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England v Ghana: Why Wembley showdown is more than just a friendly to Fabio
Posted Tuesday, March 29, 2011 by Dailymail

England v Ghana: Why Wembley showdown is more than just a friendly to Fabio
Welcome back: Everton defender Leighton Baines was harshly treated ahead of the World Cup

Leighton Baines

Unfairly treated ahead of last year's World Cup, when Capello took two nervy displays in friendlies against Egypt and Mexico together with a story which claimed he was homesick during the training camp in Austria and axed him from the final squad of 23.

Stephen Warnock, of Aston Villa, got the nod but did not play, due to Ashley Cole's consistent brilliance. But Baines, 26, has responded this season to prove he is the Chelsea full back's rightful deputy.

The Everton left back has been in outstanding form, with his crosses proving a potent weapon for his club and he can also bring dead-ball excellence to the England team. Capello will demand to see evidence that the jitters have gone and that he feels at home on the international stage. At the moment, he has the edge over Arsenal's Kieran Gibbs - but the manager will be watching closely.

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Standings
    Rank Team W/D/L Pts

    Cities & Stadiums

    The Top 3 Teams of Previous Tournaments

    Year Winners Runner-up Third place
    2008SpainGermanyRussia / Turkey
    2004GreecePortugalNetherlands / Czech Republic
    2000FranceItalyNetherlands / Portugal
    1996GermanyCzech RepublicFrance / England
    1992DenmarkGermanyNetherlands / Sweden
    1988NetherlandsSoviet UnionItaly / West Germany
    1984FranceSpainDenmark / Portugal
    1980West GermanyBelgiumCzechoslovakia
    1976CzechoslovakiaWest GermanyNetherlands
    1972West GermanySoviet UnionBelgium
    1968ItalyYugoslaviaEngland
    1964SpainSoviet UnionHungary
    1960Soviet UnionYugoslaviaCzechoslovakia