Having being born in 1994 my first World cup memory was 2002. I remember being with my family at Butlins, Minehead watching England bow out at the quarter final stage. A brilliant goal from Rivaldo and a mistake from David Seaman saw the eventual champions Brazil through to the next round. I remember looking around the room and seeing the sense of injustice written large on my families’ faces. The belief was that we had been robbed, that Seaman had cost us. There was no talk of Brazil being the better side or that England were simply outmatched by one of the greatest football teams ever brought together. This was the beginning of the “golden generation” the like of Steven Gerrard and Ashley Cole as international stars while Owen, Beckham and Scholes were already established World class players. The build-up to the 2006 World cup was much of the same. It was an expectant nation, after being perhaps unlucky to go out at the quarter final stage at the last two major tournaments the English public believed that this was finally going to be their year of glory. Wayne Rooney was the new young hope and England had World class players in every position. There were England flags everywhere I looked and it was all anyone could talk about in the lead up to Germany.

 

England crashed out at the quarter final stage and left a nation heartbroken once again. This was a time where not only did I believe that England could win the World cup but anything less would be seen as failure. England’s exit in 2006 saw the end of the golden generation as Steve McLaren unsuccessfully tried to usher in the next group. However, Fabio Capello’s typically Italian approach saw England breeze through qualifying for the 2010 World Cup. Again hopes were high as England swept through the early rounds. It seemed England had finally found a manager with the pedigree and authority to manage the egos and differing club loyalties in the England dressing room. With Wayne Rooney expected to finally have his breakout World cup England were seen as one of the favourites to go far in the competition.

Yet again that expectation faded as England were dominated by a youthful, classy German side. Media and fans were disgusted by England lacklustre performances and Capello’s standoffish approach with the players was criticised. 2010 was the last major tournament that I watched England with genuine expectations that we could win it. The next three tournaments were overseen by Roy Hodgson. Not a man who instantly fills you with excitement and neither did his teams. Yes, England did qualify for each tournament with relative ease and there was were good wins in friendlies vs Brazil and France. But the expectation that England could ever win any of those tournaments was never really there.

The emergence of Harry Kane as a top class centre forward and Raheem Sterling’s improvement under the guidance of Pep Guardiola are certainly promising signs for this England team’s future. Yet again I have no genuine expectations for England really challenging at this year’s World Cup. This is certainly not a golden generation of talent in English football and I am supporting more through hope than expectation. Although it came with crushing disappointment I long for the days of 2006 where I, and the majority of English supporters, went into a World Cup with the expectation we should win it. For now, it would just be nice to get back to a Quarter final