Capello's mother to root for England in World Cup

Evelina Capello, mother of England football team manager Fabio Capello, says she will be cheering for England in the World Cup, beginning June 11, rather than her native Italy.

"This is a bit embarrassing and will not make me popular with a lot of Italians but I will support my son," Evelina was quoted as saying in Daily Telegraph. "I am worried that he will be criticised if England lose, so I will be praying for England to win."

Evelina, 89, is also from a sporting family - her brother Mario Tortul played professional football for Sampdoria and Italy, and she herself loves watching sport.

"I am looking forward to the World Cup," she says. "I am very proud of what he (Fabio) has achieved but he never talks to me about work," she says.

"He was football-mad but he liked to go fishing too. It was hard for me when he left home at 15 but it was necessary for his career."

Fabio, 63, went on to play for Roma, AC Milan and Juventus as well as for the Italian national side, and scored the winning goal against England at Wembley, in November 1973.

He won national titles at all four clubs he coached: AC Milan, Roma, Juventus and Real Madrid, as well as a European Cup with Milan in 1994.

He began his role as the manager of the England national football team in January 2008 after the dismissal of Steve McClaren and is the second non-English manager, the other being McClaren's predecessor, the Swede Sven-G ran Eriksson.

Fabio's triumphs have made Mrs Capello a feted figure in the town.

"People are always asking me about Fabio," she says, "They come up to me in the street and kiss and hug me."

But she says Capello's role with the England team is causing much angst in the town as the World Cup approaches.

"I have seen how the men of this town in particular are suffering," she says. "They fear that Fabio could produce an England team that will beat Italy. They will be pleased for Fabio but distraught for Italy."

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