Loins girded, beer fridge stocked, red and white lucky pants lined up: Saturday sees the much hyped first World Cup match for England against Team USA. If things weren't tense enough already, aides to the men charged with the respective countries' diplomatic missions have laid down the gauntlet to each other, in a gentleman's wager over the result. At stake, a steak. A rare one, at that, given the following exchange of almost Austen-esque delicacy and wit:
"We will understand if you decline, given the outcome of the last such encounter," a US aide wrote, referring to the US defeat of England in 1950.
A UK aide said Sir Nigel took his steak like that win - "somewhat rare".
Ambassadors, with this diplomatic repartee you're really spoiling for a fight us.
Where will you be watching Saturday night's match? Let us know in the comments.
