Ferdinand has been brilliant (Allsport).

By Mark Bradley, PA Sport Chief Soccer Writer, Kobe

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In choosing England's player of the World Cup so far, there is just one contender. For Rio Ferdinand is out there in a class of his own.

He entered the tournament wanting to establish himself as a worldwide name and the covetous eyes of Europe's elite clubs are now scouring his every move.

Still just 23, the Leeds centre-back is fulfilling all of his undoubted promise, adding defensive steel and maturity to his evident ball-playing skills.

His £18 million price-tag now looks a bargain, with his growing understanding with Sol Campbell having provided the foundation stone for England's progress to the quarter-finals with just one goal conceded in four games.

However, amid England's transformation from inexperienced dark horses to genuine World Cup contenders, he is still but part of the equation.

For it is three previously fringe members of the squad to whom Sven-Goran Eriksson has been almost just as much indebted.

When Steven Gerrard and Gary Neville pulled out on the eve of the World Cup in the wake of David Beckham's broken foot, it looked as though any realistic hopes had vanished with them.

With Kieron Dyer then being ruled out of any immediate build-up games, there were three significant holes in the side.

But entirely in keeping with a tournament in which teams have prospered more than individuals, it is the way in which Danny Mills, Nicky Butt and Trevor Sinclair have since filled those holes that has been crucial to England.

That trio have so far exceeded all reasonable expectations out in the Far East.

Previously often cast as journeymen Premiership performers, they have relished the biggest stage of all.

Mills came with serious doubts expressed even by his own club manager, David O'Leary, about his temperament but, one booking against Denmark and one error against Sweden aside, he has been remarkably assured.

Beckham observed: "Obviously Gary Neville is a great player but I think Danny Mills is a great player as well and he's done exceptionally well in this tournament."

Butt, meanwhile, has grown in stature over the course of the season as he has proved far more than simply a stand-in for either Roy Keane at club level or Gerrard at international level.

Alongside Paul Scholes, the diminutive duo may have come up against Denmark's own version of the Mitchell brothers, bouncer look-a-likes Stig Tofting and Thomas Gravesen, but there was only ever set to be one winner.

Scholes declared: "Nicky has always been a great player and had the ability to play for England. Whenever he has played for England, he's done well and in the past two games, he's been brilliant."

Crucially, Butt now seems to share his team-mates' belief in him, with Eriksson quick to pay tribute to the impact of what was not even his second-choice central midfield until the injury to Owen Hargreaves.

"They are very important. If you don't have an aggressive and organised midfield, the back line will always suffer and drop more and more closer to our goalkeeper and that is always dangerous."

Then there is Sinclair. At one point, he flew home from Korea expecting to miss out on the final squad until Danny Murphy's injury but Hargreaves' injury against Argentina opened a door which he has burst through.

He is the real find so far, offering much-needed balance on the problematic left flank and keeping even Dyer out of the side due to his greater defensive awareness.

Eriksson added: "He's one of many good surprises, working very hard, showing a lot of class and he's very fit."

Of course, England could yet find the quarter-finals one match too far at such an early stage in their development, given that their ability to keep possession is still under question.

However, in a World Cup of shocks, the biggest surprise of all is how they have prospered without Beckham or even Michael Owen yet quite reaching their top form.

"Many superstars went home when you talk about France, Portugal and Argentina," remarked Eriksson.

"You need a very organised team to win big tournament and in that you need some big stars with some invention, fantasy and the things you can't teach as a coach like the crosses and passes of Beckham.

"I think we have both of those. The longer you have together as a team, the better you can be. After four weeks, it begins to be like a club. Even Formello [Lazio's training ground] in Japan!"

Owen has now taken the crucial step of crowning his undoubted class with a scoring touch, although Beckham is still striving to rediscover his influential best after his return from injury.

That, however, could either be England's fundamental flaw in the final stages as they strive to peak at the vital moment or exactly the room for improvement that they still need.

Only time will tell.

But at least, with David Seaman also in superb form, this England seem to be developing a winning mentality and that is the hallmark of a successful side, as Eriksson knows only too well from his time in Italy.

"They use the phrase 'furbo' in Italy," he said. "The most important thing is to achieve the result and if you do that playing nice football or not, it doesn't matter.

"In Sweden, we say you have a fox behind your ear. Entertaining and winning are normally friends but sometimes you can play bad football and still win.

"You are clever and wait for the right chance."

Some may still doubt whether they have yet truly come of age, but this Friday's quarter-final is exactly when proof is needed.