World Cup 2014 LIVE: Latest news and updates as Spain crash out and England prepare for Uruguay
Follow all the latest news after the defending champions gave up their crown last night and the Three Lions get set for their crunch Group D clash
Paul Gorst
France defender Patrice Evra has spoken glowingly about the atmosphere around the Les Bleus camp.
The French were embroiled in a series of in-house spats at the 2010 World Cup as they embarrassingly went out at the group stage.
However, Evra believes the squad are different beast this time round and Didier Deschamps' men started with a 3-0 win against Honduras on Sunday.
Evra said: "You need everyone in the World Cup, you cannot give up because you’re not starting a game.
“We do not have a problem with egos in this team Nothing’s ever certain with Deschamps. That’s why I like to work with him. He never gives you presents.
“He’ll look you in the eyes and say, ‘Pat, if you mess up I won’t spare you’. I know that if I step out of line I’m out of this team.
“I have faith in this squad, and that’s a great strength. The star isn’t one player, it’s the team.”
Paul Gorst
Ross Barkley has described his World Cup debut against Italy on Saturday as a dream come true.
The Everton youngster was summoned from the bench for the final 29 minutes, and he talked up what it meant to be coming up against the likes of Andrea Pirlo an co.
He told the FA.com: “It was a great experience, and I’ve never felt anything like that playing for England.
“Coming on was a dream, and to do it in a World Cup against Italy, against the likes of Di Rossi, Pirlo - it was a dream. It can only bode well for me in the future.
Paul Gorst
Our man Oliver Holt has called for England to take advantage of a weak Uruguay team in Sao Paulo.
Defeat for either side is likely to spell the end of their World Cup campaign, and our reporter in Brazil wants to see the Three Lions go for the jugular.
"They need to remember how well they played [against Italy]," writes Holt. "And remind themselves that Uruguay are no Italy.
"They have to recall that today’s opponents struggled to qualify for the World Cup and have just lost 3-1 to Costa Rica.
"Most of all, they must not allow themselves to be psyched out by the probable return of Luis Suarez to the Uruguay starting line-up."
Former England manager Glenn Hoddle wants to see Wayne Rooney moved to a midfield position against Uruguay.
Debate has continued to rage about where the Manchester United striker should play at the World Cup, and he was tasked with the role of left-wing against Italy.
However, Hoddle, who coached the Three Lions at the 1998 World Cup in France, wants to see Roy Hodgson shuffle his pack somewhat this evening.
Writing in his William Hill column, he said: “However, I personally would make one change, one that would completely change the shape of the team and would have a huge effect on the way England play. It would, in my opinion, make all the difference.
“I would have Steven Gerrard sitting in front of the back four, and ahead of him Rooney and Adam Lallana – replacing Jordan Henderson - with Danny Welbeck and Raheem Sterling in the side positions.
“It would be a 'V' formation, Gerrard at the point of the V with Rooney and Lallana at the two prongs.
“It would allow for Rooney to burst forward, with Lallana sitting alongside Gerrard, or Lallana breaking forward and Rooney dropping back into midfield. One goes in, one stays."
“I would have Steven Gerrard sitting in front of the back four, and ahead of him Rooney and Adam Lallana – replacing Jordan Henderson - with Danny Welbeck and Raheem Sterling in the side positions.
“It would be a 'V' formation, Gerrard at the point of the V with Rooney and Lallana at the two prongs.
“It would allow for Rooney to burst forward, with Lallana sitting alongside Gerrard, or Lallana breaking forward and Rooney dropping back into midfield. One goes in, one stays."
10:03 am
Xabi in prophetic mood
Spain midfielder was in prophetic mood after their shock exit from the World Cup on Wednesday.
The world and European champions were beaten 2-0 by Chile to follow on from their 5-1 humiliation against the Netherlands last week.
However, Real Madrid star Alonso was surprisingly poetic after the game.
He said: "We have to take the great sadnesses in the same way as we take the great joys: as men.
“It hurts our pride a lot, but this is football. But we've known how to win and now we have to know how to lose."
9:54 am
Heskey weighs in...
Former England striker Emile Heskey has called for Wayne Rooney to swap positions with Raheem Sterling tonight.
Rooney played wide left against the Italians last Saturday, while the Liverpool teeenager was preferred in a number 10 role, behind Daniel Sturridge.
However, Heskey, who earned 62 caps for the Three Lions, wants Sterling out wide and the Manchester United striker more centrally against Uruguay.
He wrote in his Goal.com column: "Daniel Sturridge deserves to be playing where he is as the main striker, in all fairness the lad is on fire at the moment.
"Wayne Rooney is best in the middle. To get the most out of him he needs to be playing the number 10 role.
"Playing him wide is definitely not getting the best out of him. He’s a team player and he wants to do his best for the team but he’s not doing it out wide.
"Roy Hodgson is sacrificing their positions. Personally, I would put Raheem Sterling out wide instead of Rooney. Sterling is a very, very intelligent player for his age and he could be just as dangerous from a wide position."
9:46 am
More from the captain
Gerrard also admitted that it is now or never as far as his World Cup hopes go.
The Reds skipper turned 34 last month and accepts that time is running out for him with the Three Lions.
He said: “When you get to this age you want to try and appreciate and savour every moment and try and achieve everything you can in your grasp.
“It is my last World Cup for sure, 100 per cent. My time is running out as an England player so I want to try and get as many memories out of it as I can which makes the game, from a selfish point of view, even more important because I want to play for England many more times.”
9:41 am
Paul Gorst
Suarez a genius, but Uruguay have more...
England captain Gerrard labelled Uruguay striker Luis Suarez as a "genius" but claimed there is more to the South Americans than just the Liverpool star.
The 31-goal double Player of the Year has not played since the final day of the Premier League season, and underwent knee surgery at the end of last month.
The forward is expected to play, although doubts persist about his fitness.
Liverpool skipper Gerrard, hailed the Reds Player of the Season, but thinks it would be unwise to focus solely on Suarez on Thursday.
He said: “Luis is a genius, but Uruguay are more than one team, we have to be prepared for their whole squad
“I am friends with Luis Suarez, we have had banter, had communications, but I will not talk to him tomorrow. The message is quite clear – we want to get the result and stay here for as long as possible.”
9:29 am
Welcome!
Good morning everyone, how are we all this fine Thursday morning?
If you're Spanish, I'm guessing your answer would be "not great, thanks mate."
That's because La Roja's 2-0 loss to Chile last night has dumped them out of the competition at the group stage. In case you missed the action in a pulsating game at the Maracana, here's our match report and then stick with us and we'll be bringing you all the fallout from the biggest night of the World Cup so far.
Oh, and in case you hadn't noticed, England are playing tonight too, so we might give that the odd mention.
So stay tuned folks, as we've got a big, big day of World Cup action ahead of us and we're here to bring you all the latest breaking news.
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