Former England players to aid World Cup bid team
Several former England players have given their backing to the country's bid to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
Gary Lineker, Sir Bobby Charlton, Andy Cole, Alan Shearer and John Barnes will join the delegation which will travel to Zurich for the vote to determine the hosts of the 2018 and 2022 tournaments on 2 December. They will be part of a group led by English
Football Association chairman Prince William.
England national team manager Fabio Capello will also fly to Switzerland as a member of the 30-strong party, as will British Prime Minister David Cameron and former England captain David Beckham.
The bid's chief executive Andy Anson claimed that being able to attract such prominent figures to the delegation provided further evidence that all of England was behind the effort to bring the World Cup to England for the first time since they won the tournament
in 1966.
He told reporters: "We have said throughout the process that this bid has the backing of the whole country and the nature of this line-up confirms that point. Next week is clearly critical because it is our last chance to convince the FIFA executive committee
members who are voting that England should be their choice for 2018.
"We will be campaigning and working right up to the very last minute and the strength and support we have within this travelling party gives us the best possible chance to deliver our message, strongly and passionately for one final time."
Lord Coe, who played a key role in winning the 2012 Olympic Games for London, will also travel with the delegation, as will Mayor of London, Boris Johnson and English Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore.
If England are to successful, they will have to fend off a rival attempt by Russia to hold the tournament and joint bids by Holland-Belgium and Spain-Portugal.
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