World Cup 2014 will be England's worst ever if Three Lions lose to Costa Rica... and could Gary Neville fit the bill as the national team manager if Roy Hodgson is sacked?

World Cup 2014 could be England's worst ever should they lose to Costa Rica

Three Lions needs Italy to win remaining games and need to defeat Costa Ricans themselves

Felling growing among members of the FA that Gary Neville could fit the bill as the next England manager

England are left clinging to the hope that Italy will beat Costa Rica on Friday night and then overcome Uruguay.

That way the Three Lions could hatch a ‘Great Escape’ with a 2-0 win over Costa Rica next week providing Italy then beat Uruguay.

Stranger things have happened. But of course should Roy Hodgson’s men lose to Costa Rica then this would rank as the country’s worst-ever World Cup finals.

Down and (all-but) out: Steven Gerrard and Phil Jagielka reflect after England's defeat against Uruguay Match winner: Luis Suarez is ecstatic after scoring Uruguay's crucial second goal against England in Sao Paolo

England have not lost all three group games at a World Cup since first entering in 1950; although England did lose their three group games at the 1988 European Championships.



........................................................................................................



Roy Hodgson has already batted off the ‘Will you resign?’ questions with a ‘No’.

Publicly the FA stand firm behind the manager. Not least because chairman Greg Dyke suggested when he took over that a bloody nose was expected in Brazil but with a long term aim of a young side developing at Euro 2016.

Hodgson is seen as the right man not least because there are no obvious or wiling replacements .

But there are some around the FA who are not convinced and there is a growing feeling that despite no experience at club level Gary Neville could fit the bill.



Successor? Some in the FA believe Gary Neville could fit the bill to replace Roy Hodgson as England manager

Just to confirm that while many Scottish football fans are revelling in England trouble's a pal from Glasgow rang me on Thursday to gloat about Uruguay's 2-1 win.

He couldn't resist reading out the back page headline from one of the Scottish editions of the papers. It screamed: Eureka. As schadenfreude goes that's quality.



Delighted: One Scottish football fan sat among the Uruguay supporters during England's defeat

Keep out for left-footed players in today's games.

Of the 47 World Cup goals scored with feet this summer, left-pegged efforts trail right-footed finishes by just one at 23-24.



Spain are the fifth World Cup holders to have been deposed at the first hurdle on their defence.

The previous four were Italy in 1950 (they had won in 1938 then WWII intervened ), Brazil in 1966, France in 2002 and Italy again in 2010.

Four years in football is a very long time to fade.



Now that Spain are out Chelsea should at last complete the £32 million capture of striker Diego Costa from Atletico Madrid next week.

Blues fans will be hoping he doesn't go a bit ‘Torres’ on them and become known as Diego ‘Costa-lot’

After all the frontman failed to register a single shot on target during 126 minutes of action in Brazil.



Poor: Brazilian-born Diego Costa was a huge disappointment for Spain during their first two World Cup games



For many it would seem France, after their impressive 3-0 win over Honduras, should ease towards the knockout stages against Switzerland.

But the Swiss, despite the small size of their nation, should never be underestimated and they have a good record against the French.

In previous meetings between the two sides, the Swiss have won 12, France have been victorious in 15 and there have been nine draws.



For those not utterly obsessed with football who have a social conscience and concerns about the environment, 16 per cent of the Amazon rainforest, an area larger than Cameroon, has been cut down since Brazil lost a competitive home match.

That was a 3-1 defeat to Peru in the Copa America in 1975.



Look out for: Cristian Gamboa



Costa Rica's Arsenal striker caught the eye in their opening win over Uruguay and could well be the player to probe the Italian defence on Friday evening.

However, the player that could undermine the Italians and stick a knife into England is Cristian Gamboa.

Currently with Norwegian club Rosenborg, the right back will no doubt be attracting the attention of La Liga and Premier League clubs.



One to watch: Costa Rica right-back Cristian Gamboa will no doubt attract attention from Premier League clubs

World Cup Bet

The battle of the rainforests between Honduras and Ecuador could well be a nervy and perhaps feisty affair.

So 3/1 for the draw looks a decent shout.

World Cup Moment

Italy have a fantastic World Cup pedigree even if many matches have been tough on the eye.

But in 1982 they were involved in one of the all-time greatest games when they overcome a brilliant Brazil side winning late on as Paolo Rossi stabbed home to complete a hat-trick.



