No subject matter in English studies is so fascinating yet so difficult to trace as the construction and behaviour of idioms, the turns of expression peculiar to the nation and the language.
David Beckham's free-kick saw off Ecuador in round two, but Rooney's red card in the 0-0 quarter-final draw against Portugal preceded a 3-1 shoot-out defeat.
Messi had scored five times at the tournament, including a superb free-kick in the semi-final against hosts the USA to become his country's record scorer with 55 goals.
Victoria's long-awaited autobiography made the best-seller lists in 2001, while Beckham clinched England's place in the 2002 World Cup with a superb free kick against Greece.
His lefty free kick against Denmark so befuddled goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen that he initially moved the wrong way before it fluttered flew inside the left post.