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.

Despite Messi, Zidane's still modern football's greatest

Wonder strike: Hampden Park

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Lionel Messi is beyond realistic criticism. He’s a great player. Period.

He was the first to score 5 in a single Champions League game, breached the Brazil defence for a hat-trick - in Brazil, broke Gerd Muller's 40-year record scoring 91 in a single calendar year and claimed a fourth FIFA ballon d'or in the process.

I've had the good fortune of watching him play live. He scored in both games; from the spot in a routine home league win over Almeria and that mesmerising strike thumped into Manchester United's net at Wembley in the Champions League Final.

Show me the medals. Zizou's got the lot.

Messi's magnificent, with speed, strength, intelligence, quick feet, pace and power - but still I remember Zinedine Zidane as the greatest player I've ever seen.

Because for all Messi's brilliance and I grant you, he still has most of his career ahead of him, he's got a way to go to match the majesty and drama of football's most decorated Frenchman.

I saw Zidane play five games: twice for Real Madrid and three times for his country. In three of those games and without any recourse to superlatives or exaggeration, Zizou produced iconic moments to be remembered for decades as the fans in the stadia held their collective breaths.

Not even Giggs could stop it.

Take Lisbon's Stadium of Light for starters; England's opening game of EURO 2004. Boosted by 75% of the crowd in the best atmosphere I've yet experienced, England were in control as Lampard's first half header should've sufficed for victory.

The crowd had bayed Thierry Henry out of contention and Boy Wonder Rooney was up for it. Then he got subbed and the energy changed in the cauldron.

Step upto the plate, Zinedine Zidane who's superficial calm masked a volcanic temperament. He flashed the ball into the net from a brilliant free-kick, then struck a penalty to turn the game on its head in injury time. I watched the silvery ball's trajectory flash into the net - trouble was, so did hapless David James.

Then there's That Hampden Strike. Roberto Carlos hooked the ball high into the sky in a final attempt to keep possession amid a high challenge from a Bayer defender. Watching it speed downwards like a squash player ready with his racket, Zizou struck it left footed with expert precision, curling, speeding into the top corner. Keeper no chance. It'll never be forgotten.

Then there's the World Cup Final in Berlin. What he did as the curtain fell on his brilliant career is viewed as such a stain. But there was more to his performance in that 90 minutes than that.

His nonchalant penalty with almost demob happy laissez-faire, struck the crossbar and over the line to give France the lead. Let's not forget, he joined Sir Geoff Hurst in scoring three goals in the World Cup Final.

Messi's ecstatic celebration at Wembley

No one could predict what happened later - and when it did, most in the Olympic Stadium wouldn't see it.

Startling. Off the ball. An exchange of words. In cricket, sledging. The headbutt into the chest of Marco Materazzi. I admit the first I saw of it was when Italy keeper Gigi Buffon remonstrated with the French strikers near to him seconds later.

As he traipsed off, round shouldered down into the dressing rooms sweeping past the Trophy, with it France's edge in the impending penalty shootout was lost too.

Shameful end; but not altogether incongruous with his whole career. And still, it makes not a jot to how I perceive him. In fact, it adds dimension and context to his greatest moments. And while Messi's brilliance lights up a match in milliseconds, Zidane's range of personalities makes him modern football's greatest. My best since Maradona.

Messi is a product of a generation of team players. The best of the bunch for sure.

So would I change my view? Not now. Messi couldn't produce a World Cup like Maradona's blistering one-man show in 1986 (and to a lesser extent in 1990), couldn't marry it with his stratospheric club career. He's not surpassed Zidane or Maradona.

But Zidane the loner, Zidane the volcano, Zidane, decorated from top to bottom for both club and country trumps the Argentine for greatness - so far.

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Penalty shootouts DO produce the right winner

There's probably nothing in football which better articulates the maxim, it's the hope that kills you.

So often, they're an unedifying spectacle placing disproportionate pressure on hapless keepers and hatchet man defenders. Ten minutes of drama at the end of two hours of red blooded commitment can render it all meaningless.

And yet, the much criticised penalty shootout does more often than not, solve stalemate satisfactorily.

It's rare indeed spot-kicks go the way of the undeserving team.

Arguably the penalty shootout's funniest moment!

I can only think of two unjust outcomes: when Argentina did for the host nation at Italia 90 and ironically, when the Italians did the same for the homers, Holland at Euro 2000. What goes around comes around!

But as England fans, we are better qualified than most to judge this way to settle a score. Few would argue the right team won as Italy advanced to the Euro 2012 semifinals at our expense.

In their Euro semi, Portugal defended manfully but Spain created more potent chances and produced greater goal threat.

Pouting, posturing Cristiano Ronaldo should've stepped up to the plate earlier, but it was all over for him when Bruno Alves skied a clumsy belter against the crossbar.

Ronaldo will regret his international career if he doesn't already. Vainglorious dufus.

Even Chelsea, the pragmatic, defensive away side in the Champions League Final, kept their nerve from twelve yards against a Bayern Munich side who misfired - and not just during the shootout either.

Munich played with the weight of history on their shoulders, while Chelsea's thirtysomethings summoned their group experience and deserved victory when it came from the spot.

Gareth Southgate's Euro 96 moment.

As I write this, a correlation's emerging between being home team and losing spot kicks (although Liverpool deservedly beat Roma at the Stadio Olimpico to win the European Cup).

But penalties sometimes overshadow a contest, particularly if there's a mismatch. Greece knew full well there'd be a winner on the night as they squared up to the overwhelming favourites, Germany. Knowing the prospect of pens lay at the end of a hard shift, they showed scant attacking ambition to achieve anything in 120 minutes. Luckily, they were punished by four German goals long before they could get over the line.

And I sense Roy Hodgson sought too much succour from Chelsea's Euros in preparing England to be hard to beat in theirs.

It was good enough to dispatch Ukraine and Sweden, but could never stack up against nations of the first water. Italy spared us the ignominy of another German thrashing.

So even though Sepp Bellend Blatter's floated a notion of alternatives to penalties, I reckon it's not such a bad way to find a winner.

Golden and Silver Goals have come and gone, but the shootout remains as the way to sort the winners from the losers, and that's football.

Shootout lottery denies England again

England bow out of EURO 2012 at exactly the stage Roy Hodgson anticipated. Outclassed during most of 120 captivating minutes, it's Italy who'll go forward to face Germany in the semi-finals.

The game descended into a goalless war of attrition as Italy's passing and possession forced England into a rearguard action.

Pirlo crowns Man Of The Match with cheeky pen!

The first-half would've been the time for England to score and assert their authority on the game, but it wasn't to be. With Andrea Pirlo orchestrating midfield, Italy created chance after chance. Even Mario Balotelli played with discipline and resolve. Talk of mini-explosions and tantrums proved fruitless for the baying English media.

The Italians did score through Nocerino, but he was ruled offside. They'd have deserved it but manful England defended doggedly, managing to get over the line for the penalty lottery.

Sadly, it's never a competitition for England. We always go out of tournaments on spot-kicks - and despite the preparation Joe Hart and others insisted they were ready for, the cheekiest of Pirlo chips helped secure a 4-2 win.

The England manager insists he's no regrets and the team can keep heads held high without a single "What If" to keep them up at night.

But there were some distinctly ordinary performances out there led by Ashley Young, who surrendered possession too much and Wayne Rooney, who was completely beyond the required match fitness needed.

On the positive side, Glen Johnson produced his best performance in an England shirt to date and John Terry, Joleon Lescott and Ashley Cole will all know they were in a real contest.

We also have in Hodgson the new head of a settled regime ready for our next disappointment, the World Cup in 2014. It's now 48 years of hurt - and counting.

It's Italy next for hopeful England. What are our chances?

listen to ‘It's Italy next for hopeful #eng. What are our chances?’ on Audioboo

Pragmatic Roy steers England through to the last eight

England have made it to the quarter finals of Euro 2012, winning the group with two wins and a draw.

Let's keep our powder dry, we're English, FFS!

England rode their luck en route to a 1-0 win over host nation Ukraine, including a "goal" for the host nation which should've counted. John Terry's athletic last ditch clearance was in fact over the line. But Ukraine are out.

Wayne Rooney marked his return from suspension with the winner from a Steven Gerrard (who else?) cross. It was a tap in but an important boost for the Manchester United striker, who huffed and puffed his way through a first outing for five weeks. He looked off the pace for long periods but has an inner determination to overcome his blatant lack of match fitness.

He found his feet towards the end of the match, but will certainly feel the effect of the workout tomorrow.

Keeper Joe Hart was on top of his game and had to be, staying alert to the most determined of Ukrainian strikes, but special mention goes to the skipper.

Gerrard has been magnificent this tournament. He's responded to wearing the armband with aplomb.

Twelve years ago, I witnessed Liverpool's highly-rated youngster make his debut, also against Ukraine. Years later, now skipper, he stands up as our most important player.

Some say we over rely on the set-piece for our goals and creativity: if so, who better than the artist Gerrard to conduct our progress?

In winning the group, we avoid defending champions, Spain. That fate befalls the French on Saturday night. Instead, it's Italy on Sunday who like England, arrived at the tournament with low expectations despite the reputation of a first rate nation.

John Terry, who'll always assume a form of captaincy whether wearing the armband or not, huddled the team together at the final whistle. Difficult to beat and united in purpose, England have a chance to make it to the semifinals. Then again, so do Italy. We must remain resolute and concentrate hard. Our dreams of winning can end in a heartbeat.

England aren't the finished product by any stretch, but as John Lennon said "life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans".

We've more than a fighting chance of going beyond expectations and this is a vast improvement on Capello's South African flop.

Roy Hodgson's called everything right. It's as if being overlooked for the job too many times has prepared him even more so. Doesn't he look so much the better choice than Harry Redknapp now?

Italian Football Podcast: previewing EURO 2012 & Prandelli interview

On the eve of EURO 2012, I've made a 15-minute podcast on Italian football.

In the show, I talk to reporter Tommi Mattei from the Italian squad's base in Coverciano ahead of their departure to Poland and Ukraine, there's also an interview with Italy coach Cesare Prandelli as he outlines his hopes for the tournament and we gauge his opinion on Roberto di Matteo's remarkable Champions League win with Chelsea.

I'm hoping to get a sponsor from this so if you like it, please leave a comment and Share! Thanks.

listen to ‘Italian Football Podcast: previewing #euro2012, interview with Cesare Prandelli & talking #loscudetto & #cfc's #ucl win’ on Audioboo