Monday, 22nd February 2010

England were dumped out of the 2006 World Cup in the quarter-final by Portugal on penalties. With the weight of their nation on their shoulders, only Owen Hargreaves was able to convert his spot kick. The heartbreak of defeat, and the manner in which they lost has proven to be a valuable lesson for the team.

Speaking to Fifa.com, Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard reveals how he’s learned from the disappointing experience: “I think, having missed the penalty, I’ll probably be a bit more composed next time and take my time a bit more. I’ll work that little bit harder in training to make sure I know what I’m going to be doing. It all happened really fast in 2006 and I felt after the penalties that I should have taken my time more.”

England go into the 2010 World Cup in South Africa with an impressive qualifying campaign, and with a renewed sense of confidence. With Fabio Capello at the helm, and the team in good spirit, the wait since 1966 could finally come to an end.

 

 

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