wayne rooney is the one world class striker on the pitch in bloemfontein who has the ability to win the game on his own

The preception is that Germany have a hoodoo over England. And while that may be true in the latter stages of the competition (last eight) it is certainly not true in history.

England and Germany have won 12 each overall (with two of Germany’s wins being draws in open play).  The winner of this game will not only progress to the latter stages, they will be able to say that they are the better team overall.

The other myth to shatter that there is an element of luck – that Germany are lucky and England are unlucky – when it comes to match-ups between these two sides.

I think we can dispel this as the rubbish. While Germany were a tad fortunate in 1990 with their first goal, they were the better team on paper and won accordingly. When England win – the 5-1 win in Munich in 2001, for example – they have been the better team.

Of all the rivalries in the World Cup, England v Germany tends to go to the better team. And there is a very strong argument to suggest that England are the better team. While Germany have perhaps one World class player and one potential World Class player – Philipp Lahm is one of the top three full backs in the world, while Mesut Ozil will be when he grows up.

England, meanwhile, have three: Ashley Cole is probably the best full back in the World, while Wayne Rooney is considered one of the best strikers in the world. Steven Gerrard makes up England’s trio of world-class players.

It will come down to something special. The teams that have made it into the last eight have proved that. Uruguay striker Luis Suarez was the difference against South Korea, while an awesome winner by Asamoah Gyan sent USA home.

Wayne Rooney can do the same for England. He has been incredible in training – and started to show flashes of his brilliance against Slovenia. If he can harry the German back four, England should win.