In an extraordinary turn of events the United States will play its first game of the World Cup in South Africa next summer against the country’s oldest rival, England. The draw is a promoter’s dream. Outside of Mexico, England is probably the best fit for the Americans’ as a natural adversary.

The United States was born out of kicking British redcoat butt and though the Limeys like to point out they burned down the White House in the War of 1812 everyone knows that the Fourth of July has to be a bitter day every year in jolly ole London. Another bone of contention with the English is the 1950 World Cup match where the US won 1-0 over England in Brazil which still pisses of old Englishmen despite no one in America having any idea that it ever happened.

History aside, the USA got the best World Cup draw it has ever received for 2010 with its group consisting of England, Algeria, and Slovenia. No offense to the English, but the United States should really advance out of the group stage as Algeria and Slovenia are widely considered the weakest teams out of Africa and Europe respectively. Although every game is important in the World Cup, the US’s opener with the British will be the match up everyone will be watching.

Player for player England is a better team than the United States.  The Three Lions will be a handful for the American defense with world class stars in Wayne Rooney, Ashley Young, Frank Lampard, and Steven Gerrard leading the attack. All of England’s players play in the English Premier League (outside of a certain Mr.  David Beckham who plays in America in the MLS) which is arguably the world’s best league while the US will be starting some players who undoubtedly play in inferior leagues.

The Los Angeles Galaxy's David Beckham will be looking to sink the Yanks in South Africa

The US has upset the world’s best before as was the case this past summer at the Confederations Cup where the Americans defeated FIFA #1 ranked team in the world, Spain 2-0 and lost a heartbreaker 3-2 to Brazil in the final. The Confederations Cup was also played in South Africa so the U.S. will have that experience in their favor when the two countries meet in the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace (where the US defeated Egypt 3-0 in the group stages of the Confederations Cup) on June 12th.

American players such as Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey, Oguchi Onyweu, and Tim Howard have proven in the past that they can hang with top level players on a regular basis, but the rest of the US squad will have a lot to prove next summer when they step on the pitch with the world’s best. Throw in the history between LA Galaxy teammates David Beckham and Landon Donovan the game should be one of the most watched soccer games in America of all time.

Hopefully the Big Wigs at ESPN do their best to pump up the game as to maximize the all the interesting storylines that comes with the match. Being a Revolutionary War nerd myself, I’d love to see some historical references put into the promotion, but I won’t keep my hopes up. A victory over England next summer would be one of the greatest sports achievements in international sport in our country’s history while it would send the English straight into national mourning.

The money and promotion ESPN is throwing into the World Cup will allow Americans to view the event in a completely unprecedented way bringing in more viewers. A good showing at the World Cup this summer could inspire some kid somewhere in the United States to become the next Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi furthering the development of the sport in America. So get your Red, White, and Blue flags ready for next summer and let's show those Limeys we can still kick it 1776 style.

- Sean Heffernan

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