Humiliation ends: Now for the grieving

After one final frustrating game in Brazil, England’s players can finally fly home. The Motherland of Football’s most humiliating experience at a World Cup is over, and the grieving process – as coach Roy Hodgson sees it – and the inquest can continue in England.

The only consolation, if there can be any for this chastened squad of millionaires, is that they are leaving in exalted European company. At least Italy and Spain managed to win a game in Brazil, though. After losses to Italy and Uruguay, England collected just a point from a 0-0 draw against surprise group D winner Costa Rica. Never before has England played such a meaningless match at a World Cup, with elimination confirmed just six days after its campaign started in Brazil.

With Costa Rica’s remarkable progress already secured, this was not a thriller in the Mineirao. With one more lacklustre and undynamic display, England showed why they are leaving the party early.

Not since 1958 had the English managed such a swift exit, although they at least were undefeated with three draws in Sweden.

England’s only World Cup triumph came on home soil in 1966 and the furthest they have progressed since then was reaching the semifinals in Italy in 1990. Twenty-four years later, England failed to beat two teams, Costa Rica and Uruguay, from countries with less than a tenth of its 50 million-plus population and domestic competitions incomparable with the wealthy Premier League.

Hodgson doesn’t know why, apart from claiming Costa Rica’s coach has more access to his players.

‘‘You can analyse results and come up with answers. Lots of answers,’’ he said. ‘‘But all I can say is we haven’t been that fortunate here. I don’t think the performances have seen us outplayed or outclassed by any of the opponents we’ve played, but we haven’t got the results.