NATHANIEL IS OUR YOUNGEST EVER CHAMPION

At only just over four years old, Nathaniel Ridley has become our youngest ever Footcall Champion. He showed some good form in the Group Stages only to fall away at the critical moment and moved into the Knockouts placed fifth in the league table. He knew that an impressive run of early predictions would see move into contention. Whilst the safe bet from the Footcallers above him was on Germany, plenty saw their Footcall dreams shattered when they lost in the semi finals to a resolute Italy. Whilst in the other semi, Spain narrowly scraped home in a penalty shoot-out against Portugal.

Young Nathaniel had chosen Spain to go all the way and defend their trophy and it proved to be the perfect gamble as they masterfully picked apart the Italians in the final. Their four nil win saw the boy Ridley leapfrog right to the top to become our youngest ever Footcall Champion. His father James made the journey from South Wales down to Kent to pick up his son's winnings (£320 for his overall win plus £5 for the Group Stages). In Nathaniel's absence he posed for the obligatory winner's photograph with the trophy before heading off back towards the Severn Bridge. James... I'm counting on you to make sure he gets all that money!

Whilst Spain defended their trophy on the field, my brother Simon Jenner once again made a determined effort to defend the Footcall Vuvuzela Award he won two years ago. His nil nil predictions for every single Group Stage match rather surprisingly kept him rooted to 138th place. All he had to do was hang on to it for another seven games and the plastic retractable horn and box of chocolates were his for the taking! He opted for underdogs Greece to go all the way and after they were thumped by Germany in the quarter-finals, his wishes came true.