Others were merely happy to revel in the fact that the World Cup dream can continue for at least a few more days.
He kept his own council after Thierry Henry had cheated him of a World Cup dream and he has been impressive on and off the field.
Manager Andy Jones vividly remembers the moment when their FA Cup dream became a reality and they were drawn out of the hat against the League One side.
South Africa's World Cup dream ended in tatters when their match against Sri Lanka resulted in a tie after rain stopped play with five overs remaining at Kingsmead on Monday.
It meant Rangers' dream of repeating their 1972 Cup-Winners' Cup success died at the hands of Zenit coach Dick Advocaat - the man dubbed the Little General during his time in charge at Ibrox.
"To win the World Cup would be a dream come true and put every other achievement in the shade, " said Morley.
And with five games yet to be played in the qualifying series, an appearance at the 2006 World Cup finals is a dream that is not beyond Adebayor and his colleagues.
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Playing in the World Cup is the ultimate dream for all of them, either the young ones like Mohamed Salah and Mohamed El Nenny, or the veterans like Mohamed Abou Treika and Wael Gomaa who want to put the cherry on the top of their career by playing in the World Cup.
Sinclair had also had a hit record the previous year when he was the lead voice on the Scotland football team's World Cup record We Have a Dream.
"I am getting used to the slow realisation that my dream of playing in the Rugby World Cup is over, but what is hardest is that I have only been here for two weeks and played just two games, " he said.
"Our dream to be the first winners of the Confederation Cup is very much alive, " insisted Attuquayefio.
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"To have the World Cup in your own country is the dream of any player, " said the midfielder, who holds the most England caps for an outfield player.
"I dreamed the dream that I'd be lifting the World Cup - but it wasn't to be, " said Fleming, after announcing he was giving up the captaincy of the one-day team.
And since this is a dream, after all, why not make that a winning World Cup team?
Ferrer has a glittering collection of winners medals, including five Spanish championships, the European Cup and an Olympic gold, but fears a cup final exit could also spell the end of his Euro 2000 dream.
Van der Sar saved well from Puyol as Barcelona dominated until the final whistle - and not even the most partisan Manchester United follower can doubt that Pep Guardiola deserved to round off a dream first season in charge by adding the Champions League to the La Liga title and the Spanish Cup.
If he loses, Bertarelli will have kicked aside the last legal barrier to his own dream, an 18-team elimination series in Valencia, Spain, followed by the 33rd America's Cup regatta sometime next year.
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