But England's campaign for a bigger ticket allocation for the match has failed. Just 30 extra tickets have been given by Fifa, to add to the 2,000 handed over on Saturday.

Sports Minister Tony Banks was said to be disappointed by the decison. He had asked for an allocation of 10,000.

In another twist, Mr Banks has said that he understands if England reach the quarter-finals, Fifa will consider re-locating the match from Marseille after the violence there before their match against Tunisia.

Hoddle, who played against Argentina in 1986, says he is looking forward to putting the match behind him at last.

"I've waited 12 years to reverse that result ... it was a game that I lost three or four nights sleep just thinking about it."

Alan Shearer on Gabriel Batistuta: "He'll be a constant threat."

The coach's feelings have been echoed by many of the players. England skipper Alan Shearer said: "People this time could be thinking about the head or foot of Shearer rather than the hand of God."

Teenager Michael Owen, who was only six in 1986, said: "I was only a little boy then but the lads are saying it will be a great opportunity for revenge."

Darren Anderton said that the England team will "want to win this one for the whole nation."

Maradona's "Hand of God"

The 1986 World Cup in Mexico was a difficult tournament for England. They had to get past Argentina to progress to the semi-finals.

It was the first game between the two nations since the Falklands war which gave the match a heightened significance.

After a goal-less first half, the ball was played over the top of the English defence and Argentina's Diego Maradona and England's keeper Peter Shilton both jumped for it.

Maradona punches the ball into England's net

Maradona appearing to head the ball in for the opening goal. Shilton immediately protested that Maradona had handled the ball but the referee ruled that the goal stood.

TV replays showed that Shilton was right. Maradona had cheated and used his hand to score.

Maradona later scored a marvellous goal, scything through a raft of English defenders before slotting the ball past Shilton. One player had scored the worst goal of the tournament and the best in one game. A consolation goal from Gary Lineker gave England hope but they never really recovered from the first goal.

Argentina went on to win the World Cup after beating Germany 3-2 in the final with Maradona the star of the tournament.

After the game, Maradona claimed that the goal was the result of the "Hand of God" and that God had allowed the goal to stand because Argentina had been the better side.