First puiblished by Ace Magazine on line. June 2014.

In the end it came down to two moments in which Luis Suárez, the talisman of Liverpool, shined brighter than anything else on the field. Two moments in which genuine class showed and in which he joined the likes of Beckenbauer, Cruyff and Pele as reasons to admire him as a footballer, even if some of more personal habits leave a sour taste in the mouth.

In front of 62,000 people inside the Arena Corinthians in São Paulo, and many millions more at home in either respective country, England and Uruguay showed more passion for the sport than they had done in their opening group game. There were moments in which the turn of a heel was sublime, the pushing forward of Leighton Baines on the left hand side terrifyingly good, the approach work of Wayne Rooney, in which in any other game he would have had a least a hat-trick, was on par with anything he had done for his club side and in which Uruguay showed that on current form they simply could take Brazil and Argentina to the cleaners.

Two goals for Luis Suárez though was the key, one a header so sweet you could hear the calories being piled on and the teeth screaming in agony at the sensitivity, the other a defensive error that the back four of England were damned for making but for which the punishment was duly given.

There are arguments that Diego Godín should not have been on the pitch to witness this win, why he wasn’t booked for the type of tackle that was once called industrial when already having received a caution for handball a few minutes earlier, perhaps we will never know…it certainly adds more fuel to the debate of some sections of ability in people to referee a game.

One nil down, England showed resolve, however it took them nearly ten minutes of the second half to get back into the swing of things by which time Joey Hart’s goal was under the type of siege that would have Medieval societies stocking up all provisions for a year and wary of any signs of Plague appearing in its walled city. Wayne Rooney can be denied his goal, yes it may have been scrappy but when you have been on the end of World Cup drought that has seen you become the nation’s highest scorer in the qualifying without hitting the net once in the finals, then scrappy will do.

For a while England surged, Uruguay countered and in the end it was long ball up field, the type that England used to be lambasted for, derided and shamed over that saw the defence split, Steven Gerrard take huge blame and in which Luis Suárez showed class that was the major difference between the teams.

Whatever happens, however England should be sent home, whether after giving their best against Costa Rica but ultimately seeing Italy and Uruguay play out a draw as some have suggested could happen, or through gaining the most unlikely of entries to the last 16 and coming up against one of the teams of the tournament so far in Columbia, they cannot and should not have the words disgrace placed against them. For they have not disgraced. The national team have fallen short yes, of that there is no doubt but this young side shows incredible promise and should be nurtured.

Some of the old guard are going to have to make way. Steven Gerrard, a lion in the heart of English midfield for so many years and who would get into many armchair pundits own teams, looks tired and jaded after a season in which he gave his all time and time again. The rigours of a season in which many unfairly suggest he cost Liverpool the title with a slip against Chelsea has caught up with him and again even if a minor miracle does happen and England make the next round, Steven Gerrard should be looking back when he gets home at pride with what he does done within the England set-up, 14 years of international football, well over 100 caps for his country whilst leading Liverpool to trophy after trophy, vital game after vital game. War horses don’t go on forever and Steven Gerrard has given his all. People do forget all the good you have done when you make one mistake.

The other concern for England should be Glen Johnson, as right backs go he doesn’t appear to install much confidence in the way he defends, at times too easily got round and going forward he seems very shaky. There were many who may have shook their heads at his inclusion over the years, perhaps only on the back on the absolute dearth of English defenders currently playing in the F.A. Premiership, but he needs to be taken aside and asked questions of. Not big questions, not the type facing Spain’s back four but still, a gently probed set of questions.

If there is a question mark over the team there will be many asking the current manager Roy Hodgson about his team selection, the way he sets the team out to play the game but who is there that is ready to take his place at the top of English football? The same clamour for answers was levelled at Bobby Robson in 1984 and 1988, in 1986 England struck lucky and had the will of the fan back home after being dumped cruelly by the type of cheating that has no place in the game, he learnt from those experiences to bring England to the closest ever chance they have had since 1966 with a generation of players that had learned from eight years of him guiding them.

Of course to compare Bobby Robson with Roy Hodgson might be daft, some would even cry heresy and beat their chests black and blue as they verbally scoff the idea but Mr. Hodgson was thrown into the deep end when the F.A. and Fabio Capello parted company, he took a team in absolute disarray to South Africa, made a few wrong choices but learned, he will learn from this and if given the chance, which he should be, will take England on to the next European Championships with great heart. The nucleus of a very good side is there, the heart of the lion might need telling to take it easier and enjoy a couple of more great seasons with his club side and away from the attention of the national spotlight but there is hope in this side.

This is not the 1970s, this is not the waste of footballing talent that befell the national side during a decade of careless objectives, nor is the time for panic after the unfortunate reign of Graham Taylor, a great club manager, one of the best, but caught out with the aging squad he kept faith in.

Both Uruguay and Italy didn’t dominate the England players, in the end it was down to the lack of attention given to Pirlo and Ballotelli coupled with the media’s obsession with Wayne Rooney in the game against Italy and the fantastic Luis Suárez in this game. The man had a point to prove and he made it well, as did Wayne Rooney, who despite all the snide remarks and finger pointing has somehow managed to amass 40 goals for his country. 40 goals, let that sink in for a moment, 40 goals. Across countless England games only four players have managed that feat; Sir Bobby Charlton, the graceful Gary Lineker and Michael Owen have made the back of the oppositions net bulge more times. Would you have stopped Wayne Rooney being part of that exclusive club, especially when you consider the amount of players that even failed to make an impact in the shirt.

Uruguay were good value for their win, and they are a team that beat England more times than England have managed to take them on and win. Like Italy they are a great of the game, by whatever device they employed in 2010, they still made it to the semi-finals, they are highly regarded in South America, the time is not to berate England, the time should be to congratulate the opposition for their great play. As a nation, at times we can be seen to be childish, yes the love of the game is all in the blood as it is in Brazil but surely the time to actually say, “you know what, we were beaten by a damn fine side but we gave it all we had, not the players fault,” we just weren’t good enough this time” is now at hand.

Uruguay: Fernando Muslera, Martín Cáceres, José María Giménez, Diego Godín,  Álvaro Pereira, Álvaro González, Egidio Arévalo, Cristian Rodríguez, Nicolás Lodeiro, Luis Suárez, Edinson Cavani,

Substitutes: Christian Stuani, Jorge Fucile, Sebastián Coates.

England: Joey Hart, Glen Johnson, Gary Cahill, Phil Jagielka, Leighton Baines, Steven Gerrard, Jordan Henderson, Raheem Sterling, Wayne Rooney, Danny Welbeck, Daniel Sturridge.

Substitutes: Ross Barkley, Adam Lallana, Rickie Lambert.

Venue: Arena Corinthians, São Paulo

Referee:

Goal Scorers: Uruguay: Luis Suárez (2), England: Rooney.

Final Score: Uruguay 2-1 England.

Man of the Match: Luis Suárez.

Ian D. Hall