England try to end World Cup jinx vs Portugal

England(+105) vs Portugal(+250)

One of the two most celebrated "golden generations" in European football will reach the end of the road on Saturday when England meet Portugal in a tantalising World Cup quarterfinal. The fixture, in Gelsenkirchen, is entwined with intriguing human links and echoes of past clashes.

The two men who wear number seven captain their teams and for two years were club mates at Real Madrid. Manchester United's Portuguese winger Cristiano Ronaldo faces a direct confrontation with his club captain, England's right back Gary Neville.

But hanging over both teams is a sense of the march of time with Neville admitting that for him, Beckham and the rest who represent the crop of players known as England's 'golden generation', the clash represents a date with destiny.

It could be a step towards realising a World Cup dream or the end of those hopes as many of the squad will be past their prime by the time of the next finals in South Africa in 2010.

For Portugal, and for Figo in particular, the same holds true as he remains the last survivor of their own 'golden generation' - a group that once included Fernando Couto, Manuel Rui Costa and Manuel Joao Pinto among others.

Like Beckham, once a running winger who crossed the ball with pin-point accuracy, Figo has lost some pace and penetration, but his guile and vision has helped guide Portugal through their best World Cup in 40 years.