FIFA World Cup 2006 Germany News Articles. England Best Chance, a look at englands world cup chances.

Many people argue that if it had not been for bad luck or individual errors, then England would have progressed further in both 1998 and 2002, however it is a team game and although there is an abundance of individual stars, there is little doubt that when it really matters, they have seemingly had trouble gelling well enough to provide a big enough force to finish off the top nations.

This certainly seemed the case in Japan/Korea 2002. With many surprises already, England felt if they defeated Brazil in their quarter-final fixture they could go on and win the tournament. However after an early goal from Michael Owen, the Three Lions sat back and let the eventual winners into the game before Ronaldinho's cross come-shot deceived David Seaman to seal victory for the South Americans. Whilst Seaman bore the brunt of the criticism in the press and pubs nationwide, a serious evaluation would prove that the team as a whole did not do enough to capitalize on the early promise and put the game beyond Brazil when 1-0 up.

The mild-mannered coach Sven Goran Eriksson has also come in for fierce criticism recently as the team were defeated in qualifying by fellow British nation and undoubted international soccer minnows Northern Ireland. It is performances like these that have constantly hampered people's belief that England can truly live up to their massive potential.

Take each member of the squad though and you have a unique superstar who would possibly find a place in any national team. Most are also now at their peak and have themselves said that 2006 will be the real chance for England to achieve greatness.

With a solid group of defenders in Terry, Ferdinand and Neville. Midfielder's Beckham, Gerrard and Lampard and strikers Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen along with ever improving shot-stopper Paul Robinson. The country has a superb spine of a promising team that knows it must fulfill.

It is with this in mind and the known cost of failure back home that I believe will spur the game's creators on to good things this time round and I predict that England should at least make the last four, if not the final itself. Bold statement I know, but if the players can find their form and show the true drive and ambition that they are capable of, they will be a match for anyone in Germany.