'Draw like box of chocolates'

England manager Roy Hodgson borrowed a line from the hit movie Forrest Gump on Monday when he described this week’s World Cup draw as “like a box of chocolates.”

Hodgson flew to Brazil on Tuesday for Friday’s ceremony when his team will discover who they face in next year’s finals.

England are not one of the top seeds and could find themselves in the same group as hosts Brazil, world champions Spain or even arch-rivals Germany.

“We will hope for the best but it is like Forrest Gump and his box of chocolates,” Hodgson said, without a hint of irony, at a news conference. “We will open it up and see what we get, then try and digest it.”

While their fans will chew over England’s opposition, Hodgson said he was equally concerned with where his side would play in the vast South American country. “I think the draw comes at a time when speculation is rife and people have a lot of fun looking at the potential possibilities,” said Hodgson, 66.