FRANZ BECKENBAUER has labelled England 'stupid' for finishing second in Group C. The Three Lions set up a clash with old rivals Germany on Sunday after defeating Slovenia 1-0 yesterday. But Beckenbauer believes Fabio Capello's men simply do not have enough left in the tank to trouble his countrymen. The German legend said: "A game like this should be a semi-final, not a last-16 game. "Stupidly, the English have slipped up a little by finishing second in their group. "The English look a little tired. There is a good reason for that — the Premier League players have to play far more games than their Bundesliga colleagues, including two national cup competitions. "Therefore, when it comes to a World Cup or a European Championships, they are burnt out. "Our players, on the other hand, seem to be in a physically better condition. "Of course we respect them, but we certainly don't fear them." Beckenbauer admits England's display against Slovenia was a vast improvement on the draws with the USA and Algeria. He is also impressed with the disciplined regime Capello has introduced since taking charge of the national team. But his disrespectful comments are likely to give the Italian's troops extra incentive ahead of the crunch game in Bloemfontein. Beckenbauer added: "England's first two appearances at the World Cup were paltry, but they improved against Slovenia. "What makes them dangerous is that their key players — Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and John Terry — sense that this could be the last chance in their career to win a World Cup. "And after all, England have been waiting since 1966 for a title. "Capello appears to have brought discipline to the troops. After they failed to qualify for Euro 2008, England hit rock bottom. "But Capello has brought in a new structure." Credit: www.thesun.co.uk