There are four countries that immediately come to mind when fans ask the question of who will be crowned FIFA World Cup champions: France, Spain, Argentina, and England. However, only one team can be the winner, and that will be England.
The World Cup is right around the corner, and somehow the drama has already kicked off — just not in the way fans hoped.
The official World Cup Song, “Lighter” by Jelly Roll, landed with a thud, sparking immediate criticism from fans, with many having already dubbed it the worst World Cup song of all time. Sure, songs are cool and all, but that’s not what the World Cup is all about. The World Cup has never been about music. The most important part is commonality: billions of fans across the globe are locked in on one thing — the football.
When fans hear the name England, they immediately relate it with bottling. England has been there and done that, but has been unable to get the job done. Whether it was the 2024 UEFA European Championships (Euro 2024), where England finished as runners up to Spain, World Cup 2022, where England striker Harry Kane skied his penalty in the Quarterfinal against France, Euro 2020, where England lost in the final on penalties to Italy, or even World Cup 2018 where England blew a 1-0 lead in the Semifinal against Croatia, England has been right in the mix, just for it to end in heartbreak, but this year will be different.
England legend Alan Shearer’s quote after England’s Euro 2024 penalty shootout win against Switzerland epitomizes the renaissance that is the England 2026 squad, as he said, “Palmer, Bellingham, Saka, Toney, Trent. Pressure? What pressure? Pressure is for tyres! This is a different generation. They don’t feel it.”
This quote sums up the team in a nutshell: they have ice-cold players across the pitch who don’t fold under the pressure that previous generations did, and Kane is one of these players. You can’t mention him without including the fact that he is England’s all-time top scorer and has netted time and time again on the biggest stage.
In the UEFA Champions League Semifinal against Paris Saint-Germain F.C., Kane put on a masterclass in finishing and playmaking, scoring two goals and adding an assist. He also performed well on the world stage, having won the 2018 World Cup Golden Boot.
This season, Kane has been in better form than ever, having scored the most goals in all of Europe with 61 to his name, the most of any player since Cristiano Ronaldo in the 2014-15 season. This is all while he has been doubted by pundits like Simon Jordan, but instead of complaining, he has put his head down and responded with top class performances.
In addition, FC Barcelona winger Marcus Rashford has been on a tear this season, having bagged five goals and three assists in the Champions League. On the other wing, Bukayo Saka is the definition of consistency, continually scoring goals for Arsenal, while Jude Bellingham is about as big of a big game player as anyone is, having scored an unreal last minute bicycle kick in the Euro 2024 Round of 16 against Slovakia as all hope seemed lost for England. It’s safe to say that England’s attack will have defenders shivering in their boots as they try to slow England down.
On the other hand, England’s defense, which has been widely criticized for its lack of talent in recent years, has quietly been one of the most solid in the world. In the 2025-26 World Cup qualifying, England didn’t concede a single goal as they won every single game. The only other team that was able to accomplish this same feat was Tunisia, who played straight farmers en route to qualifying for the World Cup. The defensive duo of Marc Guehi with either John Stones or Ezri Konsa is just as solid as stone. It’s fair to say that if England’s menacing attack isn’t hitting on all cylinders, their defense will step up to the plate.
Lastly, England has something that they have never had before: a proper manager. Previously, England was led by Gareth Southgate, who has not won any silverware in his entire managerial career. This is very lackluster in comparison to England’s new boss, Thomas Tuchel. Tuchel has been there and done that, having won 11 trophies across his illustrious career, including the biggest trophy in all of European club football, the UEFA Champions League. If there is anyone who knows how to win, it is Tuchel.
All in all, the combination of England’s world-class attack, their rock-solid defense, and their manager who has done nothing but win is a recipe that will culminate in England’s first World Cup win since 1966.
