The first time England won the World Cup was in 1966 when they hosted the competition. It was a glorious moment in English history. However, they’ve been chasing the dream of bringing the Jules Rimlet trophy back to Wembley for many years, and it has been futile. Even with the golden generation of Beckham, Lampard, Steven G, and Scholes, they didn’t make it past the quarter-finals.
It hasn’t been easy or even close until now after they made it to the Semi-Finals in Russia before losing out to Croatia in extra time. Aside from that, they also made it to the final of the EURO 2020 competition, where they only lost in a penalty shootout. So, we can say they are closer than ever, and the team is only getting better.
Many sports news are already touting the three lions to be one of the many favorites to win the trophy in Qatar, and if they can maintain their upward trajectory, it is possible. And with more hungry players, we don’t see how they can’t go far in this competition. However, winning the trophy is a different ball game, which we uncover in this piece. Let’s get into it!
Euro Heartbreak
The Euro 2020 was a perfect platform for the team to recover from their 2018 World Cup disappointment, and at first, it was going to plan. They easily made it through the group stages, and it wasn’t bad. They showed strength and resilience through the knockout stages, from the round of 16 to the semi-final.
The possibility was right there, and when they faced Italy, we all knew it would be a tough game. However, a few minutes after the kickoff, the three lions were in front, and it seemed like all hope was back on track, and they might win this time.
But it was not to be as Italy came back, and they took the game to the penalty shootout, where the English boys couldn’t match up, and they lost.
Harry Kane and His Hunger for One Senior Trophy
Harry Kane is one of the best strikers globally, and he has the personal awards to show for it. He has been bossing the EPL and world stage for years now, but he has been unlucky for trophies. The soon to be 29 years old is still looking to win his first professional senior career trophy.
He has played in the FA Cup, UCL, and Euro finals but has always come short each time. Therefore, the goal will be to go for gold this time. Undoubtedly, the Tottenham man will be captaining the Three Lions to Qatar, and we expect to see some hunger as time is not on his side anymore.
Southgate and Possible Setup
Southgate has been impressive with the team, and even though many pundits do not agree with his tactics, they have been efficient, to say the least. We’ve seen them take the world by storm, and he’s been able to utilize the squad and find a balanced team that can challenge any team in the world.
However, like the last World Cup, he’ll have to find a way to fit in all the talent in the team, given the growing number of top players in the English squad. So, how he’ll set up is important to how far the team will go in Qatar.
Pivotal Players
Aside from Harry Kane, the squad has many players that can turn up and single-handedly win games. Raheem Sterling and, most likely, Phil Foden will partner with Kane up front. The two Manchester City stars have proven to be big players who can step up when their teams need them.
In addition, we expect to see Mason Mount, Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe, and Jack Grealish also be part of the forward. Undoubtedly, the midfield will be spearheaded by Declan Rice, and Kyle Walker is a certain figure in the backline. We also expect Jordan Pickford to remain in goal even as Everton is likely to relegate.
Other Top Teams
For England to win the World Cup, they have to be ready to beat some of the best teams in the world. And these teams include Brazil, the most decorated team in this competition, Messi’s Argentina, Germany, and France. Spain is also growing and showing that they too can cause teams trouble. Therefore, we can’t write them off as well as the Netherlands and Portugal.
Final Verdict
England has the chance to win the World Cup this year because they have one of the most talented teams in the world. Also, the squad is filled with young, energetic, and experienced individuals that can carry a team on their own. So, we think there is a shot, but it will all rely on the 23-man squad going to Qatar.
