What possesses someone to wear a T-shirt with a picture of 1966 and all that which proclaims: 'Sorry Brazil. It's our turn now. Germany 2006'? Cringey T-shirt man was wandering around Cologne station this morning looking very smug. Did he really believe it after England's strangely triumphant group stage? It may not be Brazil's turn. But at the moment there is hardly overwhelming evidence to suggest it is England's either.
On the subject of T-shirts some Serbia-Montenegrins, currently on the way to Munich for tonight's match, have printed a more droll message on theirs: 'We don't need tickets because we are going home.'
Serbia & Montenegro v Ivory Coast is one of the few absolutely meaningless matches at this World Cup. There is nothing at stake except reputation. Ivory Coast made a good impression here and deserve some points on the board to confirm their progress. Serbia & Montenegro, however, have been dreadful, easily the worst of the eastern European contingent - and there has been competition on that front.
It has not been the best World Cup so far from the eastern half of Europe. Poland are also out, having lacked ambition despite huge support in Germany, but they at least managed a consolation win yesterday. Croatia, the Czech Republic and Ukraine, who have all had mixed tournaments so far, have the chance to qualify this week. But are all in perilous positions.
Can Croatia, so passive against Japan, outmuscle the Aussies? Might the Czechs, who are very depleted in numbers, overcome Italy? Will Ukraine finish the job against a Tunisia team that pushed Spain hard?
Throughout the nineties, World Cups featured an outstanding team or two from eastern Europe. In 1990, both Yugoslavia (with such stylish talent in Robert Prosinecki, Darko Pancev, Dejan Savicevic, Davor Suker et al) and Czechoslovakia (managed by one Josef Venglos) made the quarter-finals in their former guises.
Come 1994 who could forget the bald head of Yordan Letchkov putting out Germany en route to Bulgaria's march to the semi-finals? And Romania weren't bad either. Then in 1998 Miroslav Blazevic strutted around Paris in his formal uniform as Croatia capped a sensational campaign with bronze medals.
But 2002 was a washout for eastern Europe. There were four entrants, but none reached the knockout stage. Poland, Russia, Croatia and Slovenia all fell at the first.
Now it is down to the vulnerable Czechs, the unpredictable Ukrainians and the goalless Croats to ensure those Serbia-Montenegrin T-shirts don't have a wider market.
Amy Lawrence is an Observer football writer
