Hopeful Three Lions

Sweating it out: Iran’s Ramin Rezaian training at the Al Rayyan SC. Below: Gareth Southgate restored England to the upper echelons of the international game. — AFP/ Reuters

ENGLAND kick off their World Cup campaign against Iran today desperate to take the final step after twice falling just short of winning the country’s first major trophy in more than half a century.

Gareth Southgate’s players will be relieved to finally focus on football after spending much of the build-up to the tournament mired in the ceaseless controversies surrounding host nation Qatar.