England enjoyed a productive 2008, in the ten games played the Three Lions were on the winning side eight times losing just once. But as Fabio Capello has often said: "It is in the past and now we have to work for the future."
The coming year will decide whether the perfect start to the qualification campaign of four wins from four reaps the reward of participation at South Africa.
England begin 2009 with the prospect of facing European Champions Spain in their own backyard on 11 February. It will complete a remarkable double-header, although three months apart, for Capello's players in facing the Euro 2008 finalists away from home.
The confidence gained from winning in Berlin against the Germany side will still remain when England travel to Seville in early February. Spain defeated Germany by a solitary Fernando Torres strike to win the European Championship, their first title in 44 years, and are currently World number one in FIFA rankings.
Four days before the return to World Cup qualification action England will prepare for the qualifier at home to Ukraine by facing Slovakia on Saturday 28 March. The preparation is key to Capello which is demonstrated by the replication of a friendly prior to the qualifier with Croatia in September later in the year.
Capello has spoken about the importance of the qualifier with Ukraine many times in recent months, especially as England have performed with such verve away from home and need to replicate that at Wembley if they are to qualify for the World Cup.
In June England face the longest journey of the qualification campaign, approximately eight hours, to play Kazakhstan before returning to take on Andorra four days later at Wembley.
The season will begin again in Amsterdam on 12 August with a friendly against Holland, before Capello's final opportunity to look at his players with Slovenia the friendly opponents four days before taking on Croatia.
Wednesday 9 September will be a crucial date for England's bid to reach South Africa as they take on Slaven Bilic's side for a second time. Having become the first side to win in Zagreb, Croatia will undoubtedly be looking to even the score - but with the memory of England's decisive defeat to Croatia in Euro 2008 qualification it will be a crunch match.
England conclude their qualification with a trip to Ukraine in October, followed by the final match at home to Belarus four days later. By Thursday 15 October we will know whether England have made it to the World Cup.
It's set to be quite a year.