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England
After an inspirational revival under Sven-Goran Eriksson, England is now seen as a challenger for the World Cup title. But does the side have enough magic left in them to succeed in the finals?
David Beckham has finally matured into a true leader, and if Michael Owen stays healthy, he'll certainly get on the scoresheet early and often. But will their back line be able to deal with the world's top strikers?
As the countdown to the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan continues, CNNSI.com's Pedro Pinto will take a close look at all of the nations that will contend for football's greatest prize.
Pinto is an anchor on World Sport, the international sports show that airs live on CNN/Sports Illustrated and CNN International.
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As part of the United Kingdom, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland compete individually in FIFA events. The UK's population is estimated to be more than 59.1 million. Its density is one of the highest in the world: almost one-third lives in England's prosperous and fertile southeast, with more than 6.9 million people in London, the capital. There is evidence that the islands have been inhabited since at least 10,000 years ago. The current ethnic composition reflects centuries of invasions and migrations from Europe. Today, the rehabilitation of the economy has the Blair government pondering the form and timing of further integration with the European Union.
Provided by CountryWatch.com
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Previous manager Kevin Keegan was a great motivator but did not have enough international experience for the job. Eriksson arrived and did what he had to do: He gave English players a tactical lesson. The majority of English players already have plenty of motivation and energy; what they needed was direction.
Eriksson has given them that and established a balanced 4-4-2 system that has produced good results. Undoubtedly, the only question heading into the finals is who will be picked to run the left wing? He's tried Nick Barmby, Steve McManaman and even Emile Heskey, but none have really impressed out wide.
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David Beckham. Often criticized for lacking the leadership skills to lead his country into battle, Becks has certainly blossomed into quite a captain. He was instrumental in Munich and critical against Greece, scoring the goal that booked England's place in the finals. Although he still can't dominate a game as often as Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo or Juan Veron, he can inflict a killer blow on his opposition with a deadly pass, pinpoint cross or trademark free kick.
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Defense. Come back, Tony Adams! England would love to have its old captain back, because its defense often looks lost. That was evident in the last qualifier against Greece. Sol Campbell is powerful, but his speed and positioning are suspect. Just ask Arsenal, which has struggled to keep a clean sheet this season. Rio Ferdinand is very skillful, but he wanders forward too often, leaving holes at the back. Martin Keown has a lot of experience but is slow and many times clumsy. On the wings, the situation is not any better. Gary Neville is reliable but can sometimes drift out of games; on the left, Ashley Cole is fast and good on the ball, but his tackling is suspect and his crossing must improve.
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Injury proneness. Two of England's top three stars have been battling injuries for the past two seasons. Michael Owen -- certainly one of the world's top five strikers -- has had recurring hamstring problems, and Steven Gerrard -- one of the toughest defensive midfielders around -- has also been on the disabled list often in the recent past. Eriksson needs the two of them to stay healthy for England to mount a serious challenge.
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England finished first in Group 9, ahead of Germany on goal difference. A 2-2 draw on the final day of qualifying was enough since Germany failed to beat Finland at home. England played eight games, winning five, drawing two and losing one.
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England has participated in 10 of 16 World Cups. It has played 45 games, winning 20, drawing 13 and losing 12. It was champion in 1966 and finished fourth in 1990.
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England has all the pieces in place to put together a strong run. Eriksson is definitely the right man for the job, Beckham has proved he has a new level of maturity necessary to carry the captain's armband and Owen has developed into a super striker. But there may be too many holes for England to go all the way. I can see them reaching the quarterfinals, but not any further. This is a team that is still young and is definitely a top challenger for the 2006 World Cup; 2002 may be a bit too early for this team to reach its peak form.
How far will England go in the World Cup? View Instant Poll Results
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