Germany 4 England 1

So, another early World Cup exit, inevitably against Germany, and it didn't even come to penalties. Actually, we played well enough, had most of the possession, pushed hard, had a clear goal disallowed (revenge for Hurst's second in '66?)... but Germany punished us with brilliant, ruthless counter-attacks. Would it have been any different had Lampard's goal been given? Who knows? But it wasn't, so that's it. Game over.

Consoled by continued enjoyment of David Goldblatt's The Ball is Round. We're in mid-20th century South America: fast-flowing, technically brilliant, passionate, attacking football. Argentina and Uruguay ruled the roost. In a radio broadcast in 1942 Rebelo Junior shouted (sang would be more correct) the first "Goooooooooooooooooooooooooooal!", but it was Ary Barrosa who made it his own and became Brazil's most famous commentator; he was totally partisan and used to trill his harmonica every time his beloved Flamengo scored. In the Colombian league in 1950 there were only six goalless draws. But it wasn't all beautiful: in 1968 all 22 players were sent off in a vicious Olaria versus America game. Who'll win this year's World Cup? My money's on a South American team, probably Argentina.