In the opposite corner: France prepare to face England

The average temperature in Brazil in 2014 will be above 70; parts of the Russian World Cup will be scorching. Football travels to Qatar in 2022. Michel Platini wants to take the European Championship  to Turkey.

We adapt or give up now. Football’s greatest prizes will always be awarded in June or July and, in most parts of the world, that is summer. As for England’s opponents, they have won 43 Olympic medals, for skiing. Only Austria and Switzerland have won more.

Great Britain have won none. We can’t have it all ways. Why should France be any more able to cope with heat?

‘We feel the weight of history,’ Hodgson admitted. ‘We all feel that weight because, as a top nation, we haven’t won as many tournaments or done as well as we should have done.

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