1998 (France)
England Expects: Scotland lose 2-1 to champions Brazil in the opening game this week and, as England's opening game against Tunisia approaches, Geoff Hurst is knighted in the Queens Honours List: the fifth football knight after Bobby Charlton, Alf Ramsey, Stan Matthews and Tom Finney. "The timing is impeccable," Hurst says. "I hope the lads can emulate 1966 and this award."
Little Diamond: There is uncertainty over whether Michael Owen will play against Tunisia instead of Teddy Sheringham. In the event, David Beckham is left out and Darren Anderton plays in midfield. England win 2-0 with goals from Alan Shearer and Paul Scholes. Manager Hoddle says of Scholes: "He can be our jewel in the crown." While Alan Shearer adds: "He's a smashing little player. Nothing fazes him."
Gut Wrencher: David Beckham, however, reveals that he confronted Hoddle on being told that he was not playing and questioned the fairness of the decision. He says he still does not know why he was not chosen. "I was devastated when the manager told us the team. I played in every game leading up to the World Cup finals. My feeling when I heard was one of hurt. My stomach was turning over so many times. He told me in front of everyone."
England ban baked beans from the team's diet saying that it contains too much sugar. The decision disappoints Alan Shearer, whose fondness for plain food earned him the nickname 'chicken and beans' at Southampton.
1982 (Spain)
Pain in Spain: Champions Argentina are defeated 1-0 in the opening match by Belgium. Meanwhile, England arrive in Bilbao and, with 48 hours to go before their opening game with France, they have injury worries concerning key men Trevor Brooking and Kevin Keegan. Trevor Francis and Graham Rix are drafted in to replace them.
Captain Marvel: England make the perfect start, however, defeating France 3-1 with Bryan Robson scoring the fastest goal in the history of the World Cup after just 27 seconds. Paul Mariner scores the third eight minutes from the end, his seventh goal on last five appearances. With temperatures reaching 110 degrees. Mariner loses 11lbs in weight during the match.
Record Breakers: Four days later, despite an injured Robson having to go off at half time to be replaced by Glenn Hoddle, England defeat Czechoslovakia 2-0 to top their group and be sure of going through. England have now broken a record for successive victories that has stood since the turn of the century.
Elsewhere, Argentine Osvaldo Ardiles says he will not return to England to play for Spurs following the Falklands Island conflict in which his brother died when his Mirage jet fighter was shot down. "I could never play soccer in England again unless relations between our countries improved dramatically," he says. Ardiles later scores in Argentina's 4-1 defeat of Hungary who had earlier defeated El Salvador 10-1 to become the first team to reach double figures in a single match in the World Cup finals.
1958 (Sweden)
Spoilt for Choice: This week, England are hoping to beat Austria and qualify for a quarter final place and thus avoid a 'play-off' but there are distractions. It is revealed that selectors are divided over whether Johnny Haynes should play and one tells the press: "If I have my way, Haynes will go. I think he has had too much football lately. The line hasn't clicked and something must be wrong."
Joy Boy: Meanwhile, England captain Billy Wright finds his secret romance with Joy Beverley, eldest of the famous singing sisters, splashed across the front pages back home. When it is revealed that Miss Beverley had been previously married, Wright is bombarded with questions but the FA, worried about how this will affect his form, forbid him to comment.
Touch and Go: With fifteen minutes to go against Austria, and the match standing at 2-2, England score what they think is the winner when Bobby Robson shoots against the keeper before hammering in the rebound - but the referee indicates that Robson has handled the ball. England now face Russia in the play-off for a place in the quarter finals but they lose 1-0, although Peter Bradbrook of Chelsea, playing in his first international, hits the post and also has a goal disallowed – for hands! Afterwards Billy Wright says: "Well, that's that. But what a way to go out."
Wales and Northern Ireland, however, go through to the quarter finals – Wales beating Hungary 2-1 with goals from Ivor Allchurch and Terry Medwin, Northern Ireland defeating the Czechs 2-1 with two Peter McParland goals.
