10 Biggest FIFA World Cup "What Ifs"

A big what if, but perhaps the most talked about one on the list. Often looked at with rose tinted glasses, few who watched the game could honestly say that England was the better team. A simple re-watch of the match will prove the point. While a gutsy team, England lacked inventiveness.

Yet, if they played the way they did in the last 15 minutes, Argentina would have struggled to keep their composure, especially after England's equalizer. For all their brilliance, Argentina also had a frailty, most often hidden by Maradona's genius.

At 1-1, heading into extra time, England's grit would definitely have given them a shot at winning. Much like 1998 though, England's fate was not a simple one. A very strong German team waited in the final. Again, one could say that on any given day, history could repeat itself.

If England conquered all in Mexico, it would have gone a long way to sooth the pain of the post Heysel ban that excluded English clubs from European competition for the following five years.

As for the national team, it might have inspired the likes of Paul Gascoigne and co. to play with more confidence and a firmer belief in themselves. Perhaps allowing them to do the business at Italia '90 as well.

Alas, El Diego had other ideas. It's up to England's new golden generation to break the cycle of "nearly men" status. If Russia 2018 was any indication, they're on the right track.