May 26, 2002

NARAHA, Japan (Reuters) - Argentina midfielder Ariel Ortega is dreaming of winning the World Cup by repeating his performance against England in France four years ago.

On that occasion, Ortega and Michael Owen received the highest ratings in a pulsating second round match in St-Etienne which the Argentines won on penalties.

"It was one of my best games for the national team, especially in the first half," the diminutive Argentine said.

"It was something special because everything I did worked out. Of course, that's the performance I'd like to repeat in this World Cup," Ortega told reporters at the team's World Cup base on Japan's Pacific coast, 200 kilometres north of Tokyo.

Ortega and Owen will come face to face again when Argentina meet England in their second group F match in Sapporo on June 7. The Argentines begin their campaign against Nigeria in Ibaraki on June 2.

Argentina and England drew 2-2 after extra time in St-Etienne four years ago, all the goals coming in a memorable first half. Ten-man England kept their opponents at bay in the second half following David Beckham's sending-off, but lost the penalty shootout.

Ortega, who was transferred last week from River Plate to Fenerbahce of Turkey, believes France have a good chance of retaining their world crown and that England are also strong candidates.

"England are also going to be very difficult, because of the players they have, because of their team, fast players who are stars in their clubs," said Ortega, who at 27 is already at his third World Cup.

EXPECTANCY

"We (Argentina) have also created a lot of expectancy, but we've got our feet on the ground and we know anything can happen. You lose one match and you've got one foot outside," he said.

Ortega has a bitter memory of France 98 after being sent off in the dying minutes of Argentina's quarter-final against the Netherlands in Marseille.

In a rash moment, Ortega head-butted goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar after he was adjudged to have dived in the Dutch penalty area. Argentina, down to 10 men, succumbed minutes later to a superb winner from Dennis Bergkamp.

Ortega has put that behind him and is looking forward to another chance to stake a claim to being one of the world's best players after an unsuccessful spell in Europe with Valencia, Sampdoria and Parma.

Perhaps no longer wearing the number 10 shirt that Diego Maradona made famous after Argentina removed it from circulation in honour of their 1986-World Cup winning captain will lift a weight off his shoulders.

But Ortega, now number 23, is aware that competition for places in coach Marcelo Bielsa's squad is fiercer than ever.

"Not only in my position. Really in every position it's more difficult, you've got a player behind you who is perhaps also at 100 percent and you can't let up," he said.

"But that's something that's much better for the group," he added. "The truth is we all want to play."