England's national psyche and the World Cup

Imagine an alternate universe where Maradona's hand ball was caught and Beckham wasn't sent off against Argentina in 1998. Then realize it can only be an impossible version of reality.

The World Cup as ritual has a meaning beyond football. Usually the elimination is the most watched British TV programme of the year, educating the English in two contradictory narratives: one, that England has a manifest destiny to triumph, and two, that it never does.

Here are listed the 8 phases of England's eventual exit from the World Cup.....