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…)