Fabio Capello has revealed his dream World Cup final come July 11th, 2010, at the Soccer City Stadium in South Africa would see his adoptive nation England take on the country of his birth Italy.

The Three Lions have been revitalised under the strict Italian tactician having failed to qualify for Euro 2008 under the guidance of the much-maligned Shhteve McClaren.

However, such has been the transformation under Capello that England have been installed as the third favourites to lift the famous Jules Rimet trophy by a host of leading bookmakers, with Sky Bet pricing them at 11/2.

Expectation has reached fever pitch (no real change there though), that this could finally be England's the year - John Terry joining the late, great Bobby Moore in skippering the side to World Cup triumph.

And the team Capello would relish tackling more than any other in the showpiece final in Johannesburg is his homeland - Marcello Lippi's current world champions, the Azzurri.

Speaking to French television station Canal Plus, he said: "I would love a final between England and Italy. For Italy, for me and for all of us.

"The strangest moment will be during the national anthems. But, I am wearing a different shirt now and I must work for the England shirt."

Capello, whose side have been drawn in Group C to face the United States, Algeria and Slovenia, added: "My team is strong.

"The fans are proud of what we've done, as are we. There's a World Cup to play for and our goal is to reach the final."