'Our men are going to win'

The England team's wives, girlfriends and other loved ones were coming to Japan today, declaring: "We're not here for just two days, we've come to watch our men win the World Cup."

The party, including Louise Bonsall, girlfriend of Michael Owen, flew overnight to Tokyo's Narita airport, where they were due to touch down at 4pm local time - less than 24 hours before the kickoff in the crucial quarter-final match against Brazil.

Should England lose their biggest game for 12 years, the players and their partners will be heading back to England. But no one was considering such an outcome today.

David Seaman's wife Debbie, 39, said: "I'm feeling very confident. We've packed enough to stay until after the final and I'm confident we can make it." Debbie, who brought children Georgina, two, and Robbie, seven months, with her, added: "David is feeling fine, relaxed and pretty cool, as usual. But he can't wait to see us. It will be lovely for him to look up at the crowds and know we're watching."

Emile Heskey's girlfriend Kylee Pinsent was bringing their young children Jamal and Micah. "Emile tells me he's quite optimistic that the team will win the match," she said. She was travelling with Heskey's father Tyrone, who said: "I'm very proud of him. I think we will beat Brazil one-nil - and Emile will score it."

Ashley Cole's mother Sue said: "I spoke to Ashley before I left and he's very well, very confident. He said the team all believe that, if they can do what they did against Argentina, they can win."

Louise Bonsall, travelling with Michael Owen's brother and sister, would only smile when questioned about her boyfriend's fitness.

Also on the flight, a specially chartered British Airways Boeing 777 that left Heathrow at eight o'clock last night, were Rio Ferdinand's girlfriend Rebecca Ellison; Nicky Butt's fianc?e Shelley Barlow, 26; Wes Brown's girlfriend,

Leanne Waffle, and Paul Scholes's wife Claire, 26. Leanne said: "Wes is fine and I'm very optimistic that we can win against Brazil."

In total some 91 loved ones, including relatives of the 40-strong FA support staff, were flying in today. They will stay in Tokyo tonight, shopping, sightseeing or just recovering from the 12-hour flight. Tomorrow a coach will take them to the match in Shizuoka. After the game, they will be reunited with the players at their golf-course hotel. On Saturday, they will then either fly home or prepare to extend their stay until next weekend.

David Beckham's wife Victoria, who is seven months pregnant, has been advised not to fly to Japan. He will reportedly wear specially-made £10,000 "golden boots" for tomorrow's game.

Also arriving in Japan tomorrow in time for the key game will be Prince Andrew.

Meanwhile, England fans desperate for tickets for the match can still buy them - but only through the internet. Organisers in Japan said today that about 3,000 tickets were still available, but they have refused to sell them through telephone hotlines or at ticket offices.

Fans are angry that they might have to resort to buying black-market tickets for up to £500 because they can't get to a computer to purchase official ones.

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