The £12m question: In two weeks' time, will the FA find Fabio Capello and staff, in charge of England's high-scoring qualification with games to spare, culpable for the severe change in team performance?
There is no crowd or cheering at Heathrow and Frank Lampard is in no mood to provide a fanfare, though team wives and girlfriends, source of contention in previous tournaments, travel home with the team
Humiliated central defensive pairing John Terry and Matthew Upson descend the plane steps led by Stuart Pearce, a man who knows how it feels to shoulder blame for defeat by Germany at the World Cup
Exhausted Steven Gerrard, captain in place of the injured Rio Ferdinand, was played out of position on the left flank throughout the tournament, a testimony to rigidity of Capello's tactics
Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney was expected to be a key man for England but his poor form mirrored that of his team-mates, who managed only three goals in four games in South Africa
Rooney had a difficult time, and Shaun Wright-Philips a bit-part, in South Africa and failed to find the net as England's dire campaign was ruthlessly brought to a close by vibrant Germany
On his way to the airport Lampard has time to consider the decision not to award the Chelsea midfielder a goal against Germany was one of the worst in the sport's history
England coach Capello looks downcast as he faces the press for the final time before his beaten team fly home from the World Cup following their 4-1 defeat by Germany in the last 16
While England fly home, Paul the "psychic" octopus of Oberhausen Aquarium, predictor of Germany's win that knocked out England, plumps for them again to defeat Argentina in the quarter-final
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