS Poli Timişoara   36     0      6'0"   12st 10lbs £675K  
5      João Ricciulli              D (C)                 10/10/1999 (22)  Tondela              3      0      6'4"   14st 0lbs  £12K   
6      Francisco Júnior            DM, M/AM (C)          18/01/1992 (30)  Strømsgodset         28     2      5'7"   10st 3lbs  £350K  
7      Ronaldo Vieira              DM, M (C)             10/08/1998 (23)  Leeds                8      2      5'9"   11st 2lbs  £4.9M  
8      Moreto Cassamá              M/AM (C)              16/02/1998 (24)  Başakşehir           15     4      5'5"   10st 3lbs  £1.7M  
9      Zé Turbo                    AM (RC), ST (C)       22/10/1996 (25)  Avellino             12     4      6'2"   13st 3lbs  £800K  
10     Valdu Té                    ST (C)                14/08/1997 (24)  Zagłębie Lubin       27     19     6'2"   12st 8lbs  £675K  
11     João Pedro Silva            AM (L), ST (C)        13/11/1996 (25)  Pampilhosa           7      10     6'1"   12st 10lbs £2.1K  
12     Mama Baldé                  D (R)                 06/11/1995 (26)  Celta                31     4      5'9"   10st 12lbs £2.8M  
13     Amadu Ca                    GK                    20/04/2002 (20)  Atlético Reguengos   0      0      5'8"   10st 7lbs  £1.9K  
14     Fabio Nhaga                 GK                    19/10/1999 (22)  Pombal               0      0      5'11"  11st 9lbs  £3.7K  
15     Carlos Embalo               M (L), AM (RL)        25/11/1994 (27)  Stade Reims          22     5      5'10"  11st 4lbs  £2.9M  
16     Cafú                        DM, M (C)             26/02/1993 (29)  Lorient              35     7      6'0"   13st 0lbs  £3.2M  
17     Romário Baró                DM, M (C)             25/01/2000 (22)  Portimonense         2      0      6'1"   12st 12lbs £250K  
18     Tiago Djaló                 D (C)                 09/04/2000 (22)  Santa Clara          1      0      6'2"   12st 6lbs  £43.5K 
19     Jaime Pinto                 M (L), AM (RL)        28/09/1997 (24)  Setúbal              9      1      5'6"   9st 8lbs   £16K   
20     Bubacar Djaló               DM, M (C)             02/02/1997 (25)  Apol. Limassol       2      0      6'2"   12st 10lbs £725K  
21     Baba Fernandes              D (C)                 07/03/2000 (22)  Marítimo             1      0      6'2"   12st 8lbs  £215K  
22     Al Hassan Lamin             M (L), AM (R), ST (C) 21/03/1999 (23)  Bandırmaspor         5      1      6'2"   12st 12lbs £675K  
23     Hélder Baldé                D (C)                 03/08/1998 (23)  Vilafranquense       0      0      6'4"   13st 5lbs  £425   

NETHERLANDS

NO.    NAME                        POSITIONS             D.O.B. (AGE)     CLUB                 CAPS   GOALS  HEIGHT WEIGHT     VALUE
1      Jeroen Zoet                 GK                    06/01/1991 (31)  Marseille            23     0      6'2"   13st 7lbs  £6M    
2      Giovanni Troupée            D/WB (R)              20/03/1998 (24)  Liverpool            16     0      6'0"   12st 6lbs  £24M   
3      Daley Sinkgraven            D/WB (L), M/AM (LC)   04/07/1995 (26)  Ajax                 39     4      5'10"  10st 3lbs  £13.5M 
4      Virgil van Dijk             D (C)                 08/07/1991 (30)  Real Madrid          64     2      6'4"   14st 4lbs  £11.25M
5      Jairo Riedewald             D (LC), DM, M (C)     09/09/1996 (25)  Man Utd              35     0      6'2"   12st 8lbs  £38.5M 
6      Riechedly Bazoer            DM, M (C)             12/10/1996 (25)  Wolfsburg            30     1      6'0"   11st 9lbs  £16.75M
7      Davy Klaassen               M/AM (C)              21/02/1993 (29)  Roma                 62     11     5'11"  11st 11lbs £17.25M
8      Kevin Strootman             DM, M (C)             13/02/1990 (32)  Roma                 78     6      6'1"   12st 1lb   £3.4M  
9      Memphis Depay               AM (L), ST (C)        13/02/1994 (28)  Man Utd              83     27     5'10"  12st 3lbs  £36.5M 
10     Wout Duindam                M/AM (C)              24/10/2000 (21)  Ajax                 21     4      6'0"   12st 3lbs  £23M   
11     Jay-Roy Grot                AM (R), ST (C)        13/03/1998 (24)  Beşiktaş             3      0      6'4"   13st 9lbs  £9.5M  
12     Stefan de Vrij              D (C)                 05/02/1992 (30)  Napoli               83     5      6'2"   11st 11lbs £12.5M 
13     Sergio Padt                 GK                    06/06/1990 (32)  AZ                   0      0      6'6"   13st 7lbs  £1.7M  
14     Maarten Paes                GK                    20/08/1999 (22)  Atlético             1      0      6'4"   13st 12lbs £1.1M  
15     Matthijs de Ligt            D (C), DM             12/08/1999 (22)  Juventus             9      0      6'3"   14st 9lbs  £28.5M 
16     Bruno Martins Indi          D (LC)                08/02/1992 (30)  Celtic               34     2      6'0"   12st 8lbs  £2.1M  
17     Jorrit Hendrix              D (C), DM, M (C)      06/02/1995 (27)  Tottenham            32     3      6'0"   11st 0lbs  £30.5M 
18     Justin Kluivert             M/AM (RL), ST (C)     05/05/1999 (23)  Ajax                 11     1      5'10"  10st 12lbs £10M   
19     Rick Karsdorp               D (R), DM, AM (C)     11/02/1995 (27)  Atlético             47     1      6'0"   12st 10lbs £10.25M
20     Jetro Willems               D/WB (L)              30/03/1994 (28)  Lyon                 36     0      5'7"   11st 4lbs  £6.75M 
21     Vincent Janssen             ST (C)                15/06/1994 (27)  Hoffenheim           16     10     5'11"  12st 6lbs  £11.5M 
22     Kaj Sierhuis                ST (C)                27/04/1998 (24)  Genoa                17     7      6'0"   12st 6lbs  £14.25M
23     Anwar El Ghazi              M (R), AM (RL)        03/05/1995 (27)  Marseille            22     3      6'2"   13st 12lbs £8.75M 

 

 

[CFuller]

***

 

The 22nd running of the FIFA World Cup - and the first to be hosted by a majority-Muslim country - was underway. On 10 June 2022, the Stade du Prince Moulay Abdallah in Rabat staged a lavish opening ceremony, followed by the first match between host nation Morocco and sleeping giants Argentina.

 

Argentina headed into a second consecutive World Cup without the now-retired Lionel Messi, though head coach Leonardo Madelón still had plenty of attacking talent at his disposal. Real Madrid's Mauro Icardi took just three minutes to get the tournament's first goal, prodding in a close-range rebound after Paulo Dybala's free-kick had crashed against the crossbar. That was followed 20 minutes later by a classy finish from Gonzalo Martínez - a left-winger who was little-known outside of Mexico (where he played for Tigres) and his homeland.

 

The boisterous home crowd did have a reason to celebrate in the 67th minute, when PSV forward Oussama Tannane pulled a goal back for Morocco. However, the Atlas Lions didn't quite have enough quality to snatch an equaliser, and so their opening fixture in Group A ended in a narrow but admirable 2-1 defeat.

 

The other two teams in Group A did battle a few hours later in Aït Melloul. Qatar - who had originally been awarded the right to host this tournament - played in their first ever World Cup finals match, but they were soundly beaten 4-0 by Sweden. The highlight was a classy first-half brace from Benfica striker John Guidetti, who could've completed a hat-trick after the break had his penalty not been saved by Qatari captain Mohammed Jasser.

 

It would still be a while before England formally entered the competition. Come 11 June, the Three Lions were roughly halfway through their preparations for their first match in Group H against Japan. With four days to go until they crossed swords with the Samurai Blue in Agadir, manager Mark Catterall was again leaving nothing to chance.

 

Catterall regarded Japan as a team full of quick, energetic players who were perhaps most effective out wide. That morning, at the England training ground in Salé, he and coach Tony Adams worked on the team's ground defence. As they saw it, staying calm and composed at the back would keep them firmly on track for an early victory.

 

Catterall would demand more concentration from his charges later that afternoon. They were in the analysis room for what the boss called "Movie Day", though a few of the younger players were gutted that they wouldn't be watching the newly-released Edgar Wright film "Baby Driver 2: Scott Pilgrim vs The Dead".

 

Holding a DVD case in his hand, Catterall addressed the squad. "Okay, lads, listen up. I want to show you all something. I'm gonna take you on a journey back in time."

 

Defender John Stones asked bemusedly, "What? You want to show us how to hoof t' ball up t'park like old England teams used to do?"

 

"Not quite, John," Catterall responded. "I'm gonna show you a video from the first time England played Japan. It was in the Umbro Cup at Wembley in 1995. This, lads, was when I made my England debut."

 

Technical coach David Platt - who captained the Three Lions in the aforementioned match - said, "Some of you kids weren't around when we were playing, so this should be an eye-opener for you."

 

The video clip began with the England and Japan squads lining up to be greeted by a very special guest. Raheem Sterling pointed at the television and asked, "Who's that old geezer, bruv?"

 

"That 'old geezer' is Sir Stanley Matthews," Catterall replied, with the air of an offended school headmaster. "He was one of the greatest players England has ever produced. Being from Blackpool, he was pretty much a God as far as me and my father were concerned."

 

Platt added, "That's the 'Wizard of the Dribble', alright. He was the 1940s and 1950s equivalent of Ryan Giggs..."

 

"Except he didn't go round shagging his brother's missus," assistant boss Michael Burke quipped.

 

"Maybe not, but he did divorce his wife after falling for another woman in Communist Czechoslovakia."

 

"Blimey. I can only imagine what the Daily Mail would write if that happened today."

 

The first half of the Umbro Cup match was a real struggle for England. Star striker Alan Shearer missed several great scoring opportunities, leading Burke to say, "I guess that explains why he's such a grumpy arsehole these days."

 

Catterall's Three Lions debut was also turning into a baptism of fire. The then-23-year-old Blackburn Rovers midfielder might have just won the Premier League, but he was showing obvious signs of nerves and missing a host of tackles. On one occasion, a Japanese midfielder skipped over a desperate two-footed lunge from Catterall while taking the ball past his man.

 

"Did you see that?" Eric Dier gasped. "He made a right mug out of you, gaffer!"

 

Callum Wilson asked, "Who was that Japanese fella? He looks amazing!"

 

Catterall sighed, "Shuto Hosaka. I couldn't get a hold on him in that first half. He was like nobody I'd ever played before up to that point."

 

"Hosaka? Where have I heard that name before?"

 

"He's now Japan's head coach, as it happens!"

 

Coach Warren Joyce added, "Yeah, I've been reading up on him, actually. He won 50 caps for Japan and was one of the top players in the J-League at his peak. Apparently, he was about to sign for Werder Bremen in 1996, but he was in a nasty car accident on his way to the airport. He broke his leg and that was his career over. Sad story."

 

Catterall said, "I honestly didn't know that, Warren. Jesus... it sounds like he could've become a top player in Germany."

 

Ater a tense first period, England finally broke the deadlock within three minutes of the restart. Tottenham Hotspur right-winger Darren Anderton linked up brilliantly with Shearer before unleashing a shot from just outside the Japanese area. The shot took a deflection off Samurai Blue defender Masami Ihara on its way into the net.

 

Dier laughed, "Bloody hell! I didn't know Anderton could play! I thought he just kept getting injured all the time!"

 

Ihara would soon make amends for his own goal. In the 62nd minute, striker Kazuyoshi Miura curled a corner delivery to the near post, where Ihara leapt up to flick it into the far end of the net. Japan were back level at 1-1.

 

"What was that?" Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere exclaimed. "Where the f***ing hell was our goalkeeper?"

 

Goalkeeper Jack Butland shook his head, "What was he doing, flapping at the ball like that? I'd like to have a word with that guy and ask him what he was thinking!"

 

A sheepish Tim Flowers murmured, "To be fair, that was an excellent corner," only to be drowned out by a chorus of laughs when the footage was replayed seconds later.

 

Japan even threatened to score again just moments later. National hero Miura - nicknamed 'King Kazu' - let fly with a left-footed shot that just glanced off the outside of Flowers' post.

 

Platt said, "That Miura fella is what you youngsters would probably call a 'legend'. He was still playing professional football in Japan up until he was 52 years old."

 

"I hope I'm still playing when I'm 32, let alone 52," Wilshere half-laughed.

 

Catterall would later be subbed off and replaced with Paul Gascoigne, prompting loud cheers from the current England squad. There would be more cheers when the game's decisive moment came three minutes from full-time.

 

After Platt flicked a close-range header against the crossbar, the ball rebounded to Liverpool defender John Scales, who half-volleyed a follow-up goalwards. Japanese captain Tetsuji Hashiratani deliberately palmed the ball away with his left hand, prompting the referee to bring out his red card and award England a penalty.

 

Platt then converted the penalty, stroking it past goalkeeper Kazuya Maekawa to secure a 2-1 win for the Three Lions. Observing his younger self's understated fist-pump celebration, the 2022 Platt said, "That was one of the happiest days of my career. I scored 27 goals for England, and that was up there with the best of them."

 

"It was a penalty, mate!" Sterling replied.

 

"Yes, but you don't get to score against a goalkeeper from Sanfreece Hiroshima every week. In fact, in some football computer games, it's nigh on impossible."

 

As the video stopped, Catterall asked the team, "So, lads... what did you think? What are you taking from that?"

 

"We learned that you weren't very good," Wilson quipped.

 

"It was my debut!" Catterall stressed. "Can you honestly say you weren't a bag of nerves when you first played for your country?"

 

"Point taken."

 

Stones added, "I think we also learned to be patient, and keep on going when you aren't having it easy. Japan were a good team then, and they're a right good team now. We've got to give our all against 'em."

 

"Exactly," Catterall smiled. "Just like in 1995, it's important that you get the round-robin off to a good start. It doesn't matter so much if you play brilliantly or if you play... like me, just as long as you get that win and take those three points."

 

Wilshere asked, "Can I ask a question, boss? What happened in the Umbro Cup? Did England go on and win it?"

 

Catterall answered, "Erm, no. We drew with Sweden, and then lost to Brazil in the decider, so we came 2nd. Brazil had won the World Cup the year before, so it was no disgrace to finish behind them.

 

"But I believe that this team can go a step further. If we win our group, we'll probably avoid Brazil in the next round, and then anything goes. So, lads... let's start as we mean to go on!"

[CFuller]

***

 

By the time England got to kick their first ball in anger at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the tournament was into its sixth day. There had already been a few shocks in Morocco thus far, leaving some of the established powers quaking in their boots.

 

Uruguay were the first big team to be scalped, losing their Group C opener 3-2 to Iraq. Just a couple of hours before that, Colombia had been held to a 1-1 draw in Group B by newcomers Cape Verde. Indeed, it wasn't a good opening week for South American nations, as Brazil were stunned by a late winner from Ghana's attacking midfielder Dauda Mohammed in their first match in Group G.

 

European champions Portugal needed an 80th-minute goal from Gonçalo Guedes to avoid what would've been an embarrassing draw against Cameroon in Group F. Pre-tournament favourites France had drawn their first match of this World Cup, as had 2014 winners Germany.

 

On 15 June, in the penultimate fixture from the first round of group matches, England hoped to avoid some early wobbles of their own. They opened Group H by taking on Japan at the Stade Communaule de Anza. Situated in the city of Agadir on the foot of the Atlas Mountains, the 41,700-capacity ground had been built specifically for this World Cup.

 

England boss Mark Catterall rated Japan as the team most likely to threaten the Three Lions and the Netherlands for qualification to the Last 16, so he didn't take any liberties with his line-up. Noting that the Samurai Blue were arguably weakest in midfield, he lined his team up in a 4-4-2 diamond.

 

Starting wing-backs Calum Chambers and Brendan Galloway were featuring in their maiden World Cup matches, with the left-sided Galloway making his tournament debut full-stop. Jordan Henderson captained the Three Lions once again, while vice-skipper Harry Kane was accompanied up front by Callum Wilson.

 

England went into this World Cup on a 12-match unbeaten run in all competitions. Despite being the AFC Asian Cup holders, Japan's recent form had not been so impressive. They had failed to score in warm-up friendlies against Russia, Germany and Italy, with their sole victory coming at home to Liechtenstein. Quite why the Samurai Blue considered those minnows to be suitable cannon fodder ahead of the World Cup remained a mystery.

 

Japan had a curious squad mix, with some vastly-experienced players in amongst some very young ones. Amongst the former were erstwhile Manchester United midfielder Shinji Kagawa - now of CSKA Moscow - and Everton wing-back Gôtoku Sakai. On the bench was 35-year-old defender Yûto Nagatomo, who'd bizarrely finished his club career at Barnsley in League One and would retire altogether once this tournament was over.

 

Flying the flag for the new generation of Japanese players was Arsenal's Shinobu Kodama - already rated as one of the world's most talented goalkeepers at barely 21 years old. There was a similarly youthful presence on the right wing in the rapid Seiji Mori. He'd been at Paris Saint-Germain for two years, but was strongly rumoured to be moving to Chelsea for £31million in the summer.

 

Japan's squad was literally the smallest at this World Cup, as they had selected 22 players instead of the maximum 23 - and only two goalkeepers. One spot had been kept vacant in tribute to a young J-League goalie who had passed away in tragic circumstances three months prior to the tournament, and his lucky squad number 2 was not used.

 

England and Japan had met three times before, with their first meeting coming at Wembley in the Umbro Cup in 1995. Catterall had made his Three Lions debut in that match, and one of the opposition players that day would face him again here. Japan head coach Shuto Hosaka recalled their previous encounter when the pair shook hands prior to kick-off.

 

"Ah, Catt-san, I remember you from a long time ago," Hosaka said. "Wembley was a great game. I hope this game is also entertaining."

 

Catterall smiled, "Yeah, I remember that as well. You made a right mug out of me that day, but now I'm gonna get my own back."

 

Catterall then bowed gracefully to Hosaka before returning to the England dugout, where assistant boss Michael Burke asked him bemusedly, "Did he just call you cat litter?"

 

"He was being respectful. San is a title in the Japanese language; it's a bit like Mr and Mrs are in English."

 

"Ah, I didn't know. That's fine, then."

 

England certainly showed Japan plenty of respect early on, and they almost took the lead within the opening minute. Kane's first-time ball set up an opportunity for Wilson, who turned past centre-half Ryô Hirota before unleashing a shot that was caught by Kodama.

 

Japan's first scoring opportunity arose a couple of minutes later. Galloway's nervy trip on Mori gave away a free-kick, which midfielder Kazuyuki Yamashita swung in from the right flank. Left-winger Takumi Minamino leapt above England keeper Jack Butland to flick a header that went inches off target.

 

England then found the net through a free-kick of their own in the fifth minute. James Ward-Prowse's delivery was headed on by Michael Keane to his Manchester City team-mate John Stones, who volleyed home what he thought was just his second England goal. The central defender was congratulated by all his outfield team-mates, but joy turned to despair when Senegalese referee Ibrahima Sane disallowed the goal for offside.

 

That call was perhaps still on the Three Lions' minds when Japan attacked them again shortly afterwards. Minamino had a couple more opportunities to give the East Asians a shock lead. The VfB Stuttgart forward's 8th-minute effort was deflected behind by Keane, while an excellent solo run three minutes ended with him firing well wide.

 

England's next chance fell to Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere in the 12th minute. After collecting the ball from Wilson, Wilshere dribbled through a large gap in the Japanese defence, only to see Gunners colleague Kodama push his shot behind. Ward-Prowse's inswinging corner was then met by a poor header from Tottenham Hotspur colleague Kane.

 

Butland made his first save for England in the 15th minute, catching Mori's free-kick after the in-demand 21-year-old had again been upended by Galloway. Seven minutes later, Kodama denied the Three Lions again, getting his gloves to a fierce drive from Kane.

 

Catterall was increasingly concerned to see Japan stretch play out wide as often as possible. Mori was proving to be a nightmare to contain for Galloway, who upended him again after 27 minutes. This time, Sane's patience had been stretched too far, and the Manchester United defender received England's first booking of the tournament.

 

Galloway showed a more positive aspect of his game in the 38th minute. He was involved in an exchange of passes with Ward-Prowse, whom he found running into the Samurai Blue's penalty area. The midfielder then drilled the ball into the six-yard box for Wilson, who was brought down by an excellent sliding tackle from Gôtoku Sakai. England argued for a penalty, but Sane ruled that the Japan captain had won the ball fairly.

 

Catterall could have had even more reason to be annoyed on 40 minutes. The very dangerous Mori lifted a cross to the far post, where only the side netting stopped Minamino from half-volleying in the opening goal. The Three Lions then had another chance to break the deadlock four minutes later, but Dier's ambitious strike was caught by Kodama.

 

As many in Agadir had perhaps suspected, Japan were not making life easy for England. Sane blew his half-time whistle with the scores still at 0-0, and Catterall was not at all impressed. He substituted Galloway at the break and instead gave Arsenal left-back Josh Tymon his first taste of senior tournament football.

 

The Three Lions continued where they left off, going on the offensive as soon as the second half began. In the 48th minute, Wilshere laid the ball low to Kane, who looped a disappointing shot wide from the 'D'.

 

Kane's fortunes didn't improve when he had another attempt ten minutes later. The 28-year-old got above Japan right-back Hiroki Sakai - no relation to Gôtoku - to meet Chambers' first-time cross with a header that passed Kodama's left-hand post. After a very disappointing season with Tottenham, it seemed that England's goalscorer-in-chief had taken his mediocre club form with him to Morocco.

 

Japan now appeared to be coasting to what would've been an admirable goalless draw for them. Even while the Three Lions were throwing everything at them, the Samurai Blue remained resilient and didn't appear to be as overwhelmed in midfield as Catterall hoped they would be.

 

Japanese fans' first real cause for concern came in the 66th minute, when Marseille striker Yoshinori Mutô suddenly pulled up with an apparent calf strain. He would swiftly be substituted in favour of the experienced Qatari-based frontman Yûya Ôsako.

 

It was at that stage when Catterall decided to make a bold tactical switch. He reverted to a 4-2-3-1 formation, and brought Nathan Redmond and Raheem Sterling on to provide more potent threats on the wings. Wilson and Dier were both substituted, with Kane left to lead the attack on his own.

 

Though Kodama made light work of a Wilshere free-kick in the 71st minute, the Gunners midfielder would get his own back just a minute later. After Stones intercepted a long punt from Kodama and flicked it back into the Japanese half, Wilshere took the ball and hoisted it up the left flank. Southampton winger Redmond raced past Hiroki Sakai to collect the searching ball and provide a delicious cross for Kane, which the striker gobbled up at the back post.

 

Japan's spirit had finally been broken. Barely a minute after giving England the lead with his 43rd international goal, Kane would effectively secure the points with his 44th. In doing so, he would equal the Three Lions goal haul of another Tottenham legend - the late Jimmy Greaves.

 

This second goal was rather more spectacular than the opener. Ward-Prowse passed to Redmond, who then squared it for Kane. The Londoner's powerful effort knocked Kodama off his balance as it rocketed into the net, and the Samurai Blue didn't know what had hit them.

 

Kane now had his sights on a World Cup hat-trick, which would've been the first by an England player in 36 years, since Gary Lineker put three goals past Poland in 1986. Wilshere set up a shot at history in the 77th minute, but Kodama palmed that attempt to his right. The Japanese goalkeeper then kept out three late efforts from Redmond, who was unlucky not to follow up his brace of assists with a goal of his own.

 

Nevertheless, two goals were enough for England to conquer Japan. The Three Lions had won their opening match at a World Cup - or indeed any major tournament - for the first time since 2006.

 

15 June 2022: FIFA World Cup Group H - at Stade Communaule de Anza, Agadir

England - 2 (Harry Kane 72,73)

Japan - 0

ENGLAND LINE-UP (4-4-2 Diamond): Jack Butland; Calum Chambers, Michael Keane, John Stones, Brendan Galloway (Josh Tymon); Jordan Henderson; James Ward-Prowse, Eric Dier (Raheem Sterling); Jack Wilshere; Callum Wilson (Nathan Redmond), Harry Kane. BOOKED: Galloway 27.

 

ITV had set up their broadcasting studio in Rabat, where presenter Mark Pougatch asked three former England icons for their thoughts on the Three Lions' maiden outing at this World Cup.

 

Former full-back Gary Neville - who had been assistant manager of Huddersfield Town since 2021 - said, "They say it's not about how you start, but how you finish. England have been slow off the mark at the last few tournaments, and you have to say this was another unconvincing opening performance, but I wouldn't be writing off this team just yet.

 

"Japan are a technical team who are very confident on the ball, but it was in the air where England really outplayed them in the end. Those Japanese centre-backs - Hirota and [Motoki] Kanai - were both under 6ft, so putting a big, strong centre-forward like Harry Kane up against them was always going to cause them problems. Kane won a lot of headers and got some wonderful, wonderful service from Calum Chambers at right-back."

 

Ex-striker Ian Wright argued, "Yeah, Gary, but it was Harry's feet what won us the match. I don't think we've had a world-class number 9 who can strike the ball so powerfully and accurately since Alan Shearer was around."

 

"You weren't too bad at that yourself, Wrighty," Pougatch pointed out.

 

Wright nodded, "True, but I wouldn't have got nowhere near the net with that second goal. You need unbelievable technique to hit Redmond's pass like that and beat Kodama - and I know from seeing him at Arsenal that Kodama ain't no slouch. There ain't many keepers around who could've stopped that shot. A brilliant finish from a brilliant player."

 

Pougatch asked, "Why do you think England took so long to get on the scoresheet?"

 

The reply came from another England striker who knew what it took to score at the highest level. Former women's international Eniola Aluko said, "I actually think Callum Wilson was hampering Harry Kane before Mark took him off. I got the feeling that the pair of them didn't really seem to know which one was the support striker and which one would lead from the front. You aren't going to have an effective strike partnership without that synergy.

 

"Kane is a complete forward who can lead the attack as the lone striker; that's why he's got so many goals for Tottenham over the years. But Kane needs space, and he needs service from out wide, which was where Son Heung-Min and Erik Lamela really helped him out when Spurs won the league in 2017. It wasn't until Wilson and Dier came off, and Redmond came on with Sterling, that Kane could do his own thing and get the support he needed."

 

Neville said, "That's an interesting point, Eni, and that is actually Mark Catterall's biggest problem at this moment in time. Harry Kane is a striker who works best on his own, but England as a team seem to play more coherently at the back and be more penetrating going forward when using the diamond.

 

"Obviously, Mark's tactical versatility is not a bad thing per se. Sooner or later, though, he's gonna have to decide between doing what's best for his star striker, and doing what's best for the collective. Being the socialist that he is, you have to think he'll favour the team when it comes to the crunch. That's why I don't think Harry Kane will be anywhere near as vital to England's hopes of winning the World Cup as a lot of people are making out."

 

England had made a tentative but victorious start to their World Cup campaign. Their main Group H rivals were much more convincing later that evening, as the Netherlands put four goals past Guinea-Bissau in Tétouan. Hoffenheim's Vincent Janssen found the net twice, with Wout Duindam and Jairo Riedewald also getting on the scoresheet against the helpless debutants.

 

The English and Dutch teams would duel in Fès five days later, with the victors being almost certain of qualifying for the knockout phase. It would be one of the most eagerly-awaited clashes at Morocco 2022 so far.

 

2022 FIFA World Cup Group Stage Results

GROUP A: Argentina 2-1 Morocco, Qatar 0-4 Sweden

GROUP B: Cape Verde 1-1 Colombia, Spain 4-1 Mexico

GROUP C: Uruguay 2-3 Iraq, Germany 2-2 Serbia

GROUP D: France 1-1 Croatia, South Korea 0-0 Chile

GROUP E: Austria 0-0 Egypt, Belgium 5-2 Greece

GROUP F: Italy 2-1 Jamaica, Cameroon 1-2 Portugal

GROUP G: United States 1-1 Poland, Brazil 0-1 Ghana

GROUP H: England 2-0 Japan, Guinea-Bissau 0-4 Netherlands

[CFuller]

***

 

After opening their 2022 FIFA World Cup campaign by beating Japan 2-0 in Agadir, England were back at their Salé training base the following morning. The team was understandably in high spirits, having taken a huge early stride towards reaching the knockout phase.

 

When the players arrived for training, playmaker Dele Alli asked manager Mark Catterall, "Hey, boss? Do you mind if we show you something?"

 

Catterall replied, "What is it, Dele? It ain't another of them TV adverts, is it?"

 

"No, no, nothing like that. Me and Eric [Dier] taught the lads a song and dance routine last night and we wanna show it to you."

 

Catterall nodded, "Alright. I can't see the harm."

 

Alli gave the nod to Dier, who called out, "Hey, lads! The boss will let us do the Agadir song!"

 

The 23 players then lined up in three lines in front of the coaches, before bursting into their rendition of "Agadoo" - the classic novelty song by 1980s pop group Black Lace.

 

"Ag-a-dir, dir, dir! Nathan Redmond to Harry!

Agadir, dir, dir! Our first Group Stage victory!

To the left, to the right; jump up and down, slide on your knees!

Come and play every night; sing with an England melody!"

 

The coaches applauded somewhat ironically, with assistant Michael Burke saying, "Well done, lads! I think that's, what, the third-best song ever put out by an England team."

 

David Platt said, "Personally, I would rank it as my fourth-best England team song - behind 'World In Motion' from 1990, 'Back Home' from 1970, and 'All The Way' from 1988."

 

"So you didn't really like it, then?" Dier asked. "It's only a bit of fun! Nothing serious!"

 

Warren Joyce replied, "Yeah, we know, Eric. Personally, that music's not my cup of tea, but I'm all for anything that boosts camaraderie."

 

"Kamara Derry?" Harry Kane asked. "What's that Chris Kamara fella got to do with a city in Ireland?"

 

"I'm talking about friendship, Harry. Brotherhood. Affinity. Fellowship. I'm sure David would share some other synonyms if we wanted him to... and even if we didn't."

 

Catterall said, "Yeah, I'm all for it too. But now we get back to work, because the Netherlands will provide an even greater test than Japan did.

 

"Any Dutch team that gets to a major tournament prides itself on having loads of players with great technique, versatility and attacking prowess. But I believe you lot can at least match them on all three counts, and also that you can beat them in other areas, as Warren will explain."

 

Joyce stated, "What we see in this team is determination. Hunger. Confidence. Most of you know what it takes to get to the business end of a major tournament. Those Dutch lads really lack experience on that front; there aren't many left from the side that came 3rd at the 2014 World Cup."

 

Catterall continued, "A few years ago, no England team would have looked forward to playing against Holland. Right now, I suspect the Netherlands aren't really looking forward to playing against us.

 

"When we take to the pitch on Wednesday, I want you to put them on the back foot right from the start. Don't give them any reason to get their tails up. You got that, lads?"

 

The players sounded their agreement, and Catterall said, "Now Mick will take you through today's schedule."

 

Burke said, "Right, lads. Last night was a bit tough on the legs, so we'll take things easier today. Those of you who played Japan will be having recovery sessions with David Fevre and James Haycock; those that didn't will do physical training with Chris Neville. We'll then have a match review at half past 10, and then you're free for the rest of the day."

 

Dier smiled, "An afternoon off! Great!"

 

"Believe me, you'll need it," Catterall said. "At this tournament, in this climate, you need to strike a healthy balance when it comes to fitness. That's why some of you who played against Japan won't be playing on Wednesday."

 

"Are you gonna give Jordon a chance on Wednesday?" asked Jordon Ibe.

 

"We'll see, Jordon. First, you need to prove to me that you're ready to start."

 

"Okay, boss," Ibe nodded. "Jordon's got this."

 

Catterall said, "Right then, lads. We'll leave you to it and see you in the analysis room a bit later."

 

A couple of hours later, in the analysis room, the England players and staff reviewed the previous night's match. While there were plenty of positives to take from the victory, there was also a valuable lesson to be learned.

 

Tactical coach Tony Adams asked the players, "Did you notice something, lads? Did you see how different we looked and played in the final quarter of the match, compared to earlier on?"

 

Raheem Sterling nodded, "We were too narrow to start with. We didn't really try to stretch Japan out, and that allowed them to sit back and restrict our space. When me and Nathan came on, that changed."

 

"Well spotted, Raheem," Catterall said. "When you try to grind down a compact team, what do you do? You look out wide and try to create some space. You know you're doing that right when they start to come to you and leave gaps, instead of you coming to them and just running into brick walls."

 

"Exactly, boss. But I don't understand why we used the diamond in the first place. We've got some top-quality forwards out wide, like me and Nathan and Jordon, so why won't you use our pace and creativity from the start?"

 

Dier said, "Raheem makes a good point, to be fair. And as well as that, Harry's always worked best as his own man up top. No offence to Callum or anyone else, but he don't need a strike partner getting in his way."

 

Kane agreed, "What he said, basically."

 

Catterall nodded, "Well, I'm never afraid to try a system before - and during - the World Cup, and it don't hurt to admit that it don't work anymore. At least we've found that out now, after our first group game, instead of on the flight back home after the Americans have knocked us out in the Last 16.

 

"But here's the thing, lads. This is what I think makes this England group so great. We are all still learning quickly from our mistakes, from the players to the coaching staff. Instead of resting on our laurels and assuming that everything's gonna be all hunky-dory, we're always thinking of ways to strive for better, to find a way to beat any team that's put in front of us.

 

"The team I'm seeing now is very different in mentality from the team I saw in Kazakhstan 15 months ago, and in Armenia 12 months ago. Back then, we were fuming with ourselves and criticising one another, but it's those bad experiences that make us even more determined to pull together and get things right the next time around.

 

"As the US Marine Corps motto goes, you 'improvise, adapt, and overcome'. Last night, we improvised by making the most of a situation we weren't prepared for. We adapted to that situation by switching to a different system. And we overcame our difficulties by finding a way through and getting the result we wanted."

 

Left-back Brendan Galloway suggested, "Or... you play like we do at Manchester United, and smash everyone to bits."

 

Catterall said, "That too. Anyway, I think we're gonna do away with the diamond moving forward. We need one clear focal point up front, along with a couple of inside-forwards who can join him in the attack. Gentlemen, England will be playing 4-3-f***ing-3."

 

The players almost unanimously agreed with this, though Jack Wilshere asked, "Are you doing that just 'cos it suits Harry best? I heard what Gary Neville said about this last night, and it looks like you're gonna play with one striker 'cos it suits one striker, not the whole team."

 

"Mark's making this switch for the whole team, Harry," Adams said. "Anyway, you shouldn't listen to them pundits who only work on telly 'cos they failed at coaching careers in Spain."

 

"Excuse me?" Phil Neville replied, in mock outrage. "Pot, kettle, black!"

 

Catterall said, "Yeah, as Tony was saying, every decision I make as a manager - and we make as a coaching staff - is done with all our players in mind. Harry might be our leading scorer and our vice-captain, but he is just one part of a well-oiled machine. There isn't a man whom I would have replaced with anyone else."

 

Alli hesitated before saying, "Erm, boss... I think we're missing someone really important."

 

"Yeah, we could have done with Luke Shaw, but you have to..."

 

Alli interrupted, "Nah, I ain't talking about Luke." He then signalled to some of his team-mates, "Take it away, lads," before they performed their take on another Black Lace song.

 

"Do, Do, Do! Nigel Reo-Coker!

Do, Do, Do! You should have called him up!"

 

Adams buried his head and sighed, "Oh, God! Nobody's ever gonna let me forget about Granada, are they?"

[CFuller]

***

 

With a population of a little over 1 million, the northern city of Fès was the second-largest city in Morocco. It was famous for its historic Moorish architecture, as well as for lending its name to the Fez headwear, which was popularised in Britain by the legendary comedian Tommy Cooper.

 

Five days after seeing off Japan in their 2022 FIFA World Cup opener, England arrived in Fès to take on the Netherlands in another high-stakes match. With both teams having won their Group H openers, the Last 16 would be on the horizon for whichever team could record back-to-back victories.

 

Before that match got underway, Japan and Guinea-Bissau battled it out in Safi for their first points of the campaign. Although Guinea-Bissau midfielder Moreto Cassamá had a 15th-minute penalty saved by Shinobu Kodama, the West Africans did take the lead 11 minutes later through Zé Turbo. They remained on course for a historic victory until eight minutes from time, when a stunning 30-yard piledriver by young Japanese defender Motoki Kanai secured a 1-1 draw.

 

That result meant that whoever won in Fès would automatically go through to the knockout phase, with one group match to spare. High drama was to be expected.

 

This match saw Mark Catterall meet the Netherlands for the first time since his very first match as England manager, which the Three Lions won 2-1 at Wembley in 2016. Harry Kane scored the winner on that occasion, and it came as no surprise that he would lead the line again here, especially after his brace against Japan. Southampton forward Nathan Redmond - who'd set up both those goals for Kane after coming off the bench - was rewarded with a start.

 

AFC Bournemouth duo Lewis Cook and Jordon Ibe made their first tournament appearances for England, at central midfield and right wing respectively. Dele Alli and Nathaniel Clyne returned to the starting line-up after sitting out the Japan game, while left-back Josh Tymon started in place of the disappointing Brendan Galloway.

 

Netherlands boss Danny Blind raised a few eyebrows when he dropped Vincent Janssen, despite the 28-year-old Hoffenheim striker claiming a brace in a 4-0 win over Guinea-Bissau. 24-year-old Jay-Roy Grot - who had scored 23 Süper Lig goals for Beşiktaş this season but had never found the net in a senior international - went up front in his place.

 

The Oranje had a strong Premier League presence in their starting XI. Left-back Jairo Riedewald and forward Memphis Depay were both multiple PL champions at Manchester United, while right-back Giovanni Troupée and midfielder Jorrit Hendrix turned out for Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur respectively. Ajax's cultured midfielder Wout Duindam - already a key player at the tender age of 21 - had a brief loan spell with Chelsea earlier in his career.

 

A formidable Dutch squad held no fears for England, who took the game to them almost immediately. Ibe won them a corner in the first minute, when his cross was deflected behind by Riedewald. Three Lions captain Jordan Henderson took the corner, but his hanging-ball delivery was cleared by Napoli defender Stefan de Vrij.

 

England launched their next attack in the fifth minute, with Ibe being utilised on the right wing again. The 26-year-old's cross found fellow Londoner Kane in the box. The Tottenham Hotspur striker then drew de Vrij and his central defensive partner Matthijs de Ligt towards him, leaving Alli open on the edge of the six-yard box. Once Kane drilled the ball to his long-time colleague, there was no doubt that Dele would bury the opener.

 

Alli's goal was just his eighth in an England senior international. Barely a minute later, he almost set up Kane for what would have been his 45th. Netherlands goalkeeper Jeroen Zoet fumbled a catch from Ibe's byline cross, allowing Alli to get to the ball and sidefoot it first-time to Kane. Unfortunately, the usually clinical Three Lions vice-captain couldn't cue a clean shot, and the ball skimmed inches past the far post.

 

Catterall's charges pushed forward again in the 12th minute. Clyne's cross into the penalty area was laid off by Alli to Henderson, who then found Redmond in a great position. Redmond's first-time strike slipped underneath the dive of Zoet, and England had already positioned themselves into a 2-0 lead.

 

A third goal for the Three Lions even looked to be on the cards after 15 minutes. Redmond unleashed an audacious effort after receiving a square ball from Kane, but his strike just drifted wide of the goal.

 

The Netherlands had their first scoring chance on 18 minutes. Marseille winger Anwar El Ghazi met Depay's outswinging corner with a close-range header, which was well caught by Jack Butland. The Stoke City goalkeeper saw off another set-piece in the 26th minute, catching de Vrij's header from a lofted Depay free-kick.

 

England had already come perilously close to going 3-0 up on 24 minutes, when Kane had a powerful drive tipped over the bar by Zoet. That save from the 31-year-old Dutch goalkeeper - who played alongside El Ghazi at Marseille - looked like being particularly significant when the Oranje struck back after an hour.

 

The Netherlands' star man Depay had a significant involvement in this attack, which saw him find Grot close to the England 'D'. Grot might not have found the net for the Oranje, but he showed great vision to knock the ball beyond Three Lions defender John Stones for Duindam to run onto. The young attacking midfielder then slipped it past Butland to cut England's lead down to 2-1.

 

The Oranje now had some momentum, and they almost had an equaliser after 37 minutes. Duindam played an excellent long searching ball to Depay in the penalty area, leaving some England fans fearful about what was to happen next. That was when Manchester City defender Michael Keane came to their rescue, pressuring the United attacker into scuffing a tame shot directly at Butland.

 

Butland made another comfortable catch for England in the 42nd minute, catching Troupée's angled attempt from El Ghazi's weighted ball. Two minutes before then, Zoet had brilliantly denied Alli the chance to give the Three Lions a 3-1 lead. As it was, they would still go into the second half narrowly ahead.

 

Catterall kept his starting line-up intact for the second half, but Blind did not. Duindam was surprisingly rested at half-time, with Manchester City striker Kaj Sierhuis coming on to partner Grot up front. Sierhuis had yet to play a competitive match for the Citizens and had instead spent the last six years out on loan, most recently turning out for Genoa in Serie A.

 

The Dutch might have adopted a more ambitious approach, but England quicky put them on the back foot in the second period. de Vrij had to throw himself in front of another powerful drive from Kane in the 48th minute. Three minutes later, an inch-perfect pass from Alli allowed Kane to get past de Ligt and have another attempt at goal, which Zoet pushed behind.

 

After 54 minutes, the Netherlands had an opportunity to equalise on the counter-attack. Depay tried his luck from distance, but his drive was comfortably claimed by an unflappable Butland. The England number 1 then watched El Ghazi power wide another ambitious strike moments later.

 

England then pushed forward again in the 55th minute, only for the Oranje to make a series of strong interceptions and keep them at bay. Redmond eventually managed to get a shot in from 20 yards, but it sailed over the bar.

 

Blind used up his two remaining substitutes within the next six minutes. Riedewald and captain Davy Klaassen were the men who exited the game in favour of Lyon full-back Jetro Willems and Wolfsburg midfielder Riechedly Bazoer.

 

Catterall didn't even make his first change for England until the 64th minute. Kane was given a rest, as Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford came on for his World Cup debut. Rashford didn't take long to set up a scoring chance for Alli via Redmond, but the enigmatic Tottenham midfielder skied his shot over.

 

The Three Lions had another opportunity to double their lead on 76 minutes, after Ibe had been obstructed by Willems. Henderson lifted the subsequent free-kick over the Dutch wall and sent it inches over the bar. That would be the 32-year-old Liverpool midfielder's last contribution before Eric Dier took his place for the closing stages.

 

The Oranje committed another potentially costly foul on tricky winger Ibe in the 80th minute, with Depay's poor challenge earning him a yellow card. Dier lifted the free-kick up to Alli, who miscued his header. That was followed by the final England substitution, as Catterall freshened up the defence by sending Brendan Galloway on for Keane.

 

Though 'Catts' was arguably content to settle for a 2-1 win, some of his players were not. With eight minutes remaining, Ibe was involved in a 'passing diamond' with Dier, Cook and Rashford. Once Willems slipped as he tried to intercept Rashford's final ball into the penalty area, Ibe had the freedom to slide his first international goal past the onrushing Zoet.

 

At 3-1 to England, the match was now effectively over. Redmond looked to hit the Oranje with a morale-crushing fourth goal on 85 minutes, but his free-kick was caught by Zoet. Dier sent another free-kick over the bar five minutes later, shortly after Grot had collected a second Dutch yellow card for tripping Stones.

 

A disappointing evening for the Netherlands ended with Troupée and Sierhuis each firing wide in injury time. England fans were most certainly not disappointed at the full-time whistle, as they could celebrate their team's swift progression to the World Cup Last 16.

 

20 June 2022: FIFA World Cup Group H - at Complexe Sportif de Fès, Fès

Netherlands - 1 (Wout Duindam 30)

England - 3 (Dele Alli 5, Nathan Redmond 12, Jordon Ibe 82)

ENGLAND LINE-UP (4-2-3-1): Jack Butland; Nathaniel Clyne, Michael Keane (Brendan Galloway), John Stones, Josh Tymon; Jordan Henderson (Eric Dier), Lewis Cook; Jordon Ibe, Dele Alli, Nathan Redmond; Harry Kane (Marcus Rashford).

 

In the BBC's cushy studio in Salford Quays, presenter Gary Lineker asked his three pundits, "So, fellas, England are straight through to the knockout rounds with time to spare. Dare we start to believe?"

 

Alan Shearer stated categorically, "No. I've not seen anything tonight that tells me this England squad can go all the way. Even against one of the weakest Dutch teams I can remember watching, England were far too sloppy in possession, and their defending for the Duindam goal... goodness me. If a Sunday League team was sliced open by a pass like the one Grot laid on for Duindam, I would be embarrassed."

 

Lineker lightly argued, "Why are you complaining about that one goal Holland scored when England got three? It's only the result that truly matters, isn't it?"

 

"Because we expected Holland to make a load of silly mistakes in defence. They had Troupée at right-back, for heaven's sake! But in terms of attacking quality, they were - apart from Belgium - the only half-decent side England had come up against since they lost to Germany in the Nations League a year ago. The defence was just not prepared for this challenge, and the fact they looked so uncomfortable makes me - as an England fan - very nervous about facing a team like Brazil in the next round."

 

Former Netherlands midfielder Ruud Gullit said, "To be completely honest, I was very impressed with Redmond tonight. His passing, his technique, his movement on the ball, his versatility... it's almost what you expect from a classic 'Totaalvoetbal' player. The way he found the space to take that pass from Henderson and stroke it under Zoet for the second England goal, that was beautiful.

 

"It pains me to say this as a Dutchman, but I do not think this Netherlands team has the quality to go far in this World Cup. We have not been past the second round at any tournament since 2014, and even if we do win against Japan, I don't feel confident we can beat anyone from Group G in the Last 16. We don't have a healthy blend of energy and experience that you need in a challenging team... but Mark Catterall and England have that just right. It would not surprise me if they were still in Morocco for the final week."

 

Lineker said, "So Catterall has got the Gullit seal of approval, but what does one former England manager make of the current boss? Steve McClaren, give us your assessment of tonight's game."

 

McClaren - who oversaw England's miserable UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying campaign before winning the 2009/2010 Eredivisie with FC Twente - said, "Yesh, I think Cattsh ish schetting up a very... what you call... successhful schide. Hendershon ish an exschellent schipper becaush he ish... er, vershatile, and he ishn't very shellfish either, as you shaw when he shet up Redmond - the inschide-forward from Schouthampton."

 

As Gullit tried to stifle a laugh while Shearer stared at McClaren in disapproval, Lineker politely pointed out, "Erm... Steve... you're talking double Dutch again."

 

The 61-year-old Yorkshireman groaned, "Oh, sch..." as the TV footage quickly cut to the BBC's classic test card, consisting of a girl playing 'noughts and crosses' with her clown doll.

 

England now had four days to prepare for their final Group H match, against Guinea-Bissau in Tangier. They would go into that game knowing that they would be heading safely into the Last 16, regardless of how badly they played. Only two other teams across the eight groups - Argentina in A, and Spain in B - had that luxury as well.

 

England would secure top spot with a solitary point against Los Djurtus, which would earn them an opening knockout tie against the Group G runners-up. World number 2-ranked Brazil sat in that position after an unconvincing start, but their group was still so tight that almost anything was possible in the final round.

 

One thing that could be said with confidence was that Catterall was likely to use this forthcoming match to rest his key men and blood some fringe players. He appreciated as much as many managers the importance of squad rotation in major tournaments.

 

2022 FIFA World Cup Group Stage Results

GROUP A: Morocco 1-0 Qatar, Sweden 1-2 Argentina

GROUP B: Mexico 1-1 Cape Verde, Colombia 1-2 Spain

GROUP C: Iraq 0-0 Germany, Serbia 2-2 Uruguay

GROUP D: Chile 0-3 France, Croatia 2-0 South Korea

GROUP E: Egypt 3-3 Belgium, Greece 2-1 Australia

GROUP F: Portugal 2-2 Italy, Jamaica 2-0 Cameroon

GROUP G: Ghana 1-3 United States, Poland 0-1 Brazil

GROUP H: Japan 1-1 Guinea-Bissau, Netherlands 1-3 England

[EvilDave]

Jay-Roy Grot must be one of the best names in football. Fantastic stuff.

This continues to be excellent, Chris, and the thought of it ending soon is saddening. Your match-writing is brilliant, but what I'm enjoying most about this is the characters - the development of main ones like Catts himself, but also the little caricatures of players/staff: Tim 'Who?' Flowers, The Jordan, Kane, Cahill in previous years and even Schteve just then. You can tell you're having fun writing it, and it's great to read. Now let's wind this up with a win!

[CFuller]

32 minutes ago, EvilDave said:

Jay-Roy Grot must be one of the best names in football. Fantastic stuff.

This continues to be excellent, Chris, and the thought of it ending soon is saddening. Your match-writing is brilliant, but what I'm enjoying most about this is the characters - the development of main ones like Catts himself, but also the little caricatures of players/staff: Tim 'Who?' Flowers, The Jordan, Kane, Cahill in previous years and even Schteve just then. You can tell you're having fun writing it, and it's great to read. Now let's wind this up with a win!

Jordon approves of this post, though Jordon is somewhat annoyed that you spelt Jordon's name wrong. If, indeed, you are talking about the right Jordon. 

The Tim Flowers caricature came about purely by accident. I was about two seasons in when I realised I'd written dialogue for all the big-name coaches, except Flowers. As Flowers enjoyed his best playing days in an era when he was completely overshadowed by David Seaman, I then thought to make a bit more of this 'forgotten man'.

There are times when I think in retrospect that the Cahill storyline got a bit outlandish, and even that I should have written it very differently, but I'm pleased to read that you enjoyed it.

[EvilDave]

5 minutes ago, CFuller said:

Jordon approves of this post, though Jordon is somewhat annoyed that you spelt Jordon's name wrong. If, indeed, you are talking about the right Jordon. 

Oops, my apologies to The Jordon! I'll accept that Cahill was a bit out there, but it was fun nonetheless. The fact that it still comes up in FA corridors of power from time to time gives it good staying power too. No need to second-guess yourself!

[CFuller]

***

 

"Are you sure you want to do this, Mark? Like, completely sure? Why don't you just let the authorities do their job and concentrate on yours?"

 

Ava Leggett was somewhat apprehensive about Mark Catterall's plans for the Tuesday afternoon that followed England's 3-1 win over the Netherlands. The pair were speaking at the team's base in Salé after that morning's training session.

 

Holding a brown briefcase, Catterall told the Football Association's communications director, "This has been playing on my mind for some time, Ava. I know that Clark Gregory's behind all this, and I promised myself that I'd give him a piece of my mind the next time I saw him."

 

The England manager had been informed that Gregory - the former chairman of the FA - was holidaying in nearby Rabat. Catterall now wanted to make the short journey from Salé and confront Gregory.

 

Leggett eventually agreed, though she warned Catterall, "If you're adamant that this is what you want, then be careful. Don't do or say anything that might jeopardise the police's inquiries."

 

"I won't, I promise. I just want to say my piece to Clark, and then I'll leave the dibble to it."

 

"Good... Angela Ruskin will give you what for when she gets here on Thursday."

 

Shortly afterwards, Catterall travelled to Rabat and located the hotel where Gregory was staying. He stepped inside and asked one of the receptionists, "Excuse me? Is there a Clark Gregory staying here please? I'm an old colleague of his and need to speak to him about something."

 

The woman replied, "Yes, he is, sir. Room number 38 on the second floor. Do you want me to tell him that you are coming?"

 

"No, thanks, you're alright."

 

Catterall headed up to the second floor and headed down the corridor, looking for room number 38. When he came across it, he knocked on the door three times. Behind the door, Gregory grumbled in his distinctive Derbyshire accent, "For Christ's sake, I didn't ask for room service!"

 

When Gregory opened the door and laid eyes on his former manager, he sighed, "Catterall."

 

"Gregory," Catterall replied sternly. "We need to talk."

 

Gregory reluctantly agreed, "Alright, then. Nancy's gone shopping, so it's just me here for another hour - or four."

 

Catterall entered the room and sat down at a table as Gregory asked, "You want some tea?"

 

After Catterall politely declined, Gregory said, "Great, 'cos neither do I. I've always been more of an alcohol man myself. Did you know how expensive it is in Morocco?"

 

"Just sit down, Clark," Catterall insisted.

 

Gregory let out another sigh before sitting at the table, opposite Catterall. He said, "I hear England are doing well at the World Cup. Two games, two wins - and not against pub teams like Scotland, either."

 

Catterall nodded, "Yeah, we are, but I'm not here to talk about that."

 

Catterall then placed his briefcase on the table, prompting Gregory to ask, "Mark? What the hell's going on?"

 

"Funnily enough, I'm about to ask you that same question - again, and again, and again."

 

Catterall opened his briefcase and then stared into Gregory's eyes, growling, "What I have here is years of evidence and testimony that you have not only deliberately tried to undermine my authority, but also committed some serious criminal acts."

 

Gregory chuckled and dismissed Catterall's claims, "That's just preposterous. Since when have I tried to undermine your authority?"

 

Catterall said, "Let's start with the Gary Cahill incident in 2018. He didn't become a communist for five months because of spiked vodka! It's just ridiculous to even think that! In fact, he was put under hypnosis."

 

Gregory shook his head. "How can you think I was involved? You know I never travelled to Russia during the World Cup!"

 

"That's not what Russian CCTV says," Catterall replied. He brought out a series of CCTV stills showing a man who resembled Gregory walking outside CSKA Moscow's headquarters while Cahill was negotiating his transfer to the Russian Premier League club.

 

Catterall continued, "In fact, while I was looking through this lead, I came across the National Hypnotherapy Society. Guess who one of their patrons is? Mr Kenneth Clark Gregory. Hardly a coincidence, is it?"

 

Gregory again insisted that he was not involved, but Catterall said, "You were worried that England were going to progress further in the World Cup, so you wouldn't have an excuse to fire me afterwards. Hypnotising Cahill was an attempt to jeopardise the team, but luckily for us, it only made him play even better. It was also lucky that we stumbled across the trigger word when he was unconscious in the physio room after drinking all that vodka, otherwise we might never have snapped him out of it!"

 

Gregory muttered, "Grzegorz Rasiak. I never thought anybody outside of Derby would say his name again."

 

"Well, it just so happened that me and Mick Burke were talking about the worst Premier League players in history while Cahill was out cold. Mick mentioned Rasiak's time at Tottenham Hotspur just before Gary came round."

 

Catterall then said, "Now let's talk about Russell Whiteman. You were behind my interview with him at St George's three years ago, weren't you? You wanted to use the most controversial sports journalist in the country to try and make me out to be this white supremacist bigot, so that the public would turn against me!"

 

Showing Gregory a bank statement, Catterall explained, "Christopher Whiteman was looking into his cousin's finances before and during his fake news trial. It says here that £10,000 was transferred into Russell's account on 29 August 2019 - the day before he interviewed me."

 

Gregory sighed, "Okay, I might have persuaded Russell to do the interview... but that was all! There was no malice behind the interview, I swear!"

 

"Was there no malice behind what happened to Ricardo Arce, though?" Catterall asked. "Three years ago, he was poisoned with arsenic before the 2030 World Cup was awarded to Spain. The Sun blamed it on 'Spanish flu'... but I suspect you as FA chairman would have done anything to persuade FIFA to give that World Cup to England instead."

 

"My conscience is clear, Mark," Gregory insisted. "That had absolutely nothing to do with me, and you won't find any evidence that says otherwise."

 

"And then last year, after Spain got Euro 2028 as well, he was strangled to death in his hotel room."

 

"Again, I wasn't involved in that at all. You know full well that it was some Ukrainian bloke who killed the bastard!"

 

Catterall nodded, "Dmytro Lyubov. He's the brother of Michael Love, from The Sun. You knew Lyubov quite well, didn't you? And Senor Arce?"

 

Catterall then brought out a photograph showing Gregory, Lyubov and Arce smiling and shaking hands at an event promoting Spain's bid to host Euro 2028. He then said, "Just a few days after that, one of those men killed another. That begs some questions. 1) What happened? 2) When were you elected to UEFA's Executive Committee? And 3) Ain't it fishy that a UEFA ExCo member is seen here promoting the Euro 2028 bid which won more votes than are usually available?"

 

"Bloody hell, Whiteman's son is a fine old detective, isn't he?" Gregory muttered. He then sighed, "Okay... this will take some explaining..."

 

Gregory explained that he had been elected to UEFA's Executive Committee in February 2021, about six months after leaving the FA. At around that time, he was approached by Lyubov - a Ukrainian multi-millionaire who was on the boardroom at Dynamo Kiev. Lyubov had offered financial support to Spain's bid to stage the 2028 European Championship, which was led by Arce, in return for backing Dynamo's bid to host the 2023 UEFA Champions League Final at their NSC Olympiyskyi stadium.

 

Arce would use Lyubov's financial muscle and Gregory's newly-gained power to "influence" - as Gregory put it - the Euro 2028 vote in Spain's favour. UEFA's executives had recently changed its rules to grant voting rights to all 17 of its board members, plus the heads of all 55 member associations, though any associations who were in the bidding process were excluded from voting. That clarified the increased number of votes on offer.

 

After the vote was concluded, however, Arce suddenly reneged on his promise to support Kiev's Champions League Final bid the following day, instead lending his backing to a rival bid from Berlin's Olympiastadion. This angered Lyubov, who followed Arce to his hotel room before strangling him to death on his bed.

 

Gregory resigned from the UEFA Exco the following month, citing "ill health". He told Catterall, "I was getting sick of working with those snakes who run European football."

 

"You're no better than they are," Catterall said. "But why did you do it?"

 

Gregory replied, "Mark... I needed the money. Nancy and I were almost bankrupt without the healthy salary I got from the FA, so when Lyubov offered me enough money to clear our debts and secure us a financial future in our retirement."

 

Catterall then put his evidence back in his briefcase as he said, "Okay, I think I've heard enough. And just so you know, I've been tipped off that the British police have been investigating your involvement in all these cases over recent weeks. Your hotel room has been bugged, and this interview is being recorded as evidence while we speak."

 

Gregory hissed, "F***!"

 

Catterall looked outside the window and saw a couple of Metropolitan Police officers standing outside. He said, "Ah, and it looks like the dibble are here to talk to you. Your chickens have come home to bloomin' roost, ain't they?"

 

Catterall grabbed his briefcase and headed for the door, though not before briefly turning back to say, "Have a nice day, Clark."

[CFuller]

***

 

The Group Stage of the 2022 FIFA World Cup was coming towards its end, and a few interesting stories had already developed.

 

Sadly, host nation Morocco would play no further part in their own party. They lost their decisive Group A match 1-0 against Sweden, who progressed courtesy of a 65th-minute goal from Manchester United's Alexander Isak. The Atlas Lions were only the second World Cup hosts to be eliminated in the first round, following South Africa in 2010.

 

Argentina and Spain had staked their claims for the trophy by winning all three of their group games, scoring 19 goals between them. Other superpowers had progressed rather less serenely, with France and Germany winning their groups despite only collecting five points apiece.

 

Defending champions Belgium's defence started with a 5-2 demolition of Greece, though they conceded the opening goal after just two minutes. The Red Devils' defence looked somewhat suspect again when sharing six goals with Egypt, but a narrow victory over Australia saw them through to the Last 16.

 

Awaiting Belgium in the knockout round would be Italy, who'd scraped through Group F in 2nd place. That group had surprisingly been won by Jamaica, who'd been inspired by some impressive performances from Bayer Leverkusen winger Leon Bailey. It was Bailey's penalty that secured a decisive 1-0 win over Portugal, thus bring about an early elimination for the European champions, who clearly missed Cristiano Ronaldo's presence.

 

Unlike their conquerors in the UEFA Euro 2020 Final, England were not at risk of being home before the proverbial postcards. The Three Lions had won their first two matches in Group H, which meant they could play their next game against Guinea-Bissau without fearing an early exit.

 

This final group match would take place at the Stade Ibn Batouta in Tangier. Located near the Strait of Gibraltar, where the Mediterranean Sea met the Atlantic Ocean, Tangier was the Morocco's third-largest city. It was also one of its oldest, having been founded in the 5th century BC.

 

Mark Catterall and his side were flown from their Salé base on the eve of the match. After spending the night at a hotel in Tangier and then having a morning training session at the training camp of local club Ittihad Riadi de Tanger, they boarded their team bus and headed for the stadium.

 

Catterall stepped onto the bus with a little more panache than usual. As he sat down beside assistant manager Michael Burke, he remarked, "It's a beautiful day, ain't it, Mick?"

 

"Well, someone's in tremendous spirits!" Burke smiled. "You didn't fly Jenny over and sneak her into the hotel, did you?"

 

"Oh no, when would we ever do that?" Catterall laughed. "It's amazing what getting some things off your chest and getting a couple of good nights' sleep can do for your mood, ain't it?"

 

"Catts, you're confusing me a fair bit. What 'things' are you talking about?"

 

"Forget about it. Let's just say that an old colleague of ours will be getting his just desserts when he returns home from his holiday."

 

"Unlike us, who are seeing just desert out of our windows right now," Burke remarked with some sarcasm. "At least the weather's a bit more tolerable."

 

Coach David Platt said, "27 degrees Celsius, they're saying. That's cooler than it was at our first two games, that's for sure."

 

Catterall said, "No surprise. We're pretty bloomin' close to the Med here, aren't we?"

 

Platt nodded, "We are indeed. I certainly don't envy the Netherlands and Japan right now, that's for sure. They'll be playing in 34-degree heat in Western Sahara, which some people say isn't even part of Morocco!"

 

Western Sahara was a territory south-west of Morocco that had been disputed by the Moroccan government and a movement of Sahrawi nationalists (now known as the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic) since the 1970s. There was even a 15-year-long armed conflict, which ended in a United Nations-sponsored ceasefire in 1991, though the dispute had not come close to being resolved in the three decades since. It was a huge understatement to say that the selection of Laâyoune - the territory's largest city - as a World Cup host venue was simply controversial.

 

Burke asked, "I still don't get that. Why the hell are they playing World Cup finals matches in Western Sahara in the first place?"

 

"Mick, this is FIFA we're talking about," Catterall said. "If they got their own way the first time round, we would be playing this World Cup in Qatar, the stadiums would only be half-built... and you and about four of our players would have died from heatstroke by now."

 

Platt said, "Speaking of that, Mick, you should probably think about stocking up on SPF 90 suncream. If we win our group, it could be something like 35 degrees in Casablanca for our first knockout game."

 

Burke muttered, "S****in' hell. At this rate, I'll end the World Cup either in an ashes urn or a drinking glass."

 

Some time later, the England bus arrived at the ground and pulled inside.

 

"Right, lads," Jack Wilshere said. "Showtime."

 

As the players and coaches disembarked from the coach, some looked around for their opponents' bus, of which there was no sign yet.

 

"Are we early, boss, or are the other lot a bit late?" Lawrence Warner asked Catterall.

 

"Don't you worry about that, Loz," Catterall said. "Concentrate on yourself and your team, not the opposition."

 

Burke then said, "He might have a point, to be fair. We've always arrived at our stadium an hour on the dot before kick-off. Japan arrived for our first game before we did, and Holland were the same for our second. Why aren't Guinea-Bissau here yet?"

 

"Maybe they got stuck in traffic," Wilshere suggested, before muttering, "I hope they're still stuck now."

 

Catterall then caught a glimpse of a garishly-coloured red-and-green coach, saying, "Ah, here they are."

 

The England team stopped as the coach turned in, parking just a few metres from them. Emblazoned on the side of the coach was a stylised 'djurtu' - otherwise known as an African hunting dog - breathing fire from its mouth. Beside the logo was the title "TEAM GB" in large, bold block capitals.

 

"Team GB?" Burke exclaimed. "Really?"

 

"If anything, they should be 'Equipe GB', being Portuguese speakers," Platt said.

 

"Forget that, just look at the size of that coach!" Marcus Rashford gasped. "It's massive! Even United don't get a coach like that!"

 

Burke asked Platt, "David... how big is Guinea-Bissau?"

 

"They've got a land area that's slightly smaller than Taiwan, and their population is about the same size as Essex," Platt claimed.

 

"Well, it looks like they've brought everyone over for the World Cup."

 

The Guinea-Bissau contingent was led off the coach by manager Baciro Candé. Immediately following him were his 23 players, all of whom were wearing expensive designer tracksuits and even more elaborate headphones.

 

England's AFC Bournemouth midfielder Lewis Cook spotted his former Leeds United team-mate Ronaldo Vieira stepping off the Bissau-Guinean coach and said, "Hey, it's Ronaldo!"

 

"Yeah, and I bet they've got [Lionel] Messi as a coach as well," Burke muttered, somewhat sarcastically.

 

Cook rushed over to Vieira, saying, "Ronaldo! Good luck tonight! I hope we have a good game." However, the Djurtus midfielder outright blanked his one-time colleague and followed his compatriots into the ground.

 

"That's a bit rude," Cook sulked as he rejoined the England contingent.

 

"This is the World Cup, not Friends Reunited," Catterall told him. "They're fully focussed on their game. We should be as well."

 

The players were followed off the bus by their coaches, medical staff and personal assistants. After them came a large troupe of cheerleaders, followed by various journalists, and even a couple of vloggers.

 

Veteran goalkeeper Fraser Forster said, "They've brought everyone along, ain't they? Who's next - Eric The Eel?"

 

"Eric 'The Eel' Moussambani was a swimmer from Equatorial Guinea, so I doubt it," Platt corrected him, before pointing at a big, sixty-something gentleman who'd just stepped off the coach. "But that there is the President of Guinea-Bissau - José Mário Vaz. He has been in office for eight years."

 

"They've taken their PRESIDENT on the team bus?!" Wilshere gasped. "Where's Jeremy Corbyn when we need him?"

 

Burke said of the Prime Minister's whereabouts, "He's in the Czech Republic, apparently. You know what, this is getting a bit silly! I'm half-expecting to see Clare Balding now!"

 

Sure enough, the BBC sports presenter was one of the last people off the Guinea-Bissau coach, accompanied by her wife Alice Arnold. That prompted Burke to roll his eyes and say. "Figures. She'll join any old Team GB bandwagon."

 

"Mick's right," Catterall growled. "This is just ridiculous! We should be in the dressing room by now, not gawking at the 400,000 people who are on the other team! LET'S GET A F***ING MOVE ON!"

[CFuller]

***

 

The pressure was off England's shoulders as they concluded the Group Stage of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Victories against Japan and the Netherlands meant they were already safely into the Last 16. Their final Group H fixture - against Guinea-Bissau - was simply about securing top spot.

 

The Three Lions would require just a single point at the Stade Ibn Batouta in Tangier to guarantee their progression as Group H winners. They would also finish top if the Netherlands - who were favourites to join them in the knockout stages - failed to beat Japan in Laâyoune.

 

England manager Mark Catterall decided to bench most of his biggest stars ahead of their Last 16 match, which would take place four days later. That meant players such as Jordan Henderson, Harry Kane and John Stones could simply sit back and watch proceedings unfold.

 

With Henderson rested, the England captaincy was passed on to Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Eric Dier. He was in a starting line-up that featured three tournament debutants - goalkeeper Freddie Woodman, centre-half Axel Tuanzebe, and striker Lawrence Warner.

 

Guinea-Bissau had come into their maiden World Cup with no expectations. Los Djurtus certainly didn't pull up any trees against the Netherlands, conceding four goals without reply. However, they then drew 1-1 with Japan in a match that they could - and perhaps should - have won. That left them with a slim chance of qualifying for the Last 16, provided that they defeated England handsomely and the Netherlands couldn't beat Japan.

 

This tiny West African nation had few top-level footballers to speak of. Arguably their best player was the 24-year-old Başakşehir midfielder Moreto Cassamá, but he missed this match through suspension after being booked in each of the opening two group games. Leeds United playmaker Ronaldo Vieira did return, having served a one-match ban of his own following a red card in that towelling against the Dutch.

 

It was Guinea-Bissau who had the first chance to strike after five minutes. Dier brought their young striker Al Hassan Lamin down to concede a free-kick about 30 yards from goal. Left-back Mamadu Candé - who was based at Seongnam in South Korea - lifted the set-piece over the England wall and onto the roof of Woodman's goal.

 

Three minutes later, the Three Lions showed their opponents how it was done. Guinea-Bissau right-back Mama Baldé upended James Ward-Prowse on the edge of the penalty area, and Ward-Prowse's midfield colleague Jack Wilshere stepped forward to take the free-kick. The Arsenal man could not have fired it any more emphatically past goalkeeper Edouard Mendy to break the deadlock.

 

Wilshere hoped to create another goal for England in the 13th minute. His square pass found Ward-Prowse, who dribbled goalwards before unleashing a shot that deflected off Bissau-Guinean captain Sambinha. The deflection took the ball into the penalty area and found Three Lions right-winger Raheem Sterling, whose cross was headed against the bar by Marcus Rashford before being cleared by Baba Fernandes.

 

Two minutes later, a Djurtus attack ended with Lamin being upended by Brendan Galloway, who was shown a yellow card by Uzbekistani referee Ravshan Irmatov. As that was the Manchester United defender's second booking of the tournament, he would miss England's Last 16 match through suspension.

 

In the 19th minute, though, the two youngest players in this England squad went close to giving them a 2-0 lead. Arsenal's 23-year-old left-back Josh Tymon quickly retook the ball after his throw-in was headed away by Guinea-Bissau forward Carlos Embalo. Tymon then crossed to the near post, where 21-year-old Liverpool striker Warner headed wide a great chance for his first competitive international goal.

 

The rest of the opening half-hour passed by without England going any closer to strengthening their position. Catterall remained calm in the dugout, though he and his coaches would be celebrating again come the 35th minute.

 

Wilshere again played a pivotal role in the Three Lions' second goal. His one-touch long ball out wide found right-back Calum Chambers, who then crossed deep towards the back post. On the other end of Chambers' delivery was Rashford, whose left-footed volley crept into the net with a little help from Mendy's outstretched right hand.

 

Less than a minute later, England could easily have gone 3-0 ahead. Dier nicked the ball off Vieira with an excellent tackle, and an exchange of passes between Warner and Wilshere followed before the up-and-coming striker pulled a disappointing shot wide.

 

Then came a potentially disastrous moment for the Three Lions in the 37th minute. Wilshere overexerted himself when trying to collect with a long clearance from Chambers, straining his thigh in the process. The 30-year-old's injury problems had resurfaced, and he would be substituted at half-time.

 

While Nathan Redmond took Wilshere's place in the England line-up for the second half, Catterall also made a change to his defence. As Galloway was now facing a suspension, he decided to rest his only other left-back Josh Tymon for the Last 16. Galloway moved over to the left side of the defence, with Michael Keane coming on to partner Tuanzebe in the centre.

 

England's defence had seldom been tested by Guinea-Bissau in the first period. Things were rather different after the restart. After 48 minutes, Guinea-Bissau's substitute striker João Pedro Silva - wearing just the initials 'JP' on the back of his shirt - cheekily backheeled a pass to fellow attacker Valdu Té, whose shot was blocked by Keane.

 

Four minutes later, the Three Lions went after a third goal. Captain Dier passed a free-kick short to Ward-Prowse, who then found Rashford on the edge of the box. The Manchester United striker turned 180 degrees before hooking a shot over the crossbar, wasting a great opportunity to secure his brace.

 

Rashford would soon be the victim of a cynical challenge from Baldé, who collected Guinea-Bissau's first yellow card. England's second came on 55 minutes, as Dier was cautioned for Los Djurtus' newly-introduced midfield destroyer Francisco Júnior.

 

Meanwhile, Warner was having a rather tough time on his first competitive start for England. Though the former Stoke City loanee brilliantly skinned Sambinha in the 59th minute, he then struck another poor shot, missing the target for what would be the third and final time.

 

Catterall did keep faith in Warner, even in the closing stages. When he brought Chelsea striker Callum Wilson on as a final substitute after 65 minutes, it was as a strike partner to the youngster rather than a replacement for him. Instead, it was Sterling who left the game prematurely.

 

Two minutes later, Ward-Prowse lifted a free-kick out right to Chambers. The Everton defender crossed to Dier, who then returned the ball to Ward-Prowse as he entered the Guinea-Bissau semi-circle. 'JWP' tried his luck, though he couldn't get the better of Mendy - a long-time backup goalkeeper at Ligue 1 newcomers Stade Reims.

 

Then, on 74 minutes, England's goalkeeper had a moment to forget. Woodman charged out of his area to claim a long free-kick from Embalo before Silva could head it home. The Everton man appeared to have it covered, but he coughed up the ball to Baldé, whose volleyed shot was deflected into an open net off Chambers' outstretched right leg.

 

Guinea-Bissau's players rejoiced, thinking that Chambers' own goal had halved their deficit to 2-1. What they hadn't counted on was that the referee's linesman had already raised his flag, ruling that Silva was offside when Baldé unleashed his shot. Much to the minnows' display, their 'goal' was disallowed, and England remained in a somewhat comfortable position.

 

England then looked to make certain of victory, which they would've done had Wilson's shooting been rather more accurate. A wayward strike on 75 minutes was followed nine minutes later by a tame header that was easily caught by Mendy.

 

On 87 minutes, a promising run from Rashford was halted by a careless challenge from Júnior. The Strømsgodset middleman - who'd made one League Cup appearance in four years at Everton earlier in his career - was shown a yellow card, but he had at least stifled a potentially decisive England attack.

 

The plucky underdogs - or under-Djurtus, in this case - then showed their bite in the final minute of normal time. When Silva knocked an excellent ball past Keane for Té to run onto, the 24-year-old Zagłębie Lubin striker fired in his 20th goal in 30 Guinea-Bissau caps. It was only a consolation as far as this virtual dead rubber was concerned, but his countrymen wildly celebrated it like a match-winner in the World Cup Final.

 

That late Guinea-Bissau goal tainted what was ultimately a fairly straightforward 2-1 victory for England. The Three Lions had won their opening three matches at a World Cup for the first time in exactly 40 years.

 

While England were comfortable winners of Group H, the Netherlands had only just scraped into 2nd place. The Oranje conceded a 4th-minute opener to Japan's Kôta Yamaguchi in Laâyoune, but strikes from Matthijs de Ligt and Memphis Depay earned them a 2-1 comeback win. The two European giants marched into the Last 16, while Japan and Guinea-Bissau would return home with a point apiece.

 

24 June 2022: FIFA World Cup Group H - at Stade Ibn Batouta, Tangier

Guinea-Bissau - 1 (Valdu Té 90)

England - 2 (Jack Wilshere 8, Marcus Rashford 35)

ENGLAND LINE-UP (4-2-3-1): Freddie Woodman; Calum Chambers, Axel Tuanzebe, Brendan Galloway, Josh Tymon (Michael Keane); Eric Dier, James Ward-Prowse; Raheem Sterling (Callum Wilson), Jack Wilshere, Marcus Rashford; Lawrence Warner. BOOKED: Galloway 15, Dier 55.

 

In the ITV studio, presenter Mark Pougatch asked his three panellists, "England have won their group, gents, but it was arguably another disappointing performance by their high standards. What do you make of their chances in the next round?"

 

Ian Wright said, "Ask me again later tonight, but right now, I'm feeling positive. We were through to the knockouts anyway, so this was a chance to give the big boys like Jordan Henderson and Harry Kane a rest, and to see what the other lads were all about. Young Loz Warner didn't really do himself justice tonight, let's be fair, but there were other players that I was impressed with.

 

"A lot of us were saying before the tournament that Marcus Rashford didn't deserve to be in the team. Y'know, he weren't playing enough for United, and when he was, José [Mourinho] was using him in midfield. But when you put Marcus out wide, he's a bundle of energy and a lethal finisher, which he showed for that second goal.

 

"Marcus gives us something a little different from Nathan [Redmond] out on that left-hand side. He's got flair, he's got natural scoring talent, he's got tremendous spirit. I'm a bit gutted he ain't become the world-beater we all thought he was gonna be five or six years ago, but he's still a very useful member of this England team."

 

Lee Dixon chimed in, "We have to mention Jack Wilshere as well, who dominated the midfield in the first half before he came off injured. England really lacked his creativity in the second half, and had they been up against a stronger and more experienced team than Guinea-Bissau, I'm not sure they would've held onto their lead.

 

"Tonight also showed how low on depth England are in defence. Galloway and Tuanzebe are not a centre-back partnership I'd be very confident in as an England fan if anything happens to Keane and Stones. They're both quick athletes, but they didn't have the aerial ability to deal with Té in the Guinea-Bissau attack. If they ever get put up against a big, quality centre-forward like [Romelu] Lukaku or [Arkadiusz] Milik or even that young Greek lad [Antonis] Sofianis, they could really struggle to keep them quiet."

 

Scotland manager Gordon Strachan added, "I didnae think much of that goalie either, toos be fair. Did Woodman grease his gloves before kick-off? Dropping that free-kick from Embolo..."

 

"I think you mean Embalo," Pougatch corrected him. "Breel Embolo plays for Switzerland."

 

"Aye, right. Anyways, that was just radge, and he was very lucky tae offside flag went up. And when Guinea-Bissau did score, he didnae look confident coming off his line to try and stop tae Té shot. I mean, we've had some pure shan goalies our side of tae border, but is Woodman really tae second-best yous English have got?"

 

Dixon said, "For me, the goalkeeping position is probably our weakest one. You'd imagine Jack Butland will be straight back in for the first knockout game, but now he'll be under real pressure to make sure he doesn't make any mistakes. One lapse in concentration could be all it takes to unravel all the hard work England have put in over the last six years under Mark Catterall."

 

England would discover their opening knockout phase opponents later that evening, when Group G came to a head. Awaiting them in the Last 16 would be the team which finished 2nd in that group.

 

Brazil went into the final batch of group games in 2nd place, but a 3-1 win over the United States saw them leapfrog the Americans into top spot. Indeed, the USA would miss out on the knockout phase altogether, as Poland had come from behind to beat Ghana - also by a 3-1 scoreline - and qualify instead.

 

Therefore, on 28 June, England would meet Poland in the World Cup Last 16. This would be a rematch of the teams' opening warm-up fixture back in March, which had ended in a 1-1 draw on a breezy evening in Warsaw. The climate was likely to be very different in Casablanca on a scorching summer afternoon, but another close contest looked to be on the cards.

 

2022 FIFA World Cup Group Stage Results & Tables

GROUP A: Qatar 0-5 Argentina, Sweden 1-0 Morocco

 

                                   P     W     D     L     F     A     GD    PTS
1.    Q     Argentina              3     3     0     0     9     2     7     9
2.    Q     Sweden                 3     2     0     1     6     2     4     6
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3.          Morocco                3     1     0     2     2     3     -1    3
4.          Qatar                  3     0     0     3     0     10    -10   0

 

GROUP B: Cape Verde 0-4 Spain, Colombia 1-2 Mexico

 

                                   P     W     D     L     F     A     GD    PTS
1.    Q     Spain                  3     3     0     0     10    2     8     9
2.    Q     Mexico                 3     1     1     1     4     6     -2    4
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3.          Cape Verde             3     0     2     1     2     6     -4    2
4.          Colombia               3     0     1     2     3     5     -2    1

 

GROUP C: Germany 2-1 Uruguay, Serbia 1-1 Iraq

 

                                   P     W     D     L     F     A     GD    PTS
1.    Q     Germany                3     1     2     0     4     3     1     5
2.    Q     Iraq                   3     1     2     0     4     3     1     5
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3.          Serbia                 3     0     3     0     5     5     0     3
4.          Uruguay                3     0     1     2     5     7     -2    1

 

GROUP D: Chile 1-1 Croatia, South Korea 1-1 France

 

                                   P     W     D     L     F     A     GD    PTS
1.    Q     France                 3     1     2     0     5     2     3     5
2.    Q     Croatia                3     1     2     0     4     2     2     5
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3.          South Korea            3     0     2     1     1     3     -2    2
4.          Chile                  3     0     2     1     1     4     -3    2

 

GROUP E: Belgium 2-1 Australia, Greece 2-1 Egypt

 

                                   P     W     D     L     F     A     GD    PTS
1.    Q     Belgium                3     2     1     0     10    6     4     7
2.    Q     Greece                 3     2     0     1     6     7     -1    6
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3.          Egypt                  3     0     2     1     4     5     -1    2
4.          Australia              3     0     1     2     2     4     -2    1

 

GROUP F: Cameroon 0-0 Italy, Portugal 0-1 Jamaica

 

                                   P     W     D     L     F     A     GD    PTS
1.    Q     Jamaica                3     2     0     1     4     2     2     6
2.    Q     Italy                  3     1     2     0     4     3     1     5
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3.          Portugal               3     1     1     1     4     4     0     4
4.          Cameroon               3     0     1     2     1     4     -3    1

 

GROUP G: Poland 3-1 Ghana, United States 1-3 Brazil

 

                                   P     W     D     L     F     A     GD    PTS
1.    Q     Brazil                 3     2     0     1     4     2     2     6
2.    Q     Poland                 3     1     1     1     4     3     1     4
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3.          United States          3     1     1     1     5     5     0     4
4.          Ghana                  3     1     0     2     3     6     -3    3

 

GROUP F: Guinea-Bissau 1-2 England, Netherlands 2-1 Japan

 

                                   P     W     D     L     F     A     GD    PTS
1.    Q     England                3     3     0     0     7     2     5     9
2.    Q     Netherlands            3     2     0     1     7     4     3     6
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3.          Japan                  3     0     1     2     2     5     -3    1
4.          Guinea-Bissau          3     0     1     2     2     7     -5    1

 

2022 FIFA World Cup Last 16 draw

Argentina (A1) vs Mexico (B2)

Spain (B1) vs Sweden (A2)

Croatia (C2) vs Germany (D1)

France (C1) vs Iraq (D2)

Belgium (E1) vs Italy (F2)

Jamaica (F1) vs Greece (E2)

Brazil (G1) vs Netherlands (H2)

Poland (G2) vs England (H1)

[CFuller]

Chapter 58 - Heating Up

 

The 2022 FIFA World Cup had reached the knockout stages. Though hosts Morocco were no longer in contention (and neither were any other African nations for that matter), 16 teams remained in the hunt to lift the trophy in Rabat's Stade du Prince Moulay Abdallah on 10 July.

 

By the end of the Group Stage, plenty of money had been staked on either Argentina or Spain ultimately claiming the spoils. Both teams had emerged from their groups with three wins from three, terrorising defences in the process. However, betting slips bearing either of their names would be ripped up across the world after two sensational matches on 25 June.

 

Argentina were expected to make simple work of Mexico in the first knockout game, especially when Paulo Dybala gave them the lead after just three minutes. The Albiceleste remained ahead until a farcical moment in the 75th minute, when Lucas Zelarrayán's Mexican free-kick was spilled by goalkeeper Gerónimo Rulli and then scuffed across the goal line by a shocking clearance from Miguel Benavídez.

 

Benavídez's own goal was devastating for Argentina. Two minutes later, Mexico's record scorer Javier Hernández dealt a cripping blow by beating Rulli at his near post. That earned El Tri a shock 2-1 win and sent them to a third World Cup Quarter Final - their first on foreign soil.

 

Another country that wasn't used to seeing its team in the latter stages of this tournament was Sweden. That all changed when Benfica striker John Guidetti's double secured the Blågult a 2-1 victory against an uncharacteristically wasteful Spain team.

 

After those two major giant-killings, some sense of normality returned the following day. Mind you, France made heavy weather of Iraq, only beating them with a solitary goal from Athletic Bilbao defender Aymeric Laporte. Germany then squandered a two-goal lead against Croatia before eventually triumphing 4-2 in extra-time.

 

Meanwhile, England made their way to Casablanca ahead of their opening knockout clash with Poland. The Three Lions checked into their hotel late in the afternoon of Monday 27 June, having travelled south-east for an hour following their morning training session in Salé.

 

As the backroom staff led the way, David Platt asked Catterall and Michael Burke, "Did you know that this city gave its name to an Oscar-winning film 80 years ago?"

 

Burke replied, "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn."

 

"No, Michael. You appear to be thinking of 'Gone With The Wind', which starred Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh. 'Casablanca', on the other hand..."

 

Catterall interrupted, "Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, blah, blah, blah! We weren't born yesterday, David!"

 

Burke then winced as he loosened his grip on his luggage carrier, hissing, "Jesus!"

 

"You alright there, Mick?" Catterall asked.

 

"It's nothing, Catts."

 

"Don't look like nothing. I know you as well as anyone else, but you've not looked yourself of late."

 

"Can we talk about this a bit later, mate?"

 

Catterall then approached the reception desk, where a young 20-something woman named Ghizlane - wearing a traditional Moroccan dress - greeted him in eloquent English, "Good afternoon, sir. You are Mark Catterall and the England team, yes?"

 

"Yes, we are. There's 40 of us."

 

"All your rooms are ready for you. Enjoy your stay... and good luck tomorrow."

 

"Thank you, er..." Burke replied, as he glanced at the receptionist's name tag and tried to prounce it, "Jizz-lane?"

 

That prompted a few sniggers amongst some of the younger England players, but Ghizlane smiled and said, "Jizz-lan, actually, but that is not a bad first attempt."

 

The FA's communications director Ava Leggett then pulled Catterall aside. She said, "Mark, I know you won't like this, but I think we need to talk. Things have been getting... rather heated back home."

 

"Things are already rather heated right here, don't you know?" Catterall remarked.

 

"Not like that," Leggett said. The pair then walked over towards a nearby café and sat at an outside table.

 

Leggett sighed as she began, "I don't know how to say this... but I think we might have problems getting you home safely once we're done here, whether it takes two days or two weeks."

 

"Ava, you're starting to stress me out here. Cut to the chase."

 

"Alright. The Attorney General has issued an arrest warrant for you."

 

Catterall was left open-mouthed. "WHAT? Why?"

 

"It seems like you've been designated as an 'enemy of the state'. It's got to be to do with all that business regarding you and Michael Love."

 

Catterall groaned, "For f***'s sake!"

 

"So, yeah. The police are already making plans to arrest you as soon as you touch down on British soil. Dexter Poyner is doing everything he can to try and diffuse the situation back in London, but right now... it's not looking good, Mark."

 

"So what? Have I gotta claim asylum in Morocco or summat? What about my family?"

 

FA chairwoman Angela Ruskin - who had arrived in Morocco a few days earlier - then came over to the table. Leggett turned to her and said, "Yeah, Angela... I've just been briefing Mark on everything that's going on back in England."

 

Ruskin shook her head and said, "I'm so sorry that you're having to go through this, Mark. But I think I have some information that may be of use to you."

 

Catterall nodded, "Go on..."

 

Ruskin sat down and continued, "As far as many of us are concerned, Juno Love is horribly misusing her authority as a Law Officer of the Crown. And between you and me - and Ava, of course - she is also a despicable woman who has a bigoted attitude towards the LGBT+ community."

 

She then pulled out her mobile phone. "My son Darren works with a number of transgender activists, and he says a couple of them have been abused by Juno Love on social media."

 

Ruskin showed her phone to Catterall, bringing up some screenshots of direct messages that Love had reputedly sent to Darren's colleagues on Twitter. One such message read, "You weren't born a man; what right do YOU have to say what us REAL WOMEN can and can't do?" Other messages were arguably even more vitriolic and perhaps not worth repeating.

 

Catterall recoiled in his seat. "Bloody hell. She's a nasty piece of work, ain't she?"

 

"This is sadly very common," Ruskin said. "A lot of hardline feminists have serious issues with accepting transgender women. Even one of those male sitcom writers has got involved in the whole debate."

 

"Yeah, Graham Linehan. I hear he's a transphobe now."

 

Leggett suggested, "I suppose someone could... leak those screenshots online for everyone to see what Juno is really like. Once it blows up, the Love family's reputation will be in ruins, and you'll be free to return home... hopefully."

 

Catterall hesitated, "I... I dunno about that, Ava. That don't sound too ethical to me."

 

Leggett exclaimed, "Oh, it don't sound too ethical, says the man who once gave vod... you know what? Forget I even said that!"

 

Leggett then walked away as Catterall threw his hands in exasperation. Ruskin reassured him, "We'll figure something out. Trust me."

 

Mark got up from his chair and immediately phoned his wife Jenny, telling her, "Jen, it's me. I don't want to alarm you, but..."

 

Back in England, Jenny's voice trembled as she answered, "Yeah, I know. The CPS... they want to arrest you. It's just come up on the news."

 

"Jen... I'm so sorry you had to hear it that way."

 

Jenny sobbed, "I'm scared, Mark! I've never been so scared in my life!"

 

"Yeah, I'm pretty shook up too. Believe me, I've not broken the law or nothing! Juno Love's just acting like a vindictive cow again, if you ask me!"

 

"I know you haven't done anything wrong! This isn't right at all! This is like what you were telling me months ago, about George Orwell and..."

 

Mark sighed, "Look... Angela, Dexter and the FA are doing everything they can to get this arrest warrant dropped. Until then, you need to stay strong for Luke and me. I'm just gonna keep on, keepin' on while this gets sorted out. How's that sound?"

 

Jenny wiped some tears from her eyes as she replied hoarsely, "Okay."

 

"Good. I'm sure it'll all work out fine eventually. I've gotta go now, but I'll talk to you again soon, alright?"

 

"Thanks, Mark. Please take care."

 

"Will do, love. Bye."

[Drogba11CFC]

I think that Juno Love might just have signed the government's death warrant.

[CFuller]

***

 

The England squad were enjoying some downtime at their Casablanca hotel on the evening before their Last 16 match against Poland. Manager Mark Catterall paid a visit to the games room to see how some of his players were getting on. He saw that Calum Chambers, Nathan Redmond, James Ward-Prowse and Freddie Woodman were playing eight-ball pool at one of the billiards table.

 

"You alright there, lads?" Catterall asked the quartet.

 

"We're good, thanks, boss," Ward-Prowse smiled. "Just playing some pool and having some drinks, and a bit of banter."

 

"I hope they aren't alcoholic drinks!"

 

"Nah, nah. It's orange juice."

 

Catterall nodded, "Good choice. So who's on what team, then?"

 

Redmond said, "Me and Wardy are on the yellow balls. Fred and Cal are on the red. They won the first game, but we're gonna get them this time, aren't we, Wardy?"

 

As Ward-Prowse miscued a shot and fired the last remaining yellow ball against the jaws of a pocket, Redmond sighed, "Or maybe not."

 

"Sorry, Nath," Ward-Prowse apologised. "Got a bit of yips there."

 

Catterall remarked, "At least you're getting some tension out before tomorrow."

 

Ward-Prowse nodded, "Yeah, I'm sure I'll be alright on the night."

 

Chambers then stepped up to pot an easy red ball as Woodman cheered him on, "Come on, Cal! Smash it in like we're gonna smash the f***ing Poles tomorrow!"

 

Chambers' shot was excellent, as the red ball rolled into the pocket, and the cue ball rebounded nicely to leave him with a simple-looking pot on the final red. The Everton right-back smiled, "Too easy."

 

"Don't get complacent, Cal. That's when mistakes happen."

 

However, Chambers would not make a mistake from the final pot. As his Everton colleague secured victory, Woodman cheered, "Get in, Cal!"

 

Ward-Prowse laughed and asked, "Best of five, lads?"

 

Redmond then walked over to Catterall and asked him, "How are you doing, boss? We've just heard what's going on back home."

 

"Yeah, it's not ideal, to put it lightly," Catterall half-smiled. "I hope the powers-that-be will see sense soon enough."

 

"What's happening to you, boss... it's just not on. Yeah, as a manager, you have some... how do you put it?"

 

"Quirks," Chambers offered up. "You're a bit quirky, gaffer, to be fair."

 

Redmond nodded, "Yeah, that's the word. Anyway, you might have your quirks and you might do things different from a lot of coaches, but we know you wouldn't break the law. And you've always shown faith in us and believed in us, so this'll only make us work harder to repay you."

 

"Cheers, Nathan; I really do appreciate that," Catterall said. "I think I'll head on out now, lads, so I guess I'll see you around. Have fun."

 

Catterall then headed out of the games room and walked to a nearby bar, where his assistant Michael Burke was sitting at a table reading a menu. He sat down and asked, "You want a drink, Mick?"

 

Burke shook his head and replied glumly, "Not for me, thanks. I'll only drop the glass anyway."

 

"What's that supposed to mean? And what's with the attitude? This ain't nothing like you."

 

Burke sighed, "I've... been meaning to get this off my chest for a while. Basically, Catts... I'm not a well man."

 

"Why? What's up?"

 

Burke explained, "A couple of months ago, I started getting all these aches in my muscles. I was hurting all the time. Jules thought it was arthritis, but I said that arthritis was for old folks, not for 50-year-old babies like me. And then I was finding it quite hard to grip onto things.

 

"Anyway, I went and spoke with my doctor. She gave me some tests, and a few weeks later, just before we left for the World Cup... the results came back."

 

Catterall asked, "What was it?"

 

Burke swallowed and struggled to hold back tears as he said, "MND. Motor neurone disease. It's incurable."

 

"Bloody hell, Mick," Catterall sighed. "I... I don't know what to say."

 

"The Americans call it ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease. I call it a death sentence. The doctor says I've got two to five years to live, maybe a bit longer if I'm really lucky."

 

Catterall said, "That's what Stephen Hawking had, wasn't it? He lived until he was 76, so you could still have a good innings, can't you?"

 

Wiping away more tears, Burke said, "Even if I lived that long, it wouldn't be a life worth living. As the disease progresses, I'll be paralysed... I might lose my speech... and find it hard to swallow solid food... and Jules will have to care for me full-time."

 

"Julia is a carer anyway, isn't she?"

 

Burke nodded, "But that's not the point, Mark. The point is... I'm gonna miss out on so many things. I won't live to see Charlie become a successful businesswoman, or see if Josh can actually make something of his life. I won't get to watch little Alice grow up. I doubt I'll even be alive for the next World Cup."

 

"Blimey. Talk about life giving you a kick in the balls."

 

Burke sighed, "So yeah... I guess that's my career over after the World Cup, then."

 

"It doesn't have to be that way, Mick," Catterall told him. "Let me tell you about one of the bravest men I ever knew."

 

Catterall typed on his phone before showing Burke a photograph of a bald man being wheeled across a pitch in a wheelchair. "His name was Klas Ingesson. I played against him a couple of times when he was at Sheffield Wednesday. On the pitch, he was a strong, athletic midfielder - a bit like me. Off the pitch, he couldn't have been a nicer bloke.

 

"Klas was diagnosed with terminal cancer when he was 40, but he wouldn't let it beat him. He became head coach at Elfsborg and led them to victory in the Swedish Cup in 2014. In fact, Klas continued to coach them until he died a few months later, aged 46."

 

"Wow," Burke gasped. "What an inspirational man he was."

 

"The point I'm trying to make is that you should never give up on yourself. I'm not giving up on you, that's for sure. We've been best friends for over 40 years, and just like our wives, we'll be together forever, 'til death do us part."

 

"That weren't the case with your first wife, to be fair."

 

"Oh, whatever! You know what I mean."

 

Burke started to raise a smile as he said, "Cheers, Catts. It's good to know you'll always be there for me."

 

Catterall nodded, "You're welcome. Have you told anyone else at the FA... about this?"

 

Burke shook his head. "Nobody else knows about this yet. Just you, Julia, and the docs. I'm gonna... keep it all under lock and key until we get back home. I don't want the lads to be worrying about little ol' me when they've got a trophy to play for."

 

"That's fine," Catterall said. He then put a hand on Burke's shoulder and added, "And don't worry; your secret's safe with me. Now, what drink do you want?"

 

"Nothing fancy, Catts. An orange squash will do me fine."

[CFuller]

***

 

The third day of Last 16 matches at the 2022 FIFA World Cup had thrown up goals aplenty. No fewer than 13 were scored across the two matches held in the afternoon and evening of 27 June.

 

First up was a battle between two of the tournament's underdogs. Jamaica had made it past the Group Stage of a World Cup for the very first time, but they would progress no further. Greece were in clinical form, defeating the Reggae Boyz 3-1 to reach a maiden Quarter Final against either Brazil or the Netherlands.

 

Then came an all-time World Cup classic in Aït Melloul, between reigning champions Belgium and four-time winners Italy. Vincenzo Montella's Azzurri got off to a very attacking start, going 2-0 up through Lorenzo Insigne and Roberto Gagliardini in the first 13 minutes. Belgium replied by drawing level within seven minutes, thanks to an own goal from Gianluca Mancini and an emphatic drive by Red Devils midfielder Radja Nainggolan.

 

Paris Saint-Germain's Federico Bernardeschi made it 3-2 to Italy after 34 minutes. Though 20-year-old Belgium striker Roel Mertens cancelled that out early in the second half, Bernardeschi would restore the Azzurri advantage with another strike. That looked like being the winner until ten minutes from time, when Belgian captain Eden Hazard struck a superb long-ranger that kept his Red Devils in the hunt.

 

The meeting went to 30 minutes of extra-time, but was decided in the second of them. A mistake by Dennis Praet diverted the ball into the Belgian penalty area, where Simone Zaza rushed forward to power it home. Italy had gone ahead for the fourth time in this match, and this time, a 5-4 lead proved to be enough. Belgium's reign as world champions had ended with a bang.

 

That latter match was of special interest to England. If they could defeat Poland in their Last 16 match in Casablanca the following afternoon, they would move forward to a Quarter Final meeting with the Azzurri in Marrakesh on 2 July.

 

England were now the only team left in the competition with a 100% record, following the demises of Argentina and Spain. The Three Lions were determined not to follow them in falling by the wayside.

 

England boss Mark Catterall went into this opening knockout match without first-choice left-back Brendan Galloway, who was serving a suspension. Jack Wilshere was also unlikely to feature after straining his thigh in the final group win over Guinea-Bissau, though the Arsenal midfielder passed a late fitness and could at least take his place on the bench.

 

Catterall restored many of the major names who'd sat out that dead rubber. Jack Butland, Nathaniel Clyne, Jordan Henderson, Dele Alli, Harry Kane - all five of them were back in the starting XI. Indeed, the only England players chosen to start back-to-back matches were three of their youngest squad members - Arsenal left-back Josh Tymon (23), and Manchester United centre-half Axel Tuanzebe and forward Marcus Rashford (both 24).

 

Unlike England, Poland's passage to the Last 16 had not been smooth. The Biało-czerwoni had drawn their Group G opener against the United States before losing 1-0 to Brazil. They then conceded an early goal to Ghana but fought back to win 3-1 and secure a 2nd-place finish.

 

The victory over Ghana was a Pyrrhic one as far as Sebastian Szymanski was concerned. The Hoffenheim midfielder - one of Poland's leading lights - had fractured some of his ribs during the first half of that fixture. He would therefore miss the meeting with England, and potentially the rest of the tournament. Considering that Szymanski had scored the Poles' equaliser when they drew with the Three Lions in Warsaw in March, his absence would be keenly felt.

 

Of course, Poland did have plenty of quality elsewhere. Captain Grzegorz Krychowiak was a tireless ball-winning midfielder at Valencia who'd been greatly underappreciated during his two-and-a-half years with Manchester City. Other players with previous Premier League experience included the erstwhile Newcastle United striker Arkadiusz Milik - now at Wolfsburg - and Juventus' ex-Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny.

 

Another Polish player who was familiar to English supporters was Brighton & Hove Albion centre-half Krystian Bielik. He gifted England a scoring chance in the first minute, when his long ball to right-back Pawel Olkowski was cut out. Rashford took the ball and dribbled upfield before finding Kane, whose drive was turned behind by Szczesny.

 

That shot won England the first of several early corners, but captain Henderson was largely wasteful with them. Poland also accumulated a couple of corners from counter-attacks, though they didn't get a proper shot at goal until the 10th minute. Attacking midfielder Robert Bartczak squared the ball to colleague David Kopacz, whose first-time through-ball to the deeper-lying Karol Linetty was fired straight into Butland's hands.

 

In the 12th minute, Henderson saw another poor corner intercepted - this time by Krychowiak. Henderson's frustrations would boil over two minutes later, when he brought Kaiserslautern midfielder Kacper Przybylko to ground close to the England goal. He duly received a yellow card from Singaporean referee Ram Rattan Joosten.

 

Catterall was concerned enough to have one of his central midfielders in the ref's notebook. The other would also have his name taken on 18 minutes, after Lewis Cook tripped Kopacz. That yellow card had been shown shortly after Poland had seen another scoring opportunity slip away, with Butland parrying Milik's volley from an Olkowski cross.

 

The Three Lions were now really beginning to ride their luck. Henderson narrowly avoided being booked again when he fouled Linetty on the edge of the England box after 20 minutes. Former Leeds United left-back Maciej Rybus - now playing for Minnesota United in Major League Soccer - took the Biało-czerwoni's free-kick, powering it over the bar.

 

England attacked again on 22 minutes, only for Rashford to follow up a promising mazy run with a poorly-struck shot. Right-back Nathaniel Clyne would also miss the target in the 31st minute - four minutes after Milik had again come close to putting Poland's noses in front. Szczesny then had to save Cook's 32nd-minute drive from a Rashford cross that had deflected heavily off Bielik.

 

Rashford's runs inside were causing problems for Poland's more defensive players. Olkowski and Krychowiak were each booked in the 32nd and 38th minutes for upending the Manchester United attacker. Consequently, Krychowiak would be banned from the Quarter Final if his country did progress. Meanwhile, the Biało-czerwoni had a couple more scoring chances, with Milik and centre-half Mateusz Zyro each flicking headers narrowly off target.

 

The first half would finish goalless, after late misses from England's Tuanzebe and Poland's Linetty. Polish coach Jacek Magiera was happy to bring the same team out for the second half, but Catterall did make one change to the Three Lions' line-up. He did not want to risk his captain being sent off and being suspended from a potential last-eight meeting with Italy, so Henderson was substituted for Eric Dier, and Kane took over as captain.

 

Two minutes into the second period, Henderson's absence would be questioned by some of England's supporters. An excellent passing move by Poland resulted in Bartczak picking out Milik, who dribbled through a wide channel between Stones and Tymon. The 28-year-old then smashed an unstoppable shot into Butland's top-right corner, sending the Polish fans into raptures.

 

Poland had not beaten England in a senior football international for close to half a century. They were now 1-0 ahead, and seemingly on the verge of eliminating the Three Lions from the World Cup.

 

Catterall barked orders at his players, instructing them to give themselves more options in attack. A promising move in the 49th minute was ended by Linetty's needless trip on Cook. Sampdoria midfielder Linetty was the third Pole to receive a yellow card from Joosten.

 

Two minutes later, England found themselves in defensive disarray after failing to clear Kopacz' free-kick out of their box. Poland could have taken advantage when Milik squared the ball to Zyro in the centre of the area. 23-year-old Marseille defender Zyro had scored just once in 13 previous senior internationals, but this opportunity to secure a second goal was fired directly at Butland.

 

In the 53rd minute, Milik was brought down by a firm tackle from Tuanzebe on the edge of England's penalty area. Milik gashed his leg in the challenge and would be substituted five minutes later, with Udinese's one-time Manchester United midfielder Piotr Zielinski taking his place.

 

Magiera made another change to the Polish line-up after 63 minutes. Krychowiak passed the captain's armband to Linetty and made way for Nantes forward Mariusz Stepinski. A minute later, England skipper Kane latched onto a weighted ball from Alli and tried to half-volley it towards goal. He was denied by Szczesny's excellent diving catch.

 

Poland attacked again on 66 minutes, with Jordon Ibe deflecting a Rybus free-kick behind after Tymon had upended Przybylko. Before Zielinski could take the resulting corner kick, Ibe headed off the field to be replaced with Tottenham Hotspur midfielder James Ward-Prowse. With the Three Lions' World Cup survival on the line, Catterall was reverting to a 4-4-2 diamond.

 

When play resumed, Bielik scurried after Zielinski's delivery and outjumped Kane to flick it towards goal. Butland had to do well to keep it out, and he did that with a strong catch.

 

The Three Lions countered in the 68th minute. Rashford jinked past Linetty before playing in Alli, whose first-time pass found Kane in the Poland 'D'. Kane's vicious drive was then pushed away by Szczesny. The Tottenham striker was clearly having one of his less prolific afternoons, as he sent another attempt over the bar four minutes later.

 

England's next chance - in the 74th minute - arose after Kopacz barged into Ward-Prowse, who lifted the subsequent free-kick into the Poland box. Stones got to the delivery before Poland's final substitute - Ingolstadt defender Marcin Kaminski - and nodded it across the area to his own central defensive partner Tuanzebe. The inexperienced Mancunian struck the ball on the volley, and it passed Szczesny before deflecting into the net off the post.

 

Tuanzebe's first senior international goal had drawn England level at a crucial time, and the Three Lions were soon looking to pull themselves ahead. After 79 minutes, Rashford searched out Kane with a through-ball into the penalty area. The England fans held their collective breaths as the skipper tried to cut the ball home from a tight angle, only for Szczesny to stand his ground and palm it away. A mini-scramble then ensued before Olkowski cleared the danger.

 

Catterall made his final substitution in the 81st minute, as Callum Wilson replaced Rashford up front. The Chelsea striker almost immediately set up a chance for Alli, but the Tottenham midfielder's drive swerved miles off target.

 

Poland's last opportunity to grab a late winner was an ambitious 83rd-minute strike from Stepinski, which Butland caught easily. Szczesny also defended his goal brilliantly in the closing stages, catching a Wilson half-volley after 84 minutes and a long-range strike from Kane after 89.

 

Wilson missed England's final attempt in the opening seconds of injury time. About three minutes later, Joosten blew his full-time whistle. At one goal apiece, extra-time was beckoning.

[CFuller]

***

 

The temperature in Casablanca had barely gone down by a few degrees, and after 90 minutes of fierce football, the England and Poland teams both looked sapped of energy. With the scores level at 1-1, and another half-hour to be played, this FIFA World Cup Last 16 match had turned into a real survival of the fittest.

 

Just like when England were facing extra-time the UEFA Euro 2020 Semi Final against Denmark, manager Mark Catterall was uncertain about the rules regarding additional substitutions. He sought the expertise of someone who knew FIFA's guidelines like the backs of his hands.

 

Catterall's technical coach David Platt confirmed, "No, you can't bring on a fourth substitute."

 

"I thought as much," Catterall grumbled. "Those FIFA slouches don't even bother with VAR, so why would you expect them to bring this rule change in?"

 

He then got up from his dugout bench to tell his players, "Alright, lads. No need to panic. We've been here twice before, so I'm sure we can cope with playing for another half-hour."

 

Captain Jordan Henderson - who'd been substituted at half-time - rallied the troops by adding, "And make sure it ain't our last half-hour! Thousands of our fans have come over here to support us, and we ain't gonna let 'em down, are we?"

 

Catterall agreed with his skipper. "No, we're not, Hendo. It might be scorching, but so long as we keep your heads and stay hydrated, we can still come out of this with a win!

 

"Right now, you've got to pick your moments wisely. That means waiting for the right time to exploit any gaps Poland leave in defence. Try not to waste any energy; you'll need it at the very end."

 

There was very much a tentative feel to these additional 30 minutes. Two decades might have passed since extra-time at a World Cup was last played on a sudden-death basis, but neither team was particularly willing to concede another goal.

 

England showed some ambition, though only in spurts. In the 94th minute, Eric Dier's pass was played through a crowded Polish defence by Eric Dier to Dele Alli. Tottenham Hotspur's attacking midfielder tried to weave his way through to the area, but eventually rushed into a shot that bounced some way wide.

 

Alli was involved in another promising attack three minutes later. Despite coming under pressure from Poland midfielders Piotr Zielinski and Karol Linetty after receiving a pass from Dier, Alli cheekily backheeled it to Three Lions captain Harry Kane in the 'D'. Kane turned sharply before curling in a shot that Polish keeper Wojciech Szczesny had to stretch out to catch.

 

Kane would be left frustrated again in the 100th minute. He got to another excellent weighted pass from club-mate Alli, but Biało-czerwoni defender Marcin Kaminski forced him into shooting from a tight angle. Szczesny pushed the shot away for Kaminski to clear.

 

A busy period for Szczesny ended in the 101st minute, with the Juventus goalie catching an audacious drive from Dier. Though his team-mates hadn't come remotely close to testing opposite number Jack Butland in the England goal, he'd still kept the scoreline at 1-1 going into the final 15-minute period.

 

Both teams were even more period in this second extra half, playing the game as if they were simply waiting for a penalty shoot-out. Things didn't liven up again until the 116th minute, when Linetty gave England a free-kick for pulling on Kane's shirt. James Ward-Prowse dispatched it goalwards, but Szczesny was once again in a great position to make a catch.

 

Two minutes later, Poland produced something that barely resembled an attack. Zielinski drilled the ball across the middle of England's half to Stepinski, who tried to smash the ball past Butland from about 35 yards out. Suffice to say, the Nantes striker never got close.

 

About a minute later, Stepinski had a long pass intercepted by England midfielder Lewis Cook, whose header started a counter-attack from the Three Lions. Both teams were now close to exhaustion, but England's substitute striker Callum Wilson - perhaps the freshest of the 22 men on the field - used his pace to latch onto an excellent direct ball from Ward-Prowse. The Chelsea man viciously struck his shot against the woodwork before Kaminski hacked the rebound into touch.

 

England had blown their biggest chance to win the game. Worse could have come in the final few seconds, when Dier cynically tripped Linetty about 20 yards from the Three Lions' goal. Dier was shown a yellow card, which was his second of the tournament. If England did make it through to the Quarter Finals, he would play no part in their encounter with Italy.

 

Now it was Poland who found themselves tantalisingly close to victory. Left-back and free-kick specialist Maciej Rybus lifted his set-piece over the English wall, but Butland heroically palmed it over his crossbar. England then saw off the subsequent corner - also taken by Rybus - to keep the final scoreline at 1-1.

 

England were now heading into their fourth shoot-out at a FIFA World Cup. After heart-breaking defeats to West Germany in 1990, Argentina in 1998, and Portugal in 2006, would their fortunes from 12 yards improve against Poland in 2022?

 

England's captain Kane bravely stepped forward to take their first penalty, which sent Szczesny the wrong way and got the Three Lions off to a strong start. Poland would also get off the mark at the first attempt, as Zielinski's attempt was too powerful for Butland to get to.

 

The second England penalty was rather less straightforward. Alli powered it down the middle, and though Szczesny did get a finger or two to the ball, he couldn't quite keep it out. Even so, it was too close for comfort as far as many Three Lions fans were concerned.

 

Then came Poland's second spot-kick. Kacper Przybylko had never scored for the Biało-czerwoni, and there was no confidence whatsoever about a tame penalty sent low to Butland's right. The Stoke City goalkeeper nonchalantly pushed it wide, keeping England 2-1 ahead after two kicks apiece.

 

Wilson now had the chance to hammer home the Three Lions' advantage. He certainly looked calm and collected as he approached the penalty spot, but he was anything but when he hammered it against the crossbar. The despair on his face grew when Pawel Olkowski converted his penalty to draw Poland level at 2-2.

 

Two Tottenham players had already scored for England in this shoot-out. Ward-Prowse made it a hat-trick when his coolly-taken penalty squirmed underneath Szczesny's dive, making it 3-2.

 

Now the pressure was on Poland's captain to score, and effectively send this shoot-out to sudden death. Linetty ran up to thrash the spot-kick towards Butland's right-hand side, but the England number 1 again guessed correctly. The Bristolian's roar of delight said it all, for England were now on the brink of victory.

 

A country's expectations were now placed firmly on the shoulders of Manchester City centre-half John Stones. If Stones could get the better of Szczesny, England would be into the Quarter Finals. The 28-year-old - who'd just been named 'man of the match' - exuded calmness as he drove the ball into the top-right corner, leaving the goalkeeper helpless and sending his country into ecstasy.

 

England had won by four penalties to two, just like they'd done in the UEFA Euro 2020 Semi Final against Denmark. Once again, a Yorkshireman had made himself a national hero by scoring a decisive penalty in a major tournament. The Three Lions' shoot-out demons had been well and truly exorcised.

 

28 June 2022: FIFA World Cup Last 16 - at Casablanca International Arena, Casablanca

Poland - 1 (Arkadiusz Milik 47)

England - 1 (Axel Tuanzebe 74)

[after extra time, England win 4-2 on penalties]

PENALTY SHOOT-OUT: Kane 0-1, Zielinski 1-1, Alli 1-2, Przybylko saved, Wilson missed, Olkowski 2-2, Ward-Prowse 2-3, Linetty saved, Stones 2-4.

ENGLAND LINE-UP (4-2-3-1): Jack Butland; Nathaniel Clyne, Axel Tuanzebe, John Stones, Josh Tymon; Jordan Henderson (Eric Dier), Lewis Cook; Jordon Ibe (James Ward-Prowse), Dele Alli, Marcus Rashford (Callum Wilson); Harry Kane. BOOKED: Henderson 14, Cook 18, Dier 120.

 

"Wow... how about that?" Gary Lineker gasped in the BBC studio. "It's never easy with England, is it?"

 

In the studio with Lineker were two former Arsenal defenders: 2007 UEFA Women's Champions League winner, seven-time Women's FA Cup winner and five-time league champion Alex Scott... and Martin Keown.

 

Scott said, "Being an England fan, you shouldn't be excited about a penalty shoot-out, but I loved that just now! Jack Butland - what a brilliant goalkeeper he is! He had nerves of steel in goal, and those mind games he was playing on the Polish players clearly worked a treat. You just had to see the looks on the faces of Zielinski and Olkowski that he'd got into their heads.

 

"I've heard people saying that our weakest position is in goal 'cos we don't have any keepers playing for big clubs. Gordon Banks was playing for Leicester City when England won the World Cup, and he also played for Stoke City, where obviously Jack is now. If you've got the agility and the flexibility and the resilience that Jack has got, then you don't really need to be playing for an Arsenal or a Liverpool or whoever. For me, he's one of the best keepers in the Premier League, and I'm sure Stoke would've gone down without him."

 

Keown agreed, "We've been bigging up Butland as a future England number 1 since he was a young man, and now we're seeing the very best of him. He made some tremendous saves, not just in the shoot-out, but also in normal time.

 

"There's one in particular from Przybylko in the second half I really want to look at. If Butland doesn't get to that, it's 2-0 Poland, and England are on the ropes and look like being out. But then about a quarter of an hour later, they get off the canvas and the big men in defence strike a huge blow that extends the contest."

 

Lineker said, "We'll come to that in a minute, but first, we've invited our friend and colleague Mel Giedroyc into the studio to take another look at Poland's goal."

 

The television presenter - whose father was Polish - smiled, "Ooh, I love a bit of Eurovish! Did you know that Poland have never won the Eurovision Song Contest, though they did send a load of... let's say buxom milkmaids to Copenhagen a few years ago. Very rude, very fun, very cringe-tastic!"

 

Lineker was distinctly unimpressed. "Mel... the football."

 

"Oh... sorry, Lineker! I went off track there, didn't I? Anyway, you can see the Polish man there; I love him already 'cos his name, funnily enough, sounds like milk! He rises like a good cake with just enough baking powder to that gorgeous pass, and then he hits it really hard into the net. The poor old England man in green there tried to get to it, but he just ended up with a very soggy bottom."

 

"And let's have the expert's opinion on England's equaliser," Lineker said. Keown began, "I'm a big fan of Anthony Joshua..." but Lineker politely interrupted him, "Excuse me, Martin, but I didn't mean you."

 

As Keown let out a sigh, Scott said, "This is why James Ward-Prowse is such a great asset to his England team. His ability to pick out John Stones from that long free-kick is unbelievable. He gets so much power into the ball that the Polish players can't react quickly enough to it. They're all about half a second off the pace compared to England's players.

 

"Now what really impresses me is that Stones doesn't just go for goal himself. Szczesny's covering his near post, so John instead sees that Axel [Tuanzebe] and Marcus [Rashford] to his right are both wide open and onside. Once he plants his head to it, it's just a matter of whoever gets to the ball first and strikes it clean and true into the net, which was Axel in the end. Poland's defending was not what we would expect at this level, and England made them pay."

 

England could now make plans for a Quarter Final against Italy four days later. Both teams would be somewhat tired after competing in epic Last 16 matches - the Three Lions especially so. It was likely to be a real slog for the eventual victors, who could look forward to a Semi Final against either Sweden or Germany.

 

The last-eight line-up of this African World Cup had been European-dominated. Six UEFA members had made it through to the business end of the tournament, and Netherlands had the chance to make it seven when they took on Brazil in the final Last 16 tie.

 

However, Mexico would not be alone in flying the flags for the Americas. A brace apiece from Oscar and Gabriel Jesus enabled Brazil to get through a 4-3 thriller and earn themselves a favourable Quarter Final against Greece. A sixth world title for the record-holding Seleção was now a real possibility.

 

But what of England's chances of lifting a second World Cup? Had a longer-than-expected match against Poland in the scorching Casablanca sun done lasting damage to the Three Lions?

 

2022 FIFA World Cup Last 16 Results

Argentina 1-2 Mexico

Spain 1-2 Sweden

Croatia 2-4 Germany (aet)

France 1-0 Iraq

Belgium 4-5 Italy (aet)

Jamaica 1-3 Greece

Brazil 4-3 Netherlands

Poland 1-1 England (aet, England win 4-2 on penalties)

 

2022 FIFA World Cup Quarter Final draw

Mexico vs France

Sweden vs Germany

Italy vs England

Greece vs Brazil

[mark wilson27]

A tough match up next for your side Chris, lets hope this one doesn't go to penalties. Can't see England winning two shootouts in a row

[CFuller]

23 hours ago, mark wilson27 said:

A tough match up next for your side Chris, lets hope this one doesn't go to penalties. Can't see England winning two shootouts in a row

I don't want to go through the torture of another shoot-out, that's for sure!

On 25/03/2019 at 11:34, Drogba11CFC said:

I think that Juno Love might just have signed the government's death warrant.

I have a feeling this next post might be of interest. 

[CFuller]

***

 

After a couple of days back at their Salé base, England headed for the latest stop in their FIFA World Cup journey. Marrakesh would be the fifth different city they had played in when they took to the field against Italy in the Quarter Final on 2 July.

 

Situated in the mid-southwest of Morocco, Marrakesh was the fourth-largest city in the country by population. Over 900,000 people - known by the demonym 'Marrakshi' - called this former imperial city their home. It laid claim to the largest traditional marketplace (or 'souk') in Morocco, while tourism had dramatically increased over recent years after a successful marketing campaign endorsed by King Mohammed VI.

 

Marrakesh was also known for its scorching summers, with the temperature reaching a record high of almost 50 degrees Celsius. It was a slightly more palatable 32 degrees when the England team arrived on the eve of their Quarter Final, but the mercury was expected to rise notably come match day.

 

Manager Mark Catterall allowed his players to cool off at the on-site swimming pool shortly after arriving at their hotel. Some of them used their time in the pool to play various popular games, including Marco Polo, chicken fight and - yes - inflatable Jonjo Shelvey racing.

 

As Catterall watched on, he felt a gentle tap on his shoulder. He turned around to see FA chief executive David Whiteman, who said, "I sincerely hope I am not disturbing you, Mr Catterall, but some significant news has broken that you should perhaps be informed of."

 

Catterall followed Whiteman into a nearby dining room, which was empty bar a handful of locals. The television was tuned to BBC World News, and shown on the screen was a photograph of former FA chairman Clark Gregory.

 

Catterall muttered, "Him. He ain't topped himself, has he?"

 

"I could not imagine Mr Gregory acting in such a cowardly manner," Whiteman said.

 

The male newsreader then explained, "In case you've just joined us here on BBC World News, this is the breaking news story that Clark Gregory - the former chairman of England's Football Association - has been extradited from Morocco to the United Kingdom. He has been arrested at Heathrow Airport in London and charged on several counts including electoral fraud, tax fraud, spreading fake news, and inciting Islamophobia."

 

Catterall turned to Whiteman and asked, "Islamophobia?"

 

Whiteman shook his head. "The details of that particular charge are too abhorrent to discuss at this present moment."

 

As the pair sat down, Catterall said, "Excuse my French, but Clark's a right old arsehole, ain't he? With so many charges, he'll be lucky if he don't spend the rest of his time behind bars. Prison's just where he belongs if you ask me."

 

"I am inclined to agree with you, Mr Catterall. I have always held grave reservations about Mr Gregory's conduct, and it is deeply regrettable that I - as chief executive officer - did not act upon my suspicions any sooner. For that, one can only apologise."

 

"It ain't your fault, David. To be honest, though, I should've known what he was up to much sooner. He's been trying to undermine me and force me out ever since I took the bloomin' England job!"

 

"That much appears to be true. On behalf of the Football Association, I would like to extend my sincerest apologies."

 

Catterall chuckled, "You're a typical old Brit, aren't you, David? Always apologising."

 

As the footage switched to live footage of British Prime Minister Jeremy Corbyn walking out of 10 Downing Street to make a statement, Whiteman said, "It is mildly amusing that you should state that."

 

The newsreader said, "We can now go live to Downing Street in central London, where the British Prime Minister is about to make an urgent statement. Let's listen in now."

 

Catterall and Whiteman each found chairs to sit on as Corbyn stepped up to the podium and began his speech:

 

"Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. It has recently come to my attention that a member of Government has, for the last two years, grossly misused their power and - as a consequence - ruined the lives of many innocent British citizens.

 

"When I appointed Juno Love as the Attorney General for England and Wales, I expected her to conduct herself with the integrity and judgment of what the country expects from one of its Law Officers of the Crown. However, it has since emerged that - under her watch - more than 30 people have been wrongly apprehended, and some even imprisoned, for crimes which they did not necessarily commit.

 

"When the Disinformation and Propaganda Act was introduced two years ago, the intention was to criminalise harmful and misleading 'fake news'. The intention was not to imprison any journalists or other individuals whose only crime was to speak ill of the Prime Minister and/or the Government. That is not what democracy is about, and that is not what the Labour Party is about either.

 

"I have today personally dismissed Juno Love from the role of Attorney General with immediate effect. In addition, she has been suspended from the Labour Party, pending a wide-reaching investigation into her professional conduct.

 

"I have also taken steps to formally pardon over 30 innocent people who were unjustly taken into custody under Ms Love's watch. The Government will also seek to finally compensate anyone who has been affected by this disgraceful national scandal.

 

"Of course, I am aware that questions have been asked - and will continue to be asked - about why I did not act sooner. As such, I will take responsibility for this scandal and do what I believe is the honourable thing. The decision I have come to has not been taken lightly but it is my belief that it is in the best interests of the United Kingdom.

 

"Today, I am announcing my intention to step down as leader of the Labour Party. Once a new leader is elected at the Labour Party conference in Blackpool three months from now, I will tender my resignation from the office of Prime Minister to His Majesty the King, whom I have already informed of my intentions.

 

"For the past four years, it has been a tremendous and humbling honour to serve this wonderful country as Prime Minister. After eight years of Tory austerity and uncertainty over Brexit, my Government and I have rebuilt this United Kingdom as a vibrant, prosperous, multicultural country that works for the many, not the few."

 

As Corbyn further outlined his Government's accomplishments, Catterall and Whiteman quietly contemplated the enormity of his resignation.

 

Catterall eventually broke the silence by saying, "It's a shame, really. Corbyn was an honourable Prime Minister who brought Britain back together after the Tories tore it apart. He's just been brought down by a dishonourable woman who wanted to shoot down anybody who even slightly disagreed with her."

 

Whiteman nodded, "I am inclined to believe that Ms Love took the principles of the Thought Police from 'Nineteen Eighty-Four' somewhat too literally."

 

"So I guess this means... I'm in the clear."

 

"I believe it would be correct to make that assumption."

 

Catterall got up from his seat and said, "You know, David... I feel so liberated right now! With Clark Gregory brought to justice and Juno Love out of a job, I can finally get on with managing England without any fear! For the first time in years, I won't feel the need to look over my shoulder!"

 

"That is indeed a relief, if I might say so," Whiteman smiled. He then bought a bottle of white wine before turning back to Catterall and asking, "Vin gris, Mr Catterall?"

 

Catterall politely declined, "No, thanks, David. I don't drink."

 

"Indeed, you do not," Whiteman said. Nevertheless, he handed Catterall an empty wine glass before pouring some vin gris into his own glass.

 

Whiteman then invited Catterall to a toast, saying, "To future success, Mr Catterall."

 

"To future success," Catterall smiled as the pair gently clinked their glasses.

 

A couple of hours later, Sweden and Germany faced one another in the first Quarter Final. England fans were keen to keep abreast of the situation in Safi, because whoever won there would be the Three Lions' potential Semi Final opponents - if they could get past the Italians.

 

Germany were red-hot favourites to reach the Semis and make amends for recent lacklustre showings at major tournaments. However, they hadn't banked on the competition's dark horses storming straight out of the gate.

 

After just six minutes, midfielder Oscar Lewicki and strikers Alexander Isak and Joel Asoro created a Swedish passing triangle that bamboozled their more illustrious opponents. The move ended with Asoro latching onto Isak's cutting through-ball and slotting it clinically past goalkeeper Christian Früchtl.

 

Sweden's second goal, after 13 minutes, was very different. After Simon Tibbling dispossessed Mannschaft midfielder Toni Kroos, the Blågult put together a quick counter-attack that ended with Asoro's square ball laying on a simple finish for Isak. A dream opening half-hour was then completed by Liverpool winger Emil Forsberg's direct free-kick, from which he gave the Scandinavians a 3-0 lead after being upended by Leon Goretzka.

 

The Germans tried to recover in the second half. The iconic Thomas Müller came off the bench to pull one goal back in the 59th minute after a clever assist from fellow substitute - and Chelsea playmaker - Kai Havertz. However, Sweden still held their nerves to record a shock 3-1 win and reach their first major tournament Semi Final in 30 years.

 

The second Quarter Final - played in Rabat later that evening - offered no surprises. Mexico had not progressed that far in a World Cup since 1986, and their limited big-match experience saw them comfortably overwhelmed by France in a one-sided opening period.

 

Real Madrid's Thomas Lemar found the net for Les Bleus after just seven minutes, with Manchester United duo Paul Pogba and Ousmane Dembélé soon joining him on the scoresheet. Mexico's nightmare continued in the 33rd minute, when their young and aggressive centre-back Luis Alberto Hernández Lash made a two-footed lunge from behind Lemar. Though Lemar used his dribbling skills to escape the rash challenge, Hernández Lash was still issued with a straight red card by Australian referee David Bruce.

 

The 10 remaining Mexicans were vanquished four minutes later, when Antoine Griezmann provided the assist for a second Dembélé goal. Though France wouldn't add to their 4-0 lead in the second half, the 1998 champions had taken a huge step towards their fourth World Cup Final. They now only needed to get past either Brazil or Greece to have another crack at glory.

[CFuller]

***

 

A truly memorable FIFA World Cup had entered its penultimate weekend. Sweden and France had already booked their places in the Semi Finals, and now all eyes were on four other teams with last-four aspirations.

 

Plucky underdogs Greece came up against the mighty Brazil in the third Quarter Final in Tangier. As expected, the Seleção threw everything at their Greek opponents, eventually breaking their resistance in the 57th minute through a tidy finish from Manchester City forward Gabriel Jesus. That goal was enough to ensure that Brazil remained on course to reach their eighth World Cup Final, provided that they beat France in the first Semi Final.

 

The second Semi would see Sweden's giant-killers - who'd already eliminated Spain and Germany - challenge yet another of Europe's big fish. Awaiting them in Rabat on 6 June would be either an Italy team seeking a fifth World Cup to equal Brazil's record, or an England side that was attempting to end 56 years of hurt.

 

England arrived at the Stade de Marrakech off the back of a dramatic penalty shoot-out win over Poland. Several players who'd endured the sweltering Casablanca heat - most notably Harry Kane, Dele Alli and match-winner John Stones - were too fatigued to start this match just four days later. Of those 11 Lions who had concluded that match, only goalkeeper Jack Butland and right-back Nathaniel Clyne would be okay to start against Italy.

 

With so many players unfit, and Eric Dier having to serve a suspension, Catterall had to reconsider his tactics. In lieu of the usual 4-4-2 diamond or 4-2-3-1, he switched to a more defensive 4-3-3 variant. Inside-forwards Nathan Redmond and Raheem Sterling would provide support for Lawrence Warner, who - at just 21 years of age - was entrusted to lead the England attack as a lone centre-forward.

 

Marcus Rashford was utilised in midfield alongside James Ward-Prowse, with captain Jordan Henderson in an anchoring role. Butland's back four - from right to left - consisted of Clyne, Calum Chambers, Michael Keane, and Brendan Galloway, who was back from suspension.

 

Italy had also battled their way through the Last 16, having to take the lead on four separate occasions before eventually knocking holders Belgium out 5-4 in extra-time. One of their four goalscorers - Inter Milan midfielder Roberto Gagliardini - had twisted his ankle in the first half and was set to miss the remainder of the tournament.

 

Italy's coach Vincenzo Montella was perhaps best-known to some English football aficionados for a brief and unhappy loan spell the former striker had at Fulham in 2007. He'd since carved out a reputation as an excellent tactician with a penchant for rather un-Italian attacking football, which helped his AC Milan team to win Serie A in 2017. He succeeded Luciano Spalletti as head coach of the Azzurri three years later.

 

Unlike his coach, centre-half Alessio Romagnoli had taken to west London, having spent the past three seasons at Chelsea. Southampton midfielder Marco Benassi and Liverpool's attacking duo Manuel Lanzini and Andrea Belotti were the other current Premier League players named in Montella's starting line-up.

 

The Azzurri usually had AC Milan's esteemed custodian Gianluigi Donnarumma in goal. After a couple of glaring errors against Belgium, though, Donnarumma was controversially dropped by Montella ahead of the Quarter Final. Taking his place was the arguably more consistent Atlético Madrid keeper Alex Meret.

 

If Casablanca's weather had been torturous for England, then the Marrakesh heat was even less forgiving, even at 7:00pm local time. The mercury reached a peak of 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) as the players emerged from the tunnel for the national anthems and handshakes.

 

Italy were the first team to launch an attack, after two minutes. Benassi launched a long ball in the direction of Simone Zaza on the edge of the penalty area, only for an offside flag to be raised against Roma's enigmatic striker.

 

England then showed their intentions by winning three corners inside the first 15 minutes. Ward-Prowse tried several different corner techniques, but the Azzurri defence was ready to all of them. Barcelona centre-half Daniele Rugani headed one away, while subsequent deliveries were removed by Benassi and Romagnoli.

 

The Three Lions had not got particularly close to breaking the Italian rearguard when their own backline came under pressure again in the 19th minute. Right-back Davide Calabria exchanged passes with midfielder Marco Verratti before crossing into the penalty area. Zaza managed to outjump both Chambers and Clyne to meet the delivery, but his bald head could only glance it well off target.

 

As time wore on, Italy started to look more assured than their opponents. Wing-backs Calabria and Alex Telles would frequently cause England problems out wide, while a top-quality four-man midfield was also helping the Azzurri to dictate terms in the centre.

 

Meanwhile, Warner somewhat resembled a rabbit in the headlights up front for England. He was ill at ease against a rugged Italian defence, and when Calabria muscled him off the ball close to the Azzurri half in the 26th minute, his team-mates were left exposed to a counter-attack.

 

Calabria sprayed the ball out right to Belotti, who then crossed to a wide-open Zaza deep in the England half. As three white shirts advanced towards Zaza, the 31-year-old calmly lifted the ball ahead of Verratti, who was making a run into the penalty area. The Real Madrid playmaker skilfully chested the ball down towards his right foot and then volleyed a superb strike past Butland. Italy had broken the deadlock.

 

England refused to let their shoulders drop after falling behind. In all honesty, Catterall was perhaps expecting Italy to have started stronger. His calm exterior transferred over to his players, who quickly shrugged off that goal and set about repairing the damage.

 

After 28 minutes, Sterling brilliantly cut inside from the right flank, and then tried to find a way past Romagnoli. After briefly losing the ball to the Chelsea defender, the Arsenal forward retook possession and passed to Ward-Prowse, who then found Redmond. Next to receive the ball was left wing-back Galloway, whose attempted cross clipped the near post before Rugani cleared it into touch.

 

Two minutes later, Italy had their first opportunity to build a 2-0 lead. Henderson's foul on Benassi gave away a free-kick, which Lanzini powered towards goal from out wide. Butland caught the Argentine-born attacking midfielder's strike just before it could find his top-left corner.

 

Things then got scrappy for a while before England attacked again on the stroke of half-time. Rashford dribbled up the right wing and then lifted the ball over to the back post, hoping to find Redmond. Calabria cynically pulled the Southampton inside-forward to ground, leaving Colombian referee Wílmar Alexander Roldán little choice other than to award the Three Lions a penalty.

 

Of the four England players who'd taken a spot-kick in the shoot-out against Poland, only Ward-Prowse was currently on the pitch here. However, the responsibility of attempting to draw his country level fell to Rashford, who had more experience in such situations. The Manchester United forward took a deep breath before firing the ball to Meret's right, only to see the goalkeeper go the save way and push it behind.

 

As soon as Calabria cleared Ward-Prowse's corner, Roldán blew his half-time whistle. Unless England could score within the next 45 minutes, they would be exiting the 2022 World Cup at the Quarter Finals.

 

Rashford had a look of despair as he trudged off the pitch at the Stade de Marrakech, to which he would not return. Catterall decided to substitute both Rashford and Redmond before the first-half. In their places came AFC Bournemouth midfielder Lewis Cook and Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane.

 

Bringing Kane on for Redmond was seen by BBC pundit Rio Ferdinand as an attempt to inspire Warner, who had not yet settled into the game. The young Liverpool striker was also given free-kick responsibilities, having recently shown a prowess for set-pieces.

 

Warner's first opportunity to equalise from a free-kick came after Verratti brought him to ground in the 47th minute. That initial attempt sailed some distance off target, but another free-kick seven minutes later went rather closer, narrowly skimming the bar. Warner also had a 49th-minute shot from open play blocked by Romagnoli.

 

Montella made all three of his substitutions in the 55th minute, adding fresh legs to his defence, midfield and attack. Rugani, Benassi and Zaza were respectively replaced with Juventus captain Leonardo Bonucci, Marseille midfielder Filippo Melegoni, and 22-year-old Borussia Dortmund striker Moise Kean.

 

In the 62nd minute, England produced arguably their best opening yet. Cook brilliantly tackled Verratti on the halfway line and pumped the ball down the line for Kane to run onto. The Three Lions' vice-captain crossed early to Warner on the edge of the box, leaving his junior partner with what should've been a simple close-range finish. As it was, Warner horribly volleyed it into the side-netting, further adding to the youngster's frustrations.

 

Three minutes later, Galloway sent a promising centre to Ward-Prowse, who dribbled into the box and then went for goal. Meret just about managed to claw it behind for a corner. Ward-Prowse now looked to be close to exhaustion, and he would soon make way for the fit-again Arsenal playmaker Jack Wilshere.

 

The heat would soon start to take its toll on the rest of the England team, especially the defenders. An increasingly lethargic backline became vulnerable to Italy's fast-paced attacks. Lanzini drove a shot over the bar in the 71st minute, while Belotti flicked a Calabria cross past the far post a minute later.

 

The Azzurri's next assault, on 76 minutes, would see them break through for a second time. Young Juventus midfielder Marcello Saia played a one-two with Melegoni from a free-kick and then fed the ball to Bonucci just inside the area. 35-year-old Bonucci flummoxed some advancing England defenders by quickly sidefooting the ball to Belotti, whose left-footed shot clipped Butland's gloves before finding the net.

 

With less than a quarter of an hour to go, Italy now had a seemingly insurmountable 2-0 lead. Belotti's 30th Azzurri goal looked to have killed England's dreams of World Cup glory.

 

Barely a minute later, the Three Lions started to roar back, just like they'd done against Poland. Sterling hassled a hesitant Calabria close to the Italian box before nicking the ball off him and crossing to Kane. Wilshere then surged past Melegoni to receive Kane's through-ball, which he drilled beyond Meret's reach for his 15th England goal. All of a sudden, he and his team were back in contention, at only 2-1 down.

 

England cranked up the pressure over the next few minutes. After 78 minutes, Cook superbly intercepted a headed clearance from Bonucci and chipped it ahead of Kane, who flicked it over the bar. A couple of minutes later, Warner received the ball from Kane near the penalty spot. After turning past Calabria, England's hottest young striker curled in a shot that rebounded off the woodwork before Bonucci scrambled it away.

 

Warner's luck was very much out, but Kane was putting in one of his best shifts in a Three Lions jersey. With nine minutes remaining, his fearless - if unexpected - sliding tackle on Verratti in the centre circle began a superb revolutionary counter-attack from the Three Lions.

 

Moments after that tackle, Kane ran onto a direct ball from Wilshere and took it towards the left flank. He then turned sharply, slipping past Calabria before crossing to the far post. That was when Sterling broke away from his marker Telles to run onto Kane's delivery and stab in a clinical finish. Six minutes after they appeared to have been dead and buried, England had drawn level at 2-2!

 

Having come back from the brink, Three Lions were now happy to keep going for another half-hour. The Azzurri perhaps found the prospect of extra-time less alluring, as they made one last bid to secure victory in the 90th minute. Lanzini cut the ball through the England defence to find Belotti, who entered the box and struck the ball with plenty of power. He couldn't quite get it past Butland, though, and the keeper's catch was celebrated like a goal by many English supporters.

 

Roldán called full-time not long afterwards. Just like four days earlier, England were going the distance in their quest to win the World Cup. Could they now see off Italy within extra-time, or even win another shoot-out? Conversely, was this late show destined to end in tears for the Three Lions?