Heard the one about the Englishman, the German-Iranian and a Speedo?

As the World Cup kicked off this morning, some people will be wishing they hadn't heard this particular tale, while others will be begging the Gods for England to take home the World Cup from South Africa for the first time since their controversial win over West Germany in the 1966 final.

If the Queen's XI manages to win the biggest sporting event in the world, barber shop owner and proud Englishman Iain Mackelworth has promised nearby coffee shop owner and adopted German Davood Khatami that he will run through Steveston village in only a Speedo bathing suit.

The bizarre bet was struck as the pair traded jovial insults as to whose country would fare best in the month-long show of the world's best soccer.

Although, it appears that Mackelworth has already reneged on part of the deal -- as Khatami said his local rival agreed to run naked down Moncton Street if England won.

"We were having a laugh in the shop one day and I told him that if England wins the World Cup then I'll run down Moncton Street with just some tiny Speedos on. I don't think I said naked," said Mackelworth, who runs Steveston Barber Shop.

"Maybe a pair of Speedos. That will be bad enough. "If we win it, there will be a bunch of us, about eight, who will run down Moncton with just our (underwear) on."

But that's not how Khatami remembers it.

Khatami was busy decking out his Bean and Beyond café (which is just a goal kick away from Mackelworth's barbershop) with almost every flag and colour of the World Cup-competing countries.

"I've been arguing with him back and forth about the World Cup because he's so British, isn't he? And I'm not!" Khatami said.

"He was showing me his England flag and he was complaining that I didn't have any England stuff up in my shop. So I struck a deal, I put an England shirt up on my wall and he said he'd run naked through the village. Now it seems like he's backing down a bit. But I've already told my customers that he's going to do that if England wins. That was the deal. He said he was going to do it, and I'm looking forward to it actually. It'll be awesome."

Iranian-born Khatami -- who's German allegiance is due to ten years spent as a child living in Munich -- hopes that Steveston can become Richmond's Commercial Drive, referring to the famous street in Vancouver that comes to life with fervent colour and nationalism when the World Cup kicks off.

"I have just about all the flags of the teams and their T-shirts up in the shop and some more on the way," he said.

"I have two big TVs and I'll be cheering and screaming while making the sandwiches.

"But I don't want anyone talking to me when Germany is playing."

Khatami added that Argentinian hero and coach Diego Maradona said he'd streak naked through Buenos Aires if his team wins.

"So, we have our own little Maradona here in Steveston in the shape of Iain," Khatami quipped.

The price of an England victory for Mackelworth aside, the barber admits he'll have trouble cutting hair while the World Cup rages on.

And such is his confidence in England, he's even made arrangements for the shop to be closed on the day of the final itself so he and his English friends can cheer on their heroes to an historic win.

"Most of the time we'll be in the shop watching it on the big screen," he said.

"Saturday (England's first game against the USA) I'll be bunking off though, I can't cut hair and watch the game at the same time.

"But come the final I'll close the shop and we'll all watch it in there on the big screen. I'm probably the most optimistic Englishman on the planet."

Whether it's in a Speedo or as nature intended, the people of Steveston now have an added incentive for cheering on, or shouting against, an England victory come July 11.

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