Reuters Soccer Blog

Would a unified Britain have won more than one World Cup?

Resistance to plans for a unified British soccer team for the 2012 London Olympics means the idea may well be a one-off, if it gets off the ground at all.

The four home nations are wary of setting precedents that could harm their independent status, despite their lack of success as separate entities.

Indeed, all they would have to show in a collective trophy cabinet would be England’s 1966 triumph, which makes me wonder if they might have been better putting national pride aside all along and pooling their resources, as they do in most other sports.

Would a unified team have won more than one paltry World Cup?

As far as recent times are concerned, I think the simple answer has got to be no.

Wales and Scotland have produced some excellent players over the last 40 years, such as Ryan Giggs, Ian Rush and Kenny Dalglish. But added to the core of English players I’m assuming would usually form the bulk of a unified side, I don’t think they would have transformed English also-rans into British world beaters. (more…)

All-time Euro XI: anyone here who could make it?

Now we’ve seen all 16 teams in action at Euro 2008, here’s a question for you. Could anyone here play their way into the All-time Greats XI?

I first saw a match in the European Nations Cup, as it then was, in 1968 when England beat Spain 1-0 in a qualifier at Wembley to reach the four-team finals in Italy.

Strange to think that at the time, England were the world champions and Spain were the European Champions — and neither country has won anything since. Anyway, as we all like a good argument, here is my selection for the All-time Greats XI.

(The only qualification was that the player was on the winning team in the final)

GOALKEEPER:

PETER SCHMEICHEL (Denmark 1992) Had the game of his life in the final against Germany making three world class saves and securing himself a move to Manchester United and a place in English soccer folklore.

DEFENDERS: