So, another World Cup ends with dreams of ‘what could have been’ as England fail once more. This time however, it hasn’t ended quite as it should have.

Usually in World Cup’s we go out to the ill-fated penalty shoot-out, or the controversial decision that should have won us the game. And this World Cup looked like it was gearing up to end in the usual way for England.

At 2-0 down, it looked all over. Upson looked like he’d been dragged straight from the Slug & Lettuces’s 5-a-side team and the rest of the defence was fumbling around him. But Upson pulled one back during one of those “you couldn’t make this sh*t up” moments, and just for a few minutes, it looked like the Three Lions were fighting!

For just a minute or two, England looked like the more-than-capable team we know they are. Upson’s goal gave everyone a lift, and from one of the attacks that followed, Frank Lampard struck neatly on the volley. His shot hit the bar and dropped behind the line, before coming back out and being captured by the hapless German keeper. 2-2, and euphoria broke out in South Africa and across the nation!

The ref had other ideas though. Despite the fact that everyone inside the stadium, and the millions watching Worldwide just saw the ball land well over a foot behind the line, the ref “allegedly” missed it, and the goal was ruled out. Perfect! This is how England always exit World Cup’s. Even though we’d lost, the nation has something to whinge about – someone to blame! That’s all that matters to the English. Exiting in controversy.

So, as history would have it, that was game over. 2-1 to the Germans and England out thanks to a goal ruled out by the ref. An angered nation would be appalled once more, but the lads would be heroes nonetheless. The lads had other ideas though, and what followed (and preceded) was perhaps, the worst game of football we’ll ever see England play!

Upson’s place in defence seemed to tear everyone else out of position, Lampard and Gerrard took it in turns to waste chances from 40-50 yards (in between giving the ball away with sloppy passes), Rooney never turned up and the only two players that left the field with any dignity remaining were James (despite having four put passed him) and Milner (who Capello decided to take off!)

So the Golden Generation exit another World Cup in failure, and as some of them begin to hang up their boots, we can only pray the next generation serve us better – for this England deserve to be heading home.