• Dean Holness, who starred in football television drama Dream Team and film Mike Bassett: England Manager, played professional football for Southend United?

Facts on topics related to Mike Bassett: England Manager

Brazil national football team

• Brazilian footballer Bobô won the 1988 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A before playing three games for the Brazil national team in 1989?
• César Sampaio is a former Brazilian football player who played offensive midfielder for Palmeiras and the Brazilian national team?
• the Brazilian team at the 1958 World Cup had not assigned squad numbers in advance, and a 17-year old Pelé was randomly assigned the number 10, which he wore for the rest of his career?

France national football team

• several French international footballers have played for FC Versailles, including Thierry Henry, Jérôme Rothen and Hatem Ben Arfa?
• the French footballer Lucien Laurent scored the first ever World Cup goal, against Mexico in 1930?

Argentina national football team

• at least seven members of the Scottish Argentine Brown family have played international football for Argentina?

David Beckham

• David Beckham and Victoria Adams were given a replica of Cheshire's Rookery Hall as a cake at their engagement party?
• Terry Byrne was the only person to accompany David Beckham to the changing room after his red card in the 1998 World Cup, and later became his personal manager?
• Go! Go! Beckham! Adventure on Soccer Island follows David Beckham on his quest to defeat the evil Mister Woe in order to restore peace to Soccer Island?

FIFA World Cup

• World Cup winning soccer player José Andrade once played drums in a carnival band?
• Dutch football manager Clemens Westerhof is credited with turning the Nigerian national team into a perennial powerhouse in African football, having guided them to victory in the 1992 African Cup of Nations as well as their first FIFA World Cup participation in 1994?
• in 2007, Fiji international goalkeeper Simione Tamanisau was prevented from playing in a FIFA World Cup qualifying match by the New Zealand authorities?
• the French footballer Lucien Laurent scored the first ever World Cup goal, against Mexico in 1930?

Belgium national football team

• football player Eddy de Neve scored all four goals for the Netherlands against Belgium on April 30, 1905, the first match of the Dutch national team ever?

Poland national football team

• as a result of the Okęcie Airport Incident in 1980, four top players of the Polish national football team were disqualified, and one of them never capped for Poland again?