Rivaldo has the flair England are missing (Allsport).

By Frank Malley, PA Chief Sports Writer, Shizuoka

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There was an understandably tired and resigned air to Sven-Goran Eriksson's demeanour.

He lamented England's lack of patience, admitted their absence of penetration but never once did he question their industry or ability to learn from the experience of narrow, yet desperately disappointing, defeat against Brazil in the World Cup quarter-final.

Not for England or Eriksson the wretched losing attitude of the Italians, who strutted peevishly out of this land accusing the referees of cheating, claiming their match with South Korea was fixed and that sent-off Francesco Totti had not dived even though television's evidence was to the contrary.

The truth was that Italy were cautious, arrogant, predictable and not nearly as fit or inventive as a Korean side which under coach Guus Hiddink has been the genuine revelation of this tournament.

Elements of England's squad, in particular Teddy Sheringham, did point out that Brazil were masters at utilising gamesmanship such as time-wasting and that was undeniable. But there was never an attempt to claim they were unfairly beaten by clearly superior opponents.

With Eriksson the glass is invariably half-full - which is a pretty fair assessment of England's achievements this tournament.

We could delude ourselves that if David Seaman had somehow kept out the freakish free-kick with which Ronaldinho scored Brazil's winning goal then England would have gone on to fulfil their ambitions and the nation's optimistic expectations of lifting the trophy for the first time in 36 years.

But it would be just that - delusion.

The thrilling unpredictability of this World Cup has highlighted the fact that no great team exists, that world football has become a much more level playing field where the likes of Senegal, South Korea and Turkey are serious players threatening the established order of Europe and Latin America.

Proof is in the fact that for the first time in the tournament's history members of all five Confederations reached the quarter-finals.

That England were one of them was testament to the sterling work Eriksson has done in the past 18 months.

The truth is he started from such a base starting point following the tactically incompetent reign of Kevin Keegan that ultimate glory was an impossible dream.

It is only human nature to want jam today rather than tomorrow but, to extend the analogy, Eriksson has at least spread the butter on the bread of England's future success.

True, he needs a goalkeeper to replace Seaman, who at 38 surely must have played his last game for his country. England, with such a vintage history of fine goalkeepers, suddenly find them thin on the ground though David James would be the choice to take the nation into the European championships in two years' time with Leeds United's Paul Robinson a capable understudy.

The shining light of this World Cup, however, has been the display of the defence, universally acclaimed here as the finest in the tournament, having conceded just three goals in five matches.

Ashley Cole has subdued the likes of Denmark's Dennis Rommedahl and Argentina's Ariel Ortega, no mean feat, while Danny Mills unquestionably has fulfilled the faith shown in him by Eriksson.

Rio Ferdinand, meanwhile, has been England's player of the tournament - a fact endorsed by several on-line polls in which he has been selected in a world XI.

Calm, composed and utterly dependable, the comparison with Bobby Moore is perhaps premature but give Ferdinand another tournament or two and it might not seem so unrealistic.

In attack Michael Owen, as his goal against Brazil proved, remains one of the world's swiftest and most ruthless strikers though he would surely benefit from a striking partner more consistent than Eriksson's particular favourite Emile Heskey.

The obvious flaw in England's compact side, however, is in midfield. Not that Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt or Trevor Sinclair did anything too wrong over the past three weeks. Indeed, they were the protagonists who engineered England's stirring rearguard triumph against Argentina.

But you can't teach vision in the footballing text books, you can't imbibe flair on the training ground. It cannot be thrust upon players, it must come from within.

And the simple fact is that England, for all David Beckham's promptings and set-piece brilliance, simply don't possess a Paul Gascoigne-type inspiration they can trust.

The obvious answer is West Ham's Joe Cole, who will have learned much from this trip, and in the coming year he has to be given more opportunity. His tentative offerings at international level thus far, however, suggest he is a player of flittering and colourful cameos rather than the true artist needed to adorn a world champions' midfield.

Brazil have Rivaldo, Germany have Michael Ballack - semi-finalists who influence time and again the outcome of games with the range of their individual talent. Players who control matches rather than allow themselves to be dictated to by other less charismatic virtues such as work-rate and organisation.

Until England unearth such a character of guile and intelligence it is doubtful they will land the ultimate prize.

Four years from now, however, much of England's squad - Owen, Heskey, Vassell, Hargreaves, both Coles and Ferdinand - will be reaching their mid-20s prime - at the peak of their strength and with the experience of big tournaments behind them.

They will have learned patience, they will have the benefit of having matured together. They will be ready for ultimate glory.

It would have been an encouraging thought as they wiled away the hours on the long flight home.

All they need is that one elusive measure of imagination and Eriksson's glass will at last be full.