During World Cup years England's football phenomenon escalates exponentially, as the fanaticism for local club teams is unified into one force and targeted at the national team.

"It's like hockey is in Canada," said St. Petersburg's Tom Chicken, a native of Newcastle, England, who also has lived in Toronto. "Perhaps even more so."

Now if only the English lads would give their frenzied, Union Jack-waving supporters a World Cup performance worthy of hoisting a pint to and cheering about.

Dozens of countries go nuts over the world's most popular sport, but football was born in England centuries ago and formalized there, in 1857 in Sheffield. Yet its World Cup results are as flat as the cuisine.

In 13 Cups since World War II (England did not participate in the three prewar Cups), England has advanced as far as the semifinals twice and captured one title, in 1966, when it hosted.

"We've been living off the memory of (1966) ever since," Chicken said. "They're always showing a replay. Somewhere right now they're probably showing a replay."

It is England's only top-three finish in World Cup annals. Imagine the Dream Team degenerating into an Olympic basketball also-ran.

English followers can point to an inordinate amount of misfortune. In 1986, a fine side led by striker Gary Lineker lost to eventual champion Argentina in a quarterfinal 2-1. The first Argentine goal was knocked in by an illegal hand-ball, the famous "Hand of God" shot by the legendary Diego Maradona. On the second, Maradona weaved through about a half-dozen English defenders and goalkeeper Peter Shilton to finish what is considered by many the finest goal in Cup history.

In other words, it took the greatest goal ever and an outright act of cheating for the champions to derail unlucky England. In 1990, England lost in a semifinal to eventual champion West Germany on penalty kicks (4-3).

"Twelve years have passed now since that night in Turin, and hardly a month has gone by without those (penalty kicks against West Germany) being replayed and agonised (sic) over," British soccer writer Matthew Monk wrote in a recent column. "But many people seem to prefer it that we lost. It makes us valiant losers."

Despite the mounting frustration, the self-effacing spirit of the English fans remains intact.

"The old saying was, the only time (England) beat Germany was when it counted, during the first and second World Wars," said Chicken, who frequently joins gatherings at St. Petersburg-area British pubs on Saturday mornings to watch Premier League games.

In a four-day span in early May, England went bonkers as Arsenal captured "The Double," winning the FA Cup and Premier League title.

Then the mayhem promptly kicked up a notch, somehow, with the World Cup beckoning.

"Their lifestyle and daily talk is consumed by football. The newspapers, the television, and it's a constant topic of conversation. It's just crazy," said Chris Ley, an American who visited London in April and May. "London is made up of so many diverse cultures, but everybody's involved in football.

"Once (Arsenal had won the Premier League), it all immediately shifted to the World Cup, and this guy Beckham, and would he be able to play."

David Beckham, the gifted attacking midfielder, is the centerpiece of England's hopes. Beckham, 27, also is at the core of the cauldron of the madness.

"They love that guy," Ley said. "He's God."

ESPN The Magazine recently wrote a feature about Beckham's celebrity, which is so acute the nation is transfixed by minutia such as his oft-changing hairstyle. When Beckham, the husband of Victoria Beckham, a.k.a. Posh Spice, broke his foot April 10 while playing for fabled Manchester United -- putting his status for the World Cup in jeopardy -- Prime Minister Tony Blair issued an official statement of concern.

"(Beckham's return to form) is essential because the guy is a genius," Chicken said.

Beckham's cult status survived a hostile backlash in 1998. In a taut, riveting second-round match with foil Argentina, Beckham lost his cool, kicked an opponent and was ejected. Playing a man down, England, fueled by a breathtaking goal from then-teen phenom Michael Owen, pushed it to overtime before losing on penalty kicks (again 4-3).

Entering 2002, England, as it often is, was considered to be one of a small group of Cup favorites. The squad had rebounded from the shocking resignation of coach Kevin Keegan (he was replaced by a Swede, Sven Goran Eriksson, England's first foreign coach) and played well during most of qualifying, including a stunning 5-1 pummeling of Germany.

The past few months, though, the seemingly inevitable misfortune has reared up. First Beckham went down. Then defensive stalwart Gary Neville. Then midfielders Nicky Butt, Steven Gerrard and Kieron Dyer. Then Danny Murphy. Beckham probably will play, Neville and Gerrard won't, Butt, Dyer and Murphy are questionable. Furthering the star-crossed theme, England is in the "Group of Death" with Sweden, Nigeria and nemesis Argentina, the betting favorite.

"It's time we won it again, but I don't think it will happen this year," Chicken said.

A recent survey in Britain of the 100 greatest World Cup moments was, predictably, English-heavy. Most English moments on the list, however, centered around defeats, not victories.

"Britain does not really like winners in sport, we are not used to it," Monk said. "We prefer decent, honourable (sic), courageous losers -- as the list proves time and again -- but just occasionally we like to see winners."

What would it be like in England if this World Cup became one of those occasions -- if England won? What if England were to duplicate its greatest moment on the pitch, July 30, 1966, when Geoff Hurst had three goals in a 4-2 win over West Germany for the World Cup title?

"Absolute chaos," Ley said. "London? The whole place would shut down."

And what about in Newcastle?

"I can tell you this," Chicken said. "There would be a lot of Newcastle Brown Ale flowing."

-- Information from other news sources was used in this report.

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