With the World Cup fast approaching, LIAM NEWMAN recalls the moment that he (along with millions of others) fell back in love with the international game

The date is October 6, 2001. The venue is Old Trafford. And like the rest of the nation, I am sat slumped as England are just moments from missing out on automatic World Cup qualification.
This is hardly the first England disappointment of my lifetime – the Three Lions had lost to Germany on penalties at Italia 90 before I could even walk, before missing out on World Cup ‘94 altogether. Then, in the first tournament I can...