Never mind the outcome: who SHOULD'VE won that World Cup?

There’s nothing more final than an unjust football result. No appeals process exists to shake off the unpalatable, unacceptable and unfair.

What can Atletico do about Real’s last-gasp leveller in the 2014 Champions League Final? And Smith Won’t Score, Brighton fans. It’s best just not to dwell on it.

But what if you could go back and rewrite history in the name of Justice? And what if that was then accepted as science fact by all?

World Cup fans should ask, did the right team win? And I say no, not always.

The best Brazil team not to win the World Cup?

Take 1982 for example: Italy won it but Brazil should have. It would have ended a 12 year post-Pele drought.  An era of Zico, Socrates and Falcao made more fabulous by the last vestiges of sepia-coloured TV pictures and excitable commentary on the phone.

Of course, Italy will point to Paolo Rossi's stunning hat-trick against them - but it was a defeat to send Brazil into their shell until they exacted revenge over Italy in the worst ever World Cup Final twelve years later. A Final so bad it made Diana Ross’ Opening Ceremony penalty kick look appropriate.

But one solitary ninety minutes stands above as the game that both launched a mighty nation, while chiming a knell for another.

The 1954 Final between West Germany and Hungary was the ninety which changed football's direction the most.  Their status’ are now so completely in contrast today, it’s hard to imagine it came about as a freak result . West Germany’s so-called Miracle of Bern.

Back then, Germany was demoralised, a literally divided nation. What they wanted was a morale boost just nine years after the disaster of World War II.

No one would begrudge Hungary oneWorld title

Their opponents, the marvellous Magyars were - well, marvellous. Imperious, brilliant - and the mantle of world champions would all but confirm an era of magnificence.

Hungary had already humbled the West Germans 8-3 in the group stages and made it to the Final courtesy of victory over 1950 runners-up, Brazil and champions, Uruguay.

Ferenc Puskas fractured his ankle during the Finals – but it’d be disingenuous to his teammates to blame that for Hungary’s shocker.

Instead, West Germany's 3-2 win launched a dynasty while Hungary disappeared from sight by 1962. Add to that Germany being disallowed from the 1950 tournament – this was their first post-war football foray.

By 1990, West Germany's destiny was built on history, self-belief and structure. Those pillars helped push them past a weak Argentina.

But that was when host nation Italy should've won.

Fuelled by the unexpected six-shooter Salvatore Schillaci, Italy powered their way through the group stages with Toto's firebrand goals.

Toto's pumped up goal celebrations were nuclear-fuelled

They were cruelly denied by a semi-final penalty shoot-out loss to defending champions Argentina – but it would have been a travesty if one-man Team Maradona had retained the Cup. Andreas Brehme's clinical penalty booked West Germany's date with destiny again.

And it's not just about the World Cup, it's a European Championship thing too. And that my friends, is all about England.

England are so unlucky. They could've buried the mantle of Least Successful Big Nation before Spain ditched the unwanted title first with consecutive victories in Euro 2008, 2012 and the World Cup in between.

It’s because Euro 96 and 2004 belonged to the Three Lions.

Baddiel and Skinner’s “thirty years of hurt” seems a reasonable tariff for crimes against preparation nowadays. It’s 50 and counting.

The Queen of England too excited by a German win?

With ten goals, England scored more than any other in Portugal, starring the Golden Generation and fearless 18-year-old Wayne Rooney of Everton.

Just as Germany seemingly strut to victory every generation, England’s defeats are magnified by frustration at the sudden failure of well, usually penalty shoot-outs.

And the less we say about Wembley in 1996, the better.  With the Czechs, 80-1 outsiders at the start waiting in the final, it was a gimme for the host nation at Wembley .

Excuse me, I have to leave the keyboard for a couple of minutes.

And while we’re on host-nations, Holland should’ve been crowned European Champions for a second time in 2000. They succumbed to Italy in the semi-final on penalties – Italy in turn, lost to a French Golden Goal despite leading in the Rotterdam Final.

Greece's Plan A gameplan worked perfectly!

France were already world champions and maybe, the Clairefontaine youth project deserved this outstanding double recognition – but still,the Dutch with Kluivert, Overmars, Davids, Stam and van der Saar deserved to emulate the Gullits and van Bastens of a generation earlier.

On the other hand, England's bad luck aside, no one can argue with Greece winning Euro 2004; Otto Rehhagel’s procession of one-nil wins was a masterclass of gameplan – nor with Denmark’s romp to Euro 92 glory when UEFA pulled them in from summer holiday deckchairs to replace war-torn Yugoslavia.

As for England,’66 made up for the World Cups they carelessly didn't bother with in the thirties.

Our common memories make the thin-line between success and failure an open wound. What a pity there’s no revisionism in football.

England qualify for Brazil but no one expects

Podcast (with Roy Hodgson audio)

We may have secured our place among the world's elite by beating Poland but there'll be no "England Expects" fanfare before next summer's World Cup finals.

For what we lack in world class we certainly make up for in passion. It's a commodity more than good enough to beat Moldova but has a tinge of amateurish hopelessness as prep for Argentina or Spain next summer.

As we head to Brazil, even the most ardent England fan must take a reality check.

We're thin on the ground when it comes to elite players. Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard carried us through the decisive Polish win, but Cole didn't play and Lampard jogs through the closing stages of a glorious career. What's left of the golden generation won't scare the contenders.

Andros Townsend is taking his chance in an England shirt. His first caps against Montenegro and Poland were marked with a goal and bags of running. He was totally unfazed by the step up to international level.

But he runs with gay abandon with little more responsibility than that, akin to a privateer with a government licence to snaffle up any opportunities. Tactics aren't important for a player whose task is merely to dribble and shoot on sight - that is until the opposition demands greater respect.

Daniel Sturridge is another example of England's deficiency. Good enough for both Liverpool and England - but not the Champions League. Playing at Wembley in a qualifier is akin to the Europa League but it's no longer football's highest level.

As if to prove my point, the latest FIFA Rankings saw England jump back into the top ten, but two places short of being seeded for the Finals.

"You need a ticket to be in the lottery. We've got a ticket", cheered Roy Hodgson as his angst ridden husk relieved itself on the media after Poland. He got good press too.

And he deserves much credit for his mix of pragmatism and adventure, but his gung-ho optimism must disguise private thoughts that he's got to make the most of what he's given.

Look, I don't want be too down on England. We've qualified and rightly the popular press and media chirped and tweeted amid the feelgood factor qualifying brings.

But I'm also a paying customer. We're a football nation of the first water with a world class league, so I dream of an England with more than just a punchers chance of coping in finals.

Let's hope we don't do the Scotland Shuffle and last just three games.

Tevez link with Corinthians shows Joorabchian still "owns" him

I thought football had rid itself of the scourge of players shackled to economic rights ownership.


Tevez, Pardew, Mascherano.

Evidently not.

As Carlos Tevez seeks to leave the Premier League to be nearer his daughters, it seems Corinthians are launching a £35m bid to bring the Argentine (near) home.

Brazilian football's just signed a huge TV deal, taking it to another financial level. Reminiscent of the Sky TV revolution here twenty years ago, Brazil didn't have that fiscal might before. When Corinthians signed Tevez and Javier Mashcerano from Argentina first time round, it involved unprecedented fees for the Brazilian game. Then the pair joined West Ham United, which was even more unlikely - a switch which landed the Hammers right in it with Sheffield United and the Premier League.

It smells a bit to me like Kia and the gang are ready to take "ownership" of Tevez again - and loan him to the Brazilian outfit.

With the tabloid headlines screeching a £35m transfer fee, it's a normal deal on the surface only.

City's unlimited ambitions aren't enough!

When Manchester City bought Carlito from Manchester United, City's billionaire owners had to shell out £47m, not to United but to Kia Joorabchian and his consortium. That was to buy out all claims on the players future earnings.

Tevez's track record suggests he's a mercenary with little desire to pledge loyalty to anyone or anything. His private and professional life show it - and his connection with Joorabchian's never quite been broken. But middle men who own portions of his future earnings don't suit the more mature European game, held to ransom as it is by agents already.

Though Tevez is a good player, both City and the Premier League are better off without the baggage he brings here.

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Sporting public ambivalent to USA's improving soccer team

Heartbreak for the USA; the Confederations Cup trophy was dangled enticingly before them like a popstar's baby. They surrendered a two-goal half-time lead to mighty Brazil, who successfully retained the title by winning 3-2 inside normal time. Fitting that the five-times World Cup winners should become the first nation to win this tournament three-times, but America coulda shoulda!

Having seen off European Champions, Spain in the semis, the US got stronger during the tournament despite their unlikely path to the final. Let's not forget Brazil took them apart earlier in the tournament, three-nil.

I watched the final in a Miami Beach bar. There was scant cheering; certainly insufficient to warrant the magnitude of their progression to, and performance in the final. Baseball and the other American sports are just too established. Their culture stands firm.

For the Americans can take tremendous credit from their first-half show. They simply ran out of steam and lacked depth against the Brazilians, who punched the wind out of their sails with an early second-half goal. At 2-1, the tide turned South America's way.

The US are perennial qualifiers for the World Cup Finals, and many of their big players star in Europe's top leagues. They've a reputation for professionalism and discipline, and deservedly so.

But put a couple of quid on Brazil to win the World Cup next year. They're the only nation to win the tournament outside their continent, and they've done that thrice. As an Englishman, I daren't tempt fate by commenting on our chances (carpe diem, Fabio!)

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