GROUP F / ENGLAND

*--* World Cup record: Played 45 (20-13-12); goals for: 62; goals against: 42 Best finish: Champion in 1966 1998 showing: Eliminated in second round by Argentina Coach: Sven Goran Eriksson. The first non-Englishman to coach the English national team, considered heresy until England beat Germany, 5-1, and got England back to the Cup Players to watch: David Beckham, Michael Owen, Paul Scholes, Emile Heskey, Sol Campbell In brief: Had hopes of matching its 1990 semifinal run, until it saw its first-round draw and the midfielders started dropping. Beckham’s broken foot has been a cause of national hysteria and the loss of Steven Gerrard was a massive blow. Beckham is expected back no later than the Argentina game, a rematch England has pined for since ’98 Quick quote: “Nothing [is] more important to England’s arrangements for the World Cup than the state of David Beckham’s foot.”--British Prime Minister Tony Blair Forecast: If Beckham’s fit, on to the second round

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