Countdown begins for England-Brazil

Updated: Thursday June 20, 2002 07:48 a.m. ET

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LONDON (AP) -- England began a 24-hour countdown Thursday for its team's World Cup quarterfinal against Brazil -- and things were getting crazier by the minute.

From David Beckham and Ronaldo lookalikes playing table soccer on the banks of the River Thames to a guy in a Brazilian shirt bouncing a ball continuously on his head on a beach near Portsmouth, everybody seemed to be caught up in World Cup fever.

Judges canceled Friday morning sittings and Prime Minister Tony Blair rearranged meetings at a European summit in Spain in order to watch the game.

Economists estimated that about 1 billion pounds (dlrs 1.49 billion) could be lost in productivity on Friday, and 4 million people were expected to be late for work.

Employers were under pressure from the country's union leaders to give workers ample time to watch the match, saying that if England won employees would go into work with a "spring in their step."

They didn't say what would happen if England lost.

More than 30 million people are expected to tune into the telecast of the match from Shizuoka, Japan. Pubs and cafes prepared Thursday for the onslaught of early customers -- the match begins at 7:30 a.m. Friday in England.

Anyone who missed out on buying tickets for pub telecasts could head to Trafalgar Square, where a foreign exchange company is setting up a 32-meter (90-foot) square screen under the gaze of Lord Nelson, Britain's greatest naval hero.

Opera singers are scheduled to belt out the national anthem and a rendition of "One Fine Day" from Puccini's Madame Butterfly before the match begins.

At the Old Bailey courts, judge Martin Stephens described the quarterfinal as a matter of "national importance" and said his court would not sit until 11 a.m., clearly allowing enough time for the possibility of extra time and penalty shootouts.

The Daily Mirror tabloid had 12 points on its front page saying why England would win, listing similarities between this year and 1966, when England won its only World Cup.

Other newspapers speculated on the state of injured Michael Owen's groin and featured front-page photos of Owens's girlfriend preparing to fly to Japan.

Englishman Gareth Godwin and his Brazilian fiancee will have it tougher than most on Friday, their wedding day. Hours before their scheduled nuptials, Godwin will sit with his ushers in his friend's garage cheering England on.

Three doors down the street, Sao Paolo-born Paula McGrory, who was adopted and came to England when she was three, will watch the match with her bridesmaids and flower girl. The wedding date was set more than a year ago.

"I suppose a draw would be the best result," Godwin said. "But that can't happen. I'm sure whatever the result we will still have a great wedding."

The red-and-white England flag of St. George was flying everywhere in central London on Thursday. One enterprising vendor added plastic-wrapped folded versions for 5 pounds (dlrs 7.45) to his stock of bananas, apples and grapes. They were selling fast.

A bettor placed a 30,000-pound (dlrs 44,700) wager with bookmakers William Hill, prompting the company to slash England's odds from 10-3 to 3-1 third favorites (behind Brazil and Spain).

William Hill, which said it would make England clear favorite for the Cup if it wins Friday, estimates that a record 20 million pounds (dlrs 29.8 million) in wagers is riding on the outcome of the quarterfinal.

And a leading clergyman has written some prayers asking that England makes it "all the way to the final, even if it is on a Sunday and no one will go to church."

Rev. Jeremy Fletcher, a member of the Church of England Liturgical Commission, also wrote a prayer to recite if there is a penalty shootout.

"Arise, O Lord, and let not Brazil prevail over us, put them in fear O Lord," says the Quarter Final Prayer. "Rise up, O Lord, lift up your hand, confound the might of Ronaldo and Rivaldo and put Ronaldinho to confusion."

"O God, if nothing else, award us a dubiously offside goal in the last minute."

The minister said he had had some early successes with prayers for the England campaign, adding: "It all started off as praying for David Beckham's (injured) foot.

"The whole thing is designed to be entirely light-hearted and not to cause offense," added Fletcher. "It's meant to catch the mood of the nation."

(djp/sw)