In 1946, England rejoined FIFA and Stanley Rous, secretary of the Football Association, persuaded the FA to appoint Walter Winterbottom as the FA's first Director of Coaching, and the first England team manager. Over the next four years, before the 1950 World Cup in Brazil, Winterbottom assembled the first squad to compete for the Jules Rimet Trophy. The England national football team is now one of the oldest in the world. They have competed in the FIFA World Cup thirteen times since 1950, won the cup once in 1966, and reached the semi-finals in 1990. Football historian and statistician Tony Matthews explores each of England's World Cup appearances, from Brazil 1950 to Brazil 2014, giving detailed match reports and stats along with a historical narrative to set each tournament in its context. This is essential reading for any fan of the beautiful game

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